» Decathlon

CALLS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS:

100 METRES

At the time of writing, the world record for the 100 metres is 9.58 seconds and is held by the Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. In March 2012 we will be screening 8 very short films at the Fierce Festival in Birmingham, where each film will be 9.58 seconds long. These 8 films will constitute the final of the 100 metres in our Decathlon. There will be medals for the 'winning' three as voted by the audience, and a lavish £95.80 prize for the gold medal holder.

To that end, we are looking for 9.58 second artworks. They can be in any artform - performance, video, sculpture, poetry, installation, happening, drawing, animation etc - as long as the artwork is 9.58 seconds long, and can be submitted to us as 9.58 second video. We are looking for works which wholly embrace the 9.58 second-ness of the idea, and are either natively digital, or document a 9.58 artwork.

Technical and Usage Considerations:

The video can be supplied as a Quicktime movie on CD, or DVD, posted at the address below, or via web-based file sharing sites (Dropbox, SendIt etc) with the link emailed to birdmail[at]talkingbirds[dot]co[dot]uk. Videos need to be of high enough resolution to be projected onto a large screen. The artist must be the copyright holder for the material, and by submitting the work agrees to it being used on the Talking Birds website throughout 2012, the Fierce website, as well as for the screenings during the Fierce festival, if selected, and in publicity for the event. Videos which do not make 'the final' will be used, potentially, as part of the 'heats' and available for viewing on the company's website.

Deadline for submission - Midday February 28th 2012

HIGH JUMP

In May Talking Birds will be working with Capital Plays and Writing West Midlands, to stage a night of short performances at the mac, Birmingham. We are looking for 5 minute pieces (stories, monologues, plays) which engage with the high jump, either metaphorically, or literally. The plays or stories need to be completed - we’re not looking for part-works, or works in progress - but which are fully realised by, and embrace, the 5 minute form.

At your disposal on the night there will be up to 3 actors, or you can perform the work yourselves or with people you’ve brought along.

Please send a completed script, narrative, or description of the piece either by email as an attachment to:

birdmail[at]talkingbirds[dot]co[dot]uk with the subject line: High Jump Submission

Or by post to: Talking Birds, High Jump Submission, Institute for Creative Enterprise, Parkside, Coventry, CV1 2QR. (In the case of paper submissions we regret we will be unable to return them).

Deadline for submission - Midday February 28th 2012