Sky-high cinema for student film

A still from the film shows Paul Sinnadauri, from the national park, and Welsh mountain ponies.

A film about Welsh mountain ponies made by school students is being watched by air travellers around the world on board Virgin Atlantic planes.

The film, Two Men and Their Ponies, is being shown by the airline as part of a series of short films.

One of the film-makers, Emma Bailey, said their school teacher suggested making a film when they were studying in the sixth form in Pontypool.

She said the group wanted to take a more "traditional glance" at Wales.

She said: "We just wanted to see what our heritage was and see what was there before modernisation came in.

"Welsh mountain ponies were a main part of the mining and steel industry...so it was just a glance at them and how they are surviving now when tourism in the hills is the main industry."

Emma, 20, who is now studying drama at Aberystwyth University, added: "It all began when our teacher Mary Ring gave us an opportunity when we were studying for our media studies exam."

The group made the film after receiving funding from First Light Movies, which encourages film making among children and young people. They also collaborated with Abergavenny-based film-maker Rob Sullivan from Flycatcher Film.

"It was just too good an opportunity to miss but no-one of us expected anything like this to come out of it all. It's fantastic," she said.

Emma Bailey, Lizzie Meyrick, Rob Sullivan, Emma Humphries, Karen Gaywood, Jodie Hunter and Scott Marshall on location in mid-Wales.

Emma made the film with Karen Gaywood, Elizabeth Meyrich, Jodie Hunter, Gethin Hinselwood, Emma Humphries and Scott Marshall.

Their film depicts the story of the Welsh mountain pony and explains the animal's importance, both culturally and ecologically.

Emma said she still is contact with the other film-makers and says another project could happen.

She says she does get some quizzical looks when she tells people of the group's success.

"I get a few puzzled looks..it's bit of a big thing to say I suppose, but I think most of them do believe me and I am quite trustworthy," she said.

The film-makers' former teacher Mary Ring, from St Alban's RC High School, said the film - and another one called Running Free - were nominated for First Light Movie Awards in the past two years.

Mrs Ring said the projects gave St Alban's pupils an insight into how the film industry works.

She said Two Men and their Ponies was made in lots of mud and driving rain, but it was good fun.

"All in all we are distinctly proud of our young film-makers," she added.

Two men and Their Ponies is one of five short films being shown on Virgin Atlantic flights until November.

Virgin Atlantic say they have joined forces with First Light Movies to showcase films made by young people.

The films will be shown until November on Virgin's VPort in-flight entertainment system.