A FILMMAKER believes he can find the next Steven Spielberg or Alfred Hitchcock in Mole Valley, after setting up a film club for youngsters.
Dr Farooq Beg, a former NHS doctor turned successful documentary maker, has started the Bookham Film Club, a group which aims to create "community films produced by local talent".
The director and producer, who lives in Bookham, said the group is open to anyone in Mole Valley with a passion for filmmaking and hopes the group can stage its own festival later this year.
Speaking to the Advertiser, Dr Beg said: "I moved to the area eight months ago, having spent 15 years abroad making documentaries, and I was instantly struck by how perfect Mole Valley is for filming.
"It is so picturesque and has great shooting locations for young filmmakers to explore and that is the aim of this project. They bring the spirit and I provide them with the teaching and equipment."
He continued: "I want to discover all the local talent.
"I have met youngsters working in supermarkets who have fire within them and want to show what they can do, so let us give them that opportunity."
After moving to England from his native India to pursue a career in medicine, Dr Beg started making films for the NHS before forging a successful TV and film career in India and Pakistan.
After moving back to England and settling down with his wife Huma in Bookham, he was "determined" to become involved in the community and start his own project.
The result, the Bookham Film Club, has quickly grown to more than a dozen members, made up mostly of secondary school students, and it hosted its first film night last Thursday.
"I haven't even properly trained these guys yet and they have produced some great stuff, so that is a great sign of things to come," added Dr Beg.
"We want to make films that focus on local issues. It is about igniting that talent within someone and they could easily become a massive filmmaker and make a career out of something they love.
"All we need to start is to show passion and we have done that. The aim is to have a Mole Valley Film Festival at Dorking Halls later in the year, so let us make that happen."
To find out more about the club, call Dr Beg on 07896 207792.
