AN Embsay filmmaker has directed a short film to be included in pop star Ronan Keating's new video.

Ronan Live, Destination Wembley 2002, includes a short film, directed and produced by Ian Smith, who followed the pop star throughout the UK leg of his tour earlier this year.

Ian, 39, spent a number of years working as a freelance for Yorkshire Television on programmes like Heartbeat and Darling Buds of May.

He then formed his own production company, Recorded Devilery, based near Bolton Abbey.

Having worked with Boyzone and on Ronan's earlier tours creating video diaries for delivery via the internet, Ronan asked Ian to direct the film, which follows a typical 24 hours on the road.

Ian and his colleague Simon Cox, 28, also from Embsay, spent a month on tour with Ronan and his band with access to all aspects of the tour.

"Ronan and his management placed a great deal of trust in us by allowing us to film whenever we wanted," said Ian. "The reality of life as a pop idol is far harder than most people would imagine. Most of the day is filled with promotional work and repetitive interviews."

Ian and Simon covered more than 4,000 miles following the tour and filmed at all hours - sometimes travelling through the night to film the convoy of trucks that support the tour.

At one venue during an earlier tour, Simon had to cover his head with a hood to fool the audience into thinking he was Ronan as part of a last-night prank.

"The crew and the band like to have a few laughs," Ian explained. "On this tour as Ronan walked through the audience to get to the stage, he thought it might be a laugh to have two Ronans and as Simon is the same height and build, he was volunteered.

"Everything was fine until Ronan revealed himself and the fans near Simon realised they'd been fooled. Some of them turned quite nasty!"

The film "Destination Everywhere" is included with the video and DVD of the live Wembley show and covers the 24 hours from Ronan and the band leaving the stage until they go onto the stage at the next venue.