The story of two outcast boys who bond as friends over their filming of the most low-budget of "Rambo" knock-offs, has already generated more than $8 million UK box office - mostly because people like it.

"I always think we're making something for everybody," said writer/director Garth Jennings by phone from his North London home. "I don't see why just because it's made with independent financing that you should forget that there's ever going to be anyone watching it. It feels slightly wasteful. You're making something that's going to be about 20-feet high and 30-feet wide.

"I always felt we were making a movie that would be kind of old-fashioned in a way, a movie that audiences would enjoy - a crowd-pleaser, I guess.

"It's a very hard film to market," said Jennings, who has directed music videos for R.E.M. Blur, Radiohead, and many more. "People aren't sure whether it's for kids or for adults, but then when they go they really enjoy it and they tell their friends."

And working with his two young stars was great, said the father of three under 5. "Obviously everyone says, 'Don't work with children and animals,' " he said, "but I've come to realize it's actually OK to work with children and animals - you just have to pick the right ones. But finding the good ones is the hardest thing in the whole world, and it took us five months to find our two lead kids. . . . But we found two of the most spectacular little people I've ever met. . . . It was the best thing I've ever been a part of in my life, I think, work-wise." *