January 2021

The documentary delves into punk history and follows The Nightingales and The Prefects frontman Robert Lloyd, who has gone “under the radar for four decades”.

Set to premiere on Sky Arts on February 6 at 9pm, the film features the likes of Lee and a host of well-known faces including Frank Skinner, Duran Duran‘s John Taylor and Samira Ahmed. In it, the comedian journeys with Lloyd as the latter reflects on his legacy and underground status in comparison to his fellow musicians. Watch a trailer here.

The official logline reads: “The anti-rockumentary King Rocker weaves the story of Birmingham’s undervalued underdog autodidact into that of the city’s forgotten public sculpture of King Kong, eschewing the celebrity interview and archive-raid approach for a free-associating bricolage of Indian food, bewildered chefs, vegetable gardening, prescription medicines, pop stardom and pop art.”

Lee himself teased King Rocker during an interview with NME last year, revealing he had worked on the project before the coronavirus pandemic.

“In the year before lockdown I worked on a film with Michael Cumming, who directed Brasseye and Toast Of London,” he said. “It was called King Rocker and was about Birmingham post-punk band The Nightingales. They used to be The Prefects and were on the White Riot tour with The Clash. They’re still going. We funded it ourselves and only the crew got paid, everyone else volunteered.”

During his chat with NME, Lee also spoke about having his Snowflake/Tornado tour pulled due to coronavirus.

King Rocker also features the likes of John Peel, Nigel Slater, Robin Askwith, Gina Birch, Marc Riley, Danny Fields, Paul Morley, Fuzzbox, Kevin Eldon, Nish Kumar, Bridget Christie, Andrew O’Neill and Seann Walsh.

King Rocker premieres on Sky Arts on February 6.

A filmmaker is celebrating winning an award for his work that’s been compared to Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror. Luke Collins was born and raised in Bedworth and studied at Coventry University before going on to win critical acclaim.

His short film, Swiped, has won a Royal Television Society award in the Breakthrough (off screen) category. The film examines the modern dating conundrum and Luke explained how he wanted to disconcert people by showing how their online behaviour could be construed if the interaction was face-to-face.

“When you’re using an app, people often act in certain ways that would be quite bizarre in real life,” he said. “I wanted to visualise that process – swiping people – by using VR.”

Luke, 28, said online dating has its positives. “It’s harder to meet people now, people work so much and it can be difficult,” he said. “It has its positives. I think it’s just perhaps when people use it in different ways, not everyone goes online with the same kind of intentions. That’s when conflict can happen.”

Luke, who has recently moved to Leamington Spa, watched the award ceremony live online. He said he was “really chuffed and surprised” that he had won. Describing himself as a “massive film nerd” growing up, Luke said he had no clear idea of what he wanted to do for a career.

“I picked media production at Coventry University and it was there that I really fell in love with writing and making films,” he said.

His passion grew and since graduating in 2014 he has gone on to win critical acclaim.

The coronavirus pandemic has proven a challenge this year, but some filming for his more recent projects was carried out in between lockdowns, when restrictions were eased. He is hoping to move into producing longer form work for television and dreams of working on feature films. He is currently trying to find funding for a feature documentary on organised crime in Europe, and he has some advice for those who dream of working in the industry.

“The best advice I can give is just make films,” he said, “It doesn’t matter what kit you have got – Smartphones now are so good. It’s about making your film, you only get better through doing it.”

He estimates that he has worked on about 20 short films ‘of which three or four have been decent’.

“You learn things with every film,” he added. “That’s how you keep improving.”

Source: www.coventrytelegraph.net

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JOB VACANCY: Film Birmingham Assistant

£20,903 – £27,041

Various Locations

Permanent

Working 36.5 hours per week

Film Birmingham is Birmingham City Council’s Film and Television Office and founding member of the UK’s network of film offices – Film Offices UK (FO:UK). Our team who handle over 1,500 film enquiries a year from domestic and international productions and we are committed to making filmmaking as easy and efficient as possible by providing a comprehensive, one-stop-shop for filmmakers.

In recent years the West Midlands have played host to award-winning directors including Steven Spielberg and Steve McQueen and attracted a host of high-profile film productions including Ready Player One, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, The Girl With All the Gifts and Stan and Ollie, as well as long-running TV shows like Peaky Blinders, Man Like Mobeen and daytime drama, Doctors.

Film Birmingham is looking for an Assistant to join our dedicated team full-time. The job role requires knowledge of the current screen industries sector and previous experience of working in production is essential. To be successful, you will be an effective communicator and have strong administrative and organisational skills. Daily tasks will include facilitating filming, issuing permits, scouting locations and helping to promote the region as a destination for film and TV.

The role will also require you to attend production shoots, meetings and events during evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays as necessary, along with the ability to travel across the region in order to scout and/or be on set for filming locations and productions. A full driving licence is essential. We welcome applications from people with caring responsibilities and flexible working options will be considered.

Read more about this role and apply here.

Essential Skills:

• Previous film/TV production experience
• Knowledge of the screen sector
• Excellent planning, organisational and administrative skills
• Experience of creating and managing online content

Person Specification:

• Enthusiastic, proactive and hard-working
• Excellent attention to detail
• The ability to work well as part of a team
• Able to work evenings and weekends at events, where necessary

Previous applicants need not apply.

Interviews for this post will take place virtually via video conferencing. Shortlisted candidates will be provided with further information.

For informal enquires please contact Sindy Campbell, Head of Film Birmingham on 0121 464 9305 and email sindy.campbell@birmingham.gov.uk

Read more about this role and apply here.