Thousands of children believe this man can make them a star

Mark Jermin's fame factory keeps making new stars of young people, and shows no signs of stopping - as Shaurya Shaurya reports

- Shaurya Shaurya

WHEN you think about the world of film, Netflix, Baftas, or Hollywood - you may not think a huge amount about Wales' role, but casting directors do, especially when they are in the market for a new child star.

In fact, their eyes often turn to Swansea and one man in particular. In his more-than-three-decade career, which began when he was just 15, Mark Jermin, 47, from Swansea, has taken both Wales and the Welsh to screens small and large. What began as a simple after-school teaching class for his sister and her classmates, has now turned into a star-making factory catering to people across the nation.

Mark's most successful students are known far and wide, including Leo Harris, from Swansea, who appeared in the critically-acclaimed series, Lost Boys and Fairies, Iona Bell, who is set to feature in a leading role in the new Hunger Games movie, and many more.

One of Mark's students, a young girl from Cardiff, is now set to appear in a significant role in HBO's Harry Potter, along with six other students.

However, it wasn't always teaching acting that Mark was expected to do.

"I got a scholarship to go to St Paul's Cathedral to be a chorister, but I wouldn't leave home. I was too much of a mummy's boy," he says.

Instead, it was a friend who took up the opportunity.

"I've never regretted it, but I've also always thought that children should have opportunities, and it doesn't matter where you are in the world, whether you're in Wales or Scotland or any part of the whole world, you should be open to these opportunities, and there's more opportunities now than ever."

Mark's sister worked exclusively as a child star, and under his tutelage quickly racked up a number of roles.