Fduimun 2017 Mpaa Background Guide Update 2

2017.07.10 MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA BACKGROUND GUIDE UPDATE 2

2017 FUDAN UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE

2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 LICENSING

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 CONTENTS

LICENSING ...... 1

CONTENTS ...... 2

CONTACT INFORMATION ...... 4

CORRECTION ...... 5

1. HOW POLITICS INFLUENCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF CINEMA IN THE USA .... 6

1.1. BEFORE THE CODE ...... 6

1.2. BEFORE THE RATING ...... 8

1.3. CONCLUSION ...... 9

2. CASES STUDY ...... 11

2.1. FILM CASES STUDY ...... 13

2.2. HONG KONG FILM RATING SYSTEM ...... 15

2.3. UNITED KINGDOM FILM RATING SYSTEM ...... 16

2.4. FRANCE FILM RATING SYSTEM ...... 18

2.5. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE FOUR FILM RATING SYSTEMS ...... 19

3. DELEGATION BACKGROUND ...... 20

3.1. THE “BIG SEVEN” MAJORS AND THEIR FAMOUS WORKS ...... 20

3.2. ACTOR ...... 22

3.3. INTERNATIONAL FILM IMPORTERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF AMERICA (IFIDA) ...... 22

3.4. STATE REPRESENTATIVES ...... 23 3.5. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THEATRE OWNERS (NATO): THEATER OWNERS OF AMERICA (TOA) & ALLIED STATES ASSOCIATION OF MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITORS (ALLIED) ...... 23

3.6. CHURCH REPRESENTATIVES ...... 24

3.7. INDEPENDENT STUDIOS ...... 24

3.8. PARENTS ...... 25

3.9. CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP ...... 26

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

3.10. DIRECTORS ...... 26

4. A GUIDANCE TO FORM YOUR DESIGN ...... 27

5. ASSIGNMENT ...... 29

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 30

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 CONTACT INFORMATION

This table is provided for delegates to contact the Dais. If there’s no specific member you wish to communicate with, please send an e-mail to the:

 [email protected]

NAME SCHOOL OCCUPATION 姓名 QQ EMAIL 性别腾讯 George Jia’ao Ji George Washington University 吉家骜 514994862 [email protected] DAIS HEAD 男 Lawrence Jixin Jia Harverford College 贾冀新 2439560525 [email protected] 男 Cora Yue Mao New York University, Abu Dhabi 毛玥 462135264 [email protected] 女 Liz Yijing Wang Shanghai International Studies University DAIS MEMBER 王艺静 1485414772 [email protected] 女 Doris Yuhan Wang 王雨涵河南省实验中学 2414028872 [email protected] 女

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 CORRECTION

The dais shall amend the term ‘BIG SIX’ to ‘Major Studios’, regarding the fact that there were still seven major studios (MGM, Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Inc., 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, Columbia Pictures, United Artists and Universal Studios) in Hollywood in 1960s. United Artists were not merged with MGM until 1981. Besides, in the last update, the dais didn’t offer you an explicit definition of the Statement of MPAA. The Statement of MPAA is a list of gist in the upcoming discussion which includes but not limited to: the purpose, the strategy to achieve the committee’s goal. Apologies for your confusions.

Dais Head Jia’ao Ji

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 1. HOW POLITICS INFLUENCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF CINEMA IN THE USA

Over the course of the 20th century, plenty of matters including national politics, social change, cultural constructions of American identity were determined by the Hollywood Film Industry. Within the involvement of such a controversial interference like the national politics in films, both domestic and international political pressure were posted to the Hollywood Film Industry. Hence they influenced the negotiations and censoring policies in the film industry throughout the era of the production code. While the terminology of “politics” can be disputable to various levels, the dais of the MPAA 1960 would suggest a clear focus on the relatively internal political factors in terms of this topic. Other associated topics would likely be: individual involvement with the political process, the construction of political ideology and the creation of national identity through film; propaganda efforts; the shifting political priorities of the industry, and the impact of local, state, and national politics on motion picture productions and business structures. (Brownell, 2014)

1.1. BEFORE THE CODE

The public outrage burst out after a chaotic trial of former Hollywood star, Roscoe Fat Arbuckle, but how come this criticism of extravagance in Hollywood became so fierce that the whole industry had to self- regulate in the end?

To understand this problem, a deeper look into Pre-code era has to be taken. Beneath the economic soar in 1920s, the social values have undergone a drastic change with the prosperity of media and the revival of religion. Then the Great Depression swept the whole nation in 1930s and it destroyed the faith and fantasy bubble of most Americans. When Americans tried to rehabilitate their society and minds with traditional values, the seed of Production Code grew quietly but steadily in this period. The following analysis will inform you some of the reasons that the dais considered significant.

CRITICISM ON NEW THRILLERS

One could easily put many tags on 1920s: Roaring twenties, Jazz Age or Golden Age of Radio. The reason for such variability is that the technology breakthrough and the boredom in Prohibition era generated more types of entertainment. The 1920s “...was an age of frenzy and boredom; a period when a restless nation demanded to be entertained” (Rodnitzky, 1968, p. 505). Jazz music appeared in the appropriate moment. First played in illegal bars, Jazz quickly spread through the country. This floating and ethereal form of art was hooked with immorality from the very beginning and it drew tons of attacks from the critics, who considered Jazz as a new thriller in the impetus society. “Critics saw jazz and its associated dances as defective, causing both mental and physical impairments in their devotees.” (Russell L.

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

Johnson, 2011) The innovative composing techniques in jazz, like syncopation and polyrhythms, were the evidence for the critics to prove its abnormity. In addition, the jazz dance has also been judged as disgraceful and strange at that time. Doctors, especially those who believed in music therapy, began to found the negative impacts of jazz music. Some claimed that the neurasthenia was caused by Jazz because it occupied too much “nerve force” in one’s body.

Actually, such criticism reflects public’s dissatisfaction of the era. When people said that Jazz was arhythmical, they were indeed pointing out the disorder of life in 1920s. The loss of the traditional values made people afraid of new things. More and more suspected the new Medias and assumed that they had destructive powers to corrupt one’s mind. Film is no exception in this conflict. As the sounding technique was gradually accepted by public in mid 20s, people had felt its gigantic influence on minds. Film was another target in the continuous criticism of new media and thrillers. If comparing cinema with other kinds of new art form that had been criticized, like Jazz or Rock & Roll, one can easily find out that the pattern of criticism is pretty much the same. The critics would claim the new thrillers were seducing people to degenerate. The advent of brand new technologies in filmmaking made people even more worried. Purifying the big screen meant that the “beast” was under the control of morality.

SCOPES TRIAL: THE VICTORY OF FUNDAMENTALISTS

In 1925, a teacher, John Thomas Scopes, was sued by the government for teaching evolution theory of Darwin in classes. In a short period of time, the topics involved in this case: Creationism vs. Evolution, God vs. Darwin and Fundamentalist vs. Modernist became so popular that whole nation’s attention was completely attracted by the trial. Both sides hired the most eminent lawyer and the debate in court was really intense.

In the end, Scopes was found guilty. It also led a change in the textbook. “The word "evolution" no longer appears in the index. Darwin's influence on the study of the "development" of species is no longer stressed; some of the credit is now given to Hugo de Vries. The word ‘evolution’ has disappeared from the paragraph in the first edition called ‘Charles Darwin and Natural Selection.’” (Judith V. Grabiner and Peter D. Miller, 1974) What’s more, a nation-wide anti-evolution movement made fundamentalism reached its peak in 1920s. Although the modernists had also fully expressed their opinions during the trial, the traditional and religious values were stressed once again in America. Also, Ku Klux Klan rose in South in 1920s. The overall trend of protestant value revival had set.

Hays code could be seen as a reply to this wave of thoughts. To protect the economic profit, the industry had to cater to popular trend once again.

THE AGE OF CRIME: WHEN CRIMINALS BECAME LEGENDS

Gangs and mobs were rampant in 1920s. Al Capone, nicknamed “Public Enemy No.1”, was the head of Chicago gangsters. He committed several most vicious crimes in the United States. He bought many head officers in government and stayed intact with his frightening records. His actions severely damaged the

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 image of Chicago, but in late twenties, even after his trial, his reputation as a folk hero never faded. Al Capone was admired not only by the grassroots, but also the white, Middle Class citizens. “Like Jay Gatsby, the protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, people find ‘something gorgeous’ about Capone, ‘some heightened sensitivity to the promise of life’.” (Dominic J Capeci, 1975) The morbid admiration is a symbol of “a ballyhoo society” (Dominic J Capeci, 1975)

Another example is Bonnie and Clyde. This most violent couple was shot to death by police officers and became a romantic legend in criminal history.

The celebration of crimes and delinquency reflected the crazy nature of the era. In Great Depression, people were furious about the recklessness which caused the catastrophe. People simply got enough of the crimes or delinquency. There’s no doubt that film, the media which can show violence and crime most directly, was taken seriously after this age of crime. Actually, a series of reports of motion picture’s negative influence on teenagers (stimulation of violent tendencies, seduction to commit a crime and other problems) made the public endorse the Production Code.

GREAT DEPRESSION

Good days came to an end in a Thursday in 1929. The stock market crash shocked the nation and mercilessly broke the fantasy bubble. Suddenly the disappointment struck the society and left people with the reflection on the zeitgeist, the spirit of era. The old films which represented that thrill-seeking age no longer worked out. When people went through the disillusionment, the industry which kept its extravagant style would not be welcomed. The tolerance has come to a breakthrough point and finally the industry must regulate itself or be regulated by government.

1.2. BEFORE THE RATING

During the 1960s, a drastic change began to appear to the new generation of audiences. The 1960s raised a new wave of social changes and progresses. Movies during the time didn’t solely focus on the orthodox American views but also on fun matters like fashion, and rock & roll. As the social shifts like the civil rights movements and transitions in cultural values appeared, the film industry also tended to make the cleverest adaption against the code, clearly to entertain its target audience. Even from the Hollywood perspective, movie stars became more active in grassroots movements and national politics. It was not the time when the people saw puppets being manipulated on the silver screen; instead it was the time when people challenged the production code through these times of change. According to James A. Clapp in his article about cinema and youth, “The recognition on the part of the entertainment industry that youth were developing into a significant niche market brought forth a flood of celluloid trash that may be of greater value to social archeology than to art.” (Brownell,2014)

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

Additionally, the international perception of America and its culture were not to the domestic level anymore but on something even greater. The views of the cinema in the USA were greatly influenced by the Vietnam War and continuous shifts in governmental power. And that’s when the cinema industry reached its bottleneck. (Brownell,2014) 1963 was the slowest year in film production: approximately 120 movies were released, which was fewer than any year ever since the 1920s. This decline in production was due to the decreasing profits caused by the spread of television. By then, televisions had gradually eaten up the bare market for the film industry by expanding its property as a family essential household appliance. And it was this push to force the film companies to try alternatives in other areas: music records, movies made for TV, and the invention of the TV series. (Hale, 2014) And as the youngsters began to take a giant leap to challenge authorities in 50s and 60s, they were isolated from the long behold traditional values and patriotism. Therefore, to attract the interests of those rebelling youngsters, Hollywood finally turned to emphasize the importance of agreement towards the majority’s tendencies by showing absolute obedience to the governmental politics,

Consequently, in the following decades, as Hollywood movies were finally freed from the regulations of the Hays Code and the strict confines of studio system production regulations in the end of the 1960s, films began to critique American foreign policy and advocate for the promotion of liberal and cultural changes in the political arena. (Vaughn, 2004)

1.3. CONCLUSION

As the vast range of statements above exposes, movies were of extreme importance and frequently controversial role in American political culture. Connections between Hollywood and the political arena have permeated the industry in a variety of ways since the early 20th century to the middle of this era. And on behalf of the dais of the MPAA 1960 Committee, some clarifications have to be made and adjust to this part of the background guide. The thesis under the topic of “Political Factors that Influenced the Development of Cinema in the USA” only focuses on the change of political priorities within Hollywood and the effect of the role of broader political environment in film production, industry structures, and opportunities for celebrity political activism through the 1910s to the end of 1960s. However, many perspectives of the motion picture’s political concerns were not discussed. Since the political factors can have a vital role of changing cultural, social, and economic circumstances, the dais would like to list a few of the names that the delegates can utilize for further research. Starting with previous works such as “Thorp in 1939 and Powdermaker in 1950 presented a sociological examination of the motion picture community, Sklar in 1975 and Jowett in 1976 offer scholarly analyses about the cultural impact of Hollywood Jewish entrepreneurs as they challenged the dominant Protestant political and social hierarchies.” (Brownell, 2014) However, the previously mentioned authors might remain quite subjective on a certain matter in the development of cinema history. The next recommended researches have all relatively shifted their focus to a far more domestic and consumer-based, democratic culture. Through their work, it is very clear how Hollywood promoted the films as industry impacts and reflection upon broader changes into the political culture of the United States over the course of the 20th century. For

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 example, Ross in 2002 gave a research on the ways that political pressures could impact the production of motion pictures conducted from a combination of scholarly articles and primary source documents. Whereas Critchlow and Raymond in 2009 provided a range of primary sources for scholars to see the vital role that film and celebrities can play in terms of national politics. These researches could be used as great evidence and advocate your understanding of Hollywood effect to advance domestic and global politics in terms of the film industry. (Brownell, 2014)

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 2. CASES STUDY

LATEST CLASSIFICATION AND RATING RULES OF MPAA1

President of MPAA announced that the film industry was planning to set a new film rating system in 1968, which intended to stop teenagers from inappropriate films. 50 years after the censoring system was

1 *Please be aware that this illustration is just for reference use. When you are drafting your own design, you can mimic it but you cannot just copy and paste it. What the dais wish to receive is 28 distinguished and unique design instead of a copy and paste boring paper.

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 stopped, the film rating system was both complimented and criticized. It has been decades since the film rating system was helping parents to decide what kind of movies their children should see. However, lately the decision has come under fire. Inside the headquarters of Motion Picture Association of America, an anonymous group of parents gather to rate films G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17, and X, but the MPAA won’t let the outside to know who these people are and how they are making any decisions.

(Following pictures are retrieved from http://www.filmratings.com/RatingsGuide)

When a producer of a movie rated NC-17 wants to figure out how to make it sense, the method can usually be found nowhere, which means they haven’t got the right to know how their works were rated. There doesn’t exist anyone whom the producer can talk to, or make a phone call with. Although every film producer bears in mind that whether sending their works to the MPAA or not is not compulsory to some extents, they have to send it for a rating before showing it to the public. Theatres will not allow a domestic movie without a rating result to be shown on the screen (from a documentary named The Film is not Yet Rated). In another word, their works or we can say their original clips are actually hijacked by the MPAA. Based on the NC-17 film list announced by the association, and on the statistics made by the dais, since the day when the new rating system was put in to effect, two thirds of the movies rated an NC- 17 were related to the sexual scene. On the contrary, the number of its violent counterpart was far less than that. Thus, here’s the list of aspects you’ve got to take into consideration during your research and analysis:

 Anonymity and opacity

 Sex vs. Violence: an inclination?

 Ratings and audience loss

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

2.1. FILM CASES STUDY

THE BLUE ANGEL: THE FIRST CHALLENGE

 Paramount Pictures, 1930, Director: Josef von Sternburg

 Emphasizing heroine’s charm, especially in her sexual part

Based on Heinrich Mann’s novel “Professor Unrat”, this German Film chose the most ironic part to adapt it. The hero, a professor, was stereotyped to some extents that he didn’t allow his students to do anything unconventional. Thus, he was annoyed when he accidentally knew that his students were planning to watch a show at a theatre, and he decided to take them home from the fantasy. However, the moment he saw the Blue Angel, an actress named Laura, he was already stuck in the marshland. Vigorous, young, gorgeous...... Laura’s unique character was the fatal seduction to the stereotyped and conventional professor. The professor and Laura was married later, and began leading their “happy” life.

Nevertheless, the professor lost his job. He could do nothing but work as a clown. Meanwhile, he lost his “private angel”. He could do nothing but watching other young guys flirting his wife. The professor, losing his love, losing his wife, and losing his job, committed suicide. In the movie, Laura was full of woman’s attractiveness, and curvaceous beauty, but this figure disobeyed the moral code in the Hays Code. Besides, the professor, the embodiment of orthodoxy, died at last. The epilogue also disobeyed the Hays Code. “No picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin,” excerpted from the first clause of the General Principles in the Hays Code.

(Following pictures are retrieved from http://www.filmratings.com/RatingsGuide)

LITTLE CAESAR: THE START OF THE GANGSTER FILM

 Warner Bros. Entertainment, 1931, Director: Mervyn LeRoy

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

 Elaborately describing a criminal’s glorious life

Adapted from the novel written by W.R. Burnett, the film was about a tiny figure who joined in the gangster ambitiously. The hero died ominously on a muddy road after his “glorious” life. 79-minute length as the movie was, the movie successfully depicted a figure, longing for a twist of his destiny, having no second choice, and ultimately existing on the edges of the age. Warner Bros. Entertainment found the novel adoptable nearly the first time they got to know it. From the producers’ perspective, its rapid pace, and compact story-lines made it possible for them to put it on the screen.

The film highlighted the manliness, focusing on its conventional while realistic prototype. In order to allow it to survive from the censorship system, they even quoted from The Betrayal of Jesus at the beginning of the movie, “Put your sword back in its place. For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” Nevertheless these sentences which meant to explain their purpose to this movie cannot block away the voice from those fastidious critics. According to the New York Times, it was alleged that the little Caesar was an indifferent criminal who deserved more than death. However, most of the audience believed that the hero was in fact the embodiment of courage. Those armchair Rambos were separated into the pro side and the con side, representing whether they agreed the movie to be shown in the theatre or not. Even the supervisors in the Hays Code Office held different opinions, which eventually led to its result that the film was blocked in Canada, but audience from major provinces in the United States were able to enjoy the feast brought by this initial Gangster Movie. Little Caesar became one of the analogical cases in the United States’ Gangster Movie History.

A FAREWELL TO ARMS: CONTROVERSIAL CLIPS OF RELIGION, POLITICS, AND PREGNANCY

 Paramount Pictures, 1932, Director: Frank Borzage

 Concealing the illegal relationship between the hero and the heroine, meanwhile elaborating the scene of give birth to a child

Speaking of A Farewell to Arms, what first comes to our mind is the marvelous novel written by Hemingway in 1929, convicting the cruelty of the war and condemning its horror through the tragic romance between a British nurse and an American driver. Only a few people knew the movie adapted from the novel caused huge contentions during the censorship.

First, let’s focus on the Warner Bros. Before Paramount Pictures, the Warner Bros. had the intention to adopt the novel into a film. Nonetheless, after consulting the officials in the Hays Code Office, they gave up. The Office said that the relationship between the hero and heroine was illegal, meanwhile depicts of brutal Italian soldiers would cause international dispute. They strongly recommended Warner Bros. to abolish the adaptation. Paramount Pictures insisted on the adaptation. To ensure the relationship between the nurse and the driver legal, they added a scene where the priest went into the ward to prey for their innocent love. Simultaneously, the nurse’s friend acted as a traditionalist, lobbying the

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 importance of remaining conventional. The corporation even shot two epilogues to let the theatre choose which one to be shown.

The scene of giving birth to a child was considered filthy, and therefore the film was considered filthy. It was so ironic that the masterpiece given by Hemingway was seen as greasy index during that period of time.

The following three cases of film rating systems from other countries and regions are chosen in a consideration that they have relatively big differences from MPAA system, in classification, governing body, review procedure and provision of guidelines. The contents are summaries from the government websites and other internet sources which introduce the rating systems in detail. You’re recommended to use the links provided to explore more into the aspects you have interested in, and read the general comparison given in the last link.

2.2. HONG KONG FILM RATING SYSTEM

Summary from

 http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr00-01/english/panels/itb/papers/313-02e.pdf

 http://www.cedb.gov.hk/ccib/eng/film/film_1.htm

According to the Film Censorship Ordinance of Hong Kong, the Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration is the authority which implement the classification. The Office permits movies to be released under their assessed level rating after screening them. Films exhibited for non-commercial purposes, for example cultural, educational, instructional, promotional or religious are not required to submitted for censorship.

As the general principle of approval of exhibition and classification, the following matters are required to be considered by censors: “Whether the film portrays, depicts or treats cruelty, torture, violence, crime, horror, disability, sexuality or indecent or offensive language or behavior”.

Film exhibited in Hong Kong are classified into four categories:

Category Notice I Suitable for all ages IIA Not suitable for children IIB Not suitable for young persons and children

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

III Persons aged 18 and above only

Categories I, IIA and IIB give no mandatory age restriction. They are intended to be advisory notices to the public. The classification is a reference parents can turn to when choosing films for their children. On the other hand, the restriction of 18 years old is strictly set for category III.

There are regular inspections of cinemas and video shops by government inspectors to ensure the classification is followed and signs of categories are shown.

More details of the criteria of classification issued by the Hong Kong government can be referred at( 影片 ): 分級的方法

 http://www.ofnaa.gov.hk/document/chi/code/filmcensorship.pdf V.

The Film Censorship Authority works with a Panel of Film Censorship Advisers. About 300 members compose the panel. They are from various sections of the society and could be teachers, social workers, students and many other occupations. Panel members preview films with the censors and give their opinion on classification. At most of the time, the films were given the same categorization by the panel and the censors.

Any disagreement of the classification result will then be dealt with by the Board of Review. The Board consists of 10 members of the Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting, and 9 other persons who are not public officers.

2.3. UNITED KINGDOM FILM RATING SYSTEM

Summary from:

 http://www.bbfc.co.uk/sites/default/files/attachments/BBFC%20Classification%20Gu idelines%202014.pdf

 http://www.bbfc.co.uk/

The UK’s film rating system has a long history from 1912 and the classification evolved through the years. The British Board of Film Classification decided the UK’s film ratings. For cinema releases, the BBFC has no legal power. Technically, films do not even have to be submitted for classification. The local councils got to decide who should be allowed to watch a film, but they generally apply the BBFC's certificates, effectively making them legally binding. In some cases, councils may impose their own conditions. They may raise or lower the minimum entry age from the certificate, ban certified film outright, or set their

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 own minimum entry age for films that have never been submitted for BBFC certification, or which have been refused a certificate by the Board.

The classification system considers specific contents in its context, theme, tone and impact of appearance. These contents include discrimination, drugs, imitable behavior, language, nudity, sex, threat and violence.

Film exhibited in the UK are classified into four categories:

Category Notice Universal All ages admitted, there is almost nothing unsuitable for children aged 4 years and over Parental Guidance General viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children under the age of 8 12 Suitable for those aged 12 and older; also suitable for those under 12, but Accompanied/Adbisory only if accompanied by an adult 12 Suitable for those aged 12 and older 15 Suitable for those aged 15 and older 18 Suitable for those aged 18 and older Restricted 18 Restricted to those aged 18 and older and only available at licensed cinemas and sex shops

More details of the criteria of each category can be referred at (The Classification Categories):

 http://www.bbfc.co.uk/sites/default/files/attachments/BBFC%20Classification%20Gu idelines%202014.pdf

BFCC is a non-governmental non-profit organization founded by the film industry. The classification BBFC provides is done by BBFC’s examiners. Its rating process works as following: two Examiners view a film. In most cases a Senior Examiner will confirm the film’s recommended category. But if the Examiners are in any doubt or fail to agree, or if important policy issues are involved, the work may be seen by other members of the Board.

In order to keep the classification standards in line with what the public expects, every 4 to 5 years, the BBFC carries out a public consultation survey to see what is the public’s attitude towards age rating and BBFC’s classification standards. The BBFC adjusts its standards and criteria according to changes in public concerns.

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

2.4. FRANCE FILM RATING SYSTEM

Summary from:

 http://www.cnc.fr/web/en/film-classification

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_France#Cinema

The French film rating is run by the Ministry of Culture that the screening of cinematographic films is subject to obtaining a distribution certificate.

There are no written guidelines issued to clarify what sort of content should receive which rating. The commissioners typically explain restrictive ratings by citing violent, sexual and drug related content, especially when the scenes are not necessary. However, strong language in films receives little attention. When compared with many other countries movie classification, including the US, sexual content is much less likely to produce a restrictive rating.

Film exhibited in France are classified into five categories:

Category Notice U certificate authorizing the screening of the film to all members of the public 12 certificate prohibiting the screening of the film to minors under twelve 16 certificate prohibiting the screening of the film to minors under sixteen 18 certificate prohibiting the screening of the film to minors under eighteen Prohibited certificate totally prohibiting the screening of the film.

Films may also be classified by the order of the Minister of Culture as "pornographic films or those containing an incitement to violence" (article 12 of the act of 30 December 1975).

Cinemas in France are required by law to strictly follow the classification prevent underaged audiences from viewing films. If they fail to do so, they will be fined.

In a simplified procedure, the certificate is issued on the recommendation of the Board of Film Classification. But a film may be examined in a plenary session if restrictive measures are needed.

The Minister makes the final decision on films’ classification based on the Board’s opinion. If the Minister thinks more restrictive measures are needed than those recommended by the Board, he or she must then ask the board to examine the film again.

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

2.5. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE FOUR FILM RATING SYSTEMS

The table is adapted from the comparison of current film rating systems, showing age on the horizontal axis, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_picture_content_rating_system

Recommend reading for more comparison over different film rating systems is at: http://www.classification.gov.au/Public/Resources/Documents/80000CPB+- +A+Comparative+Analysis+of+Ratings,+Classification+and+Censorship+Around+Commissioned+Researc h256794.pdf

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Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 3. DELEGATION BACKGROUND

3.1. THE “BIG SEVEN” MAJORS AND THEIR FAMOUS WORKS

(Following pictures are retrieved from http://www.filmratings.com/RatingsGuide)

20TH CENTURY FOX

Suffering from the loss of audience

The Grapes of Wrath

Tora! Tora! Tora!

The Sound of Music

WARNER BROS.

Specializing in producing Gangsters Movie

Whose audience is mainly the proletariat

Little Caesar

Casablanca

A Streetcar Named Desire

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

Representing the European Style

Inviting European Directors to go to Hollywood for making better film

The Blue Angel

A Farewell to Arms

2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

The Miracle

COLUMBIA PICTURES

Initially producing low-budget movie

It Happened One Night

You Can’t Take it with You

From Here to Eternity

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

Initially producing low-budget movie

All Quiet on the West Front

Lust, Caution

Inside Deep Throat

MGM ( METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER INC.)

Establishing the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Becoming the benchmark of American Style Movie

Gone with the Wind

1984

The Merry Widow

UNITED ARTISTS CORPORATION

Established by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith and was best known as "the company built by the stars."

2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

The Moon is Blue

The Garden of Allah

Midnight Cowboy

3.2. ACTOR

VIVIEN LEIGH

An actress who’s been given Academy Awards for Best Actress twice for her performances as Scarlett O’hara in Gone with the Wind (1939), and Blanche DuBois in the film version of A Streetcar Named Desire(1951). A Streetcar Named Desire was one of the movies which oversaw the restrictions set by the Hays Code. As the heroine, Vivien Leigh must want to express her own opinions towards the film-rating system.

GREGORY PECK

Unlike Marlon Brando or James Dean, Gregory Peck always played the serious gentleman characters. In 1950s, Peck played 18 films starring him, including Roman Holiday. In that period, he cooperated with William Wyler, Henry King, John Huston and other eminent directors. He was also a box office prince during that time.

3.3. INTERNATIONAL FILM IMPORTERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF AMERICA (IFIDA)

IFIDA was established around 1957 to represent a number of New-York based companies that do business in the expanding imported film market. Its guiding committee participated in the key work of the birth of film rating system in the 1960s, and later worked with the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) and Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) as the rating system’s guiding and monitoring groups. However, as an organization represented solely import film distributors, its interest conflicts with MPAA’s dominating power in the movie industry. A universally implemented film rating will influence IFIDA’s control over imported films.

2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

3.4. STATE REPRESENTATIVES

Seven state’s representatives will be placed as delegates in the committee, they are each from Utah, Georgia, Tennessee, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas and Ohio. The state representatives from these states generally took a conservative attitude towards films. They tolerate less violence, sex and strong languages in movies, and would likely put effort in protecting the traditional moral values. As the representatives had an overall conservative view towards film rating, the extent of thoughts towards the standard of classification of movies still varies between themselves. In the late 1950s, legislators in Ohio tried to introduce bills to censor movies based on age. As the pioneers of prior restraint on movies before Hays Code, Illinois and Pennsylvania saw retrogressive steps to censorship ordinance which was kept to 1960s. The Georgia Supreme Court judge expressed his feeling towards movies that “As individual citizens, we hate to see the youth of this state . . . subjected to all the evil influence that obscene pictures might exert upon them.” Besides, in Utah, people are used to censor movies for their children by their own, they have an even stricter rule in mind for which should be exhibited and which should not. Although after the Gelling v. Texas case, Texas Supreme Court banned the local censorship bill, people still remained to have a conservative attitude over scenes in movies. Tennessee Supreme court also used technicalities to avoid pausing local censorship.

3.5. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THEATRE OWNERS (NATO): THEATER OWNERS OF AMERICA (TOA) & ALLIED STATES ASSOCIATION OF MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITORS (ALLIED)

NATO was found by the merger of two biggest theater associations (Theater Owners of America & Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors) in 1966.

Early in 1917, many theatres, which were unaffiliated to the Hollywood main studios, gathered together to demand the better pricing and the first-runs because of the block-booking strategy used by Paramount Pictures and the main producers. The virtual monopoly and trust of Hollywood were also damaging the unaffiliated theaters’ profits. Therefore, the predecessors of NATO were founded and soon merged to demand the better pricing and the rights of motion picture premiers. They also strongly supported the anti-trust case against the Big Five (there were only five major studios in Hollywood at that time, while in 1960s it became seven), yet the independent theater associations at the same time faced the influences from the widespread television and declined revenue. As for this committee, delegations of NATO will be: Theater Owners of America and Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors.

2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

3.6. CHURCH REPRESENTATIVES

Religious constraints were one of the major conservative forces against the film industry in America. It played an important role in producing the Motion Picture Production Code and the changes, making the film industry compromise. Thus, in this committee we set four Catholic Church Representatives to balance the stances and provide a different view. Make the studios compromise.

 Roman Catholic Cardinal of Los Angeles

 Roman Catholic Bishop

 Roman Catholic Vicar General of Los Angeles

 Roman Catholic Minister

3.7. INDEPENDENT STUDIOS

ALLIED ARTISTS PICTURES COOPERATION

Allied Artists Pictures Cooperation was an independent studio among the Poverty Row, which was previously named ‘Monogram Pictures’. In 1949 Monogram reported a loss of $850,000, and subsequently stopped to make low-budget films and completed a transition to Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. It joined MPAA in 1966.

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

Starting to make animated films in 1934, Walt Disney became one of the most successful film studios and joined MPAA in 1979. The animated films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Treasure Island more than successfully rendered Disney become a star in the industry and evolve into Walt Disney Pictures today.

2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

3.8. PARENTS

To guarantee the authenticity, the dais chose to real figures in the history. They both had some delicate correlation with film industry. The full text of their mini biographies is from Imdb written by anonymous people.

GERTRUDE AMELIA KRIEGER

Gertrude Amelia Krieger was born on July 15, 1893, in Chicago, Illinois. In 1903, her father, German-born Julius Otto Krieger, relocated the family to Los Angeles, California. Because her parents worked long hours and her father died when she was 15, Gertrude spent much of her childhood caring for her younger brother, Ralph. When Gertrude was 16, she met 21-year-old George Francis Temple; they married in 1910. Their first child, John Stanley Temple (Jack), was born in 1915. Another son, George Francis Temple Jr. (Sonny), followed in 1919. The couple's only daughter, Shirley Jane Temple, was born on April 23, 1928. Gertrude soon noticed that her daughter was born with a remarkable sense of rhythm; at 8 months, she was standing up in her crib and dancing to the popular music that her parents played on the phonograph. Gertrude convinced George that they should enroll Shirley in a local dance school. When Charles Lamont visited her dance class looking for young talent, he noticed 3-year-old Shirley and cast her in two of his short film series, Baby Burlesks and Frolics of Youth. Gertrude read Shirley her lines, sewed her early costumes, and was always with her at the studio. Her perseverance and dedication to her daughter's career got Shirley her first major role in a full-length movie, Stand Up and Cheer! (1934), after which her career took off. As Shirley's success made an international star, Gertrude remained the guiding force and constant presence in her daughter's life.

CARMINE COPPOLA

Composer, conductor, arranger and flautist, educated at the Manhattan School of Music (BA, MA) and Juilliard (on scholarship) (MM). He was first flautist for Radio City Music Hall from 1934 to 1936, the Detroit Symphony from 1936 to 1941, the NBC Toscanini Orchestra from 1942 to 1948 and staff arranger for Radio City Music Hall from 1948 to 1956, and the opera conductor for the Brooklyn Academy of Music from 1948 to 1955.

He was music director for the Broadway stage production of "Once Upon a Mattress" and the touring companies of "Kismet" and "La Plume de Ma Tante". He joined ASCAP in 1952.

2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

3.9. CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP

CONGRESS OF RACIAL EQUALITY (CORE)

CORE is a group aiming to strengthen the racial equality in America. It was founded in Chicago in 1942. The organization concentrated on desegregating movements in different cities.

ALLIANCE FOR WOMEN IN MEDIA(AWM)

AWM was founded in 1951. The organization is aimed to protect the women in Media Industry.

3.10. DIRECTORS

ELIA KAZAN

Elia Kazan was born in Turkey in 1909. His family immigrated to America when he was 4. He started his life in film business as an actor in 1930s. The first feature film he directed is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Two years later he won his first Oscar Best Director Award. In 1950s, the great director reached his career peak, in both quantity and quality. Of the 8 films he had shot in that decade, A Streetcar Named Desire ， On the Waterfront and East of Eden became widely acknowledged classics. Those three films won 12 Oscar awards in total, which contained a Best picture and a Best Director.

Kazan was also famous for his “betrayal”. In the last update, we mentioned Red Scare and Hollywood blacklist. Kazan was known for being a snitch in this anti-communism movement. His reputation stained after his action was exposed to public.

OTTO PREMINGER

Otto Preminger was born in Vienna. After graduating from college, he became an actor. In 1932, he directed his first film and decided to develop in Hollywood two years later. He met trouble with film censorship in his most prolific years. In 1953, he decided to adapt a play into the film The Moon Is Blue. It had a very sensitive setting: in one night, two men walked into a single lady’s room simultaneously. The production company, United Artist, also shot a very provocative trailer to advertise this controversial film. After the censorship office refused to ratify his worl, Preminger spoke publicly against the Production Code and described it as “banal and outdated”. Although the authority banned it in many states, this film received a huge success in box office. From then on, Preminger challenged the code again and again by shooting edgy contents or disputed themes.

2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 4. A GUIDANCE TO FORM YOUR DESIGN

As the dais designed the committee, we hoped that the delegates could bring about an institution that is scrupulously yet not constrained. We encourage proper rational innovation and creativity based in Design, but not limited to the original context. Design is required to be done individually as Update II’s assignment and it will be used in the ice-breaking session and most of the following sessions.

PURPOSES

Before you start, ask yourself (and your delegation) what this Design serves for. Is it created for preventing the people from watching inappropriate contents, or is it for maintaining the interests of film industry? Purposes are key to a good design. Think before you write.

CLASSIFICATION AND EVALUATING RULES

To write a good design, you will also need to have a clear classification and evaluating rules. Motion Picture Association of America uses General Audiences, Parental Guidance Suggested, Parents Strongly Cautioned, Restricted and No One 17 and Under Admitted as five different levels of classifications. The system used by modern Motion Picture Association of America is an age-based evaluation system In your private design, you should establish a system that takes perspectives as a foundation of the rules and create the clear classification levels, not limited to the original context. Rules shall be applied as a general guidance for all producers to indicate what kinds of motion pictures are acceptable.

ORGANIZATION OF THE EVALUATING BOARD

Take who is involved in viewing the motion pictures into consideration. Most of the time the viewers’ opinions are very essential in rating a film. The stances of the evaluating board members will affect the final decisions. Make a balanced team and a rational organization of the board.

APPLICABILITY

A clear scope of field should be claimed by your design. That is, what kind of motion pictures should the producers send to be viewed by the board. Are the motions pictures produced prior to the founding of MPAA in the scope? Should the imported motion pictures be in the scope? Should the motion pictures produced by the independent studios be in the scope? If you think some situations should be in the scope, please make sure that you also give sufficient reasons to support and necessary policies to enforce the rules.

2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

VIOLATION OF RULES

What may happen if the rules are violated by some of the producers? Will the films they made unable to be played in the theaters and cinemas? Please indicate the levels of solutions.

REEXAMINATION AND APPEALING

If a rating decision is made and yet it fails to reach an agreement, a reexamination and appealing mechanism will be necessary. A separate Appealing Board should be established, with a complete set of appealing processes and resolutions.

2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 5. ASSIGNMENT

1. Read the background guide thoroughly

2. Draft a design based on the information provided by the dais and on the research due to yourself, but please notice that this design should be finished independently. The deadline of the assignment will be July. 12th.

2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2 BIBLIOGRAPHY

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2017 Fudan University International Model United Nations Conference

Motion Picture Association of America – Background Guide Update 2

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