animation forum west midlands

Links for 20 July 2010

Chris Unitt — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:15:23 +0000

Producers’ Forum, 21 July at the MAC
WIth Suzie Norton, Screen WM CEO, and her Senior Management team delivering a presentation on Screen WM’s 2010-11 strategy and the next phase of support for the West Midlands Film community
Animation Forum West Midlands
“Submissions for 2010’s Great Animation Challenge are now open”. Use one of the bits of audio provided to make an animation
My five tips for bands online | Mind over Matter
Useful stuff from Ian
The Perfect Balti
“One man’s search for Birmingham’s best Balti (and naan bread)”
BBC – Have Your Say: Which UK city would be most worthy of culture award?
A nice amount of support for Birmingham’s bid from the Have Your Say commenters. Given the general level of debate on that forum I’m not sure whether that’s a good endorsement or not…
Birmingham Post – CBSO celebrates a record season as audience numbers grow
“The CBSO has seen average attendances increase by 3.5 per cent in the past 12 months”
A year in the life of a touring Company « Birmingham Royal Ballet’s touring blog
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Chief Executive Christopher Barron writes about the past 12 months for the Company
Switchboard – World-class connections for the West Midlands
“Switchboard is a network of organisations from the screen, digital, media and music industries in the West Mildands”. One to watch. (Disclosure – I’ve been invited on this)
The New Optimists
“We asked scientists “what are you optimistic about?” This site and the book record their amazing answers”
Exclusive extract from local author John Dalton’s new book, Urban Nature Notebook « In Birmingham
“His new book is a collection of short accounts of the author’s encounters with urban nature as he travels around the city”

BAFTA nomination for Brothers McLeod

Chris Unitt — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:07:55 +0000

‘Codswallop’ by The Brothers McLeod has been nominated for a BAFTA in the category of Short Animation, pitching them against Aadrman’s Christmas TV big-hitter ‘Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of of Loaf and Death’.

The short had it’s first screening at a 7 Inch Cinema event back in September. Ian gave some context to the film:

Codswallop is based on a series of postcards Greg McLeod sent to his son, and it’s similar in atmosphere to their Spamland shorts. Some nice mucking about with splitscreen and stereo sound too, so we’ll have to make sure we don’t get our left and right mixed up.

Also, Ian Ravenscroft interviewed Greg McLeod for 4Talent and they discussed Codswallop.

If you want to see the short for yourself, go along to The Victoria on 14 March for the next Animation Forum WM event, Shorts on Walls (always recommended), taking place as part of the Flatpack Festival.

Here’s the film’s trailer:

It’s a heck of an achievement, so all the best to the Brothers on the night (8 Feb).

(Via Louis from Dice Productions)

Grads On Walls

Chris Unitt — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:15:22 +0000

The next Animation Forum West Midlands event, Grads On Walls, will be at Concrete on 13 October and will showcase the work of the region’s recent graduates.

I really do recommend these.Â Shorts On Walls and Ads On Walls were great, even for someone like me who never got past using the corners of school exercise books as flipbooks.Â These screenings are just like a trip to the cinema.Â Only free.Â And they serve drinks.Â The work screened is consistently excellent too.

Of course if you are an animator then it’s a good chance to meet like-minded souls.

If you’d like to go down then RSVP (check the site) to let them know you’re going.

If you’d like to submit work then read this:

Submissions for Grad’s on Walls can include short films, music videos, experimental and commercial pieces. The only requirement for submissions is that animator should either be currently based within the West Midlands, or have graduated from a University within the region. Good quality student work will also be considered for screenings.

then go to the AFWM site for details of where to send a DVD of your work.

Ads On Walls

Chris Unitt — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:40:03 +0000

The next event from Animation Forum West Midlands is at Concrete in the Jewellery Quarter on 11 August 2008.Â Called ‘Ads On Walls‘, it’s an opportunity for local animators to get together for a natter, showcase their work and generally get to know each other a bit more (call it networking if you must).

Many Forum members often don’t realise how many animation studios and companies there are dotted around the region, and part of the ‘big idea’ behind Ad’s on Walls, is to introduce animators to what’s actually going on, on their doorstep.

The Shorts On Walls event that AFWM ran a few months back was well worth going to (even for a non-animator like myself) and this one seems to be following a similar format.

If you’d like to go along then entry is free but you’ll need to RSVP to david.luke.allen@bcu.ac.uk or call 0121 204 9886.

If you’d like your work to be screened at the event then submissions are open – get in touch on the above details to find out where to send a DVD of your work.