Motion Picture Association of America — former official name of MPA (until 2019). Often still used interchangeably. The ratings authority.
The MPAA — Motion Picture Association of America — was until 2019 the official name of the current Motion Picture Association (MPA), the primary trade association for the major US studios. Founded in 1922 as the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA), the organization administers the voluntary film rating system (G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17), lobbies in Washington, and enforces anti-piracy measures internationally. Although the name was officially shortened to MPA in 2019, MPAA remains common in industry jargon and public perception, especially in discussions about film ratings.
The Rating System: G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17
The MPAA rating system was introduced in 1968 under Jack Valenti as a replacement for the strict Hays Code. It is not a law but a voluntary self-commitment by the studios. G (General Audiences): no age restriction. PG (Parental Guidance): parents should preview the film. PG-13 (since 1984, introduced after Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Gremlins): "may be inappropriate for children under 13." R (Restricted): persons under 17 require an accompanying parent or adult guardian. NC-17: no persons under 18 admitted, even with accompaniment—a commercial death sentence for a film, as major cinema chains and Walmart do not carry NC-17 titles. A rating is assigned by an anonymous panel of parents, not by the MPAA itself—the CARA (Classification and Rating Administration) board.
The PG-13 Phenomenon and the Economics of Ratings
The PG-13 rating has become the economic sweet spot of US cinema: it allows for action sequences, mild language, and implied violence without excluding the teenage audience. An R rating reduces the potential cinema audience by approximately 30 percent. Studio contracts often contain clauses that mandate a specific rating—a director who delivers a contractually guaranteed PG-13 film as an R risks losing the final cut. The documentary short film This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006) exposed the lack of transparency in the rating process: the identities of CARA members are secret, and the criteria for decisions are not disclosed.
Beyond Ratings: Lobbying and Piracy
In addition to ratings, the MPAA/MPA is one of Washington's most powerful lobbying organizations. It negotiates trade agreements with China (which has strict import quotas for foreign films), operates content protection programs against film piracy, and advocates for stricter copyright laws. The six Major Studios (Disney, Paramount, Sony Pictures, Universal, Warner Bros., Netflix—the latter since 2019 as the first streaming company) finance the association. For independent producers, the MPA is primarily relevant through rating fees: an application for a rating costs a tiered amount based on budget—around $3,000 for low-budget films, up to $25,000 for major studio productions.