AN OCCASIONAL FISH
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Film Overview

Directed By: Neil Brady View Official Website	Release Date: 2007-04-14 Running Time: 0:45 Content Rating: GA (General Audience)	DVD Region: 1 - U.S., Canada, U.S. Territories Media Format: NTSC-DVD Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Audio Language(s): English
Genres: Drama >> Melodrama :: Family Viewing >> Drama :: Special Interests >> Outdoor Recreation Influences: A River Ran Through It

Synopsis

Jack Russell has a falling out with his best friend, Charlie, who broke an agreement they lived by since they were kids. Charlie becomes fatally ill forcing an angry Jack to deal with the hurtful breach of trust alone. Rita, Charlie's wife, recognizes Jack's struggle is more complicated than he can imagine. Jack retreats to the peaceful beauty of the trout streams he loves, but finds he can't fish his way through the problem this time.

Cast

Leading Lady: Shivaun O'Donnell | bio
Shivaun C. O'Donnell was born in New Jersey, lived in Ireland and California before settling in the Wilkes-Barre area in 1979. Actually she didn't plan to settle here. She planned to go to college and move to New York City and become a rich and famous actress.

She's come close to her goal. She went to college, goes to New York occasionally, and was once nominated for a Best Actress Award by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Theatrical Alliance. She is now working towards the rich and famous part, and hopes her role in An Occasional Fish might be her ticket to the big time!

Her theatrical pursuits have included: "The Shadow Box," for the Wilkes-Barre Artistic Theatre Ensemble, "Bell, Book and Candle," "Prisoner of Second Avenue" "Laughter on the 22nd Floor," and various others at Showcase Theatre.

Shivaun's career has been varied, including working as a DJ for WILK and Q-102 in the early 80's, and then close to 15 years the software biz before ending up in her current role as General Manager of Odyssey Fitness in Wilkes-Barre.

Shivaun is also a member of the sketch comedy and improv troupe "One Laugh at Least."

A resident of Dallas, PA, Shivaun is married to Attorney Christopher O'Donnell, and has a son Evan, a student at Temple University.

Crew

Producer: Earl Nulton | bio
Writer, Producer, Co-director
I was born in the coal mine region of NE PA and raised in the Niagra Falls, NY area. I moved back to Wyoming Valley PA in 1960 and was taught how to fish for trout in the fast cold freestone streams of the area, by my uncles.
After high school, I spent about a year being trained by the US Navy , then the next three years sailing around the warm waters of the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Florida waters. When my tour of duty ended in 1970, I attended Penn State University majoring in journalism. I ultimately received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Marywood University in Scranton, PA. I worked as a promoter for a New York Theatrical Company, later at various other jobs. I started various businesses over the next years. I began writing a short action story that grew into a novel, while I worked on a 98 credit hour Masters degree (M. Div.). I wrote a short story that I adapted into a feature length screenplay. I wrote another feature, a romantic comedy. I wrote shorts and numerous outline\treatments of future projects. I’m also trying to put together a TV pilot (dramedy) about a fly fisherman.
I gave a copy of a new short screenplay to my friend, Neil Brady, to critique and edit, AN OCCASIONAL FISH. He is an skillful director and camera guy, the owner of NHB Productions. He called me the next day and said “Let’s do it.” We shot AN OCCASIONAL FISH using 3CCD mini-dv cameras, a low budget and a lot of prayers.
Director: Neil Brady | bio
Director, Cinematographer
“An Occasional Fish” is the first film I’ve directed. As owner and operator of a small video production company (NHB Productions) I was approached by friend and local screenwriter Earl Nulton with a screenplay for a short film. Having been in business for only two years and first picked up a camera one year before that I jumped at the prospect of seeing if I had what it takes to shoot and direct a film. With no formal training and only a few pieces of equipment (Canon GL2 mini DV, Dell desktop running Premiere Pro) I still knew in my heart I could do this. Movies have always played a central role in my life. They were my baby sitters, friends, mentors, counselors and refuge. I knew who they were and how they would treat me. So I watched, learned, laughed and cried my way into a love for the American film.
The cast and crew were all amateurs with the same love for movies that I had. The operative word being amateurs. Most of the time I could see the movie in my head, the difficulty was getting everyone else to see it. Since we rarely had the same crews on all locations I had to continuously retrain on how to use equipment, why I cut here and not here, what emotions I needed for scenes, so on and so on. With all the problems of light, sound, blocking and lines not remembered I was still making a movie and in heaven.
My wife asked me “With all you went through are you happy with the film?”
Being a typical perfectionist I said “Not really.” but after considering the obstacles we overcame, the lack of knowledge and equipment, and the truth that we are amateurs presenting our first film, I reluctantly said “it’s ok.” I will be happy if those who know what it takes to make a film also say “it’s ok.”

Bonus Features

Outtakes
Director Commentary
Cast Interviews
Scene Selections
DVD-ROM PC Weblink/ Website

Accolades

Awards

Screening in LA - July 27-29

Festivals

Action on Film International Festival
Honorary Award presentation Aug. 3-5
The Indie Gathering - Film Fest, Cleveland

Press Reviews

Weekender NEPA | show/hide snippet
LOCAL FILM 'An Occasional Fish' HITS BIG SCREEN by Donna Talarico - As local fishermen get their tackle boxes stocked for the opening of PA's trout season Saturday (April 14), the Endless Mountains Theatre will alsobe getting its reels ready. That is for the opening night of local film, "An Occasional Fish." The streams of Northeast Pennsylvania co-star with a local cast in the 45-minute drama centering on the life of Jack Russell, a man who deals with life's blows through fly-fishing. Russell's best friend and fishing partner since child-hood breaks a rule they've always followed and falls into a coma. Russell is left to deal with the loss. The JW Colwell assistant to the CEO of Endless Mountains Theatre says, "This is a polished and professional movie. It's nice that we can give them an event showcase." Colwell addded that the movie's cinematography is remarkable and really captures the local landscape.
Electric City, Scranton PA | show/hide snippet
SWIMMING UPSTREAM - A "card-carrying" fly fisherman, Earl Nulton planned the premiere of his debut film to coincide with the first day of trout season. An Occasional Fish, as its title hints, is about a fisherman dealing with a long-term friendship that's suddenly become conflicted. A resident of Dallas, PA, Nulton wrote the screenplay and produced the film, which will be sceened April 14, at Endles Mountains Theatre near Scranton. He also plays the lead character Jack Russell. An Occasional Fish was made in about six months worth of weekends over the course of two years. The movie is more about its caharacters and their friendship than it is about fishing, but the film made a concerted effort to capture the beauty of fly fishing, noted Nulton.
AOF News Source | show/hide snippet
by Shivaun C.O.
For Immediate Release
April 7, 2007
Contact:
Earl Nulton, 570.814.6811
AnOccasionalFish@epix.net

LOCAL FILMAKERS RELEASE AN OCCASIONAL FISH
ENDLESS MOUNTAINS THEATRE TO SCREEN MOVIE APRIL 14

(DALLAS, PA) – April 14, 2007 not only marks the opening of Trout Season, but also marks the opening of a locally produced movie about friendship, in which fishing plays a large part.
An Occasional Fish, written and produced by Dallas resident Earl Nulton and directed by Dallas resident Neil Brady will make its debut at a special screening at Endless Mountains Theatre in Dickson City, Saturday , April 14 at 7:00 p.m.
“It’s great that Endless Mountains Theatre is so welcoming to independent movie makers like ourselves,” says Nulton. “It’s a great setting, and the addition of the Q and A session with the cast and crew afterwards will give us the chance to hear questions from the audience and candid responses from members while it’s still fresh in their minds,” he adds. “Since the premiere coincides with the start of the trout fishing season, we are calling the event “OPENING NIGHT – OPENING DAY”
Neil Brady, the film’s director, describes the movie: “It’s about a man’s struggle to deal with the a broken promise of his seriously ill fishing buddy,” says Neil Brady, the films director. “With the backdrop of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s beautiful rivers and streams, we see Jack as he uses his life-long passion, fly fishing, to help him deal with the anger, disappointment and regret left behind resulting from his best friend’s indiscretion and his loss of trust.”

The movie stars Earl Nulton as JACK, and features Shivaun O’Donnell of Dallas as RITA, the wife of Jack’s friend. Supporting cast includes Keith Austin as the DOCTOR, Chief Robert Franks as the COP and Joe Petrizzi as CHARLIE. P. Nulton served as crew supervisor. Cornelius Harte and Earl Nulton did the editing.
AN OCCASIONAL FISH
4/7/07
Page 2
A trout fisherman since the 60’s, Nulton has also had a long-standing interest in screenwriting. “While I worked on a 98 credit hour Masters degree (M. Div.), my writing really took off. I began writing a short action story that grew into a novel and then I wrote a short story that I adapted into a feature length screenplay. I wrote another feature, a romantic comedy. I wrote shorts and numerous outline/treatments of future projects,” he says.
“In 2005 I gave a copy of An Occasional Fish to Neil Brady, to critique and edit, He called me the next day and said ‘Let’s do it.’ We shot it using 3CCD mini-DV cameras, a low budget and a lot of prayers,” Nulton explains.
“We got started on it not long after that,” says Brady, and it was in the works for nearly two years, starting as a short (about 15 minutes) and then expanding to its current length of 45 minutes.”
Explaining the change, Nulton says: “After filming the original scenes, we felt there was more of a story to tell, so we decided to extend it.”
Both Brady and Nulton are pleased with the final product. “Neil has a strong background in production with his company NHB productions. He is a very skillful director and camera guy, ” says Nulton. “That is really what made this whole thing possible,” he adds.
“While I’d been operating my video production company for two years, I really had no formal training in filmmaking, and only a few pieces of equipment (Canon GL2 mini DV, Dell desktop running Premiere Pro), but I still knew in my heart I could do this,” Brady says.
An Occasional Fish debuts at Endless Mountains Theatre, 933 Scranton-Carbondale Highway, Dickson City\Scranton at Saturday April 14, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $7.00 in advance, or $8.00 at the door. For more information visit, www.AnOccasionalFish.com or email AnOccasionalFish@epix.net.
The making of AN OCCASIONAL FISH | show/hide snippet

I was challenged by a request for a short script that required absolute minimal dialogue. Every screenplay I wrote, up to then, was dialogue heavy and was always 90 to 120 pages. I thought, “Is it possible to do what this director is asking for?” I started writing immediately. Two days later I held 7 pages in my hand AN OCCASIONAL FISH. A story about a fly fisherman who lost his trust and his best friend.
Before sending it to the director calling for the story, I gave a copy to a friend, Neil Brady, to critique and edit. His business, NHB Productions, was making videos for corporations.
He called me the next day and said “Let’s do it.” “Do what?” I asked.
“Let’s do this story.” “How do you do that?” I asked.
“I’m not sure, but let’s figure it out.” “O-kiy” I replied, like Forrest Gump.
Neil had Canon GL2, 3CCD, Mini-DV Cameras and a professional lighting setup and a Premiere Pro editing system. We borrowed and assembled many other pieces of equipment. Many people agreed to work as crew members.
We decided to add some scenes to give the story more depth. The number of pages doubled. After registering the screenplay, I sent copies of the screenplay to people who acted in local theatre productions. I asked if they knew anyone who might desire to play any of the characters in AN OCCASIONAL FISH. Almost everyone replied that they would love to work in the project. I found locations and we began to shoot some tests. We returned home and watched the test scenes. That day we decided we were going to make the best visual story that we possibly could. We also added more scenes, again doubling the pages of our story.
We assembled our crews on sunny weekends in North East Pennsylvania. We were able to shoot about every third weekend. I scouted more locations and fished non-shoot weekends with my son Peter on a camera, trying to get good fish shots. Our project came to halt when Neil’s wife was diagnosed with cancer. He stayed with her as she underwent treatment. Then I needed to get surgery, which also stalled the project. While I was recovering I wrote AN OCCASIONAL FISH into feature length, as well as writing a short comedy about hospitals. Both surgeries were successful and when recovery was imminent we began to work the project again.
Some of the scenes, where the lead character walked from the living room into the kitchen, were shot over a year part. The time lapse contributed to continuity nightmares. The interruptions gave us opportunities to grow our skills as we edited, read, studied and learned how to better approach this art. The people we worked with were magnificent and made AN OCCASIONAL FISH possible. I never understood what collaboration was until I had to trust others to do their part, but now I get it and I am in awe of the process. Other commitments crowded out a 90 minute AN OCCASIONAL FISH to around 50 minutes, although we longed for the time and resources to put more muscle and heart on our screen characters.
Neil and I are moving on, he to the video hungry corporate world and me to other screenplays, an occasional short, and hopes of producing more Fly Fishing dramas.

Enjoy!
Earl and Neil