Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

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How do I join the BVA?

You are eligible to join the BVA as a full member if you are a rights owning company based in the UK, distributing home entertainment content on any platform. 

You may join as an associate member if you do not own distribution rights but your main business is in the UK video industry. Please go to Membership Information for more information or request a membership pack from the BVA on:

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Where can I find sales figures and weekly DVD Charts?

You can find the weekly top 10 DVD sales charts on our website. Please go to DVD Sales Charts. You have to be a BVA Member to access the sales figures. Top line retail DVD, Blu-ray and aggregated sales figures are supplied to us by the Official Charts Company UK (OCC). 

If you would like to subscribe to their service please contact the OCC on:

For sales performance of individual titles please contact the distributor or OCC direct.

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How can I find out more information about the home entertainment market?

The BVA publishes an authoritative annual yearbook containing statistics and detailed analysis of the rental and retail market.

The BVA Yearbook also includes statistics on Ireland, insight into consumers’ interest in new technologies, both in leisure hardware and the digital market for on-line video content, plus reports on the impact of copyright theft on the audiovisual sector.

Regular features look at industry's approach to copyright theft, from the Alliance Against IP Theft, the Federation Against Copyright Theft and the Industry Trust for IP Awareness. They include International Video Federation's perspective from Brussels, the Video Standards Council, the regulatory work of the British Board of Film Classification and news from the Entertainment Retailers Association.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy please Email: general@bva.org.uk or go to BVA Yearbook section of the website. 

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Where can I get information on the international video market?

The IVF Yearbook is published every summer and provides European video market data and summaries. It is available to buy direct from the IVF. Back copies are also available, as are top-line statistics on their web site. 

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Do I need a special licence to open a video/DVD store?

No special licence is needed to rent or sell videos, except for adult products (R18 product) when a sex shop licence is required from the local authority (you would need to speak to your local council about obtaining this).

However, videos have two different types of copyright licences – rental and retail. (Some rental stock has a retail licence attached to it which becomes valid after a specified length of time so that rental facilities can sell off excess stock of past bestselling titles). It is vital that the correct stock is purchased (purchasing retail videos to rent out is illegal) but any wholesalers offering a good service should be able to assist someone setting up a store.

You should contact The Video Standards Council to assist you on staying on the right side of the law and adopting proper trading standards

The VSC has a code of practice and guidelines to promote high standards within the video industry and can help with staff training on video regulation and your legal obligations.

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I am opening a DVD store. Where can I buy my stock?

You can deal direct with the label by opening an account with their distributor (please search for Members in the Directory) or you can buy all labels through a wholesaler.

For retail product you can contact:

  • Gardners Books
    1 Whittle Drive
    Eastbourne
    East Sussex
    BN23 6QH
    Customer Care Tel: +44 (0)1323 521 777
    Customer Care Fax: +44 (0)1323 521 666
    Gardcall: 01323 521 444
    Email: custcare@gardners.com
    Website: www.gardners.com

     
  • Music Box Leisure Limited
    Unit 9 Enterprise Court
    Lancashire Enterprise Business Park
    Centurion Way
    Leyland
    PR26 6TZ
    Tel:     +44 (0)1772 455 000
    Fax:     +44 (0)1772 331 199
    Email:     enquiries@musicboxleisure.com
  • Choices UK
    Tel: +44 (0) 844 573 3820
    Website: www.choicesuk.com

Other wholesalers you could try are:

  • Changeover Ltd
    Tel: 02392 728 900
  • Crownville ltd
    Tel: 020 7247 4200
  • Filmtone Ltd
    Tel: 020 8500 9009
  • VHS Distribution
    Tel:     02890 432 660
  • Windsong International
    Tel:     0208 309 3847

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What are the regulations retailers should be aware of?

Retailers are subject to the 1984 Video Recordings Act and need to be aware of the law regarding supply of age-restricted product and of labelling regulations. Breaches of this law can lead to heavy fines or even imprisonment.

For more information consult these sites;

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I want to show a video to a group of people. What do I need?

There is no one licence that enables you to show a video in public. Any showing outside the home is deemed to be a public showing and therefore needs the rights holder’s permission; otherwise it would be in breach of copyright law.  

For educational purposes, permission need not be obtained from the rights owner, for showing in a classroom environment.

You can apply to the rights owner direct to request clearance for use but for regular showings it is easier to contact a company that is licensed to hire out videos for 'non-theatrical' public showings in clubs, discos, hospitals, oil rigs, holiday camps, coaches, ships, ferries, restaurants, village halls etc.

They include:

The premises in which you wish to show the video must hold a PRS (Performing Rights Society) licence. Check with the venue if they hold such a licence or contact the PRS.

Find out more about copyright law at;
www.intellectual-property.gov.uk

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Can I legally set up a small DVD library within our company?

Depending on what your business is, you may or may not be able to set up a library without a licence.  The best thing to do is contact Filmbank to seek advice: 

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Can I get permission to use a video in the classroom?

Copyright law allows the use of videos in schools for educational purposes without asking the rights owner for specific permission. 

This does not include entertaining a class on a wet afternoon. It must be in the course of instruction only.

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What video industry trade press is there?

There are a number of publications that cover video industry matters and related subjects.

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I am opening a shop renting video games. What are the legal requirements?

If you are interested in opening a store dedicated to games, you should contact:

  • The European Leisure Software Producers Association (ELSPA)
    Website: www.elspa.com
  • The Video Standards Council can also advise on the legal requirements for games classification and their supply to the public
    Website: www.videostandards.org.uk

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Why can’t I buy films on VHS cassette?

The development and take up of new technology cannot be stopped. The reason millions more people are buying DVD than VHS is that it offers a superior picture, sound and content, as well as being more convenient to use and to store.

With DVD and now high-definition discs representing over 99% of total market volumes in 2008, it is not surprising that retailers stopped stocking cassette tapes some time ago and many do not give any shelf space over to VHS. This is why video distributors will not be releasing films on that format, because their customers have stopped buying and the market has almost disappeared.

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I would like to become an importer and distributor of DVDs. Do you have information on distribution?

To distribute video works in the UK you need to obtain a licence or have acquired the distribution rights from the original rights owner.

It is prohibited under the Video Recordings Act to supply pre-recorded videos in the UK without having submitted the works to the BBFC for classification. See Website: www.bbfc.co.uk

Works to be sold in the UK need to be packaged according to the video packaging regulations mandated under the Video Recordings Act and manufactured by a replicator who will print the BBFC classification symbols on the discs.

Assuming you do not have any liaison with a physical distributor in the UK yet, it would be advisable to seek out a distributor already set up in the UK to help market, sell and distribute the product.

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How can I get a copy of an old or deleted video?

Try searching for old, rare or deleted videos with the following companies.

  • Film Vault Search Service
    Tel:     +44 (0) 845 500 5757
    Website:     www.filmvault.co.uk
    (Specialise in finding rare and difficult-to-find video films. Bulk searches for major companies only)
  • Filmbank Distributors
    Tel: +44 (0)20 7984 5957
    Website: www.filmbank.co.uk
    (Has one of the largest film libraries in Europe, with titles ranging from the present day to as far back as the 1920s)

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How can I find out if a video is available?

Most video retailers have access to an up to date list of currently available product and can order special titles for you.

You can search for current, future and past releases within the Releases section of the website, otherwise check on the website of any legal on-line retailers or visit Website: www.findanyfilm.com

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How do I add subtitles to a DVD I have produced?

You would need to contact an authoring house to put subtitles on your DVD. Try contacting 

To find out if a title is subtitled please go to http://dvd-subtitles.com/

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How can I find out if a video is exempt from classification?

The Video Recordings Act requires that all video works supplied in Britain must be classified by the body designated to perform this task, namely the British Board of Film Classification, unless they fall into one of the three exempt areas:

  • works which, taken as a whole, are designed to inform, educate or instruct
  • works which, taken as a whole, are concerned with sport, religion or music
  • video games

Inevitably there is an element of interpretation required here so please refer to the BBFC from more information:
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/customer/cust_procMisc_exempt.php

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