Clarification of Film Submission Formats to BBFC

Dear Sir/Madam,

On 24 September I informed the Board's film customers that we can accept digital submissions; this now extends to digital 3D also.

BBFC policy has always been that we view features and trailers in their final form in the format for public exhibition. Having relaxed this policy during the period in which the Board did not have its own digital facility, with our recent installation now fully operational we would like to clarify the position relating to theatrical works. From Monday 17 November 2008, films and trailers for theatrical classification must be submitted in one of the following ways:

Films and trailers which are only being shown in cinemas on DVD or other video mediums such as BetaSP and DigiBeta must be submitted to us on a DVD struck from the theatrical master. We will view them in our theatre via our DVD projector.
Films and trailers for any other type of digital exhibition must be submitted on either a USB hard drive or a USB memory stick struck from the theatrical master. We will project them using our digital projection facilities.
Films and trailers being released both digitally and on 35mm in the same screen ratio can be submitted in either format.
Films and trailers being released only on 35mm should continue to be submitted on 35mm

Please note 3D film releases must be submitted and classified in 3D. Any work being released in both 2D and 3D will require separate submissions due to the formats having the potential to raise differing classification issues.

If you have any queries about this please don't hesitate to contact me.

Yours faithfully,

Dave Barrett

Head of Operations