It has been BBFC practice to withhold the final classification of trailers where the feature has not been seen if the trailer would attract an age restricted category.
We recognise that this practice can cause difficulties for companies, especially where the trailer is intended for a release well in advance of the feature. The development within the film and video markets of ever tighter timetables for releases has increased the desire to see changes in this area.
The BBFC has always to consider, as a first priority, the likely harm associated with any procedural or policy change. Having given due regard to the likely effects we do not believe there to be any realistic potential for harm if we make a change.
With immediate effect the BBFC will no longer withhold trailer classification for reasons of the feature not having been classified at any age category. Where trailers are currently awaiting feature approval we will release these as soon as we practically can, within a few days of this notice.
Companies must understand that we are now treating each work on its individual merits. If a trailer is submitted that attracts, for example, a 12 classification we will expect the company to submit a completely different, re-edited, trailer if they require a different category. We will supply cuts details if necessary where the company has specified a required category at the time of submission, but not revisit the category in the light of a later feature classification.
The following information clarifies, and expands upon, the guideline information as it applies to trailer submissions. We would hope that companies will be able to work to these more precisely defined guidelines for trailers with a view to limiting the number of requests for categories that cannot be sustained.
Historically, the BBFC has always been more stringent in classifying film and video trailers because of the fact that these works come 'unbidden' to the audience, making it unlikely that they would have any prior knowledge of the trailer content and coupled with the fact that trailers frequently lack a definable context, something which has always been taken into consideration and used to support the final category given to feature length works. Therefore, and as an example, the potential for an isolated moment of violence or a strong expletive to give offence or cause embarrassment to the audience is potentially high, particularly where parents or guardians are in the company of younger children.
Since trailers come in so many different and varied forms, it is difficult to offer guidelines which set-out precisely what may or may not be acceptable. However, it is clear from the previous paragraph that images or dialogue which, in our view, have a high potential for giving offence or causing parents and guardians concern are unlikely to be accommodated in the junior categories.
The only area where a solid boundary has been set is with the issue of strong language where trailers containing two or more strong or coarse sexual expletives will automatically be classified '18'. Trailers containing one strong sexual expletive only will normally garner a '15' category, but this will depend on whether the expletive is broadly delivered in a non-threatening or non-aggressive manner. Strong expletives will not be accepted below the '15' category.
Trailers constructed in such a manner as to offer little more than a montage of strong or brutalising images such as violence, sexual violence or drugs use may be subject to cuts or, as a last resort, rejected in toto. This is particularly likely in the case of video trailers which are subject to VRA considerations.
Distributors who may be in the process of submitting a trailer for classification should bear the above points in mind. Additionally, it may help to smooth the process of trailer classification if distributors could, wherever possible, declare their preferred choice of category on the submission form. The Board will always try to meet the request, but where visual or verbal elements are deemed to be outside the scope of the category, cuts will be offered in an effort to meet the desired rating.