Following the news that North Tyneside Council has signed an agreement with Northern Film and Media to facilitate more filming in the area, two local filmmakers have told the News Guardian that councils and film boards must do more to develop the industry locally.

Chris Taylor, of Newcastle-based Superkrush films, said that prospective film makers still struggled to find funding in the north east: "It's on the up but there's still a long way to go."

Mr Taylor was in Cannes recently hoping to receive backing to start filming Life Is Swede, a comedy film about a man's attempt to break the world record for throwing a turnip.

"The first time you go to Cannes it's quite scary – you don't know anyone, you don't know how the market works or how the meetings work," he said.

Recently, elected Mayor of North Tyneside John Harrison signed the Friendly Film Charter with Northern Film and Media. It is hoped that the agreement will see the borough involved in more big and small screen productions.

Deborah Anderson, operations director at Northern Film and Media said: "The signing is all about taking a step forward, working in partnership with the region's local authorities, working together to make the region a more attractive, cost effective place to shoot."

However, Phillip Clark, an American who founded EzasPi film company in Newcastle, said that the London film making scene still dominated the national industry: "I believe in local pride and you can make a movie anywhere in the world, it just takes time and money and the right
people.

"Around 90 per cent of people I met in Cannes and the last time I was in London all couldn't believe there was such a thing as a 'North East Filmmaker'. One Londoner in particular actually asked me: 'Newcastle eh? And where is that? England? Really? Never heard of it'."

He said that local film boards and councils should be doing more to help original, innovative film making flourish in the area.

"Every step of making this company, the movies, getting the name out there, everything has been an uphill battle but I'm not in this for looking pretty so I embrace the challenges.

"I do personally believe that British film, not just film from the north east, will never be as successful as American or European film until it is given better backing by the bigger studios, companies and distributors."