The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is a non-governmental organisation that was founded by the film industry in 1912 and is directly responsible for the national classification and censorship of media work such as Television, programmes, trailers and adverts. Due to it being a non-governmental company it is funded through the fees it charges for submitted films for classification.It is linked to the government as it has been a statutory requirements under the Video Recording Act 2010.
2) Read this BBFC guide to how films are rated. Summaries the process in 50 words.
The Examiners that work for the board would on a daily watch various combinations of films and DVD, for the films they would have to watch it in a specialized cinema and for the DVDs in a room on plasma TVs this is so that they get a similar experience as the public would. Many of the times they watch it alone know as Solo viewing. They check for:
- The context such as the plot, scenes and characters
- Camera shots/angle and on/off screen moments
- Bad language, sex and drug reference.
They then report back to each other to discuss the types of problems that could be controversial and if the material is suitable or if it goes against any policies that would not allow it to be a 15. The work is then passed on to the Senior Management however the decision would be made by the distributor as the BBFC will suggest to cut some scenes out to match the category.
3) Read this BBFC outline of the issues faced when classifying a film. Summaries the debate in 50 words.
When classifying a film there are issues such as a clash between the law for example if anything shown is illegal in places that if viewed will get people arrested. Other issue is if the clip will create harm to a person know as MORAL HARM, for example if a clip is show that shows violence and deaths it could degrade a viewers sense of empathy this can lead to anti-social behavior such as not socializing. The last issues is the language and how the clip impacts the the viewers at the end and the general feel it has, for example it the film has a dark feel to it the viewers can get left feeling down.
4) Read this BBFC section on controversial decisions. Why did The Dark Knight generate a large amount of media coverage regarding its certificate? Do you agree with the 12A certificate The Dark Knight was awarded?
The BBFC had a lot of media coverage regarding the decision of rewarding the Dark Knight a 12A certificated as they received a lot of complains from the public. The problem was that the film contained a substantial amount of strong language and violent scenes throughout the duration. The BBFC has said that the decision was made as there was not enough to breach the guidelines and has become one of the 'Landmarks' for the decisions they made.
5) What are the guidelines for a 15 certificate?
Discrimination - The film must not endorse discriminatory language or behavior, although there may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory themes and languages.
Drugs - Drug taking may be shown but the film must not promote or encourage drug misuse (for example, through instructional detail). The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example, aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable.
Imitable behavior - Dangerous behavior (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Whether the depiction of easily accessible weapons is acceptable will depend on factors such as realism, context and setting.
Language - There may be strong language. Very strong language may be permitted, depending on the manner in which it is used, who is using the language, its frequency within the work as a whole and any special contextual justification.
Nudity - There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context. There may be nudity in a sexual context but usually without strong detail.
Sex - Sexual activity may be portrayed, but usually without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behavior, but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable.
Threat - There may be strong threat and horror. A sustained focus on sadistic or sexual threat is unlikely to be acceptable.
Violence - May be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but the depiction of sexual violence must be discreet and justified by context.
6) The BBFC website offers an explanation of every classification it makes and detailed case studies on selected titles. Choose one 15-rated film from the BBFC case studies section and summaries the classification the film was given and why.
A Clockwork Orange
The movie was submitted to the BBFC in 1971 and due to a 'X' film being changed from a 16 to a 18 the movie was rated with a certificate of 18. It was rated this high as the main character showed large amounts of violence to people as well as anti-social behavior which many people from the public thought it would affect children in copying the actions. With the film being out people linked crimes/attacks to directly link to the idea of it being inspired by the film. It created large controversy among people as some have seen the movie challenging crimes of the future as a way to stop people from behaving in such a way.
