Film premiere shows Waveney and Yarmouth film stars of the future

The filming of the Storybored project. (Image: Archant)

Yet while those in large cities like London have the entire film, TV and theatre industries on their doorstep, coastal towns like Lowestoft and Yarmouth have seemed an ocean apart from the same world of opportunity.

Now though, a free film-making project has sought to give young people on the east coast the chance they have long craved to show their talents in front of and behind the camera.

The Storybored project was run by writer, actor and director John Hales, who said: 'The attraction for me in doing this project was always because nothing like this was ever set up when I was a kid.' The former manager of the Seagull Theatre in Pakefield between 2009 and 2013, who grew up in Lowestoft, said he never even had the opportunity to study drama at school. The result is that he and others faced a challenge even to get a chance to borrow the expensive equipment needed to try their hand at film-making, yet alone build a career for themselves in the industry.

So with a grant from the National Lottery Awards for All programme, Mr Hales and professional mentors from the industry worked with a group of young people, aged 17 and above, to help them make a series of short films.

Reece Ritchie and Storybored students at the Seagull Theatre in Pakefield. Picture: July14 - Pay It Forward CIC (Image: Archant)

The idea was to give young people a chance to learn about an industry that would otherwise be out of reach for many of those unable to access the same opportunities in London or other major cities.

And by writing, shooting and editing six short films – shown for the first time at a premiere at The Seagull on Monday (November 21), the young people showed they have the talent to have their names up in lights in the future.

Mr Hales, who was nominated as a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit for his work on the feature film Freak Of Nurture, added: 'It is really hard to get produced or get your first break as an actor.

'They've had access to equipment they could never afford and have really had a chance to show their talent.'

Storybored filmmaking project. From left to right it is: Dale Hood, Natasha Mickleburgh, Fabian Amis, Tom Scannell, Daniel Coates, Anais Ribery, Callum Howard, India Smith (Image: Callum Howard)