AT school he was told he would never amount to anything, but at age 20 Daniel Waterman has already proved his critics wrong by setting up his own production company.

The aspiring animator, from Elstree, has already worked on an advert featuring Lewis Hamilton and a music video for The Prodigy.

And the company he set up earlier this year with friend Gary Carse is going from strength to strength.

The pair, both second year animation students at Staffordshire University, are working on a short film with the director of photography from the film Casino Royale.

They are also making their own short film, a cartoon about light bulbs fighting to get into the light socket.

Daniel said it was a tribute to Pixar, the company behind Toy Story, whose first work was an animation featuring a desk lamp.

"We are heavily inspired by them," said Daniel, adding that his favourite Pixar film is Ratatouille.

"We've read the book about how Pixar started from cover to cover".

They recently ran a workshop at a Newcastle junior school, helping pupils come up with a story concept based around dinosaurs, which the pair will then animate.

Daniel said it was a success and another school has asked them to come along.

"It was great showing these kids that there are other things apart from Maths and English," he said.

"When I was at school that never really happened".

"At school they told me I wasn't going to get anywhere," he said. "I was told I was not going to university.

"Yesterday I got an email from someone wanting work experience".

With so many projects, Daniel admitted it can be hard to find time to study. But it has got him noticed around university.

"We were once in the Student Union bar and the music video we worked on came on the TV.

It was really weird but really nice".

Daniel, who is hoping for a career in the film and television industry, said he was happy with his progress so far. "From a young age I've been fascinated with animation.

"It never occurred to me that it would actually happen".