In continuing our drive to reduce turnaround times and provide the industry with the best possible service; I am pleased to announce the BBFC is launching on-line submission forms.

Feedback from the home entertainment and on-line digital delivery sectors indicated replacing the paper submissions with an electronic alternative would save both time and money. With this in mind, and since the start of 2010, the BBFC has developed and trialed the service with several industry partners. In that period over 1800 online submission forms have been successfully processed via customer BBFC Extranet accounts and we are now ready to offer the service industry wide from today; 5th July 2010. By introducing electronic submission forms our aim now is to phase out paper submission forms by the end of June 2011 which gives customers 1 year to switch from paper to online. We will send several reminders about the online switch over between now and then but I urge customers to adapt to the electronic route quickly to realise the full benefits which are;

• saves time writing submission forms - particularly for multiple episodes
• allows the BBFC to research the work 24hrs earlier, thereby speeding the process up when the disc is delivered
• utilising your BBFC extranet account to its fullest, including having the ability to accept classification decisions on-line rather than the (post delayed) paper Interim Clearance Form, should see further improvements in turnaround times
• less paper usage is environmentally friendly and in line with the BBFC's 'green policy'

FAQs:

Do on-line submissions cost more?

No, you will not be charged any more than a normal submission. In fact trial feedback suggests customers savings are made through time and materials.

Why are certain types of submission not allowed?

We are launching with DVD features and trailers but will be developing similar systems for all submissions.

If I don't use the on-line submissions service, will my submissions go through the BBFC more slowly than usual?

No, they will still be processed in exactly the same way as they currently are, so you won't notice any difference. However paper submissions will not benefit from the increased efficiencies noted above.

How does the system work?

The system is very simple to use and can be done by anyone with an 'Extranet certificate'. If you don't already have an 'Extranet' account it's very simple to set up and means you can track your works on-line, providing significant improvements in turnaround times, as we eliminate the paper side of the classification process.

For an account, simply email ithelpdesk@bbfc.co.uk or call on 020 7440 3299 requesting a certificate for the extranet.

For more information on this new service please call our customer helpline on 020 7440 0299.