Producers hope a film being made in Sussex will rival the hit teen flick American Pie.

The £1.2 million full-length feature film is being shot in the rural landscape in and around Uckfield.

A 50-strong professional crew and actors have started a four-week shoot for a privately-funded teen comedy called Neil's Friend.

Its mainly Sussex-based makers have also set part of the 90-minute film in Fletching, where some of them grew up.

Familiar landmarks in the Uckfield area which will feature include High Street, West Park and the Griffin pub in Fletching.

The crew were filming yesterday despite heavy rain.

Writer and co-producer Kevin Markwick said the story centres on life for a group of friends during the summer holidays between school and university.

The movie has been fraught with difficulties securing funding.

Many of the crew have had to work 18-hour days to keep to tight schedules.

Mr Markwick said: "The rain hasn't been a problem for us. When the weather is poor we simply adjust our schedule to include interior shots."

Mr Markwick, of High Street, Uckfield, hopes Neil's Friend, directed by Stephen Pidgeon, will rival Hollywood's finest teen films including American Pie, which starred Jason Biggs and Tara Reid.

He said: "The Americans have had various success with teen films but they have been lacking over here in Britain.

"We are aiming at the 18 to 25-year-old market. Hopefully they will find it funny and make it a success. We have got big ideas for it."

Married father-of-four Mr Markwick, 39, owns and manages the Picture House cinema in High Street, Uckfield.

It is hoped the world premiere will be screened there once the film is ready for release in March next year.

Mr Markwick said script writing started in October before they started assembling the all-British acting staff.

Co-producer Philip Lott, 28, said: "It's always difficult getting together the financing to fund a film like this.

"It takes a lot of gumption to keep at it. But we have got a great team of people who are really enthusiastic about the script which is important."

The film will add to the county's reputation as an ideal location for film shoots which has developed over the years.

In 1999, Brighton was named as one of the top spots in Britain for shooting films and television programmes when a map was produced by the British Tourist Board.

The map listed places where filming had taken place in Britain.

It followed the success of a map which helped boost tourism in the Yorkshire Dales, the setting for All Creatures Great And Small.

Films shot in Brighton have included Brighton Rock, Oh! What A Lovely War, Quadrophenia, Mona Lisa and Richard III.

Brighton was also the setting for the film The End Of The Affair, starring Ralph Fiennes, based on the Graham Greene novel.

The film Circus, starring John Hannah and Amanda Donohoe and written by Brighton writer David Logan, was also shot in the city.