all change again

I’m disappointed to say that Cosgrove Hall (Brian and Mark) have pulled out – hours before I went on holiday – but thrilled to say that Barry Purves has joined the line up, hooray! This past couple of weeks have been a bit of a rollercoaster festival-organising-wise: we have a press launch coming up on the 9 October, which is jointly organised between me, Screen WM and the West Midlands Animation Forum, that’s going to be worth all the effort (I keep telling myself). I’ll let you knowPeter

I’m thrilled to write that Cosgrove Hall have confirmed for the Saturday evening finale, many thanks to BAFTA for helping to organise this. Cosgrove Hall is a bit of an institution and has excited and entertained a couple of generations of young people and are continuing this process with my 2 year old who is a bit obsessed with Fifi and the Flowertots. Most people when pressed about Cosgrove Hall, will come back excitedly with kids classics such as Danger Mouse, or Count Duckula, or Jamie and the Magic Torch, etc – they do have a huge back catalogue. But that catalogue also includes some more ‘grown’ up award winning stop motion, such as Cinderella or The Pied Piper of Hamelin. Hopefully we will feature some of this work as well.Peter

Daz’s Blog Stardate 5.9.2007.

I am a work placement volunteer fortunate to be a part of the team here at Flip. The Animation Festival, is the only animation festival here in the West Midlands that brings the animators regionally, nationally and internationally together to appreciate all that is worldly and godly within the sphere of animation. If I’m honest, I’m not an avid animation fan, nor am I a student, but the few weeks I have spent here have already opened my eyes, ears and senses to the creative and technical brilliance that those featured on this year’s programme bring, this represents the importance and need for festivals to be supported, both financially by prospective sponsors, but more importantly and integrally by those who create, those who debate and those who simply sit back and admire what they see before them. 

Growing up in the age of digital consumerism, it has become a lot easier to access the technical paraphernalia to which artists need their tools. Technology is advancing at a thousand miles a second, which to consumers on a commercial level, brings them closer to the heroes they pay homage in their replication within their dedications. The much heralded Youtube (for which has been subject to 99.9% of all internet blogs it would seem) has allowed simpletons like us the fans, to become the animators, film makers, musicians that we aspire to be.  I have yet to feel the bite of the pressure that the festival organising will bring, but I am looking forward to the moment it does. The meeting of minds in the glorious surroundings of Light House here in Wolverhampton will be a great moment for me personally. I can’t wait to absorb both the material of animators and their words which contextualise them. Personally I cannot wait to see the prodigious young talent that is Lasse Gjertsen, and meet other such animators who will become future pioneers. The pre-festival days are still long ahead of us, and the flyering process is rather fun as I get to experience a different side to Birmingham predominantly, but other areas of the West Midlands. I would like to thank the Flip team for this opportunity of being a part of something that is exciting and will have a detrimental influence on my career. 

Darren