WOULD-be movie stars are being offered their first taste of the business at an open casting call.

Kidderminster actor, Craig Leonard, is running a session at Aykroyd House in Hoo Road, on Saturday.

Mr Leonard, who appeared as a British soldier on Dunkirk beach in Oscar and Bafta winner, Atonement, believes there is huge potential for a Wyre Forest film industry.

With several movie projects in the pipeline, he is trying to build up his agency's books and is searching for reliable men and women.

For his next feature, Mr Leonard, who runs Casting Resource Department, is swapping guns for swords in Dick Turpin, which is being filmed in the area over the coming months.

The film's director, Chris Stone, will be at the casting session, looking for extras and riders who can provide their own horses, in the forthcoming highwayman flick.

Mr Stone, the man behind swords and sandals drama, Anno Domini, believes his latest period piece could make its big screen debut at the LA Film Festival, in August.

Mr Leonard explained: "I'm auditioning for people to go on my books and recommending who should see Chris.

"We're looking for basic acting skills and an ability to follow direction."

In the past, Mr Leonard's firm has supplied extras for Saving Private Ryan and the Band of Brothers TV series.

He believes Wyre Forest has enormous untapped potential, both in terms of acting talent and its beautiful rural locations.

"We're building the agency business up and have shown directors around the area, looking for locations to shoot films," he added.

Mr Leonard and members of his A Group re-enactment team helped win an award for creating a World War One trench system.

A painstaking dedication to detail earned The Birmingham Pals, aided by A Group members, the award for best display at the Militaria 2008 show in Warwickshire.