SCOTS Star Wars actor Denis Lawson is to return to his home town today to teach the next generation of the nation's potential film stars.

The actor, who is Ewan McGregor's uncle, is running a film workshop for secondary schoolchildren in Crieff, Perthshire.

He will be showing 16 pupils - eight from his former school, Morrison's Academy, and eight from nearby Crieff High School - how to shoot a film scene and giving an insight into how actors work with a director and crew.

Another 45 pupils will watch and ask questions.

During the day a crew will film four contemporary scenes chosen by the schools, which range from an extract from TV show 'Friends' to a scene based on the James Bond movie Skyfall.

Mr Lawson, 66, played Wedge Antilles, known as the "greatest ace pilot in the Rebel Alliance", in all three of the original Star Wars films.

Mr Lawson said yesterday: "I'm very excited about the day and I think it will be great fun, especially since it's my first time running a workshop for schoolchildren. I've got a professional film crew coming to work with them so it should be a great opportunity to learn about the whole process of how a film is made."

The scenes will be acted out and shot over the day-long workshop at the disused Old Crieff Library.

Mr Lawson came up with the idea of running a workshop after hearing about Strathearn Artspace's plan to turn the library into a state-of-the-art community arts venue. He and nephew Ewan McGregor are among celebrities who have backed the plan.