Examination of Witnesses (Questions 4920
- 4939)
4920. Effectively, the only issue which the
Committee is now going to be asked to deal with is the best means
of dealing with the film theatres in the basement, as the other
matters are now agreed. It is a very narrow point for the Committee
this morning.
4921. Mr Binley: Mr Cameron, would you
like to make the case for British Board of Film Classification,
assuming on this very narrow point?
4922. Mr Cameron: Yes, sir. The point
has been narrowed. It is not quite as narrow as Mr Elvin suggests,
in one respect only. Could I explain what the concerns are and
then I will tell you precisely what it is we seek you to resolve.
4923. Sir, you and other members of the Committee
will know that the British Board of Film Classification has a
role in classifying films, videos and DVDs. It is an independent,
non-government body and it is funded by the fees paid by filmmakers
and distributors for classification. These are statutory functions.
4924. The way that the system works, in brief,
is that, under the Licensing Act 2003, premises are licensed for
the exhibition of films, and there is a mandatory condition that
is imposed requiring the omission of children to the exhibition
of any film to be restricted. That is in part why a film distributor
has to get the film classified. The classification takes place
in accordance with the recommendations by the film classification
body, the BBFC. There are similar provisions for video works—and
the video works now include DVDs as well as videos. The president
and vice-president of the BBFC are designated as the people responsible
for classifying video works.
4925. All the works are subject to full and
thorough examination. They have to be viewed in full; video games
have to be played at length. It sounds an interesting job, and
no doubt it is, but probably when you have played a video game
time after time it is not quite as interesting when you started!
4926. Sir, you will be familiar with the guidelines
and in the bundle of exhibits you have Mr Johnson's exhibits.
4927. Mr Binley: The number for that
is A58.[4]
4928. Mr Cameron: Thank you. In that
bundle are the familiar classifications, at page 12 is U, and
then PG, 12A, 15 and 18—but you are familiar with those
and are 18.[5]
Examiners have to examine the content of each work with great
care and they have to take account of sound, vision and context.
This is an important point to the issue in dispute: the films
and videos which are examined have to be watched and listened
to in conditions which reflect the conditions in which they will
be viewed by the public, because you then get an idea of context.
Films, as distinct from video works, are viewed in a dedicated
film review theatre, and that cinema screen and auditorium is
large enough to allow examiners to make an informed judgment on
the impact the film might have on viewers. That is an important
point, which goes to the heart of the matters now in dispute.
4929. Mr Pugh: Could I point out that
Mr Cameron is listing things, which we have all seen for ourselves.
We have visited the site premises and understand what we are dealing
with.
4930. Mr Binley: I am sure Mr Cameron
will take note of that.
4931. Mr Cameron: Yes: Get a move on.
Certainly.
4932. I appreciate that you have taken the trouble
to go and see the premises, and we are very grateful for that,
but the point I am trying to make at the moment is that when examining
these films it is very important to have conditions, which are
similar to those when these films will be viewed.
4933. Could I also make the point—and
I do not know whether you will have observed this when you went
to visit the premises—that when one is watching a 35 mm
film, if one is interrupted, it is very difficult to rewind. You
cannot rewind a 35 mm film.
4934. Mr Pugh: We do know that, yes.
4935. Mr Cameron: Good. Thank you very
much, sir.
4936. When you have had a chance to look at
the documents you have been given, you will notice that one of
the important factors is the language used. The language used
can effect classification. BBFC carried out an opinion survey,
which is included in the bundle that you have been given. That
indicates that, amongst the factors that the public consider to
be important or quite important, is the use of swearing and strong
language. As a result, it is very important for those classifying
films to be able to listen to the film carefully, hear the words,
and not only to hear the words precisely but to be able to hear
them in context. One misplaced word can result in a film getting
the wrong classification.
4937. Sir, the only other issues I would like
to emphasis about the work of BBFC at this stage are these. The
films and videos are often submitted to the BBFC at short notice;
they may even be accompanied by security guards from the film
distributor because they are worried about piracy. The reason
that is important is because a distributor can and often does
insist that the film is viewed on the BBFC premises and not taken
somewhere else. Piracy is a significant issue. These activities
are sensitive to noise, vibration and dust, and classification
is particularly sensitive to noise.
4938. Sir, so far as the premises are concerned,
you have seen them so I am not going to describe them. I would
only like to say that it is important that BBFC's work is carried
out on a single site for reasons of security, teamwork and to
avoid piracy.
4939. The advent of the DVD format has led to
a substantial increase in work. Just as an example, in 1997 the
total annual submission of video works was 5,259, which has gone
up to 16,965 in 2005. It is not yet clear whether the trend will
continue. The reason I am telling you about this is because of
a point that the Promoter may take. Another factor is that the
BBFC have a large archive of videos, and, because the video format
is going out of use, they have to consider whether to digitise
their library. As a result of increased workload and a potential
project for digitising the video library, BBFC have been looking
at its accommodation requirements. I say that quite openly. However,
no decision to move has been made. It is most important that they
retain their position with the film-making business cluster in
Soho, because that is where their customers—which is probably
the wrong word—or those submitting films for classification
are.
4 Committee Ref: A58, British Board of Film Classification
Exhibits. Back
5
Committee Ref: A58, British Board of Film Classification Guidelines
(WESTCC-14805-001, 008-012). Back
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