A YOUNG film-maker has won an award at a national film festival with his first film.

Dan Allen, 15, entered his sci-fi film End into the Cinemagic's Young Filmmaker 2009 contest.

The teenager of Swan Street, Kelvedon, was one of three youngsters shortlisted from over 400 entries for the 15 to 17 year old age category.

And he found out he had won his prize at the Coca Cola Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People in Belfast on Friday.

Dan, who attends Honywood Community Science School in Coggeshall, said it was a surprise to win and he got to talk with Terry Bamber, a production manager who worked on Quantum of Solace at the event His 13-minute film, about the end of the world, features his girlfriend Lily Staff in the lead role, and friends George Baker and Duncan McKay, all of whom attend Honywood.

It took two days to film in Feering and Coggeshall earlier this year, but several months of preparation and post-production.

Dan, who is in his final year at school, taught himself how to produce and edit films and will do a film studies course at Colchester Sixth Form next year after finishing his GCSEs.

"I am going to keep on making films and getting my name out there as much as possible," said the teenager, who is a fan of Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino.

"I have got one more film planned and I have just finished and sent off another to another film competition."

Dan's films and production tutorials can be viewed at youtube.com/Danonabouncycastle