Scribd
Upload
116 views2 pages

Other Future Film Regulation Issues

The document discusses two issues arising from changes in filmmaking: 1) Low-budget independent films face prohibitive fees from the BBFC for classification that prevent filmmakers from profiting from their work. Two solutions are proposed: allowing a voluntary 18 rating without fee or a "rate now, pay later" scheme. 2) Amateur videos on YouTube may contain inappropriate content but YouTube relies on an honor system for age verification and users to flag problematic videos.

Uploaded by

timdoggart4870
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
116 views2 pages

Other Future Film Regulation Issues

The document discusses two issues arising from changes in filmmaking: 1) Low-budget independent films face prohibitive fees from the BBFC for classification that prevent filmmakers from profiting from their work. Two solutions are proposed: allowing a voluntary 18 rating without fee or a "rate now, pay later" scheme. 2) Amateur videos on YouTube may contain inappropriate content but YouTube relies on an honor system for age verification and users to flag problematic videos.

Uploaded by

timdoggart4870
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Other Future Film Regulation Issues

BBFC Online caters for “official”, full length films – those being sold via official sites and made by
official film-making bodies.

However, the film-making landscape is changing and this poses new questions about legislation and
regulation.

Low Budget Indie Films

Once upon a time, film-making used to be the preserve of big studios. Nowadays, cheaper, good
quality equipment and the Internet have meant that virtually anybody can make a film and present it
to the global community.

What problems does this create?

Colin Warhurst, film-maker linked to the North West New Wave, comments that he made his film
Mancattan for £600 but that the cost of classification with the BBFC is £1,000.

Because of this prohibitive fee, he is unable to exhibit his film in a cinema or sell it in DVD format. In
short, he can’t make money from it!

“charges for BBFC certification are effectively censoring or killing dead films and film-makers such as
myself!

The solution?

Colin Warhurst has two suggestions:

• the BBFC should create a voluntary-18 rating - where a film can


be given an 18 without fee. This would allow
such films as Mancattan to be sold to
consenting adults only, from the film’s website
and using credit card transactions only

• The BBFC should adopt a rate now, pay us back


later scheme for small independent producers – they are rated for free but
then the BBFC can recoup the money back from the first batch of sales
• How effective do you think either of these would be?

• Why do we need to think about enabling indie film-makers to be able to exhibit and sell their
films?

User Generated Content/ Amateur Film

Another area that may give cause for concern is the proliferation of amateur videos on sites
like YouTube.

These differ from indie films in that they are not necessarily professionally shot and the
creators have no intention to show them in a cinema or sell them for profit.

Yet they can be viewed by million in a virtual cinema and may easily contain content that
would never pass the BBFC censors

YouTube

• How does YouTube regulate its content?

• Who determines if a video should be


removed or age-restricted?

• How does the age verification work?

• Do you think this system is effective?

YouTube relies on users to “flag” videos they think breach Community Guidelines. All flagged
videos are reviewed 24/7 by a team of people and unsuitable videos may be removed OR
given an age-restriction. If a video is given an Age Restriction, you need to have a YouTube
account to watch them; an account that requires you to enter your age... effectively this is
an “honour system”, relying on users being truthful. There are also numerous posts on the
Net that tell you how to get around the age restriction. Interestingly, you can’t voluntarily
add an age restriction to a video you upload – you can only put a warning comment on the
description box or flag it yourself!

You might also like