Birmingham City Council today launched its ambitious plans to make the City the most advanced UK digital media hub, bringing together the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Building on a strong track record in digital innovation, residents of the city will now have the opportunity to participate in a serious of key events and debates throughout 2007, with a digital theme as their focus. This will build up to an International Digital Film Event in Birmingham in 2008.
Leader of Birmingham City Council, Mike Whitby, is driving these plans and sees them as a unique opportunity for the city. “Birmingham has a once in a generation opportunity to take the lead on digital media in the UK. We were the birthplace of the industrial revolution and now we are going to be at the heart of the digital revolution."
Birmingham City Council's Director of Film Birmingham, Suzie Norton, who co-ordinates film and television in the city, has been working with Anthony Lilley (Magic Lantern), Peter Packer (Packerpunch) and Neil Watson (advisor to UK Film Council), leading UK consultants in this area. They have developed the ambitious and innovative proposals for boosting the city’s digital presence.
Suzie Norton said: "Through Film Birmingham, the City Council has been leading the initiative to establish a new International Film Event for Birmingham. Having consulted nationally with organisations such as DCMS, the UK Film Council and Digital UK, as well as galvanising support from within the city and the region, we are now in a position to launch this exciting venture from a position of strength and confidence, giving it a ‘digital’ edge.”
Birmingham is already a national digital leader. Located at the centre of the most networked region in the UK, by early 2007 it will be one of the first wireless cities in the UK, and will be home to Britain’s first National Open Source Centre. Film Birmingham’s programme of digital events throughout the year will act as a focal point for major initiatives of national and international importance.
As the digital revolution changes the way we watch and make films, Birmingham will be leading the way in 21st Century film festivals – hosting a truly inclusive festival that will link the citizens of Birmingham to communities around the globe. Pete Buckingham, Head of Distribution and Exhibition at the UK Film Council, anticipates great things from Birmingham:
“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.”
Along with Birmingham City Council, the project has the support of the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands, Marketing Birmingham, Arts Council England, Birmingham Business Link and the regional screen agency, Screen WM.
Executive Chair of Screen WM, Jonnie Turpie, explains: “Film and Digital Media are booming across Birmingham and the West Midlands. We have feature films, TV shows, great web content, serious and not so serious games hitting big and small screens across the globe; all produced by the region's talent and distributed through ever expanding digital media platforms. The debate about how public service broadcasting is to be delivered in the digital age is underway and Digital Switchover fast approaching. NOW is just the RIGHT time for the city and the region to grasp the digital reins.”
It’s not just public bodies that see this as a fantastic opportunity – filmmakers do too. Adrian Goldberg, broadcaster and filmmaker, explains:
“As a small scale website publisher which deals in video and podcasts, I think this proposal is just the shot in the arm Birmingham needs to become the UK's premier digital city. We're already well on the way with major initiatives from the City Council and a huge amount of grass roots activity that is just starting to appear on the radar. I'm convinced that if we can all work together, Brum is on the threshold of a media revolution. We're already in the forefront - this will help us stay there.”
To support Film Birmingham in developing the exciting proposals on offer, Mike Whitby is establishing and chairing a Partnership Board of key stakeholders. The first meeting will be in January and the detail of the 2008 International Digital Film Event will be announced in Spring 2007.
For more information please contact Suzie Norton 0121 675 3889, 07920 088332 or suzie_norton@birmingham.gov.uk.
For information about Film Birmingham please visit www.filmbirmingham.co.uk.