IT’S lights, camera, action for dozens of youngsters now that they have been given the chance to work alongside professional filmmakers.

Thousands of pounds of funding has been awarded to 11 to 14-year-olds at the Stratton Education Centre and the Riverside Study Centre by First Light, which helps young people develop their skills.

A total of 33 young people from the centres, which are part of Education Other Than At School, have been awarded £13,125 to work with professionals on 90-second animated films.

Headteacher of Education Other Than At School, Richard Marshall, said: “We are delighted that the children have been given an opportunity to work with professional filmmakers.

“It is an opportunity for them to improve their skills and work together with professionals from the industry.”

Riverside is an educational provision for pupils who are anxious, vulnerable andunable to attend mainstream schools.

Stratton Education Centre is an educational provision for pupils who have been permanently excluded from mainstream school with behavioural difficulties.

“They have been really excited about it and at the end the films are going to be shown in the local area,” said Mr Marshall.

First Light is a nationwide organisation which helps young people, from all backgrounds develop their skills, talent, creativity and confidence by providing opportunities for them to work with industry professionals on high-quality, youth-led digital media projects.

Each year it distributes £1.1m of National Lottery money through BFI funding as part of the Young Film Fund.

Yesterday the youngsters were designing their characters and creating storyboards. They will continue with the project every Tuesday for the next five weeks.

“It is an opportunity for children to work in media because we don’t do things like filmmaking,” said Mr Marshall.

“We are a small centre with small numbers of pupils so it is a fantastic opportunity for us.”

The young filmmakers will be involved with every aspect of the production process from drawing storyboards and writing the scripts to directing and lighting the films alongside industry professionals.

First Light CEO, Leigh Thomas, said: “First Light gives young people, from all over the UK, the opportunity to tell their stories on film. The fantastic ideas we receive are grown from the young filmmakers’ own imagination and innovation and tackle some very important issues relevant to them.”