Everybody's got a good book in them, the saying goes.

We disagree. Everybody's really got a good film in them.

The BFI feel the same, which is why they created their annual Future Film Festival bash back in 2008. Dedicated to nuturing the talent of younglings aged 13-25, last year's event attracted the talents of 1,500 young people, included Q&A sessions with the likes of Noel Clarke and Asif Kapadia, and premiered over 40 short films.

This year, the third FFF will take place in February 2010 at the BFI Southbank, in partnership with BBC Blast.

Oh, and by the by, they want your submissions. If you'd like to take part, click here for an application form.

In light of all this creativity, we proudly present our celebration of the talented young moviemakers who have gone before us.

This lot grabbed a camera at an early age, and look where they are now. Here, in ascending order according to age, are our favourite directors what made it young.

After all, age is just a number...

The Director: Steven Spielberg
Age: 11
How Did They Get Their Break?
The Beard’s first film was born out of necessity. Entitled The Last Train Wreck, it was filmed after a young (assumedly beard-free) Spielberg had his train set threatened by his father after he repeatedly abused it.

Ever the artist, young Steven decided to film the destruction.

Other shorts followed, including an eight minute Western called The Last Gun, which was filmed at a patio restaurant when Spielberg was 13, and premiered to his Boy Scout group.

The result? The burgeoning director’s first standing ovation.

Of course, it wasn’t until TV movie Duel in 1971 that Spielberg’s career really started to take flight. From there, it took only a shark, a close encounter and a lost ark before he was well and truly on his way to making movie history.

The Director: Tim Burton
Age: 13
How Did They Get Their Break?
A reclusive child who found freedom through drawing, Tim Burton filmed his first animated short on Super 8 aged 13.

Fittingly, it was an adaptation of HG Wells’ moribund classic ‘The Island of Doctor Moreau’, which Burton re-titled The Island of Doctor Agor, and cast himself in the titular role.

Further short films included Houdini, but it was his first ‘proper’ animation, Stalk of the Celery Monster in 1979 that attracted the attention of Disney, and earned Burton his first job in the film industry.

Next: Carpenter and Jackson