FILMMAKER James Price, whose 2008 film Shell Shock was made in the county, will be returning to Leinthall Starkes, where he grew up, to make his new film, next year.

The new project is very different to the earlier film which was screened at national and international film festivals and dealt with the consequences of military confllict and post-traumatic stress disorder.

StarGirl, a short film with a sci fi element is rooted less in reality: "Basically it's a story about an odd couple," says James. "it tells the story of an ageing farmer whose life is changed forever when a female alien crash lands on his farm. As they try to understand each other they form a bond and StarGirl begins to learn about what it is to be human. However when Stan's health deteriorates StarGirl reveals her reason for visiting earth."

The seed of the idea was sown, James reveals, when he came across a striking picture in a fantasy art book: "It was a picture of a fairy holding a cow's head, have decapitated the cow, and it was called 'Fairies are as cruel as children'. I saw the image and had this idea, but rather than fairies I thought of an alien because fairies are more for children but I thought 'how do you make a character who's simplistic but doesn't understand compassion?

"I'd wanted to do something for ages about growing up on a farm and the characters I remember from my youth. I still know people like that, who have stayed on their farms and never travelled beyond Herefordshire.

"I didn't want my country characters to be simpletons or yokels as they're often portrayed from a city perspective."

When he's not making his own short films, James works in film and TV as an art director, working on tv dramas Southcliffe, New Tricks and The Paradise and 2008's Dustbin Baby among others. "I went to university and ended up thinking about set design," says James, explaining how 'someone from here' found himself in the world of TV and filmmaking. "I forced my way on to a master's degree course specialising in set design, and from that I got into art departments on TV shows."

There is a crowdfunding campaign currently running on Indiegogo (http://igg.me/at/stargirl ) to raise funds for StarGirl.

"We're also trying to get as much local involvement as possible, for example we've agreed a deal with Ludlow College for their catering students to provide food for the shoot as part of their course work and we'll be using local professionals in the crew as much as possible. If you're interested, email info@pixiefilms.co.uk