Media Midlands

[SimonTheSoundMan]

Is that you John West?

We need at least two sound stages, three at best so they can be rotated.

Hustle was awful. Here was the industrial unit that was used: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=52.49...05456&t=h&z=17 We had morning abandoned because of rain, time wasted because lorries driving past or reversing. Effort was wasted listening out for outside noises while turned over.

[feltip]

I watched the first episode the other day and was really impressed although tried not to spend too much time thinking I know there and i recognise that for locations.
Impressive selection of buildings and locations used including Warwickshire Masonic Temple, the old bank, Millennium Point and Hyatt.

Much as i'd rather vomit than have The Only Way is Birmingham we do need something to highlight the city that uses the city as it's base and doesn't use it as a setting for a fictional or another city.

[JonW67]

Originally Posted by SimonTheSoundMan

Is that you John West?

We need at least two sound stages, three at best so they can be rotated.

Hustle was awful. Here was the industrial unit that was used: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=52.49...05456&t=h&z=17 We had morning abandoned because of rain, time wasted because lorries driving past or reversing. Effort was wasted listening out for outside noises while turned over.

No, I'm not John West if it was me you were asking!? I just have a strong interest in TV production in Birmingham.

The organisations that promote Birmingham for filming and assist companies that wish to film here do I great job as far as I am concerned. Having a dedicated and permanent facility for production companies would strengthen this reputation and would hopefully bring even more production to the city.

Originally Posted by Feltip

I watched the first episode the other day and was really impressed although tried not to spend too much time thinking I know there and i recognise that for locations.
Impressive selection of buildings and locations used including Warwickshire Masonic Temple, the old bank, Millennium Point and Hyatt.

Much as i'd rather vomit than have The Only Way is Birmingham we do need something to highlight the city that uses the city as it's base and doesn't use it as a setting for a fictional or another city.

I agree that it is frustrating having Birmingham used as another city and would love to see some great programmes actually set here.

On the other hand, I guess we should really be proud that Birmingham can easily be depicted as somewhere else - especially posh parts of London as per Hustle!

[SimonTheSoundMan]

Originally Posted by JonW67

The organisations that promote Birmingham for filming and assist companies that wish to film here do I great job as far as I am concerned.

They no longer exist. David Cameron got rid of them.

[hoody]

Originally Posted by SimonTheSoundMan

They no longer exist. David Cameron got rid of them.

And it's ironic that we have such productions.

[SimonTheSoundMan]

"had" I think is the right word. Screen WM closed in October last year. There have been no productions in the region this year.

Dancing On The Edge by Stephen Poliakoff was the last production which ended in January and that was only bought here by Screen WM. Pre-production and funding for that was in place when Screen WM were around.

Creative England do not give a hoot about the region, its down to Producers' Forum and Birmingham Screen Image Network now, they haven't got any of the finances like Screen WM so don't expect much.

I spoke to Stephen Poliakoff earlier this year and he wasn't happy that his production had very few local crew. The same was with Hustle, for a crew of over 100 I can count the local set crew on one hand.

[morestoreysplease]

I wonder which regions Creative England do give a hoot about....hmmm SE and NW anyone?

[SimonTheSoundMan]

Just the SE, even NW are complaining.

[brum2003]

We had a meeting regarding funding, the officers travelled from Bristol and Leeds to Birmingham. Says it all really

[Typhoon2000]

Originally Posted by JonW67

I watched this last night and it got me thinking. We have been lucky in the past few years in having dramas filmed on location in and around Birmingham - Line of Duty, Hustle, Survivors, Dancing on the Edge and going back a bit further, Dalziel & Pascoe.

However, what I have noticed when filming is taking place, is that the crews use temporary locations for their internal sets. Hustle used an industrial unit near the city centre and as mentioned above, Line of Duty used the old TSB bank on Broad Street.

Taking note of this, I really believe that Birmingham could do with a 'mini' studio village that could be used by visiting production companies. It does not need to be a vast set-up, nor a full TV broadcasting centre just basically a permanent industrial estate with 3 or 4 units as sound stages plus office and parking space that the crews could use.

This would help make Birmingham a bit more attractive for filming and would give production companies an ideal environment whilst they are here and could possibly offer a location for other businesses that provide services to the production industry.

Something similar to the BBC Drama Village in Selly Oak but on a slightly larger scale maybe?

A shame then, that the old rumoured expansion of, I believe, Pinewood studios to a location on the edge of Brum was a non-starter...

[js1000]

Originally Posted by Typhoon2000

A shame then, that the old rumoured expansion of, I believe, Pinewood studios to a location on the edge of Brum was a non-starter...

It's a no-goer as the Peel Group now having a majority stake in Pinewood Shepperton. They want to press ahead with the "Project Pinewood" plan for 1400 homes on green belt land - but the development has been rejected. I've heard the possible profit yields are in the billions. Thus probably explaining their desire to fully take over Pinewood as well as it complimenting their similar media development at Media City.

This website sheds some light on the Birmingham, Pinewood, Peel etc. situation: http://www.savethebritishfilmindustry.com/ - suggest you use the Ctrl+F function to search for the keywords as it is quite long winded.

[brum2003]

Erm speechless - BBC to make a drama set in Birmingham !

Peaky Blinders is a period piece about a vicious gang who ruled Birmingham's post WW1 slums - sounds fantastic with Cillian Murphy starting too.

It's only taken them 20 years to base a drama here and not some fictional 'central city'

Maybe they might set a modem drama here soon ?

[brum2003]

Ps be interesting to see if they actually film it in the city and not london or Manchester

[faddypainter]

Originally Posted by brum2003

Ps be interesting to see if they actually film it in the city and not london or Manchester

Asking for a bit much there aren't we?

[sefton66]

Don't be so surprised if it is filmed here, we're rumours a top broadcssting company was looking into filming in the city for a full series drama

[Nacho]

Originally Posted by brum2003

Erm speechless - BBC to make a drama set in Birmingham !

Peaky Blinders is a period piece about a vicious gang who ruled Birmingham's post WW1 slums - sounds fantastic with Cillian Murphy starting too.

I first heard about this gang a couple of years ago ; what was a great name !

[morestoreysplease]

Great idea for a drama - the write up is wrong though as the era was Victorian. these youths were ferocious in the 1870s and even had a fully pitched riot and battle against the infant police force on Cheapside in Digbeth. To the authorities relief the advent of Association Football in the 1880s gave the youths something else to take their minds off the turf wars or post code differences.

[Qoasis777]

Birmingham Film Festival starts today in Brindleyplace.

http://www.itv.com/news/central/2012...in-birmingham/

[brum2003]

Lots of press about west coast mainline today - no mention of it serving the midlands - just Manchester, Glasgow and Liverpool - seems the london press don't think one of the busiest destinations was worth a mention

[hammerb24]

Originally Posted by brum2003

Lots of press about west coast mainline today - no mention of it serving the midlands - just Manchester, Glasgow and Liverpool - seems the london press don't think one of the busiest destinations was worth a mention

I did laugh listening to 5 live this afternoon who described it as linking Manchester with London, Glasgow and Edinburgh. BBC news really has descended into a joke or a farce, really is about time Gtr Birmingham was offered an opt out, the BBC has clearly opted out of us.