Current Animation Forum WM funders, Screen WM has now closed following nine years of support for the screen media industries in the West Midlands, with its responsibilities being passed onto new industry body Creative England.

"The closure of Screen WM follows the coalition government's decision to replace the UK Film Council's support for film-making, which core-funded the regional screen agencies, with funding through the British Film Institute," says Screen WM. "In November 2010 the Minister for the Creative Industries, Ed Vaizey [Con], announced that Creative England would be formed to build on the work of the regional screen agencies, becoming operational on 1st October 2011."

A new lobby group has been formed to call for "urgent support of independent animation in the UK."

Animation Alliance UK has today written to Lord Chris Smith, Panel chair of the independent review of Government film policy, to raise concerns about "the lack of public policy, strategy and support for independent animation."

This year's DigiShorts will be shown at a free screening on Tuesday, 5th April (7pm-9.30pm) at Light House, Wolverhampton. DigiShorts are Screen WM's short film production scheme and have traditionally funded a number of productions involving AFWM members, either as filmmakers or in a secondary role in post-production. Sadly, the future is uncertain for the scheme, which has funded 6 short films from the most promising filmmakers over the past year. So, if you think the West Midlands needs a short film funding scheme, please have your say on our Facebook group. [More]

Local animation and digital media companies can get help with writing those tricky funding applications at Switchboard's Proposal and Application Training Day on 18th January 2011. [More]

Animation Forum West Midlands is supporting Animation UK's calls for fairer support for the UK animation industry, to match that offered by other countries and allow UK animation companies to compete globally. [More]

BBC Breakfast News carried an item this morning which claimed the UK animation industry is under threat, due to productions shifting overseas to countries that offer government incentives for animation companies. The news story, which can be watched here on the BBC website, warned that government subsidies and tax breaks for studios in countries such as Ireland, France and Canada, mean large-scale, animation production in the UK "no longer makes economic sense." [More]