Advice Viewings

See [BBFC's Terms of Business].

The BBFC recognises that it may be useful for companies to receive an indication of the category a work is likely to receive in advance of a finished version being assembled. Companies may also find it useful to get an indication of the likely category of a finished product that they are considering acquiring or to get advice regarding a small part of a larger work about which they have concerns.

In such cases, the BBFC offers an ‘advice viewing’ service. Such viewings may take place inside the BBFC or at an outside venue by agreement.  The intention of such viewings is to provide informal advice about what category the work (or portion of a work) would be likely to achieve and, if relevant, what changes might be required to obtain a particular category.

It should be emphasised that any advice offered is not binding and that the BBFC reserves the right to reach a different decision when the work is submitted for classification in its final form.  Such cases are most likely when the finished version is significantly different in terms of content and where the finished version (particularly if released in cinemas) is perceived to have a stronger impact than was evident from the advice viewing.  In some cases a work may lie very near the margin of two categories or raise novel policy issues that may ultimately require further consideration.  In such cases, the Board is unlikely to be able to provide specific advice beyond the fact that any decision would be marginal and/or require detailed scrutiny.

Submitting a new work for advice

Companies who wish to submit a work, or part of a work, for an advice screening should contact the BBFC Customer Helpline (Tel: 020 7400 0299, email:  helpline@bbfc.co.uk) in the first instance.  Works may be submitted on DVD, as computer files or on film.  Although works must be playable, they need not meet the same technical specifications as works submitted for formal classification and may display on screen logos and other text.  Although the BBFC will accept advice submissions in black and white and/or with incomplete sound and picture, it should be borne in mind that the lower the quality of the version submitted the less helpful any advice given may ultimately be, particularly if the completed version carries a far greater degree of impact.

How advice viewings are handled

Advice viewings are usually seen within three working days and a decision will normally be relayed via email or via telephone shortly after viewing.
 
The BBFC does not issue any formal paperwork or certificate for works seen for advice and nor is any information relating to the outcome of advice viewings published on the Board’s website or made available to other companies.  However, in cases where  changes are made  to the work in line with the advice given by the BBFC (eg in order to achieve a particular category) the fact that such changes have been made, together with a clear indication of their nature, will be published on the Board’s website when the finished version is eventually classified.  It should therefore be noted that
‘advice’ viewings are not a means of avoiding the publication of details of changes made as a result of the BBFC acting in its regulatory role.  Any changes to a work that appear to result from BBFC advice or instruction, whether at the advice stage or at the formal viewing stage, will always be made public in accordance with our commitment to openness and accountability.

Advice on achieving a lower category after a work has been classified

In cases where a company decides that a lower certificate is required subsequent to receipt of a formal classification certificate, a copy of the uncut version should be submitted to the BBFC as an ‘advice viewing’ in accordance with the above procedure.  This requirement to submit for advice may be waived for works which will clearly require only limited and straightforward changes in order to receive the desired category, especially if the work was last classified prior to the introduction of the latest guidelines (ie Feb 2005). Companies are advised to discuss the particular circumstances with a Senior Examiner before submitting.

The BBFC will use any advice viewing to establish whether or not cuts for a desired category are viable and, if they are, to provide advice to the company regarding what changes should be made.  It should be noted that it may not be possible to produce a detailed list of cuts.  Because such work often involves detailed scrutiny of various scenes, a Senior Examiner may require the submission to be made on DVD rather than film.  If changes are made to a previosuly classified version, the new version must be formally submitted in the format that it will finally be released (ie on film or on DVD) and will receive a new classification certificate.  In line with the Board’s general commitments to openness and accountability, an outline of the changes that have been made to reduce the work’s category will be published on the BBFC website.  Both the advice viewing and the formal viewing will be charged for.