BDS: Data and innovation opening new possibilites

A lot of information is collected about the reason for a classification,” comments Barry Smith of West10 Entertainment, the trade arm of BDS. “And we wish to give people, parents especially, the opportunity to use it to help them choose what they regard as suitable home entertainment for the family.”

The BBFC’s Extended Classification Information (ECI) supplies in-depth information about the film’s certification such as where swear words occur, when violence is graphic or whether the sexual content is inferred or shown.

“It is much more informative than the basic Consumer Advice or the text alongside the symbols on the sleeve of the products,” says Rosie Harley, Director of Editorial at West10. “No other data contains such a complete and informative analysis.”

The data enhancement offers benefits to libraries, who can provide their customers with much greater detail about individual items in their DVD stock, and to consumers who can gain a better understanding of how examiners have judged an item to be suitable for a certain audience.

“The classification is in many ways the tip of the iceberg,” comments Dave Barrett, Head of Operations at BBFC. “Our examiners produce a wealth of information and document their reasons for their decisions. This builds into valuable metadata that can inform a household’s choice with regard to its viewing.”

Examiners look at and note issues such as discrimination, drugs, horror, imitable behaviour, language, nudity, sex, sexual violence, theme and violence when making decisions. They also consider context, the tone and impact of a work (e.g. how it makes the audience feel) and even the release format (for example, as DVDs are watched in the home, there is a higher risk of underage viewing). The Guidelines are the product of extensive public consultation, research and the accumulated experience of the BBFC over many years.

After recognising the unique position of BDS and West10 in the library and consumer sectors, the BBFC chose to work with them on this unique venture to ensure that the ECI more widely available to the viewing public.

“This is a partnership in which all parties benefit,” comments Dave Barrett. “The BBFC by spreading its message to a wider audience, BDS and West10 by the service enhancements available to their clients, and the public by the possibility of being better informed.”

“At BDS we have always created data that reflects the needs and wishes of people who use it – both businesses and the person in the street,” says Eric Green, Managing Director of West10. “In this respect the BBFC data represents an invaluable resource for users and also for libraries who lend a wide range of DVD material – material that no librarian can be expected to know personally.”

The BBFC is an independent, non-governmental body which has classified cinema films since it was set up in 1912 and videos/ DVDs since the Video Recordings Act was passed in 1984. Formerly the British Board of Film Censors the Board’s title was changed in 1984 to the British Board of Film Classification to reflect the fact that classification plays a far larger part in the BBFC’s work than censorship.

“We are delighted to be working with the BBFC,” concludes Barry Smith. “Its association with BDS has created a new dimension in metadata and increased the decision making power of the end-user.”

For more information on the BBFC go to www.bbfc.co.uk.