Organisers are hopeful there will be gold in ‘them thar reels’ as the film-making debutants press their case for Hollywood recognition.

But one special guest – who’s been there and done that - will prove an irresistible FORCE anyway at the event’s special awards on the Friday night at the Castle Hotel.

For no matter what heights the black-tie banquet achieves – it will still not reach the movie places and spaces of one of our special guests.

Jeremy Bulloch, Market Harborough’s most famous actor, loves gadgets – he’s been using them throughout his cinematic career which now spans nearly half a century.

As he presents one of the 24 Heartys, he can remember shooting scenes with the Peter Pan of Pop, Cliff Richard, in his hit movie Summer Holiday in 1962.

He also had a starring role as Edward Wickham in the TV series Robin of Sherwood.

But those special effects didn’t come into play until he found himself in three James Bond films, twice playing Q’s assistant Smithers in For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy.

And then the ultimate is his most famous role as Boba Fett in the Star Wars films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

Bulloch has also appeared in two Doctor Who stories, The Space Museum and The Time Warrior. Nowadays he is frequently invited to Sci-fi conventions throughout the world.

In 2004, he published a limited edition memoir, Flying Solo, which is a humorous account of his personal and professional life, interspersed with tales from the convention circuit.

In 2005, he once again made an appearance in a Star Wars film, this time playing Captain Colton in Revenge of the Sith.

Recently he played a small cameo role in Star Wars fanfilms Order of the Sith: Vengeance and its sequel Downfall, Order of the Sith - alongside Darth Vader David Prowse and Michael Sheard.

The 24 award-winning film-makers will no doubt be without peers in the universe for that one gala night in Ladybank – but old pro Jeremy provides a galaxy of talent all on his own.