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.

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.

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



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!



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.



Film Forum’s next meet up will be on Thursday 25th February @ The Victoria Pub on John Bright Street in Birmingham from 7pm.

The idea of these meet ups is to give filmmakers a networking platform from which they can meet people involved in different aspects of filmmaking from directors to actors in order to source equipment, make contacts and flourish.

The entire evening is very informal so therefore it is really up to you if you approach it as a casual drink or an opportunity to network and get projects off the ground.

This month is slightly different to previous ones as Film Forum WM is also here for filmmakers wanting to get a team together for the upcoming 48-hour film challenge, Film Dash.

If you’re itching to get started you can watch some of the previous Film Dash entries here, read the rules here, or register your interest in taking part by emailing us at filmdash@gmail.com.

Further details on Film Dash are available here.

Address: The Victoria Pub, 48 John Bright St, Birmingham, B1 1BN

Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=332529080970

See you there.

Saturday 13th March at Friction Arts

79 – 81 Cheapside, Digbeth, Birmingham, B12 0QH. From 8pm til much later! Map

Short films/promos/art films between 8 and 10 pm followed by disco all to raise money for DEC Haiti appeal.

£5 on door. £4 concessions.

Cheap bar at venue. Each guest is encouraged to bring Cake and/or Nibbles preferably home-made to share with fellow attendees.

If you want your short film, animation, pop promo, art film, feature trailer or excerpt to be shown then please get in touch with Brendan O’Neill.

info at sticklebackproductions.co.uk / 0121 288 4884.

Facebook group with full event details here.

Producer wanted for short film to be made in association with Screen West Midlands and the UK Film Council. Must have experience.

£8,000-£10,000 budget.

Award winning Director and Cinematographer attached.

Fee is negotiable.

Will need to start as soon as possible and be available until the film’s completion.

Filming will take place in the West Midlands.

Closing: February 21st

Location: West Midlands

Pay: Fee is negotiable

Posted: Today, at 10:22

Category: Management

To find out more please send a copy of your CV including all producer credits to:

ryan.vernava@googlemail.com



I’m often surprised at the variety and breadth of support for creative industry workers, businesses, graduates and start-ups in the Midlands, and to the outsider it’s often bedazzling as to what and where help can be found. Also, given the shaky economic circumstances many of us currently find ourselves in, it’s more important than ever to make use of what’s actually out there, whether that means finding funding, advice or just getting your face about at events.

The below list then is by no means exhaustive, but will hopefully point those new to the alien world of funding and support for Creative industry folk in the right direction. Please add anything I’ve missed in the comments:

• Advantage West Midlands (AWM) – the regional development agency (RDA) run a large number of schemes aimed at developing the region’s economy, including many of the groups on this list.
• Business Link West Midlands – An agency managed by AWM offering a range of services, and designed to be the first port of call for anyone currently running or thinking of starting business.
• Support WM – a recently established scheme to help West Midlands’ individuals and businesses affected by the recession, which – despite an ugly site, has some very useful links for business support and for those out of work.
• West Midlands Graduate Internships – only just stumbled across this site myself, looks a great way for graduates to get that important work experience, whilst employers get some much needed low-cost help.
• Graduate Advantage – seems eerily similar to the above, but useful nonetheless: “If you’re a student or graduate you can now apply for paid full-time and part-time work placements, summer internships, graduate placements, and free employability training… in all sectors of industry and business across the West Midlands.”
• Skillset – As well as a huge amount of online resources, the ‘Skills Council for Creative Media’ conduct research and offer funding for training.
• Screen WM – The film, TV and anything on a screen agency for the West Midlands, whose Media & Production Fund can invest up for £500,000 in “feature film projects… interactive games production, single TV dramas, and feature length documentaries.” As well as this, SWM can help fund is often available for Short Film Funding, Running a Festival, Attending a Festvial, Education Projects, Exhibition Projects, Archive Projects and Training Courses.
• 4iP – A £10m funding scheme managed regionally by Screen WM (see above), with funds from Advantage West Midlands and Channel 4, to invest in “great ideas for websites, games and mobile services which will help people improve their lives.” The deadline for the next round of funding is 23rd August 2009.
• The Producers’ Forum – An established networking group for the region’s film producers, the group organise masterclasses and events for their members (there is a fee to join).
• First Light Movies – An organisation that “funds and inspires young people, throughout the UK, to make films reflecting the diversity of their lives.”
• Learning and Skills Council West Midlands – run a number of schemes aimed at equipping people with the skills for work.
• Equity – Although predominantly performer focused, the union also represents ‘professional performers and other creative workers from across the spectrum of the entertainment, creative and cultural industries.’
• Pact – “The UK trade association that represents and promotes the commercial interests of independent feature film, television, children’s and animation media companies.”
• BECTU – “The independent trade union for those working in broadcasting, film, theatre, entertainment, leisure, interactive media and allied areas.”
• Creative Launchpad – formerly the ‘Business link start up service’ for the West Midlands, the agency seems to be undergoing some changes at the moment, but are still running a free business advice service for businesses in the ‘Solihull and North Solihull area’.
• Creative Alliance – A Birmingham based agency that specialise on training apprentices for the creative industries.
• Creative Republic – A networking and lobbying group for creative workers in the West Midlands.
• Creative Networks – A group managed by Birmingham City University, which host monthly(ish) talks by some quite impressive creative industry speakers at Birmingham’s Millennium Point.
• NESTA – or to give them their full title, the ‘National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts’. They “invest in early-stage companies, inform and shape policy, and deliver practical programmes that inspire others to solve the big challenges of the future.”
• Insight Out – A series of creative industry and social enterprise courses run annually in collaboration with NESTA, by @ScreenMediaLab (that’s where I work by the way).
• Arts Council West Midlands – The regional arm to the national arts funding agency. If you use the arts in your work, you might want to look into the Grants for the Arts funding for individuals and organisations, funded by the National Lottery.
• Digital Birmingham – A Birmingham City Council run project ‘working to ensure the benefits of digital technologies are available to all in the city.’
• Social Media Café – “An informal get-together for anyone using (or interested in using) social media. If that sounds like you, then come on down and have a chat with someone – there are always enough friendly faces around.” Their next event is 31st July 2009, from 10am.
• Film Forum West Midlands – Formerly ‘Birmingham Filmmakers’, this networking group for anyone involved in grass roots filmmaking has been steadily gathering momentum thanks to it’s monthly meet-ups.
• 7inch Cinema – Not strictly support, but the quirky style and events by these “Birmingham-based cultural historians, purveyors of distinctive film events and producers of the Flatpack Festival” make them a favourite with many.
• Prince’s Trust (West Midlands) – Alongside a ton of other activity, the Prince’s Trust offer start-up funding and mentoring for unemployed people aged 18-30 develop their business idea.
• Light House – The Wolverhampton arts centre host events and offer subsidised training courses in media production throughout the year for eligible people who meet their criteria. Here’s their latest free beginners course in video production.
• Herbert Media – Offer free advice surgeries on media production, equipment hire and training courses.
• Audiences Central – the ‘audience development agency for the West Midlands’ works ‘across the region assisting and supporting arts and cultural organisations in the development of audiences for all forms of art.’
• SCRIPT – The ‘West Midlands agency for dramatic writers’ offer a range of scriptwriting training courses for all levels, including their current TENacity programme.
• Animation Forum West Midlands – yes, this is the group and website I manage, but if you’re looking to work with an animator, have any questions about the region’s industry, or network with animation professionals, please get in touch.

And another one…

• Own-It – Suggested by @triston; provides free online advice on all the common questions on issues surrounding intellectual property.

If I’ve missed anything off I apologise and please feel free to post links in the comments (yes you have to register to do so, but it’s worth it, honest). Right, now I need a lie down.

Saturday 7^th November 2009 (10am-5pm)

Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Centenary Suite

£50 (£40 concessions)

From the traditionally structured TV and film stories that attempt to appeal to wide audiences (which ITV controller Peter Fincham termed ‘3G’ – three generations watching together), to the 3D structures of games and online drama, this day-long course looks at new opportunities offered to writers by the rise of digital technologies.  Suitable for writers, film-makers and drama practitioners interested in looking at new ways of telling stories across screens of all sizes. Participants:

Graham Joyce is the author of fourteen novels and has won numerous awards for his writing, including five British Fantasy Awards and the 2003 World Fantasy Award. He has also written screenplays of his novels and has recently been hired by the creators of Doom 4 to help develop the storyline potential of the computer game.

Neil Mossey worked solely in television and radio before writing on Season 2 of the daily interactive web drama KateModern (storylining over 26 weeks, and scripting 74 webisodes). The series ended in July 2008 clocking up 66 million video views, the largest UK online production to date. As a comedy producer at the BBC he was responsible for developing new formats and drama in the Comedy Entertainment department with writers and performers. His freelance writer, script editor, and producer credits include My Parents Are Aliens (ITV1), Freefonix (BBC One), Blackout (Channel 4), SuperNormal (ITV1), The Worst Witch (ITV1), Hedz (BBC One), and The Morning After Show (Channel 4).

Claire Ingham is a producer and film and television script developer. She works on projects at all stages of development – currently ranging from the adaptation treatment of Eoin Colfer’s bestselling novel The Wishlist to the final draft of Helen Cross’ original feature Stratford Road. Claire has previously worked for a number of film and television companies in development roles. She was Head of Drama Development at Impossible Pictures for four years where she headed a small team, commissioning and developing a range of TV and film projects for all the major broadcasters, including Jed Mercurio’s contemporary retelling of Frankenstein and Michael Chaplin’s family film Pickles.

For booking and further information, please visit www.scriptonline.net/screen.html

Or email catherine.edwards@scriptonline.net

The event is presented by Script, the regional development agency for dramatic writers in the West Midlands, offering advice, training and mentoring via industry-led partnerships.

In addition to Moving Pictures’ Sunday film screenings at The Victoria Pub, they are also now screening locally made short films to accompany the night. Seems a very nice idea to mix a fun bit of film watching with some local exposure.

Send you films to:
Claire Goldthorp,
Moving Pictures,
The Victoria,
48 John Bright St
Birmingham
B1 1BN

Here’s their Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=110110192510&v=info&ref=ts

They’re also supporting budding filmmakers so if you want like to show your film, send them an email at rb_adams@hotmail.com or twitter Rob Adams. You can join them on Facebook too.

Here’s this month’s ’Fisco Films’ schedule:

• August 6th – Bullitt (1968, Yates)
• August 13th – Dirty Harry (1971, Siegel)
• August 20th – The Conversation (1974, Coppola)
• August 27th – tbc

Also, send in your suggestions for what you’d like to see on the 27th.

Sounds like a great night out.

(via More Canals than Venice)

Film Forum’s next meet up will be on Tuesday 25th August at the Victoria Pub on John Bright Street in Birmingham from 6pm.

Come along and chat to people from all aspects of filmmaking in the Midlands. It’s very informal and is really up to you if you want to approach it as a casual drink or an opportunity to make new contacts and get projects off the ground. Contacts made through the social evenings have helped film projects to flourish and the variety of creative types attending has been very encouraging.

After a bit of a think, we’ve decided to stick with hosting the meet up at The Victoria. It’s fun, relaxed and has decent priced drinks. We were a bit concerned that their hasn’t been a dedicated area for the meet ups previously, so we now have a reserved tables in the corner of the front bar… we’ll have some signs.

So, come on down, say hello, tell us what you are up to and hopefully we’ll all benefit from some interaction.

Here’s the Facebook event: http://bit.ly/7e1f2

Here’s the address: The Victoria Pub, 48 John Bright St, Birmingham, B1 1 BN

P.S. If you’d like to join our mailing list, send an email with ‘Subscribe’ in the title to info@filmforumwm.co.uk and we’ll keep you in the loop with any of our events.

View Larger Map

Rage Arts are looking for an experienced editor to edit a short film they will be making with a group of young people from 23 July to enter into a number of short film festivals.

They are looking to appoint an editor on a self-employed basis the total fee payable is £250 inclusive. To apply please send your showreel to 48 Upper Ashley Street Halesowen,B62 8HJ with a covering letter.

All other correspondence should be by email to Owen Radmore through Rage’s contact form.

To find out more visit here and here.

To see a previous short film made by young people from the same organisation visit here.

The opportunity is also listed on Talent Circle.

The festival will comprise of various programmes including educational seminars, panel discussions, workshops, screenings, the Midlands Shorts Competition, the FIFF Student Film Competition and the FIFF Awards Ceremony.

If the following list of awards are anything to go by the festival should be a pretty big affair:

Best UK Feature, Best UK Short, Best UK Documentary, Best UK Animation, Best Feature, Best Short, Best Documentary, Best Animation, Debut Feature, Best Director, Best Music Video, Midlands Shorts Competition Award, Student Film Competition Award, Special Achievement Award, Best Actor, Best Actress.

Submissions are free to enter and the deadline is open until September 15th. Send your entries on DVD to:

Falstaff International Film Festival, PO Box 5114, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 1JA

You can get in cantact at: info@fiff.org.uk

And you can keep up to date with them at www.fiff.org.uk, MySpace and Facebook.

A couple of events for animators and scriptwriters looking to hone their writing (and perhaps meet new collaborators) take place in July.

SCRIPT will be running a course tailored towards writing for games and online drama with the handsomely titled ‘3D to 3G Storytelling: New Narrative Structures and Opportunities for Writers and Drama Practitioners’ on Saturday 11th July 2009 (10am-5pm).

The one day course takes place at Gateway Education & Arts Centre, Shrewsbury and will be delivered by TV and film producer Claire Ingram and novelist, screen and games writer, Graham Joyce, who will be discussing “new ways of telling dramatic stories across screens of all sizes.” The course costs £50 (£45 concessions) and can be booked via this link, as part of the ‘TENacity’series of events.

Slightly further afield, Hollywood screenwriter William Akers, author of Your Screenplay Sucks!, 100 Ways To Make It Great, is giving a ‘two hour intensive’ at the MET Film School at Ealing Studios, London, on Thursday 2nd July (6.30pm-8.30pm). Among other things, he will discuss “How to tell if your idea is good enough to be a “movie,” the crucial importance of the Opponent, making the Opponent the Hero’s agent of change, why a One Line outline is crucial” and much, much more that can be found in full here.

Tickets are £15 on the door and can be reserved by contacting beka@metfilm.co.uk.