Gareth Leah – The Story of a Trout
We had the opportunity to interview with Gareth Leah, the filmmaker behind The Story of a Trout. The Story of a Trout is an official selection in the 12th annual Utah Film Festival.
In this film, we take a look into the life of a fishing legend and explore how one person’s passion can have a profound effect on a community, a sport, and a river. This is the story of a Trout.
What was the inspiration to make The Story of a Trout?
Every now and again, I stumble upon stories that intrigue me. A story that reflects the non-tangible and inexplicable question of why are we here? They are stories about the human spirit that transcend religion, race, and circumstance.
One of those stories was from my friend Alan Spanafora, a fishing guide in Alaska who told me the story of a man whose impact had resonated deeply throughout an entire community up in the small town of Cooper Landing. That his presence had uplifted his neighbors, and that his impact for empowering others with possibility has resonated much further.
Located in Alaska and with its foundation of trout fishing, there seemed to be a natural thread to the story that reflected the cycle of life.
From idea to completion, how did The Story of a Trout change?
From concept to creation, the project flowed relatively smoothly. One of my good friends Alan helped get us settled in and acquainted with the locals. A small town, it didn’t take long until we knew many of them and shared a beer.
What was the biggest challenge in getting this show made?
I think for me one of the hardest challenges in producing independent film is funding. I’m blessed to be surrounded by talented people. But flights, accommodation, rentals have costs. Large chunks of time in post are also luxury.
What do you think is the most important takeaway from The Story of a Trout?
The only guarantee we have in this life, is death.
Its inevitable arrival has been the focus of philosophy since the birth of modern man and forces us to confront the question of what is “a life well lived?”.
Whilst the accumulation of material wealth is the definition of most, for one fisherman living in a remote region of Alaska, life was not about what you took, but what you gave.
If you could have a do over with The Story of a Trout is there anything that you would do differently? If so, what would that be?
The funny thing about documentaries is that you never know quite what you will get. All the planning in the world is sometimes not enough. I think If i were to do this again it would be fantastic to have a little more time to interview more of the characters in his life.
What do you have next in the works?
I just wrapped a TV show with Orlando Bloom climbing in Moab, and I’m finalizing a film that has been in the works for almost 3 years. It’s a unique concept that utilizes spatial and binaural audio to take us on an audio journey with the band Dirtwire in the Utah desert. We’ve been fortunate to partner with Company3 for color and some incredible audio techs at Sound Shepard and BYU to create a film that is unlike anything I’ve encountered before. Other than that, I’m heading to Patagonia for all of January to explore a relatively unknown part of the Turbio Valley and establish a new rock climb.
How can we learn more about you and your projects?
Social media such as instagram is probably the place i post most. Our company website and my photo gallery is also another place.
