Created in Birmingham

I thought I’d post my response to an email I received from someone the other day. The emailer said (and these are a couple of extracts):

I am currently looking for creative projects to get involved with in the Birmingham area, specifically film or media based projects. I have lots of transferable skills through studying film on my course and I am looking for possible work experience (unpaid) in TV, film or any kind of production, as a runner, film grip and/or any position where the skills I have may come in useful.

My biggest focus is finding opportunities, getting out there and getting involved in anything I can, from possible collaborations to arts events, workshops, anything to keep me busy and anything that allows me to be creative and continues the type of work I was doing on my course.

I couldn’t think of anything specific but gave a few starting places. I operate on the assumption that CiB readers know much more than I do, so if anyone can add anything then please do in the comments. My reply:

Hey

I can’t think of any specific opportunities at the moment. It’s a bit of a funny time for that kind of thing at the moment, what with Screen WM (who used to put on events and so on) closing down a few months back and Creative England (the body taking their place) only just getting up and running. In the meantime it might be worth looking at http://www.bsin.co.uk/ and seeing what they’re up to.

Also, have a look at these events, get yourself along and see who you meet:

• http://www.producersforum.org.uk/
• http://www.creativenetworksonline.com/
• http://www.birminghamsmc.com/
• http://www.helloculture.net/ (this is on tomorrow)

Maybe see what courses are happening at http://www.macarts.co.uk/ or http://light-house.co.uk/

Cheers

Chris

• Culture Guide September Issue « Area Culture Guide
  “The September edition of the Culture Guide is awaiting your perusal”
• Job going at Bright Space
  They’re after a new new Creative Programmer for Primary, Early Years and Special Schools
• Creative Networks: Interactive Music & Sound Design
  “Creative Networks welcomes Matt Black, Audio Manager at Blitz Games Studios, whose talk will focus on interactive music used in production of the company’s games title”
• Committee launches a new inquiry into The Funding of the Arts and Heritage – UK Parliament
  Bit slow in this, but here’s your chance to have your say. Deadline is 2 Sept
• artsfunding – Arts Funding Information
  Have I mentioned the artsfunding network that’s been set up? Well, I have now. Get involved to contribute to the ongoing debate/discussion
• My First Seminar – Music Photography — — Steve Gerrard Photography
  “November 10th 2010 will be the date of my very first seminar, taking place at Calumet in Birmingham. The subject is Music Photography”. Steve knows his stuff
• Heritage Open Days 2010 | Birmingham Conservation Trust
  “The HODs this year will run from 9-12 September and the event directory for this year’s events is now live”
• Heritage Open Days – West Midlands
  …and here’s the list
• Breakfast Meeting 1st Oct
  “Creative Alliance would like to invite you to an Employers Breakfast Meeting on Friday 1st October from 9am until 11am”
• The International Queer Video Open 2010
  Call for submissions – deadline is 2 October
• Midlands Best Dance Crew 2010 « Dancegeek’s Blog
  “Register now and Step Up for the chance of your crew to go head to head and claim the title of Midlands Best Dance Crew 2010″. To be held at the Town Hall on 12 November
• UK Sound Map
  “Join the British Library in creating the first nationwide sound map”. Or don’t. Your call

• Smash Bro’z win at UK Hip Hop championships
  Next stop, Las Vegas for the World Finals
• CAN <UK>
  Based in Ladywood – “We are a design, media and communication company working with people of all ages and abilities to devise engaging cross media projects that enable participants to express ideas about themselves, their communities and environment”
• Arlene Burnett
  Birmingham based artist and curator. Currently to be found at the Rea garden on Floodgate Street in Digbeth
• Eat My Shorts: Haiti Fundraiser Saturday 13th March
  Over at The Edge on 13 March from 8pm. The plan is – “two hours of all sorts of shorts followed by a disco”
• Birmingham based 104 films score a double whammy at the BAFTAs
  They did Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
• An Endless Supply « More Canals than Venice
  Interview with the zine folks
• Digbeth is Good » Boxxed opens its doors
  Excited about this
• Creative Networks: Women’s Short Film Festival
  “Screening a selection of films from the ‘A Corto di Donne’ Film Festival held in Naples Italy 2009 with the organisers and some of the filmmakers as our Guest Speakers” 25 Feb
• The Highlight
  Looks like this has replaced Jongleurs on Broad St. It’s a comedy club. I didn’t recognise many of the upcoming acts, but then I don’t know comedy that well so fair enough. Actually, Roger Monkhouse (no relation) makes me laugh and he’ll be there in the next month or so
• Facebook | Secret Birmingham
  After the kerfuffle around the Secret London Facebook group there’s been a rash of others set up in other places around the country. Here’s the Birmingham one – some good stuff in there
• Jewellery Quarter Lobby launches | Birmingham Conservation Trust
  What happens when an Initiative, a Forum, an Association and a Group get angry? They get start a Lobby, natch.

This Thursday their are two very different creative meet-ups happening in the city:

The Feb Creative Networks is the 3rd Creative Forum event with special guest speaker Ash Atalla, the writer and producer best known for producing The Office. The Creative Forum bit is usually a series of stands from organisations like Business Link and Screen WM on hand to offer advice. 5.30pm – 10.00pm

The first BARG happened last month; games were played, cake was eaten and their was a whole lot of enthusing and exploring of social mechanisms. The Second BARG will feature: a look at rapid prototyping kits for game, discussion of a planned St Patrick’s day game, evolution of the Emergent Game and more.

If you didn’t attend last month, you can still get in on the fun by turning up at The Lamp Tavern, Digbeth at 7pm.

The next Creative Networks event is Land of Promise: BFI National Archive on Thursday 29th January – From 6.00pm until 10.00pm at tic at Millennium Point. This month’s guest speaker is Jan Faull, Archive Producer at the British Film Institute (BFI) who will introduce and explore highlights from key documentary projects made possible through the BFI National Archive. It is free to attend.

For those who have never been to Creative Networks I can wholly recommend it. They always choose really inspirational speakers like  Nick Broomfield (Biggie and Tupac, Kurt & Courtney) and of course Pete Ashton and Stef Lewandowski (founders of this here blog).

At each event their is an opportunity to pitch your business, project idea or to just introduce yourself to the audience. Your details then go on to a rather handsome newsletter and the website. If you would like to pitch at the next CN event please contact Dave Taylor on 07989 498 550 or email creative.networks@tic.ac.uk.

Two meet-ups on Thursday 25 Sept at TIC, Millennium Point (and the last Thursday of every month, come to mention it).

From 4-6pm there’s the Birmingham Music Network with a networking event for the city’s music-related peoples:

The Birmingham branch of Musicians Union will be supplying luxury chocolate biscuits and good coffee for all. There’s food and drink afterwards supplied by the creative networks lot too. Come and talk about music and what you’re up to and meet some new people

Then after that, and until 10pm, there’s the Creative Networks networking event.  They don’t mention biscuits or coffee but do speak of “From Bedroom To Broadcast: How to break into TV and the battle to retain your filmmaking integrity thereafter” which is a talk by Lee Kern.  Lee recently set up a fake TV production company called Monkey Tennis to pitch ridiculous ideas to commissioners so he sounds ok to me.

Both events are free.  Here’s the flyer for the latter:

The number of good things happening this evening is nuts:

• Fierce’s Platinum Programme is at The Edge, some of it you can drop into, some you have to book.
• Behind Closed Doors are holding the launch of The Secret Garden – an installation round the back of the Custard Factory from 6pm to 8pm.
• Fierce, again, are having a preview screening of Helen, a film entered for the Edinburgh and Sydney film festivals. That’s at 6pm (for drinks with the film at 6.30pm) at the AMC Broadway Plaza cinema. You’ll have to book yourself in on 0121 244 8080 though, no turning up unannounced.
• Creative Networks are holding their regular event at Millennium Point with a talk on how to Power Your Business With Web 2.0 from the CiB-affiliated Pete Ashton and Stef Lewandowski.

There’ll be more too, but those are just the ones I’d have hoped to make it down to. It’s a shame to miss out on things but on the other hand is great to see so much going on around town.

Paper clipping from here.