Each year Flatpack pays homage to a patron saint, someone from Birmingham who has played a role in film history. In some ways our honoree this year was a bit-part player – a man whose CV includes roles like ‘Front End of Horse’ and ‘Man Hit by Tomato’ – but Charlie Hall (1899-1959) was also an integral part of the team behind cinema’s best-loved double-act. Apart from the boys themselves, he appeared in more Laurel and Hardy films than anyone else, as well as writing gags, building sets and working with the likes of Abbot and Costello, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. He grew up in Ward End, Birmingham (down the road from the birthplace of Iris Barry, last year’s patron saint) and this year we’ll be doffing a cap to him.
In the meantime, here’s a festive selection of L&H. Charlie is the chap who kicks out the dog (Laughing Gravy) 30 seconds in…
Flatpack 6 is approaching fast, and the team just keeps on growing. We’re now looking for two interns to join us between January and early April – one Festival Assistant and one Marketing Assistant. If you think you’d benefit from the experience have a look at the information below, and then get in touch with your CV and a brief idea of why you’d like to be involved in this year’s festival. Please state clearly in the email which role interests you.
There may be another couple of months until Flatpack proper, but there are various ways of filling the gaps inbetween – including a series of special Colour Box screenings at mac. On the first Saturday of every month we’ll be putting on a series of amazing international films for all ages, kicking off on Saturday 7th January with Studio Ghibli’s marvellous 1988 fable My Neighbour Totoro. More details can be found over at the 7inch website, and you can book tickets via mac.
Our submission deadline may be just 3 days away, but if you’re 18-30 and an IdeasTap member you have a little more time to submit a short for the festival. Flatpack is teaming up with IdeasTap for a screening of the most exciting work produced by IdeasTap members from around the UK. The deadline for these submissions is Monday 16th January. Full details on how to submit can be found here. For those over 30, send us an email and attach the completed word doc below to info@7inch.org.uk before 3:30pm on Friday 16th December.
Two deadlines to let you know of. Firstly, the deadline for Flatpack submissions is rapidly approaching. Just over a week left. 3:30pm on Friday 16th December 2011 is the precise deadline. There are a couple of ways in which to submit your film, you can send us a dvd or a link with a print out of the pdf or word doc below. If you prefer to submit digitally however, please attach the completed form and email it to info@7inch.org.uk with 2012 SUBMISSION in the subject line.
Secondly, Sheffield Doc Fest have extended their deadline for applications for Devise 2 Deliver; a 5-stage programme designed to help you maximise returns from the potential offered by developments in digital technology. The new deadline is Monday 19th December 2011. For information on Devise 2 Deliver and how to apply, follow this link.
© Flatpack Festival 2010