AN aspiring movie-maker from Henham has clinched the title of Young Filmmaker 2009.Lucy Shepherd was declared the winner of the Waveney District Council competition after it asked for participants to raise awareness of its ethical values.

AN aspiring movie-maker from Henham has clinched the title of Young Filmmaker 2009.

Lucy Shepherd was declared the winner of the Waveney District Council competition after it asked for participants to raise awareness of its ethical values.

The sixth-form student was one of many young directors invited to participate in the short film project to illustrate acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in public life.

Lucy worked with a supporting cast of friends who brought her script to life and used light-hearted humour to illustrate good and bad standards of ethical behaviour.

Her winning film will be used in the training and promotion of the standards committee.

She said: “I realise that the standards committee is very important, but unfortunately not very well known by the public.

“I considered using animation or documentaries, but thought a light-hearted story would be the best way to get the message across about what the standards committee does. I didn't want to mock the committee and thought by having an exaggerated form of favouritism using humour it would be easier to grab people's attention.

“The hardest part of making the film was getting my friends all together at one time to act their parts. I often ask my friends to act so they are used to me telling them exactly what to do as they know the end result is always something to be pleased with.”

The film will be used in inductions from next year, and Caroline Nixon, chairman of Waveney District Council standards committee, presented her with �100 at the town hall in Lowestoft.

She said: “This competition was an enormous pleasure to judge and gives recognition to the excellent work produced by local filmmaker and director Lucy Shepherd.”

Lucy has also been chosen to take part in an expedition to Svalbard in the Arctic next year with the British Schools Exploration Society and is looking for sponsorship. She had to go through an application process, which included an interview to make sure she had what it takes to cope with the extreme environment.

The expedition will involve trekking with sledges for long hours in sub-zero temperatures and scientific work to research the effects of global warming on the area.

“We will be measuring glaciers and crevasses, and have to watch out for the hungry polar bears,” she said.

If you would like to sponsor Lucy, telephone 01502 4578849.