Locate in Brum! - Now Extra Film Friendly
It may not have all the iconic landmarks of, say, New York, London or Paris, but Birmingham is now set to become a real scene stealer in the world of film and television, with some unique locations on offer and a brand new film charter to back them up.
A new Film Birmingham office, recently launched by Birmingham City Council Leader Mike Whitby, will serve as a one-stop shop for filmmakers - offering advice on locations, personnel and, most importantly, cutting through all the red tape and time to arrange permission to film in the city.
"Its entire remit is to act as a focal point for film and television, the nuts and bolts of filmmaking," explains Film Birmingham Director Suzie Ralph.
"If you are a filmmaker and you want to film in the city you tend to need council assistance, whether it's for road closures or parking or permission to film; before the film office came about you would have to ring different departments, and if you don't know who you're meant to be speaking to you could spend quite a lot of time trying to get to the right person - so my main priority was to make Birmingham a film-friendly city."
As well as visiting other film offices in Glasgow, Bath and London for ideas, Suzie has begun work on an online location service and helped draw up Film Birmingham's charter:
“Essentially it's saying we will cooperate and be as helpful as possible to any approach from filmmakers and won't restrict filmmaking or censor it," says Suzie, a former BBC producer.
"Some cities don't like certain films being shot because it doesn't reflect very well on the city; that's something we wouldn't do.
"[The aim is] when people arrive in the city all the logistical stuff and all the boring paperwork and permission that takes up time are done; when you're a low budget film and every single minute is precious, you're not spending half a day ringing round the council trying to find out whether it's possible for you to do something - it's all sorted so it gives you freedom and time to be a filmmaker and be more creative."
Every Birmingham City Council department - be it highways, parking, city centre management - will now have a film liaison contact who Suzie can call upon to quickly arrange a director's needs. The Film Birmingham office will also be able to suggest locations for shooting - something Suzie says Birmingham has a rich abundance of: "Because we're a city that's undergone regeneration in the last 20 years you've got a whole range of architecture that not many cities can offer, it's something they're cottoning onto," says Suzie.
"In the Jewellery Quarter or Digbeth it could be a Dickensian street scene, and you wouldn't think that was possible two minutes from the city centre... you've got old housing, new housing, woodland, apartments, turn of century warehouses, Georgian squares, botanical gardens... all within half an hour's drive of the city centre.
"It's amazing what you find in the city, hidden gems that people wouldn't know about - Fort Dunlop for example; I was on the roof there recently looking down and I can't think of anywhere else you can get that shot of the city and the motorway snaking up."
As well as making film directors' lives as hassle-free as possible, Film Birmingham will also be offering Brummies the chance to get involved - by submitting their own homes and gardens as potential locations for anything from an episode of Dalziel and Pascoe to, who knows, the next Full Monty or Love, Actually.
"If people want to register their houses, their land, their garages, they can," says Suzie. "Even their garden sheds if they're unusual..."
For more information email Film Birmingham at
Tel 0121 675 3889
Five Unusual Film Locations to be Found in Brum
DIGBETH
* You step back in time as you enter the streets of Digbeth, the heart of old Birmingham. Most of buildings are classic 19th Century factories, mill buildings, warehouses - very rare for these to still exist in the heart of a city.
THE BACK TO BACKS
* The newly restored back-to-backs make unique and ideal filming locations. Where else will you find four back to back houses decorated and furnished from 1840s to the 1970s?
FORT DUNLOP
* The old Fort Dunlop Building is now being converted into a stae-of-the art business, living and entertainment centre. On the roof film-makers will find some of the best panoramic shots of the city centre and the M6 snaking its way up North.
THE LICKEY HILLS
* Birmingham has more parks and open spaces than any other UK city - some 8000 acres.Ten miles form the city centre you'll find the Lickey Hills - beautiful rolling woodland and one of Tolkien's inspirations for The Lord of The Rings.
THE BALTI TRIANGLE
* With colourful streets and amazing restaurants Birmingham's balti triangle is a must-see for potential filmmakers.