FILM company Twenty First Century Media (TFCM) is moving to bigger offices and is on target to double its turnover this year.

The film production company has won contracts worth £150,000 in the first two months of the year and is hiring six people in editing, production and directing.

To cope with its expansion, the company is moving from its offices in North Shields, North Tyneside, to Carliol Square, Newcastle.

TFCM, which expects to see its turnover of £400,000 in 2005 double this year, said the move would enable it to expand its team and allow further investment in equipment.

Contracts this year include a commission from the Aspire Partnership to produce aspirational films to showcase the North-East as the place for young people to work.

It is also producing a film for Cenamps, in Newcastle, the centre for emerging technologies, which highlights developments in microelectronics and is filming trailers for games developer Eutechnyx, based in Gateshead.

Sam Morton, managing director and co-founder of TFCM, said: "More and more companies are realising the benefits of using film for effective communication throughout their business, be it internally for training or externally to raise awareness of their brand and key messages.

"Film is an extremely versatile medium and can be used for such a broad spectrum of business needs that it is good to see so many companies turning to film to address the issues they face.

"These new contracts prove that we are making a name for ourselves in the North-East, both due to the number of clients who have returned to commission new films and new clients who have heard of the work that we are capable of producing right here in the region. We are definitely aiming to double our turnover again this year and attract even more creative talent to work in the region.

"The move into central Newcastle will provide us with greater scope to further expand our business this year, and we hope it will provide us with a platform from which to become a leader in the North-East film industry."