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

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SHOUT Festival, the UK’s leading arts festival celebrating queer culture, have put out a call for short films to be screened during this year’s festivities.

The competition is open to all, irrespective of sexual orientation, should be no longer than 20 mins, and completed in 2009 or later.

While any theme or topic can be chosen, the resulting film must reflect the SHOUT ethos of celebrating and/or exploring Queer culture in all its forms.

All shortlisted films will be screened during the festival, with a winner to be announced during the festival.

SHOUT doesn’t take place until November, and the deadline for this competition 15 July, so you’ve got plenty of time to put something together.

To enter, take a look at the full info and download to entry form.

‘The Garage Presents…‘ is the first of VIVID‘s 2011 programme, running throughout February with a series of events in music, film, art and installation.

The fun kicks off this weekend, with Video Valentines on Sat 12 Feb, at 2pm, featuring a free screening of Woody Allen’s 1977 romcom, Annie Hall, alongside a bunch of independent shorts and heart-shaped treats.

The series continues with ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties: The Film + A Short Film by Vincent Moon‘ on Fri 18 Feb. Admission is £2.

This post-punk DIY bricolage uses material generated by the fans and musicians themselves, on a multitude of formats including Super8, camcorder and mobile phone material, over the history of the festival, to capture the uncompromising spirit of a parallel music universe.

The following weekend hosts a screening of Lis Rhodes’ avant-garde installation Light Music (1975) 25 Feb, from 6.30pm – 8.30pm, in association with George Saxon and Daniel Simcox

Visitors are immersed in the beams of two dueling projectors; as the film flickers and flashes, Rhodes varies sonic frequency, alters amplitude, and plays with tone to create a groundbreaking and visceral cinematic experience.

And finally on 26 Feb, Woof! Woof! William Wegman Weekend takes place at 2pm.

Coming of age in the 1960s, Wegman was an early exponent of conceptual art, well known for his use of irony, humour and satire. VIVID presents a selection of Wegman’s video works taken from his 1970s series of cryptic videos which  star his obliging canine partner Man Ray.

The last KINO 10 event of 2010 takes place on 21 December at the Bull’s Head, Moseley, with a touch of festive flavour.

Expect an eclectic mix of old and new short films, some music videos, various animations and a few Christmas treats.

The evening starts at 7.30pm, with films from 8pm. Entry is £3.

The Electric Cinema are holding another poster sale today from 12 noon – 2pm.

With a selection of quad size posters available, there’s something for all film enthusiasts, ranging from mainstream to more limited releases, with some classic re-release posters available for the memorabilia collectors.

Plus you needn’t feel guilty splashing out on posters, since 50% of the proceeds will be donated to film director Mark Cousins. The money raised will be spent on musical instruments for the Iraqi Children who featured in his documentary The First Movie.

Throughout the week of 22 – 27 March 2011, Birmingham will be treated to an eclectic programme of film and performance from Flatpack Festival and Fierce Festival, who’ve announced that they’ll be sharing dates next year.

Flatpack’s fifth festival will celebrate and take film to unexpected places; where new film fraternises with silent cinema and archives are re-imagined. Expect live soundtracks, workshops, installations, offbeat family screenings and a vintage mobile cinema which will roam across the city.

Fierce Festival returns after two years and the appointment of new Artistic Directors Laura McDermott and Harun Morrison.  True to tradition, spectacular projects and public interventions will collide with the kind of agenda setting performances and wild parties on which the festival’s ten-year reputation rests.

The full line up for each of the festivals is expected in February 2011, so keep an eye on their websites over the next few months, www.flatpackfestival.org / www.wearefierce.org

The Spotted Dog in Digbeth will be screening ‘Dawn’ by local filmmaker Lizzy Piffany on Thursday 4 November at 8pm.

Lizzy says;

Dawn is my Dorothy journey: the story of my adventure through danger and disappointment to realise my own magic, and find my way forwards to a new understanding of “home”.

Watch the trailer for ‘Dawn’ here.

This is taking place tonight, at Sound Bar from 6pm. The Halloween Monster Movie Challenge gave filmmakers the task of producing a 3-10 minute horror film on a tight budget, with the condition that they must include some form of monster.

They’ve got Darrell Buxton (cult horror film historian) and Owen Tooth (Midlands based award winning filmmaker) in to judge, and will be screening entries from around the country, around with a bit of live music and fancy dress.

MACE (Media Archive for Central England) are currently working on The Full Circle Project, which will run for 3 years as they hunt down hidden or forgotten film footage and home-movies from the past 100 years, created by people of the Midlands.

The aim is to make these materials accessible to the community so that they can be widely enjoyed by future generations and used for research, in exhibitions, screenings and education work.

Our concern at MACE is that films and videos are disappearing fast.  We want to stem the tide by working with organisations across the midlands to help them find and ‘save’ their local community’s moving image heritage.

For more information on the Full Circle Project, contact Mace or visit their website / blog for full details on what they do with donated film, and the local organisations involved.

Ever wondered how your favourite films get on to the silver screen? How 3D films work? Or even how independent cinemas deal with major film distributors?

Well, wonder no more, because those enterprising chaps at The Electric cinema have been busy making a fine selection of documentary videos which give a unique insight into the inner workings of the cinema, from the lost art of cinema organists, to the journey into the third dimension.

The clips have been lovingly crafted by the cinema’s owner and lead guitarist Tom Lawes, and I found myself absorbed by them, so set a few minutes aside to give them a watch. All the videos are on the cinema’s Youtube channel, but as a taster, here’s The Electric’s guide to 35mm projection:

Another batch of short films from Screen WM‘s Digishorts scheme are set to premiere next week,  featuring a hefty wedge of local film talent. There’s a free screening event  to see all six Digishorts films at Light House in Wolverhampton on Tuesday 12 January, 6.15  – 8pm, as part of Screen Forum.

The Moon Bird

Names that stick out for me are BAFTA-nominated The Brothers McLeod, who will be showing their dark animated fairytale ‘The Moon Bird‘, and Lewis Arnold, whose film ‘Stained’ is inspired by author Ronnie Thompson’s time served as a prison officer. After the screening there will be a Q&A with some of the filmmakers, so have your hand-raising and poser-posing hats on ready.

To find out more about all of the films on show, visit the Light House website here, and to reserve a free place at the screening, contact info@light-house.co.uk.

The Birmingham International Film Society launches today with a season of films at the Birmingham Library Theatre in conjunction with Cuba Solidarity.

The films to be shown are:

• 12 Chairs (8 May, 8pm)
• Beloved (20 May, 6pm and 8.15pm)
• Death Of A Bureaucrat (5 June, 7.30pm with a talk)
• The Adventures Of Juan Quin Quin (17 June, 6pm and 8.15pm)
• A Successful Man (10 July, 7.30pm with talk)

with more details of each film on the Cuba Solidarity website. Tickets are £3.50 (conc £2.50) and are available in person at the library, by telephone on 0121 303 2323 or at www.birminghamboxoffice.com.

Before tonight’s film there’s a gala reception at 7pm, although I have no idea what that might entail. If you go you’d best assume it’s black tie and arrive in a limo, just in case.

Unfortunately BIFS itself doesn’t seem to have any sort of web-presence but I’m sure that’ll be rectified soon (hint! – just as Pete was, I’m free for tea and a chat about this kind of thing). According to comments on The Stirrer, they’re looking to show the international films that the multiplexes and The Electric can’t/won’t.