What is the BBFC?
The BBFC (The British Board of Film Classification) is a non-governmental organisation, founded by the film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films within the United Kingdom.
The BBFC was set up in 1912 bring a degree of uniformity to the classification of film nationally. The main function of the BBFC is to classify films, pass or reject films and to ban films.
The BBFC offers a suite of media regulation services:
Statutory Services
Non-Statutory Services
The BBFC offers a suite of media regulation services:
Statutory Services
- Provide age ratings and bespoke content advice for theatrical releases under the Licensing Act 2003
- Provide age ratings and bespoke content advice of Blu-Ray DVD releases under the Video Recordings Act 1984
- Provide Certificates of Evidence to law enforcement officers under the Video Recordings Act.
Non-Statutory Services
- Provide age ratings and bespoke content advice for use on digital services (watch & rate)
- License age ratings, symbols, content advice and other data for digital services (VOD) and other uses
- Provide bespoke white label services and to deliver training in compliance procedures
- Offer consultancy services on compliance and content labelling issues
- Handle video packaging submissions under the voluntary Video Packaging Review Committee (VPRC) scheme
Why do we need the BBFC?
The BBFC is an essential tool of censorship. It has a large role in controlling moral panics. The BBFC give ratings of films that are going to be released or sold in the UK. They then view the films looking for publication or showing and decide how likely the films are to corrupt the average citizen and decide if the film is okay or not.
Cuts and Rejections made by the BBFC:
- Pineapple Express was cut to reduce a scene in which schoolboys are sold drugs by the protagonists to obtain a 15 rating instead of an 18
- Welcome to the Jungle - was cut to reduce the volume and intensity of the violent action and weapon glamorisation and so to obtain a 12A rating instead of a 15
- Lara Croft - Tomb Raider was cut to significantly reduce the sight of a flick knife and its glamorisation in order to obtain a 12 rating (this was before the introduction of 12A for films)
Compulsory Cuts:
- Material which may promote illegal activity
- Material which is obscene or otherwise illegal
- Material created by means of the commission of a criminal offence
- Portrayals of children in a sexualised or abusive context
- Sexual violence or sexualised violence which endorses or eroticises the behaviour
- Sadistic Violence or torture which invites the viewer to identify with the perpetrator in a way which raises a risk of harm
- Graphic images of real injury, violence or death presented in a salacious or sensationalist manner which risks harm by encouraging callous or sadistic attitudes
- Sex works which contain material listed as unacceptable at 'R18'.
Process of Rating a Film
Age Rating decisions are reached by consensus with the director, president and the two vide presidents taking ultimate responsibility. - http://www.bbfc.co.uk/education-resources/student-guide/rating-process
I will take this process into consideration when planning my film by making sure that timings of key moments are right, the camera angles are precise and make sure that the camera shots are also precise. I will also make sure that there is no bad language, sexual and drug references in my opening sequence.
Here is an example of a film linked to my chosen genre and what the BBFC rated the film:
I will take this process into consideration when planning my film by making sure that timings of key moments are right, the camera angles are precise and make sure that the camera shots are also precise. I will also make sure that there is no bad language, sexual and drug references in my opening sequence.
Here is an example of a film linked to my chosen genre and what the BBFC rated the film: