Green Sheet (Film Ratings Recommendation)
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Before the formal application of film ratings by the MPAA CARA, the "Green Sheet" provided recommendations about age-suitability for major motion pictures in theatrical release. Discontinued shortly after the official MPAA ratings began, the Green Sheet used classifications based upon a panel of reviewers that represented educational, psychological, and religious interest groups. Rather than providing a single classification for each film, the Green Sheet contained symbols representing a range of audiences for which the film seemed most appropriate. A classification would typically either list each age group (Example: Y-MY-A) or express suitability for all audiences. The codes included:
- C - aimed primarily toward young children
- Y - suitable for young persons
- MY - intended for mature young persons
- A - aimed at adult audiences
Bulletins of the Green Sheet used to appear regularly in the periodical The Hollywood Reporter during the 1960s. It is likely that the United States Film Production Code revisions of 1966, which created the label "SMA - Suggested for Mature Audiences," had the mature audience concept inspired by the application of the Green Sheet category MY (often expressed as MY-A). The MPAA effectively operated under a two-category classification system (either labeled SMA or containing no such label) from 1966 until Nov. 1, 1968 (when the official 4 category rating system was begun with the designations G, M, R, and X).
The Green Sheet advisory panel was not a part of the MPAA ratings board.
