faye jackson BBFC

What is BBFC? British board of film classifications.




Juno:

director- Jason Reitman
status- 12A
year-2008


Juno was submitted the the BBFC with a PG request. The key classification issues in the work are infrequent strong language, moderate sex references. When making their recommendations examiners also discussed the film’s tone, likely appeal and audience, and the treatment of the theme of teenage pregnancy.

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/case-studies/juno-0

The boy in the striped pajamas:

director- Mark Herman
status- 12A
year- 2008


It is a British film (from the producer of the Harry Potter series) and arrived at the BBFC with no category request. 
The film views the Holocaust through the eyes of an eight-year-old boy.
At PG the BBFC guidelines state that where more serious issues are featured nothing in their treatment should condone unacceptable behavior. They also have a note on discrimination which requires that Discriminatory language or behavior is unlikely to be acceptable unless clearly disapproved of or in an educational or historical context.  Discrimination by a character with which children can readily identify is unlikely to be acceptable.


http://www.bbfc.co.uk/case-studies/boy-striped-pyjamas

4.3.2.1:

director- Noel Clarke & Mike Davis
status: 15
year-2010

Noel Clarke and Mike Davis’s fast-paced British thriller 4.3.2.1 was submitted to the BBFC in March 2010 for an advice viewing. An advice viewing is a facility the BBFC offers distributors in which works (sometimes unfinished) can be viewed by a senior or experienced examiner who can give the company advice as to the likely category a work will receive.

The film had several issues that required a 15 classification.

Strong language required a 15, with over 70 uses of 'f**k' in the work. The BBFC’s 15 Guidelines allow for 'frequent use of strong language', but also state that 'the strongest terms (for example, 'cunt') may be acceptable if justified by the context

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/case-studies/4321

The Hunger Games:

Director: Gary Ross
Status: 12A with cuts
Year: 2011

Even before the film’s submission to the BBFC for classification, the Hunger Games novels were extremely popular, particularly amongst 11-14 year olds, and sold many millions of copies worldwide.

The BBFC's Guidelines at the time for 12A/12 stated 'Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be permitted if justified by the context'. When the film was submitted to the BBFC for advice the key classification issues were:

• the sometimes dark and possibly disturbing tone of the film
• scenes of threat and violence, some involving sympathetic characters
• sight of injuries and blood
• the use of weapons, particularly knives, by children, and possible imitable behavior

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/case-studies/hunger-games

me jess and tyler decided our short film is a 12.

The overall tone of a film or video, and the way it makes the audience feel may affect the classification. For example, a work which has a very dark or unsettling tone which could disturb the audience would be less likely to be passed 12A even if the individual issues in the film were considered acceptable under the BBFC Guidelines. Similarly, if a work is particularly positive or reassuring this may stop it being pushed up a category from 12A to 15.