The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) is an independent company which was set up in 1912 and has the role of classifying films and video games. Due to the Video Recordings Act (passed in 1984), the board is designated to regulate and classify video recordings offered for sale or hire commercially in the UK. This means that their role changed from purely censorship of cinema and games to a larger proportion being classification. The board uses a set of guidelines when classifying, which enables them to successfully classify films to be U, PG, 12a, 12, 15, 18, or R18. Their classification empowers the public to make decisions themselves over the suitability of the media for themselves and those in their care. The classifications also prevent younger audiences and sensitive viewers from watching material that may cause 'harm' or upset to them.
Regulation and classification from the BBFC can have a big impact over the distribution and marketing of a film. In several cases, films have been targetted and marketed at a specific age range, eg 15, only to be given an 18 certificate. 'This is England', for example, was intended by Shane Meadows to be a 15, but was declared an 18. This meant that the advertising and content was aimed at a slightly younger audience than could actually consume it on release in the cinema. In some rare cases, however, local authorities do not comply to the BBFC's guidelines. A famous case of this was Westminster Council's decision to ban Cronberg's 'Crash', which was declared an 18 over the rest of the UK.
New ways of distributing film, such as downloads or through the internet, will be problematic in terms of regulating film. These technologies, such as downloading a film via iTunes will prove very difficult to regulate, as there is no way of proving age when doing this, which will enable younger viewers to access and consume media which they would otherwise not be able to access. Although some services including YouTube and BBC iPlayer have tried to enforce viewers to confirm they are over a certain age in order to view particular media. However, it is extremely easy to ignore, or lie, about age over these services. Other ways of distributing media like Love Film, where DVDs are delivered through the post offers younger people access films classified for older audiences, as there is no way of regulating who is receiving the films.
I found the workshop very interesting, and learnt several new things. One example of a new think that I learnt is that the BBFC is not a government body; although the government has designated it the role of classifying films, it does not have any government funding. I also found it interesting that local authorities have the power to over-rule classifications that the BBFC set, and can even remove films from showing (in the case of 'Crash') The workshop and information I have learnt from it will help with my media course, as it enables me to estimate what classification my thriller would receive, and so base my target audience and distribution possibilities around this. It will also help, as it has given an insight into what makes a film or programme a certain rating, which will help with my TV Drama exam, and also when thinking about audiences and marketing.
The BBFC workshop will also help in answering this question: 'Discuss the issues raised by an institution need to target specific audiences within the media industry which you have studied'. My essay plan for this question:
Introduction -
Role of BBFC in film industry
How ratings may effect audiences, creating specific audiences that need to be targetted
How ratings effect marketing and targeting audiences, examples
Ways that institutions may target specific audiences, examples
How ratings may effect distribution
Conclusion
Sunday 22 March 2009
Wednesday 4 March 2009
Radiohead -In Rainbows
On 10th October 2007, Radiohead released their 7th album as a digital download where listeners could chose how much to pay for the release. Upon its retail release, In Rainbows entered the UK Album Chart and the U.S. Billboard 200 at number one; it went on to sell three million copies worldwide in both digital and physical formats.
They began work on the album in 2005, and updated fans and followers on their blog. Before the release of In Rainbows, Radiohead toured major cities in Europe and North America, as well as performing in several clubs and music festivals, such as V. In January 2007, the band began posting photographs, lyrics, samples and videos of their progress, and in June 2007 they posted clippings of the mixed songs onto their blog. Donwood, the artist for the album’s artwork worked with the band since 1994, and also posted daily images on to the band’s website of ideas he had had for the artwork of the album.
After finishing their six album contract with EMI, Radiohead stated that they had several interesting ideas on how to distribute their new material, e.g. releasing all tracks as singles or EPs rather than as an album. The band eventually decided on releasing the album as a download for fans to pay however much they wanted, but ruled out having an internet only distribution, because Yorke believed some fans may not have the technological means to obtain the material. Radiohead retained ownership of the album, as they created it all themselves, and both the download and CD versions were both self released.
In justifying the decision that Radiohead had made to offer a free download of their album, Thom Yorke explained that ‘every record for the last four—including my solo record—has been leaked. So the idea was like, we'll leak it, then.’ The band distributed the record using the website www.inrainbows.com, and used a less-trafficked ZIP file which contained all ten album tracks. If purchased for more than 0 pence, the buyer was charge a credit card transaction fee of 45 pence. The album was only distributed in this format for 2 months – 10th October – 10th December, however the band also released a limited ‘discbox’ containing the album on CD, two vinyl records with artwork and lyric booklets as well as an ‘enhanced CD’ and digital photos and artwork, which cost £40. The album was distributed in hard copies in Japan, Australia, and America.
www.gigwise.com reported that on the day of In Rainbows’ online release, the album had sold 1.2 million copies. Sources have also claimed that around one third of people who downloaded the album paid nothing, but the average price being paid for it was £4. Apparently these sales were more profitable that the total money sales for the band’s previous album Hail to the Thief. On the week of the release, In Rainbows peaked at number 1 in the UK album charts, and reached number 1 in the U.S Billboard chart in the second week of release. In October 2008, Warner Chappell Music Publishing, the publisher, claimed that In Rainbows had sold three million copies since the album’s physical release.
In Rainbows was ranked as one of the best albums of 2007 by many music magazines, including Mojo, NME, Q, Rolling Stone and Pop Matters’. The album was nominated for the short list of the 2008 Mercury Music Prize, the 51st Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best Alternative Music Album, Producer of the Year, Best Boxed or Limited Edition Package, as well as three Grammy nominations for the song and music video ‘Houses of Cards’.
The band was successful due to their use of technologies. They used their blog to promote and attract fans and their release as primarily an MP3 download was also using new technologies. The band produced the record themselves, therefore also using recording studio technologies.
After the release of the record, Radiohead embarked on a tour of North America, Europe, South America and Japan, which lasted from May 2008 until October 2008. The album, In Rainbows had acted as a kind of advert for this tour, as this is where the band gained the majority of their profits, as ticket prices were around £40 at a large variety of big venues.
For this reason, the audience was particularly important, as the album needed to impress the demographics enough to influence them to buy tickets for the tour. Radiohead also had to use enough advertising to involve their target audience and to ensure they were aware of the release. This, however, would not have been difficult, as Radiohead have a large fan base, especially as this release was to be their 7th album.
(statistics from www.wikipedia.org)
They began work on the album in 2005, and updated fans and followers on their blog. Before the release of In Rainbows, Radiohead toured major cities in Europe and North America, as well as performing in several clubs and music festivals, such as V. In January 2007, the band began posting photographs, lyrics, samples and videos of their progress, and in June 2007 they posted clippings of the mixed songs onto their blog. Donwood, the artist for the album’s artwork worked with the band since 1994, and also posted daily images on to the band’s website of ideas he had had for the artwork of the album.
After finishing their six album contract with EMI, Radiohead stated that they had several interesting ideas on how to distribute their new material, e.g. releasing all tracks as singles or EPs rather than as an album. The band eventually decided on releasing the album as a download for fans to pay however much they wanted, but ruled out having an internet only distribution, because Yorke believed some fans may not have the technological means to obtain the material. Radiohead retained ownership of the album, as they created it all themselves, and both the download and CD versions were both self released.
In justifying the decision that Radiohead had made to offer a free download of their album, Thom Yorke explained that ‘every record for the last four—including my solo record—has been leaked. So the idea was like, we'll leak it, then.’ The band distributed the record using the website www.inrainbows.com, and used a less-trafficked ZIP file which contained all ten album tracks. If purchased for more than 0 pence, the buyer was charge a credit card transaction fee of 45 pence. The album was only distributed in this format for 2 months – 10th October – 10th December, however the band also released a limited ‘discbox’ containing the album on CD, two vinyl records with artwork and lyric booklets as well as an ‘enhanced CD’ and digital photos and artwork, which cost £40. The album was distributed in hard copies in Japan, Australia, and America.
www.gigwise.com reported that on the day of In Rainbows’ online release, the album had sold 1.2 million copies. Sources have also claimed that around one third of people who downloaded the album paid nothing, but the average price being paid for it was £4. Apparently these sales were more profitable that the total money sales for the band’s previous album Hail to the Thief. On the week of the release, In Rainbows peaked at number 1 in the UK album charts, and reached number 1 in the U.S Billboard chart in the second week of release. In October 2008, Warner Chappell Music Publishing, the publisher, claimed that In Rainbows had sold three million copies since the album’s physical release.
In Rainbows was ranked as one of the best albums of 2007 by many music magazines, including Mojo, NME, Q, Rolling Stone and Pop Matters’. The album was nominated for the short list of the 2008 Mercury Music Prize, the 51st Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best Alternative Music Album, Producer of the Year, Best Boxed or Limited Edition Package, as well as three Grammy nominations for the song and music video ‘Houses of Cards’.
The band was successful due to their use of technologies. They used their blog to promote and attract fans and their release as primarily an MP3 download was also using new technologies. The band produced the record themselves, therefore also using recording studio technologies.
After the release of the record, Radiohead embarked on a tour of North America, Europe, South America and Japan, which lasted from May 2008 until October 2008. The album, In Rainbows had acted as a kind of advert for this tour, as this is where the band gained the majority of their profits, as ticket prices were around £40 at a large variety of big venues.
For this reason, the audience was particularly important, as the album needed to impress the demographics enough to influence them to buy tickets for the tour. Radiohead also had to use enough advertising to involve their target audience and to ensure they were aware of the release. This, however, would not have been difficult, as Radiohead have a large fan base, especially as this release was to be their 7th album.
(statistics from www.wikipedia.org)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
