TWO friends are appealing for financial help to showcase some of the region’s bestknown locations in their first feature film.

Oliver Smith and Luke Downing, from Barnard Castle, County Durham, hope to begin shooting the low-budget movie, entitled Verve, in the summer.

The pair have almost finished casting the film, which will tell the tale of three friends facing an uncertain future as they await their Alevel results.

Scenes for the film will be filmed in their home town, as well as Newcastle and York, where Mr Downing is in the second year of a film degree.

Mr Smith, 21, who runs his own production company, Ambitious Motion Pictures, first had the idea for the film three years ago.

A series of setbacks, including a lack of available actors and funding, led to the project being put on hold.

Such was Mr Smith’s determination to make a go of the film that he walked away from his university course to set up the production company.

The project has now been given a new lease of life and had its budget increased to £12,000.

Mr Smith, who will direct the movie, enlisted the help of friends sharing the same passion for film and plans for the two-month shoot are being finalised.

Mr Downing, 20, who is producing the film, said any help with fundraising would be appreciated.

He said: “We are looking to local business and private investors to help with that vital last push in order to make the dream a reality.

“At the moment we are busy fundraising and casting, so everything is going on at once.

“We are still finalising exact locations, but we will definitely be in Newcastle, York and Barnard Castle.

“It will be shot wholly in the North-East and will show the region in a new light.”

If the shoot is a success, the pair hope to be able to show the finished work at film festivals from next year.

Anyone interested in providing financial support for the project can call Mr Smith on 07815-581793, or email ambitiouspictures@yahoo.com