Bbfc

BBFC

Jan 21/14

Assignment 7 (Due Thur)

What is BBFC?

• British Board of Film Classification

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/

In America:’Motion Picture Association of America’

Other world classification

Canadian TV

Asia (China? Japan?)

New Zealand

Ireland

What do they classify?

• Films• Trailers• Advertising• Videos online (such as netflix)

• Texts available over mobile networks• Educational videos (to be used in classroom)• Music videos• Video games

How do they classify?General Classification

ConsiderationsSpecific Classification

ConsiderationsOther matters

ContextTheme

Tone & Impact

Discrimination Drugs

Imitable BehaviourLanguage

Nudity Sex

ThreatViolence

Photo or pattern sensitivity Motion sickness

Reaction to low frequency sound

Release formatTitles

What do these mean?

Mission of the BBFCThe BBFC is a trusted guide to media content. Working as an independent, self-financing and not-for-profit media content regulator, the BBFC operates transparent, consistent and trusted co-regulatory and self-regulatory classification and labelling systems in the UK.

As a highly expert and experienced regulator, our mission is to:• protect the public, and especially children, from content which might raise harm risks• empower the public, especially parents, to make informed viewing choices• recognise and respect adult freedom of choice within the law• respond to and reflect changing social attitudes towards media content through

proactive public consultation and research• provide a cost-effective, efficient classification service within our statutory remit• work in partnership with the industry to develop innovative service models to provide

content advice which support emerging media delivery systems• provide an effective service to enforcement agencies

Before classifying….

• Watches all way through and give classification against Classification Guidelines

• 2 examiners review a theatrical film release and senior examiner confirms recommendation - if any discrepancies, other members can get involved and sometimes specialist advice might be needed

• Same process for dvd/blue ray except 1 examiner (can be more strict because higher risk of underage viewing in home (therefore greater potential for harm or watching scenes out of context)

BBFC insight

• In addition to film ratings you can also get extra info from ‘insight’

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/what-bbfc-insight

Interventions

• Sometimes, before a film is rating an intervention might need to take place such as:

– Cuts for category (could cut some things for lower)

– Compulsory cuts (must take things out such as illegal/obscene material)

– Refusal to classify

– Groups can appeal decisions

In line with laws

• Remember the BBFC work in line with laws in the United Kingdom (different countries have different laws)

• Examples:– The Protection of a Child Act 1978 (eng/wales)– Protect of Children (ireland)It is illegal to make, distribute, show or possess indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child.

– The Animal Welfare Act 2006It is illegal to supply, publish or show or possess with intent to supply a video recording of an “animal fight” that has taken place within the UK since 6 April 2007.

– The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002It is illegal, in the course of a business, to publish a tobacco advertisement.

Classification Guidelines• Specific changes to the Classification Guidelines as a result of the

public consultation include:

– • Greater weight will be given to the theme and tone of a film or video, particularly around the 12A/12 and 15 level;

– • Particular attention will be given to the psychological impact of horror, as well as strong visual detail such as gore;

– • Regarding language, the public wants the BBFC to be stricter with the language allowed at U and more flexible about allowing very strong language at 15. Context, not just frequency, is the most important factor in how language in films is perceived by the public.

THE GUIDELINES: http://www.bbfc.co.uk/sites/default/files/attachments/BBFC%20Classification%20Guidelines%202014.pdf

U

PG

12 / 12A

15

18

R18

Rate a trailer• http://www.bbfc.co.uk/education-resources/student-guide/rate-a-trailer/student-guidelines

(student guidelines for U, PG, 12)

• http://www.bbfc.co.uk/education-resources/student-guide/rate-a-trailer

Podcasts

• You can listen to great podcasts about film classifications!

• http://www.bbfc.co.uk/case-studies/podcasts/bbfc-podcast-episode-4-horror

Case Study: Dawn of the Dead• (1978) • Rating: 18 • Uncut

• http://www.bbfc.co.uk/case-studies/dawn-dead

• Main bullet point 1• Main bullet point 2 • Main bullet point 3• Main bullet point 4• Main bullet point 5 • Main bullet point 6• Main bullet point 7• Main bullet point 8 • Main bullet point 9• Main bullet point 10

Assignment 7: BBFC & Understanding of Film Rating

NameNameName

To include:

(Done in set groups)

Maybe try PREZI for a challenge

• Title page• Lesson points• Film Rating task• Case Study task

Lesson points

• What is the BBFC?• What do they classify?• What are the 7 rating symbols?• How do they classify films? (the subtitles)• Are the 7 symbols classified the same or

differently? Explain.

Could be a slide each with question as title

Film rating task

• Symbol• Age restrictions• Details of how classified (summarise)

• 1 example each of films in this category and explain with details why it is rated this way (could have screen grabs from film as evidence)

• Include dvd/poster of each film on the slide

Case Studies task

• Look on the ‘case studies’ part of the BBFC website• Find your film, read over together

• Include– Film title & DVD/poster picture– Year– Rating – Details of rating ‘ex uncut’– 10 main points you learned from the text

Groups1 2 3 4 5

Names LeticiaKellyKatia

PatryciaNoor

Courtney

JudyShivonne

TaylaGelsomina

EsereChelsea

Film rating U PG 12 & 12A 15 18

Case study Fish Tank My Brother the Devil

Black Swan 4321 Juno