The BBFC has steadily improved the process of film and video classification over the past few years. We are now looking to modernise some of the ways in which we deal with work when it has been left with us for a long time.
With Film material we make all reasonable efforts to arrange for the collection of prints. If the print is not collected after a reasonable time we dispose of it as we see fit. This policy has been in place for some time now and has not caused any difficulty to us or our customers.
For video works it is the current practice of the BBFC to give companies an unlimited hold time when responding to cuts, packaging mailshots and similar where the submitting company is responsible for taking action.
The BBFC is concerned not only that we are using resources pursuing companies who may well no longer exist but, more significantly for us, we are placed in the position of examining material perhaps 5 years before it becomes available to consumers. The view taken at that time of the work may well be out of line with current policy and undermine consumer confidence in the consistency of our decisions.
We are therefore imposing a two year deadline for action from the date when we first indicated that action was required by the submitting company. In effect this removes the option to indefinitely postpone the decision to release a work since the BBFC will not keep a work pending packaging or cuts for more than two years.
This change will apply from July 1st this year, but a full year will be allowed to elapse before the first works are withdrawn under this new policy. Thus, the first works to be withdrawn under this policy will be withdrawn not earlier than July 1st 2005
Should a work be withdrawn under this policy and a company wish to reactivate it this will not be possible. The work must be submitted again and will be subject to the standard fee that applies to such a new submission.