Unpacked is the engine-room at Flatpack, a place where you get to inspect the cogs and gears behind all those glittering delights onscreen. Over the day a range of filmmakers and artists will be dropping in to talk about how they make work, and how they go about getting it out into the world.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Buildings and public spaces have become an increasingly popular playground for artists, aided by developments in video mapping and interactive technology. Guests include Chris Plant (Colour Burst) on the joys of projecting outdoors, and Kit Monkman from lighting specialists KMA, currently planning an ambitious new project which draws passers-by into a ballet of light.
FAST FORWARD
Taking an hour out from preparations for their big show at the Rainbow Warehouse later, Dublin collective Synth Eastwood will be exploring the process behind their legendary open-submission shows and sharing some of the fruits of their mini-residency in Birmingham. One of their live guests tonight, French AV duo Gangpol and Mit, will also be here to show how they make work by bouncing music and animation back and forth.
BEEN CAUGHT STEALING
"Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination.” – Jim Jarmusch
Far from being just a dry legal matter, the debate stirred up by intellectual property seems to grow in intensity as the online world makes our existing copyright laws look more and more archaic. Sites like youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com act as an informal jury on suspected cases of plagiarism, and regularly demonstrate that these issues are far from clear-cut.
PUPPETOLOGY
As noted elsewhere in the programme, puppets have had a resurgence of late. We finish the day looking at the advantages and downsides of working with such malleable actors. Filmmaker Alex Smith and sculptor Astrid Goldsmith will talk about how they transformed their backyard into the set of a shark movie for their amazing Pivot video and then – via the magic of Skype – animator Christiane Cegavske will recount the thirteen-year process behind her bewitching debut feature Blood Tea and Red String.
CREATIVE CLINICS
Throughout the day Business Link West Midlands will be providing one-to-one sessions for creative entrepreneurs, where you can access invaluable business advice in relationship to your practice, industry and routes to market. Places are limited – for booking and further information contact the festival office: info@7inch.org.uk
© Flatpack Festival 2010