Chief Executive, British Board of Film Classification
David, please can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role at BBFC?
I’m the Chief Executive of the BBFC, and I think I have the best job in the world as I get to lead this brilliant organisation. I’m responsible for its day to day running, ensuring our standards and policies are in line with what families want and need, and for looking after relationships with industry, children’s charities such as Childnet, and Government and Parliament. Most importantly, I also get to watch films that need my decision on the classification.
So what does it mean to have a Black Card classification?
Every time you go to the cinema, you’ll see one of our famous Black Cards in front of the film you are about to watch – it displays the title of the film along with its age rating and information about what the film contains. My signature appears on every Black Card, along with our President, Patrick Swaffer. A BBFC age rating means your film was classified by us in line with our classification guidelines, which are based on public opinion, and that the film may legally be shown in any cinema in the UK.
What would you say are the current trends in the film industry right now?
Even though the pandemic has posed a challenge for filmmakers over the last year, we are still seeing excellent films being made. This year’s Oscar nominations are the most diverse in history, with two women nominated for ‘Best Director’ and nine actors of colour shortlisted across the categories – and this is a trend that I hope will continue upward. We’re seeing thoughtful documentaries, compelling drama and animated features that really push technical boundaries being submitted for classification. It’s an exciting time for film. Having said that, I’ve really missed going to the cinema and am counting the days until they reopen.
Thinking about this year’s theme – Why can it be tricky to separate fact from fiction online?
This past year we’ve all spent more time than ever before online – for learning, entertainment and socialising. We’ve seen a big rise in ‘fake news’ and misinformation, and it’s very important for everyone to make sure that what they are reading, and sharing, is correct. At the BBFC we want to help young people develop the tools and skills they need to be resilient online – our education team talks to hundreds of children every year about online content, and we’re so pleased to be involved once again in this vital initiative.
Can you tell us what you will you be looking for in the entries this year?
I’ll be looking for creative films that hit all the key messages of this very important competition. The standard of entry to the Childnet Film Competition is always incredibly high, and the competition is fierce – I’m so looking forward to seeing all the brilliant entries this year. Although picking the winners is always a challenging job!
What advice would you give to someone making a short film?
I would encourage all the budding filmmakers to think about their audience. Audience, context and tone are all key things that we look at when classifying content – we’re all about helping families choose content well, so they can view what’s right for them. I’d encourage all the entrants to really think about how they want their audience to feel when watching their film, and to think carefully about all the messages that they would like to get across. This could be with a great script, slick editing techniques, or some brilliant acting – the options are endless.
And finally, what was the first film you saw at a cinema?
When I was six I saw what I consider to be one of the best musical adventure films of all time – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. This was at the Plaza Cinema in Dudley and I recall the overwhelming size of the screen and the visceral excitement of being in a huge, dark room with loads of other people. I recall the tension as Chitty drives off a cliff – at which point the film stopped for an intermission! The terror I felt as the children try to escape the Childcatcher – probably still cinema’s scariest villain. And the exhilaration as the children turn the tables on the evil Baron and Baroness and their terrifying servant, the Childcatcher.[object Object]