film company Arts Mag-ic is completing a documentary DVD of Philip Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials and needs four Gwent "faces" to complete the job.

The faces will be used to re-enact scenes from the epic adventure story which is based on the Bible myth of the fall from grace and Milton's Paradise Lost.

His Dark Materials is currently being filmed by New Line Cinema - makers of Lord of the Rings - and is destined to become the next global film phenomenon when the first instalment opens in December.

Arts Magic, of Rassau, will bring out its DVD in June and it will feature a profile of the author, an animated biography of Dark Materials with re-enacted scenes and exclusive interviews with figures from Philip Pullman's world.

The film was directed by Arts Magic's Kevin Phillips and the animation created by resident animator Tony Evans.

Mr Evans, a fine arts graduate of South Glamorgan Institute, spent five months enabling the books' fantasy landscapes and characters to leap off the page and on to his screen.

Having seen a sneak preview I can tell you the results are spectacular.

Arts Magic managing dir-ector Gerry Malir said: "Our script has been written by Nick Tucker, Pullman's biographer and friend.

"We've spoken to Pullman and we're hoping to include an interview with him on the DVD."

Mr Pullman was educated in Harlech and his former English teacher Enid Jones (now a feisty 80-something) is one of the interviewees.

Mr Malir said: "It's encouraging that Britain is writing the world's best children's literature and the three leading authors since the war, Dahl, Rowling and Pullman, all had strong Welsh connections."

Two of the volunteer actors required to help finish the DVD will recreate scenes between heroine and hero, Lyra and Will, and need to look 12 or 13 years old.

Lyra is a precocious, rebellious young person, full of personality. Will is more moody and equally rebellious.

These volunteers will also be used to depict Adam and Eve.

The two other actors need to look as though they're in their early to mid 30s. The man will play Lord Asriel, a powerful, cunning, intellectual. The woman will be Mrs Coulter, who is charming and beautiful but hard as nails.

Mr Malir said: "Whoever is chosen will receive international exposure as we will be going to the Cannes Film Festival this year to sell worldwide rights to the DVD."