🎬 1830 Crew Films Presents: Inspired by Brum - A Cinematic Ode to the Heart of Birmingham

What happens when a travel filmmaker, a sports photographer, and a storyteller with something to prove sets out to capture the soul of a city? You get Inspired by Brum, our latest short travel film that’s not just a love letter to Birmingham, but a bold experiment in storytelling, co-produced by 1830 Crew Films and brought to life by some incredibly talented creatives.

Let’s be real. Birmingham rarely gets the visual credit it deserves. And our guy Suvadeep, who’s been calling Brum home for nearly 3 years, felt that gap hard. After being constantly inspired by Sam Newton’s hybrid style of narrative-driven travel films, he wanted to take that same energy but make it personal. The mission? Not just another travel video with aesthetic visuals, but something more cinematic, more story-forward, more human.

So we said, let’s run it.

The Why Behind the Film

Suvadeep Biswas had a vision, not just to showcase Birmingham with stunning visuals, but to frame it through a unique blend of short film and travel storytelling. He wanted this to be bigger than just vibes and transitions. He wanted emotion. Connection. And most importantly, truth.

From long nights balancing uni assignments to back-and-forths with brands, he hustled hard to make this idea real. Big shoutout to Canon UK, who believed in the vision and jumped in to provide gear support, including the beast that is the Canon R5 C, the camera that helped elevate every frame to pure cinematic gold.

From Kolkata to Birmingham: A Shift in Everything

When Suvadeep first moved to Birmingham from India, the culture shock was real. Living alone for the first time in a new country? That hit hard. The silence. The homesickness. The weird way time slows down when you’re away from everything familiar.

But instead of letting that loneliness define him, he used it as fuel.

And that’s how the name Inspired by Brum was born. Because sometimes, the city that feels unfamiliar can end up being the place that changes everything.

The Co-Direction Journey: From “No Experience” to Festival Screens

Let’s keep it real: Suvadeep had never written or directed a film before. Scriptwriting? Unfamiliar territory. Set work? Nada. But that didn’t stop him from trying. So at the earliest stage of scripting, he reached out to 1830 Crew’s Creative Lead, Bhanu, who is a writer, director, and producer with years of experience and a deep love for strong storytelling. The two of them clicked instantly. Same instincts. Same vision for honest, emotionally-led stories.

They teamed up to co-write and co-direct the film from scratch. From structure to tone to mood boards and scene flow, every piece was built collaboratively.

And this project? Proof of that.

The Film in a Nutshell

Inspired by Brum is about finding beauty in the everyday. It follows the perspective of someone rediscovering the city, its streets, its spirit, and its art, but with new eyes. With only 12 days to shoot, it was a race against time. But like any great story, the chaos made it better. From scrambling to lock down the perfect talent (massive love to Klea Palavi, our lead, and Ginger Dan, our graffiti artist, who came through clutch) to last-minute rewrites, the crew kept it moving.

So... How Did the Film Do?

We knew the film felt special while making it, but we didn’t expect this.

Inspired by Brum went on to receive a few nominations even before its release.

Highlights include:

🏆 Top 50 Finalists– The 5th ColorPro Awards by Viewsonic

🎥 Official Selection – Lift-Off Global Network: Sessions

🎥 Meet the Crew

🎭 Starring: Klea Palavi ✍️ Co-Written & Co-Directed by: Suvadeep Biswas & Bhanu Dakkumalla 🎼 Original Soundtrack: Benny John 🔊 Sound Design: Jeremy Fonseca

✂️ Film Editor: Suvadeep Biswas 🎨 Colorist: Azif Ismail 🖌️ Graffiti Artwork: Ginger Dan

📽️ Producer: 1830 Crew Films

Huge love to everyone who put their heart into this project, despite tight timelines, sleepless nights, and creative curveballs.

So What’s Next?

We’re just getting started. Inspired by Brum is a signal to filmmakers everywhere: we’re here to tell real stories, no matter the genre, language, or scale. If you’ve got a story that deserves the right treatment, we’re ready to listen.

The official release date for the film drops soon. Keep an eye on our socials, and if you’re as hyped as we are, share the BTS, tag your crew, and let the world know Birmingham’s finally getting its spotlight.