FLIP Fair - FREE event
Friday 28 October 10.30am - 5.00pm
Venue: Light House Courtyard

All day animation information fair in the Light House Courtyard, within the Chubb Buildings. Exhibitors include NESTA futurelab, Kisky Netmedia, Skillset and other regional and national support agencies. More...

Screening: Danish Slices
Friday 28 October 10.30am - 11.30am
Venue: Light House, Studio Cinema

This is an opportunity to see some of the most inventive and innovative animation from Denmark. This screening will feature award winning animations from the National Film School of Denmark whose past graduates have included internationally acclaimed directors Lars Von Trier, Susanne Bier and Thomas Vinterberg. Of particular note is Bjørno & Bingo by Sabine Ravn, which in the last year has picked up five ‘best animation’ awards.

Screening: BBC Three, New Animators Shortlist 2005
Friday 28 October 11.45am - 12.45pm
Venue: Light House, Studio Cinema

This is a chance to see all the films short-listed for the BBC New Talent: BBC Three, New Animators Award. The scheme has invited submissions from up and coming animators, brimming with distinctive ideas. The winner will have their film featured on BBC Three and may also receive funding to develop an animation project. Helen Nabarro from BBC Bristol will introduce the screening and talk about the scheme.

Industry Panel 1: Getting into the Industry
Friday 28 October 1.30 - 2.30pm
Venue: Light House, Cinema 1

This panel will offer solid advice for those who are trying to get a foot in the door of the animation industry. The panel will comprise a range of individuals and organisations, including Ruth Fielding (animation consultant for Channel 4 and producer at Lupus Films), Skillset’s Animation Forum, Dan Lawson (New Talent Manager, Screen West Midlands) and Shaun Magher (Director and Animation supervisor whose clients include Aardman and Hibbert Ralph).

Screening: animate! 2005
Friday 28 October 2.45 - 3.45pm
Venue: Light House, Cinema 1

animate! tv Preview 2005: Exclusive Flip preview of this year's animate! tv commissions, trailblazing fresh narrative and aesthetic possibilities in film, way beyond live-action and the frame-by-frame confines of conventional animation. Six exciting new works take startling graphic journeys, reveal unsettling undercurrents and discover dazzling digital domains: As the Crow Flies Carolina Melis & Susanne Flender, Careful Damian Gascoigne, Flight Dryden Goodwin, Rabbit Run Wrake, Sweet Salt Katerina Athanasopoulou, Who I Am and What I Want David Shrigley & Chris Shepherd.

Funded by Arts Council England and Channel 4.

Industry Panel 2: New Directions for Animators
Friday 28 October 4.00 - 5.00pm
Venue: Light House, Cinema 1

This panel will look at non-traditional routes for animators, including developments in mobile technology and games, opportunities for animators and the skills and qualities needed to get into these areas. This mixed panel includes Blitz Games, Drew Wilkins from Fish in a Bottle, Andrew Wilson from Pocket Shorts and Jonny Ford from Finger Industries.

Talk: Alan Batson
Friday 28 October 5.45 - 7.15pm
Venue: Light House, Cinema 1

5.45 - 6.30pm
Drinks Reception and Welcome from Derrick Anderson CBE, Chief Executive of Wolverhampton City Council.

6.30 - 7.15pm
Talk: Alan Batson
Having served in the advertising field for many years as an Art Director gaining vital experience in all aspects of design, Alan went into the character design market for the animation and games industries. He has worked as a designer for characters, merchandise and publishing on projects for a varied client base including Hanna-Barbera, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, the BBC and Hasbro.

Alan has been trained by Disney and has operated a freelance career working closely with the Walt Disney Company for over 10 years on Standard, Classic and Pixar characters. He is currently working with West Midlands based studio, The CharacterShop, as production designer on Friends and Heroes, a 39 episode children’s adventure series.

Regional Forum & Screening
Friday 28 October 7.30 - 10.00pm
Venue: Light House, Cinema 1

7.30 - 8.30pm
Regional Forum
This event will bring together leading animation companies from the Midlands, who will review the region’s animation sector, with input from regional and national agencies who can offer different perspectives on the state of the industry.

This is an opportunity to find out about the animation industry, network with key companies and agencies and have your say.

8.45 - 10.00pm
Regional Screening
This screening will showcase some of the best work from the region, followed by Q&As with some of the animators. Drinks & networking to follow.