It all started with a twitter.
When Dave Harte from Digital Birmingham mentioned that he was writing a blogpost about the delay in art house and non mainstream films reaching Birmingham it sounded like something that needed more than a rant – it needed a debate and an action plan.
As Dave’s blog points out, aside from the superb Electric Cinema, we have few venues in the city that show independent films and we rarely get to see those films on the week of their release:
http://daveharte.com/birmingham/birmingham-a-cinematic-backwater/
We’ve put together a panel debate with the big film faces from the city and Dave Harte as a partial and passionate chair to lead a debate on what needs to happen next. How do we cultivate the venues, the audiences and the distribution channels that will open the floodgates for non mainstream film and prevent us from lingering as a ‘cinematic backwater’? What kind of developments can the local market support?
Speakers include…
Professor Roger Shannon:
Professor Roger Shannon has been associated with over 20 feature films and his productions have won awards at international film festivals such as Cannes, Toronto, Sundance and Edinburgh.
Roger is currently Professor of Film and Television at Edge Hill University near Liverpool; visiting Honorary Professor in International Film Business at Glasgow Caledonian University and Birmingham City University’s Film Fellow. He is a Board Member of Midlands Arts Centre and of Tindal Street Press and through his company Swish Productions he develops feature films with new writing and directing talent and undertakes film consultancies.
His beginnings in film included the award-winning Birmingham International Film Festival, after which he set up the network of Regional Film Commissions and the emergence of ‘Media Quarters’ in cities such as Birmingham and Sheffield.
Ian Francis:
Ian Francis is co-director of 7 inch cinema which works locally and nationally to put on film screenings of things that people may otherwise not get to see in a wonderfully eclectic array of events and venues.
Building on the 7 inch success, Ian also co-founded the acclaimed Flatpack festival, which has made its way into the national consciousness through receiving rave reviews everywhere from the Guardian to the Lonely planet to the UK Film Council.
Rachel E Carter:
Rachel E. Carter is a producer of short films and co-founder of Fazeley Studios based film production company Fullrange. Fullrange makes independent films and commercial or arts projects for brands such as the Arts Council, the Prince’s Trust, Smith & Nephew, American Express & Land Rover.
Rachel recently visited BAFTA where her production skills won her second place in the Performance Short Film Awards for her dark fairytale Momster. Rachel also showcased Momster and another of her productions, Caterpillar at Clermont Ferrand Film Festival.
Sounds really interesting (and I’m all in favour of more non-mainstream films and venues in Brum)
Where/when/how can I get involved?
S
Hi Sam,
Booking is available now from http://cinematicbackwater.eventbrite.com/ but if you want any more info or to chat about the event just email me at km@fazeleystudios.com or call me on 0121 224 8480
Hope to see you there!
I went to Birmingham International Film Society based at library theatre last night and they showed two very interesting films. However, the place was practically empty and I still think when it comes to subtitled films we have been conditioned to switch off.
I’m not sure why this is. Partly lack of space given to those “fringe” films and partly because the order of the day for most film studios is how much money can a film make in its first week.
I do think that Birmingham does need to scream a little louder than anybody else because it is true this city does get a pretty poor ratio when films are distributed.
Ultimately, when it comes to certain venues there is going to have to be an element of subsidy because there is now way places like BIFS or even The Electric can compete with the bigger chain cinemas who are linked with film companies who want to sell Star Trek 80 - The Search for More Money on as many screens as possible.
Sorry that I missed the discussion but I was at work. But that is a different discussion to be had regarding when so called “creative” events are held.