BBFC

By Charlie Wheelhouse

What is the BBFC?• The BBFC is the UK’s regulator of film and video, providing age ratings such as U, PG and 12A. We are a

designated body so have legal powers to rate, and sometimes cut or even reject works. The BBFC look for issues such as discrimination, drugs, horror, dangerous and easily imitable behaviour, language, nudity, sex, and violence. Films get rated by the BBFC through these following steps. First the distributor sends it into the BBFC via an online form, the company must then pay the BBFC to rate the film. The film is then checked that it is finished to good enough quality, because there can be technical glitches within the film and the examiners must rate the exact same films as what will be shown in the cinema. Usually the BBFC watch films in their own cinema beneath our offices in London but if there are too many films for them to watch in one day they may go to another cinema to see it. Two Examiners watch the film. They must carefully note the title down (as this will be shown on the black card certificate you see in cinemas so can’t have any spelling mistakes on it). They then make a note of all the issues in the film as they watch. When they finish, they write a synopsis, discuss the age rating and write the BBFCinsight for the film.

Age Rating U

• The U symbol stands for Universal. A U film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. However, it is impossible to predict what might upset a particular child, especially at this lower end of the category range.

Age Rating PG

• PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for younger children. A PG film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. Parents should consider whether the content might upset younger or more sensitive children.

Age Rating 12A• 12A means that anyone aged 12 or over can go and see the film

unaccompanied. The A stands for 'accompanied' and 'advisory'. Children younger than 12 may see the film if they are accompanied by an adult (eg someone over the age of 18), who must watch the film with them.

Age Rating 15• No-one under 15 is allowed to see a 15 film at the cinema or buy/rent a

‘15’ rated DVD. 15 rated works are not suitable for children under 15 years of age.

Age Rating 18• Films rated 18 are for adults. No-one under 18 is allowed to see an 18 film

at the cinema or buy/rent an 18 rated DVD. No 18 rated works are suitable for children.

Age Rating R18• he ‘R18’ category is a special and legally restricted classification primarily

for explicit works of consenting sex or strong fetish material involving adults. Films may only be shown to adults in specially licensed cinemas, and video works may be supplied to adults only in licensed sex shops. ‘R18’ videos may not be supplied by mail order.

Rate It Yourself

On the CBBFC website it lets you have A go at rating a film trailer yourself. After you have rated it, it tells you ifYou were correct or incorrect and thenTells you the reasons why.

3 Case Studies

Adulthood• This film has been rated a 15 by the BBFC. The film was submitted for classification in May

2008 for release the following month. BBFC guidelines at 15 allow for strong violence as long as it does not dwell on the infliction of pain and injury. In other words the various attacks and beatings are not detailed and the weapons used are seen as dangerous rather than attractive.

• Regarding drugs the lifestyles of some of the film’s characters involve drug dealing or drugs use. The world of the film shows these activities without promoting them or making them glamorous, which accords with BBFC drugs Guidelines at 15 which state that drugs misuse must not be condoned or encouraged.

• The film was rated 15 with BBFCInsight that warns of ‘very strong language, sex references and drug use’.

Fight Club• There was much debate about the film's subject matter – The film, which came with an 18

request from its distributor, 20th Century Fox, was seen by most of the BBFC's examiners, and also by the BBFC Director which gave a wide range of opinion. While BBFC examiners found the film stylish and challenging, and some felt an uncut 18 was acceptable for this adult viewing experience, there were concerns under the BBFC Guidelines of the glamorization of violence and it could have the potential for encouraging an interest in organizing bare-knuckled fighting.

• After extensive consideration, the final decision was taken to require cuts under the Guidelines of between six and seven seconds to two scenes - both of which, it was felt, focused on the pleasures of beating the faces of helpless victims to a bloody mess.

Colarline • Children’s film Coraline arrived at the BBFC with a PG category request. It

was based on the popular, award-winning, children’s book by Neil Gaiman. Examiners noted a general air of creepiness or spookiness running through the film. The eeriness starts in the opening credits which show close-up images of a raggedy doll being taken apart with medical precision and continues with the first sight of the ‘Other Mother’ and her button eyes. They also noted that as the film progresses the slight creepiness becomes increasingly menacing.