James Waldron grew up in Chelmsford, but spent time with his family on Plum Island every summer. He moved there himself in 2000, and began “hanging around” meeting the locals at places like the “Old Beach Comber”. He bought a tin skiff called “tetanus” and began to catch the local stripers, as well as a passion for the fishing culture on Plum Island. In 2006 he attended a Plum Island Surfcaster’s Meeting where they were showing 8mm Films from fishing on the Island in the 1960′s and 1970′s. James wanted to be able to share these images, (and moreover, the people in the films) with a larger audience. They were the inspiration for Reel People.
So began James’ journey into film making. He is a Graphic Designer by trade, and he self-financed the film. Joking, he says, “I probably should have taken the money and bought a better boat”.
James did not mean it, he’s so obviously enamored with these fishermen, relishing the whole process of fishing, and why people fish, who they fish with, and where/when/what, they caught. However, this is not “how to film” about fishing, it’s about “the characters that fish” the “mixing pot” of people that head out to Plum Island every summer, year after year. He thought that the film would take him about 2 months to make, it took him 3 years. James spends a lot of time (on and off camera) in the iconic Surfland Bait and Tackle Shop. If you are going to do any fishing on Plum Island then “You need to go talk to Kay”. One of the many great take aways from the film this is that Kay is an the Island’s heart beat, a living legend. There is a particularly funny interview where two men are describing how Kay would ask them where they were going to fish – let’s just say she seems skeptical they are up to the challenge.
It was Kay who began to chronicle the fish caught and who did the catching. She began taking pictures of the fishermen with their day’s catch and saving the shots in book after book. If the fish was over 50 pounds, it made to a frame to be hung on Surfland’s wall. Soon it was a right of passage for Dads to bring their kids in and look through the books with Kay, who would be able to find the photo of the Dad and the fish that he caught with his dad.
Reel People is being shown at the Firehouse Theater this weekend at 7:30 PM both Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets are just $10 for the hour long documentary. You can also buy the film from James’ site HERE.
