How Your Film's Rating Affects Distribution
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Webinar Summary
Learn directly from Barry Freeman, former 10-year MPAA board member who has rated over 8,000 films!
Filmmakers have little choice when it comes to releasing their project theatrically. Major theatre chains require films to be rated and there’s currently only one rating system organization in place. If you don’t know how to play the game, it could affect your bottom line and your film’s content (or lack of it). Many filmmakers fall victim to approaching distribution, negotiating a deal, and needing to go back and spend time and money editing their film because it did not meet the criteria for the distributor’s rating preference.
What can you do to positively impact your rating during the screenwriting, pre-production and filming phases so you don’t need to go back and edit out content later on? What rating should you be aiming for, relating to your particular genre? Why should you be paying attention to the rating system as an indie filmmaker?
In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, host Barry Freeman will explain how the ratings system affects you as a screenwriter, producer or director. You’ll learn how each of the ratings (G, PG, PG-13, R and NC-17) has box office implications. Barry will talk about each of the ratings elements – language, sexual content, violence, theme and smoking – and provide examples of how they can affect a ratings category, and he’ll take you through the process of submitting a film to the MPAA and your options all of the way through to acceptance of the ratings certificate.
Barry will use a recent project to provide an actual application of the process. He will provide critical information for you to successfully receive your desired ratings goals with minimal cost, time, aggravation and loss of your artistic integrity. After serving on the MPAA Ratings Board for 10 years, Barry created his own successful company Barry Freeman, Movie Ratings Consultant, LLC to help filmmakers assess a movie's ratings potential and suggest changes before it is submitted. Drawing from his extensive knowledge on the subject, he is excited to share how the rating system can best serve you!
Who Should Attend?
- Screenwriters who want to learn how their writing affects the rating of the film and what they can do to make their project as viable as possible.
- Directors who want to keep their work in line with the appropriate rating for their story.
- Producers who want to understand how their rating will affect packaging, sales and distribution.
- Any filmmaker approaching distribution who wants to avoid going back to the editing room to alter their film to fit the distributor’s rating preference.
- Kirby Dick enthusiasts (“This Film is Not Yet Rated”).
What You Will Learn:
- Overview of CARA (Classification and Rating Administration) and the MPAA
- The 5 film ratings and their financial implications
- Descriptors – the modifiers that accompany the ratings
- Rating elements and their effect on category placement
- What to be aware of (depending on your title)
- Film submission to the MPAA
- Options along the ratings process
- A recent example of film submission, editing and acceptance
- Pitfalls for filmmakers – time, expense, content loss and aggravation
- Perfect scenario – how the system can best serve you
- A few words on International film ratings
- Live in-depth Q&A with Barry. He has 10 years of experience rating films – bring your questions!
About Your Host Barry Freeman:
Barry Freeman served on the ratings board (Classification and Rating Administration) at the MPAA in Los Angeles for 10 years and rated more than 8,000 films. He worked on the “inside” and now serves as a consultant to filmmakers for all ratings related issues. His knowledge of the system’s process, numerous editing skills and business background in program management makes him invaluable to filmmakers.
In his words, “the ratings board serves a useful purpose but its primary objective is to inform parents about the suitability of a film for their children. Who’s looking out for the filmmakers first and foremost?”
Barry provides script and film analysis and strategy, on-location consultation, film submission to the MPAA, negotiations on the filmmakers behalf, edit options at all stages of the film process and program management of all ratings issues. You can read more about him here.
About The Webinar Format:
Webinars take place online, in Los Angeles, California, USA time, using a designated software program from Stage 32. You can participate from the comfort of your own home and you will be able to communicate directly with your instructor during the webinar. If you cannot attend the live webinar, you can still participate! The webinar will be recorded and you will have on-demand access to the audio recording within about 48 hours of the live webinar, which you can view as many times as you'd like for a whole year.
About Your Instructor
Barry Freeman
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