What is First Light Movies?

First Light Movies provides funding and expertise to enable five to 19-year-olds, throughout the UK, to create short digital films.

Although the young people work under the guidance of professional filmmakers, they are involved in every stage of making their film. This includes writing scripts, creating storyboards, casting actors, operating cameras, lights and sound, as well as directing, producing and editing.

Since May 2001, First Light Movies has enabled over 12,000 young people to make more than 900 short digital films. Ranging from documentaries to animations, the films were made with youth agencies, schools, colleges and film clubs across the UK.

Virgin Media with FilmFlex has teamed up with First Light Movies for second year in a row and you can watch Lights Out!, Running Free and The News right here on Virgin Media Movies. On top of that all this year's winners and nominees will see their work showcased in millions of homes via Virgin Media's TV on Demand service for FREE.

Each year First Light Movies hosts an Awards ceremony at Leicester Square. The atmosphere at this year’s Awards was electric with a huge amount of support from film and TV celebrities including the host, Davina McCall of Big Brother, Kevin Spacey, Sir Ian McKellen and new Bond beauty Gemma Arterton. In total, more than 800 people were present including several film industry movers and shakers.

First Light Movies distributes £1.1million Lottery money each year through UK Film Council funding.

You can find out more at www.firstlightmovies.com.