PETER Howitt apologises for sounding showbizzy as he describes how he stood on the lawns of Paramount Studios in Los Angeles wondering whether actress Gwyneth Paltrow would agree to appear in his debut film.

"Gwyneth said 'why wouldn't I do it?' - and the rest is history, with Sliding Doors going on to become an award-winning international hit.

Fast forward to a rainy January afternoon in Newcastle, where he is hoping to repeat that success.

Most directors in Peter Howitt's position would relish the chance to carve a career in the glamour of sunny California.

Instead, he has decided to pluck a Tynesider from obscurity with his latest film, The Other Half.

He has just finished the script, which tells the story of 19-year-old Steph, from South Shields, who after a pregnancy scare, decides life is too predictable and takes off to pick grapes in Bordeaux. The film has elements of a road movie as Steph travels on her life-changing trip.

In his bid to find his Geordie Gwyneth, Peter Howitt and his Newcastle producer Richard Johns are holding open auditions for the leading lady, for those with or without acting experience.

It was also a conscious decision not to have a famous actor.

"It's important, because the way the character has been written that she is a local," he says.

"The worst thing to do is bring someone famous to the part just because they're famous. So you ruin the film by trying to force-feed the famous person into that part. "But we're going to make somebody famous, which is much more fun.

"It's quite exciting, the thought of giving someone a start in acting who would never have thought of it before."

The director will be working with Newcastle-based producer Richard Johns, co-producer of the Oscar-nominated film Shadow of the Vampire.

The two have known each other for a number of years and watched each other's careers with interest.

Peter started out as an actor, appearing as the original Joey in the Merseyside sitcom Bread and other television dramas before turning his attention to script-writing and director.

But this will be the first time they have had the chance to work together.

Neither of them had second thoughts about ensuring the film was set in the North-East.

It was the location that London-based Peter imagined when he sat down to write his screenplay. It is also important that the leading lady is a Geordie.

Other characters in the film, Steph's step-mother, brother, friends, boyfriend will also be cast from the area at a later date, once the leading lady has been picked.

Peter said: "I set it here, just because it's such a great place. I know lots of people here and have a great affinity with the place. I set it in the North-East without considering anywhere else."

* Auditions for the role of Steph will be held between 9am and 1pm and 2pm and 7pm on Saturday, January 25, at Tyne Tees Television studios on City Road, Newcastle.