Digital Film Event 2008 confirmed

Film Birmingham, the agency that, amongst other things, acts as a go-between for film companies and locations in the city along with promoting the local film and TV industries, has launched a new Digital section on their site and are looking for digital media projects to fill it. Get in touch at digital@filmbirmingham.co.uk if that covers what you’re up to.

A major part of this is the confirmation that Birmingham will have an International Digital Film Event in 2008 which will differ quite significantly from the traditional red carpet film festival.

“Birmingham is embracing and leading the UK, if not the world, with this approach to a film festival. The digital revolution in film means that the connection between the audience and the filmmaker can and will be ever more varied and closer. Festivals have the opportunity to tap into that, to move away from the ‘red carpet’, closed approach of the old world, into a ‘film for everyone’ new world. Birmingham is showing its commitment and drive with this announcement to host the UK’s leading digital festival.” – Pete Buckingham, Head of Distribution and Exhibition at the UK Film Council.

Key to this is a series of events and debates throughout 2007 which will build up to and presumably inform the structure of the festival. These aren’t just for industry insiders – the idea is to involve all residents of the city.

Here’s the full press release which really pushes the Digital Hub angle and is positively bursting with enthusiasm, declaring that this process, with the festival as its cherry on top, will make Birmingham the digital media capital of the UK, something that’s been mooted for a while now.

I’m going to be meeting with Suzie Norton, Director of Film Birmingham, on Tuesday to find out what this all means. If you have any suggestions for questions I should ask her, please let me know either by email or in the comments below.