With TV drama series like Hustle and Survivors now filming here, we look at how we can rebuild our TV drama industry in the region. Come along to The Bond to hear a stellar panel of TV drama names give their views.

This is an unmissable event for local screenwriters, directors, producers and anyone who cares about the future of television drama in the West Midlands.

30th March 2010.

Venue: The Bond,180-182 Fazeley Street, Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 5SE

6.00pm: Registration/Drinks

6.30pm: ‘Re-building the TV Drama industry in the West Midlands’ Chaired by Lee Thomas (Screen WM)

Speakers already confirmed: Tony Jordan, Peter Lloyd, Michael Eaton (more speakers to be confirmed very soon)

8.00pm: Networking/Drinks

To register for this event please visit http://rebuilding-tv-drama-industry-in-wm.eventbrite.com/

Thursday 25th March 2010

6.00pm – 8.00pm

Vivid, Heath Mill Lane, Digbeth, Birmingham

Everyone’s favourite animated screenings night, Shorts on Walls, returns this March as part of Flatpack Festival 2010 and animators are once more being invited to submit their short films.

Shorts on Walls gives animators the chance to screen their latest works to a room full of peers in a relaxed bar atmosphere. The event is free to attend and runs from 6pm-8pm on Thursday 25th March 2010 in the main space at Vivid, Heath Mill Lane, Digbeth, Birmingham.

To submit your animated short, please post to our new address by the 18th March 2010:

• A DVD formatted copy of your film (for judging)
• An uncompressed high-res QuickTime file on a DVD data disc

Animation Forum WM,
The New Technology Institute,
15 Bartholomew Row,
Birmingham,
B5 5JU.

To attend, please RSVP via our Facebook event page.

Vivid is 30 minutes walk from New Street Station, and can be found here.

Filmrats’ next event is on Thursday 18th March at new venue The Sunflower Lounge. Doors open at 7.30pm.

For those of you who have never been or know about our event, Filmrats is a multimedia evening of short films and live music, a hybrid of different creative artistry coming together to showcase their talents, enjoy music, film and to socialise.

The night is being held once a month on a Thursday evening at The Sunflower Lounge, in the heart of Birmingham. If you love music and film then Filmrats really is the best place to go!

We are always looking for more Singer/Songwriters, Bands, Poets, Comedians, Performance Artists and Short Films. If you want to showcase your talent then please get in contact!

Filmrats will also be screening the short films submitted to the 48-hour film challenge Film Dash.

Entry is £2, so come along and remember to send in those short films on DVD format to:

Filmrats, Flat 3, 889 Bristol Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, B29 6ND

Email: filmrats@hotmail.co.uk

Myspace: www.myspace.com/filmrats

Twitter: www.twitter.com/filmrats

Facebook: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10150098932520122

Mucky Duck Media are looking for actors to perform in our final year project for university. This short film is an exciting opportunity to work with new talent in the region and help us represent Birmingham as a great location and home to an active creative industry.

We also have two guaranteed screenings at our end of year event and a launch of a media production hub, both of which will have industry professionals attending so a great chance to network and get your name known.

Our script is a 10 – 15 minute short with just two characters set in Longbridge. All filmed in mostly one scene this beautifully written script tells us the story of these characters’ relationship as it moves through loyalty, friendship, professionalism and love. We slowly learn about them and their past and how they struggle to understand each other.

We are working with Helen Kelly a talented and highly qualified scripwriter in the region and Andy Conway who helps run the scriptwriters forum acting as script editor.

We are holding castings on March 8/9/10th and callbacks on March 22nd. We will be filming for 6 days between 9th – 16th April (dates can be negotiated to fall in easter holidays if needed)

As this is a student project we have very little funding but are able to offer £100 for each actor.
The two roles we’re looking for are detailed below….

Kirsty

Sex:Female
Acting age:17 (Actors must be 18 or over)
Build:Slim, athletic

We’re looking for a young actress to play a 17 year old in our short film. The character is a successful swimmer so needs to have a slim, athletic build but other than that we have no requirements on appearance. The character also has some close contact with an older man character and so must be comfortable with some intimate touching (over clothes). Birmingham accent preferred but no essential.

Jim

Sex: Male
Acting age: 35-45
Build: Tall, athletic.

We’re also looking for an actor for an older man character of around 40. The character is a swimming coach so must be fit and athletic. No specific requirements for appearances but tall and broad would be good and a Birmingham accent preferred but not a must.

Producers’ Forum Monthly Networking – Feb 2010 – Media Centre Tour (Tuesday, February 23, 2010 from 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

This month we thought that we would offer something a little different from our usual monthly networking.

We will be going on a tour of The Media Centre at The University of Birmingham to see all of the fantastic and affordable facilities that we have available to us on our door-step.

People who attend the evening will be eligible for discounts on future studio hire! So why not come along to see how you can save money and stay local.

The tour will finish with drinks, nibbles and an opportunity to catch up with each other and ask any questions to the Media Centre Team.

This is a free event but we ask that you please rsvp on our eventbrite site (http://pfnetworkingfeb2010.eventbrite.com/) or by contacting Rebecca directly on info@producersforum.org.uk, so that we have an idea of numbers.

IdeasTap has launched Ideas Fund Shorts, £40,000-worth of funding to help young people realise their short film projects. Eight awards of £5,000 are being offered to anyone aged between 16-25 to create a five minute short film.

Recognising the lack of funding for young people within the arts, and the endless application forms and hassle to secure what funding there is, IdeasTap created the Ideas Fund to make it easier for young people to get their creative projects off the ground.  Along with the website, IdeasTap is dedicated to providing opportunities for up-and-coming creative talent.

Alongside the launch of Ideas Fund Shorts, IdeasTap is also launching the second round of Ideas Fund Innovators; ten awards of £1,000 for creative ideas from any discipline. The deadline for both funds is 29th March 2010.

If you would like any further information on how to apply please visit the website.

Fancy helping out at Flatpack? This year’s festival runs from 23-28 March in venues all over Birmingham, and the whole thing wouldn’t be possible without hordes of dedicated volunteers. (See a nice writeup from one of last year’s team here.) Responsibilities will include front-of-house, venue installation, technical support, marketing and bar work, and all volunteers will have the opportunity to make good use of their festival passes.

If you’d like to get involved, please drop us a line at info@7inch.org.uk with your contact details before 22nd February.

Also keep in mind that our briefing meetup will be on Weds 3rd March, from 6:30pm.

Hi, I’m in the early pre-production stages of a drama short film that I intend to show off at Film Festivals. I’m looking for experienced/skilled and reliable crew members to help with the production shoot in March. Locations are still be researched but it is intended …that it will be in the Midlands or Warwickshire area.

I am also looking for some quality acting, voice over and perhaps a dancer (or as graceful as one) for the main and supporting roles.

Please contact me for further information and include any experience you have and/or enthusiasm!

Email: joanne@weirddreamproductions.co.uk



Filmmaker needed asap for huge project to create a brand around a Band. The band I’m working with are currently attracting major label interest, but are putting off anything too final until they have a great portfolio of promotional materials under their belts. The music for the video has already been selected, and the only main concept is to incorporate as much live footage as possible, as the band are amazing live, and this is their real selling point.

The overall project itself is to get those interested in creative media, but not qualified or professional into the spotlight and have their work seen on a national/worldwide basis. Whilst gaining experience and gaining great contacts for future work.

If you feel you might be interested in being involved in this very exciting project, please get in touch via my profile, or email me at abibphotography@aol.com

Thanks, hope to hear from you shortly!



This series of workshops is aimed at writers who would like to develop their skills and learn the tools of the trade. With topics ranging from laying out your screenplay, to writing sitcom, animation, and feature film genres, the programme offers a wide variety of opportunities for writers to hone their skills with input and support from writers and producers currently working in the industry.

If you’re a writer just starting out, or a professional writer looking to expand your portfolio, do get in touch and find out if there’s anything for you.

FEES: All workshops are £50 each (£40 concessions).

If you book any FOUR workshops at the full rate, you can receive a 15% discount of the total price (i.e. total cost of four workshops is £170)

ENQUIRIES: Contact catherine.edwards@scriptonline.net or 0121 224 7415

BOOKING: Download a booking form and send it to Script at 107The Greenhouse, The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Birmingham, B9 4AA.

Further details on workshops taking place over the next few months available here.