Inside the mind of Marcos Pinto-Leite’s “The Fishfolk of Luton Hill”

Have you ever been so out of your mind that your imagined incredible worlds, characters and stories. I wish I would have had the presence of mind to write down anytime I was having one of those dreams. Luckily for screenwriter Marcos Pinto-Leite, that’s exactly what happened. 

“I was put out of commission for a week, laid out on my couch and pumped full of every decongestant under the sun” said Marcos Pinto-Leite. “This led to some pretty wild dreams, one of which I couldn’t shake. I dreamt that I was at a dinner party, hosted by two, well, fish people… fish heads, human bodies, bipedal with scales for skin. They didn’t talk, but were still able to communicate with one another through silent glances. I think we ate a cobb salad. When I woke up, I started writing. I quickly decided that the fish folk would be outlaws, perpetually misunderstood and driven by revenge for crimes both perceived and real. Long story short, this script is brought to you by Sudafed.

Sudafed thanks you (I’m guessing here as I wasn’t gonna call the corporate office) as do we. Now we all get to enjoy ”The Fishfolk of Luton Hill”.

Pinto-Leite revealed that Ron, the young correctional officer in the screenplay, was not initially part of the early drafts. Ron began as a narrator, but as the script took shape, Pinto-Leite felt the need to explore why the story of the fishfolk was being told and who was telling it. Consequently, Ron transitioned into the main character, shifting the focus to a young man’s quest for purpose in his life.

Are there challenges in writing a screenplay? Oh course there are! Pinto-Leite admitted that crafting authentic dialogue has always been a struggle. The task of bringing characters to life and ensuring their voices stand apart from the author’s own presented a unique set of difficulties.

“But hey, that’s the job, and boy, is it fun.”

Pinto-Leite’s joy in screenwriting extends beyond the act of writing itself. His favorite part of the creative journey is sharing the script with others.

“After you spend enough time building your own world, dreaming up characters, creating and resolving problems between them, it’s really rewarding to then invite someone into that world. What good is a story, unless you share it with others? That sounds corny, but I mean it.”

For those intrigued by Pinto-Leite’s storytelling prowess, he expressed a willingness to explore a variety of themes on a macro-level, ranging from mafiosos to dragonslayers and everything in between.

“On a micro-level, I tell stories about families, and what brings them together. If that intrigues you, the best way to reach me is by email! Marcospintoleite@gmail.com”

“The Fishfolk of Luton Hill” is an official selection of the Utah International Film Festival taking place February 12-17th in Utah County, Utah.