A FILM maker has hit back after having his work snubbed by national and regional television channels.

While record numbers of people flocked to see Craig Hornby's story of the Eston ironstone miners - A Century in Stone - when it was shown at the UGC cinema on Teesside, approaches to all the major television companies to screen it have received the thumbs down.

While the BBC said it might consider screening the two- hour documentary if it was cut to half an hour, the others have told Mr Hornby, from South Bank, Middlesbrough, that they have not got slot for it in their schedules.

Mr Hornby said: "I understand, to a point, that nationally there is far more competition vying for air time - although I do wonder about it not attracting a wide enough audience.

"The regional response is very poor. It would be an insult to dumb this down into a cosy half hour.

"My film is a substantial definitive account. It is 118 minutes long because the making of Teesside was a big story, of global significance.''

He added: "I think it's time regional TV got out of the dark ages and made use of the cable networks for real local content, like they have done in the States for years".

More than 3,500 people attended local screenings of the film this year - outstripping numbers watching Hollywood films showing at the same time.

It is being shown at the UGC Boldon, South Tyneside, next Friday and then the UGC Sheffield, on November 12.

* Mr Hornby will join US director Morgan Spurlock, maker of Super-size Me, the documentary about McDonald's food, to speak about DIY film-making, at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival next month.

Published: 29/10/2004