Three young filmmakers our school have been invited to a special screening of their work next week at the Royal Television Society Young People’s Video Showcase at the University of Teesside.

Caitlin Jayne, aged 11, Tori-Leigh Dack, 13, and 15-year-old Year 11 student Sophie Hunt, were involved in the making of a short animated film, led by Jane Crawford, community artist/artist of Daisy Arts. Five other young people were involved in the project.

Entitled, Going for Gold, Pigeon Pete Circumnavigates the World, the film tells the story of the intrepid pigeon’s big to become the world’s number one racer and some of the colourful characters he meets along the way.

Jane, who is to accompany the youngsters to the screening on Wednesday afternoon, March 4, as guests of the Royal Television Society, said: “It is a lovely film, I am very proud of it and proud of the young people. They were very enthusiastic about the project.”

The Bishop Barrington trio did the majority of the filming. “It took two hours to do one scene, you had to take a photograph each time you moved the characters,” said Caitlin. The girls also made wooden puppets, helped make the backdrop, and voiced different characters.

On his incredible journey, Pigeon Pete stops off in New York, Paris, Japan and Mongolia, before arriving back in the North East of England.

“It was fun, we took it in turns to do the filming,” said Tori-Leigh. Commented Sophie: “I really enjoyed it. I made a Japanese woman and played and voiced the character.”

They are excited about attending the showcase and are looking forward to seeing their film on the big screen together with a compilation of other films.

The girls are all members of local drama group, WASH – Woodhouse Acting Silly Harry’s – and the film project is part of the Woodhouse Close Arts programme, co-ordinated by Jane Crawford. They spent most of the October half term holiday completing the work.

Others involved in the project, who will be attending the showcase, include Sophie’s two cousins, Samantha Hudspeth and Shauna Hunt, and Kayla Mason, who attend Woodhouse Community Primary School, and Michael Clarke, the oldest member of the group.

A compilation of the work of young filmmakers in the region will be screened at Wednesday’s showcase. The audience will include a panel of professionals from the film industry who will comment on the films. The event is not a competition. Certificates will be awarded to all the young participants.

Going for Gold, Pigeon Peter Circumnavigates the World, which was first premiered in November at Woodhouse Close Church Centre, may soon be winging its way across the country and abroad.

“It is worthy of many more viewings and will be entered into as many film festivals as possible, both in this country and abroad,” said Jane Crawford.