FARMING life will be the subject of a Stourport film-maker's latest project, which he hopes will be shown at prestigious film festivals.

Nick Jones, of Abberley Avenue, set up Grass Roots Media, which is based in the town, with his friends, Craig Peters, Michael Seaman and Jordan Blood, two months ago.

The group will be shooting a short film in Astley, where Nick's father has a farm, and he has been developing the script, which he first wrote with his friend, Roland Ballard, over two years.

Nick said: "The idea is to make a film that can go around all the major film festivals like Edinburgh and Cannes."

At present, the group is casting for the film and Hollyoaks actress, Jennifer Bidall, who has worked with Nick before and is Jessica Harris in the soap, will be playing the part of the banker's wife.

The 26-year-old said the film's subject was important to him as he had learned a lot about farming life and the struggles farmers experienced while growing up.

He added: "It is about a second generation farmer who is on the verge of bankruptcy and is meeting with a bank manager from the city. There is a lack of understanding between them because of their backgrounds."

There will be a split scene and two different storylines will evolve. In the first one, he will refuse the loan request because he is having a bad day. In the second, the bank manager will be in a good mood and give the farmer a loan. The film-maker explained that his moods affect the outcome as the banker's decision to refuse the loan results in the farmer committing suicide and in the second storyline his decision to grant the loan means the farmer can continue farming.

Nick, who has made three previous short films and two documentaries, added: "It is about the importance of choices and their effects on others."

When they start shooting, the film-makers will also be producing a documentary about the process of making short films and the difficulties they face when they do not have a major production company backing them.

Nick said several film schools had expressed an interest in using the documentary as an educational tool.

They have met the Countryside Alliance, National Farmers' Union and the Rural Media Company to do research for their film and Nick said they hoped to start filming in May.