David Baldwin | First Impressions

The Mockingbird Cinema has been nominated for CINEMA OF THE YEAR by the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA). I love the Mockingbird; am an admirer of its programme, the quality of its projection, the kindness of its staff; of the way that it brings different types of film fandom together, builds community around one welcoming site in Digbeth but across diverse interests related to cinema throughout Birmingham and the Midlands.

In this podcast I talk to Lee Nabbs, Director and co-owner, to ask about the cinema’s history and its current operations. He tells me about the cinema’s connections to all the organisations that basically make up film culture in the Midlands, from festivals (Flatpack, Forward Film and Television Festival), to other cinemas (Midlands Arts Centre), filmmaking networks (Reel Brum), film clubs (Whatever Pays the Rent), events (The Secret Cinema Screenings at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens), patrons like Joe Lycett and Trevor Beattie, why he could have shown the PEAKY BLINDERS film forever, and much more.

At the end, when he reads to me what audience members said when they nominated the Mockingbird for Best Cinema, he’s visibly moved: ‘Like a second home’, ‘The happiest place’, ‘The beating heart of Digbeth’, ‘They fight for justice’.

His being moved moves me. Birmingham is under-served in relation to cinema, only three independent screens in the Second City, two of them at The Mockingbird. But it’s clear from talking to Lee that what’s lacking in numbers and finance is compensated for with lots of love, care, community, mutual support; that those involved in The Mockingbird care about cinema, about making it available in Birmingham and about supporting the making and showing of films locally.

A lovely and illuminating chat.

The podcast may be listened to here:

The podcast may also be listened to on: Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2zWZ7Egdy6xPCwHPHlOOaT

and on itunes here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/first-impressions-thinking-aloud-about-film/id1548559546

Screenshot

I have done podcast with some of the people Lee mentions in our chat.

Iaan Francis on Flatpack Festival:

I speak to David Baldwin on the Midlands Arts Centre here:

José Arroyo

A conversation with David Baldwin, new film programmer of the Midlands Arts Centre Cinema and former programmer of The Electric, with some timely interventions from Michael Glass of Eavesdropping at the Movies.

An illuminating talk not only about David’s hopes for the Midlands Arts Centre cinema program but also about distribution practices in general, about the different factors that need to be weighed in relation to programming, the availability or lack thereof of works in relation to particular venues, new distribution practices and video on demand.
We talk about programming for venues as part of a network of information on film, the brochure, local listings information, the importance of Filmwire and the usefulness of at least a second screen in relation to what can become pragmatically programmable.
We also discuss audiences from different social formations and how to engage and involve them (LGBTQ, East Asian, Polish, Spanish-speaking, differently abled audiences etc.). What do audiences go to the cinema for nowadays and what to entice them with? How important is the projection system and what do introductions to films and discussions after bring to an event? What’s been doing well and what hasn’t and why?

The podcast can be listened to here:

José Arroyo

First Impressions

Notes on Films and Culture

Tag Archives: David Baldwin

….In Conversation with Lee Nabbs

Like this:

José Arroyo in Conversation with David Baldwin, Film Programmer, Midlands Arts Centre

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: