RICHARD Scarsbook has travelled afar making films including his great adventure to Malpelo, a rock in the Eastern Pacific, 200 miles from land.

Richard, from Timperley, is a member of both Cheadle and Gatley Film Society and Altrincham Movie Makers and became the Altrincham Filmmaker of the year in 2017 with the resultant Finding El Nino.

He said: “The weather was bad and strong winds ripped our moorings away.

“I directed it, did all the editing and most of the filming. I got some good underwater shots.

Between February and November, he worked on Once upon a Time, a film about the Success Stories storytelling club concentrating on the life of its founder, Sharon Richards.

This will be shown at the British International Amateur Film Festival in Harrogate between April 11 and 14.

Judging was done in advance and Once upon a Time received four out of a possible five-star rating.

The judges said: “Visually, the film is chock-full of variety. We enjoyed this film a great deal. Sharon is a treasure and you have done her justice.”

Sharon is indeed a treasure. She overcame a deprived childhood to become a top psychiatrist before illness set her back.

Richard and Eric Flowers, the President of the Altrincham club, made the film.

“We filmed storytelling sessions at the group’s headquarters, the Moorfield Pub and round a bonfire at Hulme Community Garden Centre, an oasis of loveliness.”

They worked on 10 locations in Trafford and Manchester.

To emphasise Sharon’s early life, they searched the archives.

Richard said: “The North West Film Archives provided us with shots of deprived children.

“Manchester City Library gave us still photos of Wythenshawe in the early 70s.”

Sharon moved to Wythenshawe from the Manchester slums when she was ll and was filmed meeting an old school friend outside her school.

* To view the film see vimeo.com/244712593