Lets say i finish my movie. How would I go on having my movie rated? I checked mpaa.org but couldnt find the section where they can create a rating for my movie. How would one do this?

Amazing. I just wasted 15 minutes trying to find that information on their site and through Google and I cannot.

Maybe it is just one of those things where 'if you have to ask...."

I guess you could call them up.

Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)
Motion Picture Association (MPA)

15503 Ventura Blvd.
Encino, California 91436
(818) 995-6600

Well I found this after a minute or two using ask.com:

http://www.filmratings.com/questions.htm#Q3

Honestly I found it so boring that I didn't read the whole thing though :-) I suppose it doesn't completely address the question of how to submit your film to the process though...

EDIT: actually I guess this is who you need to talk to:Whom do I contact for more information?
Please write to:

The Classification and Rating Administration
15503 Ventura Boulevard
Encino, CA* 91436

I doubt they'll do it (for free). Would you really want to? In my opinion I don't
care much for ratings. If your movie has explicit stuff (violence, sex/erotics/
nudity or other stuff that some people may find offensive), why not simply
list it before they can download the movie? Or put it on the cover of the
finished DVD etc.?

Because the vast majority of theaters in the U.S. require your film to be classified by the MPAA before they will agree to show it. Also many newspapers require a rating before they will advertise it. So even if you can find a theatre that will show it, you may not be able to advertise it.

In Canada it is different. Each Province and territory have their own government board (the MPAA are an industry self-regulating organization) which the distributor submits the film to.

That's interesting Keith. I'm wondering how much it will cost to get it rated
then.... hmmmm

Is there no ratings board in the Netherlands, Rob?

EU?

Well yes and no Keith. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but I think the
ratings have been set at a european level (european union), however, the
rating is in Dutch (they use pictograms mainly and how old you need to be
to watch it).

However, I don't think cinema's won't show your movie if it is not rated...
Rating isn't as big here as it is overthere.

And of course you can say the f-words and things like shit on national TV
here without a problem (or on the radio)....

That sounds more enlightened.

A screening for a MPAA rating is $2,500 if I remember correctly. If they give you a rating you don't want, you'll have to pay again for a re-screening. Contact the MPAA directly for submition info.

Dan Selakovich
www.DVcameraRigs.com