A FILMMAKER said seeing the world through the eyes of a child influenced his latest feature, Bird Seed.

Peter Mottram, from Higher Whitley, won the audience award at Warrington's Long Shot Film Festival in 2015.

Now his new animated short film, that he worked on with his wife Charlotte, will be shown for the first time at this year's festival at Winmarleigh House on Friday.

Peter and Charlotte became parents earlier this year to seven-month-old Annie which had an impact on their project in more ways than one.

The 40-year-old said: "The reduced free time definitely focussed my working a little more, as there was much less time for procrastinating.

"I think it’s also wonderful to see the world through the eyes of a child, where everything, even the most mundane things, are so fascinating.

"I think we’ve been quite lucky that Annie is a pretty good sleeper, so I might get an hour to myself in an evening, to try and film something.

"Stop motion does have an advantage over other forms of filming, in that it’s possible to stop filming halfway through a scene and pick it up at a later date.

"I think being creative outside of work, is a healthy thing to do for your mind. I think it’s also nice to demonstrate to your children, the importance of having a passion in life."

Long Shot will also be screening Peter's award-winning 2015 short, Key to Life, which went on to scoop third place in the audience choice award at Leigh Film Festival after its success in Warrington.

And Bird Seed will go on to be shown at Birmingham Film Festival at the end of November where it is nominated for best animation.

Long Shot also has an international entry this year.

Chloe Hendrickson travelled back to her hometown of Warrington from Philadelphia to create her first film, A Brutal Awakening.

She now works for the US multimedia production company PGC Studios but returned to Appleton for a one-day shoot.

A Brutal Awakening features Alex Herod, Phil Chadwick and Olivia Porteus and explores split personality disorder.

Chloe used jump cuts and other editing techniques to show the split between the lead character's thoughts and decisions.

The former Priestley College student said: "At the start the audience should be just as confused as the character who is not aware she has split personality disorder.

"It's not until the end that the missing pieces start to fit together when you realize that the lead character is mentally ill.

"I found out about Long Shot a few years back. I feel like it is the only real celebration of film in the area and although it is small I think it does a really good job of bringing filmmakers that have links to Warrington together.

"I hope the festival grows and much more people get involved with it as I think it is a great opportunity for filmmakers.

"The people who run it are amazing and such lovely people."

DAVID MORGAN