Pickled Fish - Graduate Short Film

by Pickled Fish Film in Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Total raised £6,133

raised so far

104

supporters

'Pickled Fish' is a graduate short film that explores the themes of legacy, resilience, and the intricacies of sibling relationships.

by Pickled Fish Film in Edinburgh, United Kingdom

We're still collecting donations

On the 4th February 2025 we'd raised £6,113 with 103 supporters in 22 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.

 New stretch target

Huge News! We Crushed Our Initial Goal!

We are absolutely blown away by the incredible support from all of you! Thanks to your generosity, we reached our initial target of £4,000 in just 48 hours!

But the adventure doesn't stop here! 

We're now setting our sights higher with an extended goal of £6,000.

Why?

We believe that with these additional funds, we will be able to elevate our production in the following ways and unlock incredible possibilities:

 * Festival Circuit: Submit "Pickled Fish" to prestigious film festivals, including BAFTA-qualifying ones, to showcase "Pickled Fish" to a wider audience.

 * Dream Location: Secure that perfect filming location we initially thought was out of reach.

 * Stunning Visuals: Enhance the production design, bringing the vibrant world of "Pickled Fish" to life with stunning visuals.

 * Original Soundtrack: Collaborate with a talented film composer to create a captivating and unforgettable soundtrack.

Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a HUGE difference. You're not just funding a film; you're supporting independent filmmaking and helping us tell this unique story.

  

Let's make "Pickled Fish" the best it can be!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!


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The Film
'Pickled Fish' is a heartfelt short film that delves into family, legacy, and the struggles of holding onto tradition in a rapidly changing world. Set against the stunning yet harsh backdrop of the Scottish coastline, 'Pickled Fish' follows brothers, Melvin and Fergus, as they navigate another waning fishing season, causing tough decisions about their future to be made. This atmospheric narrative captures the tension between staying loyal to the past and embracing change.

Our Vision

The idea for Pickled Fish grew out of the intricate dynamics of sibling relationships. With both writers coming from families with multiple siblings, the brotherly bond between Fergus and Melvin stems from authentic relationships. While our writers haven't been fishing since they could walk, the connection siblings share inspired the creation of Fergus and Melvin's story. Our vision for this film is to immerse viewers in the brothers' world and, ultimately, explore what happens when a wedge is driven into a relationship that's been forged since childhood. 

How We’ll Use Your Support !
Every penny raised will help us achieve authenticity and high production value. Here's how your contributions will make a difference:

  • Locations: We will be filming on a genuine fishing trawler, a preserved fisherman's cottage, and in a local harbour. These locations are essential for telling the story of Pickled Fish and immersing the audience in the world we are creating. Securing these locations through your donations will enable us to compensate the individuals allowing us access to these key, world-building environments.
  • Actors: We are committed to ensuring that Pickled Fish is a film that fairly compensates its cast. We want every cast member to feel invested in our story and be adequately paid for their time and dedication.
  • Catering: We strongly believe that a well-fed cast and crew create the best films. A portion of the donations will go toward high-quality catering, ensuring that every member of the team enjoys nutritious hot meals to stay energised and be ready to shoot! 
  • Production & Costume Design: Enhancing our carefully chosen locations with extensive production and costume design will help bring the world of Pickled Fish to life and elevate its authenticity.
  • Festivals: Once completed, Pickled Fish will be sent on a festival run, showcasing our work globally. This will provide an opportunity to share the hard work of our dedicated cast and crew with industry professionals and other aspiring filmmakers. 

Meet the team

Writer/Director Duo 🎣

Lucca Walter & Ariel Homossany

1736530295_pf_co_directors.jpg“We are Lucca Walter and Ariel Homossany, the co-writers/directors of Pickled Fish. As co-directors, we’ve grounded our vision by deeply understanding the film’s themes: brotherhood, legacy, commitment, and change. We prioritised aligning our goals and artistic choices to create a unified and collaborative approach to directing. We drew on our own experiences with strong sibling dynamics, which allowed us to bring personal, lived insights into the characters and enrich their stories. From the start, we’ve been hooked on this story, diving deep into its themes of legacy, commitment, and sibling bonds. We are so excited to explore the intricacies and nuances of the relationship in our film and bring the characters, the world and our story to screen. We’re thrilled to share Melvin and Fergus’s world with you while working alongside an incredibly dedicated, talented and passionate crew.”

Producer 🧾

Egle Cibulskyte

1736688732_egle_pf.jpgI’m Egle Cibulskyte, the producer of Pickled Fish. I studied BA Film and Television at Aberystwyth University, followed by the Screenwriting course at Screen Academy Scotland. Additionally, I have years of experience managing VIP bars in music festivals across the UK, which equipped me with crucial organisational and leadership skills that are directly transferable to film production. My work has only reinforced my passion for production, showcasing my ability to organise complex shoots while fostering collaboration and problem-solving under pressure. Creating accessible sets and prioritising my team’s mental health and well-being are core values I bring to every production. No matter the logistical challenges that arise during filmmaking, I always put the story first, ensuring it remains at the heart of every decision I make. Producing ‘Pickled Fish’ is another step in my journey toward becoming a producer in Scotland’s film industry. I am committed to creating impactful, meaningful stories and am excited to share this project with you. Your support means everything!

Director of Photography 📽️

Fionntan Mccaughey

1736530657_pf_dp.jpg“Ahoy there, I’m Fionntán and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to be working as DOP on Pickled Fish. It presents a lot of challenges, a lot of creative opportunity, and will allow me to develop my overall skills as a cinematographer. The film is focused on the relationship between two brothers. It's a quiet film in its nature, that will be portrayed by the length of shot, and the overall pacing of the edit.  From the get-go, I've been talking with Lucca and Ariel about this film having a gritty aesthetic- trying to capture the impact of the hard graft that goes into being a fisherman in a remote fishing village, and the impact of the elements upon this sea-battered place, and upon the brothers who live and work there. There's a sense of the weight of the landscape bearing down on both of these characters- overcast skies and battering by the elements. This is by far the biggest project I have worked on so far, with every department working together so passionately to bring this story, world and characters to life and it feels like a great privilege to be an integral part of the process and to get to build the visual language of the film from the ground up. Or should I say the sea?"

Head of Production Design 📜

Catherine Paterson

1736530815_cat.jpg“I’m Catherine and I will be head of production design for Pickled Fish.   I’m thrilled to be part of such an exciting and creative project. My role is all about bringing the world of Fergus and Melvin to life through immersive environments and carefully crafted props, so that we can create a stunning setting to sell our story.I have a history of creativity and have been a production designer on a number of projects before. Working alongside the DOP, I love being involved in visually developing the story and making something beautiful.So far, this project has been an incredible opportunity to explore the boundaries of my creative freedom and I can’t wait to dive deeper into the project to discover the true heart and soul behind the characters. With your help, I will be able to source authentic and historically accurate props and costumes, whether it be for providing materials to build or create them, or to cover the cost of travel to seek a specific item. You will help fuel our enthusiasm and energize the passion we already have for this film. We appreciate every little support - let’s get pickling 🥒"

Head of Sound Design ⚓️

Jack MacLean

1736530925_pf_sound_jack.jpg"My name is Jack MacLean, and I am the Sound Designer for Pickled Fish. I specialise in on-set sound recording and sound design. I have had experience as head of sound on several successful short films. I was the recipient of Best Sound Design Award at Cannes Aviff Art Film Festival, in 2023, for the short film 'The Deeper She Sinks'. My role for this film encapsulates all things sound, from the on-set recording to the final sound design mix. The ultimate aim for sound design on Pickled Fish is to deliver clean and consistent sound that will immerse an audience in the sea sodden and wind battered world of our protagonists. I want this world to sound and feel intimate, in the right moments, when we join the brothers in their small fishing cottage, and likewise, vast and endless in others, when we see their story unfold beside the expanse of the Scottish coast. This film will eventually be screened in a film theatre, which means this film will be mixed in 5.1, which I think will create an enthralling and enjoyable auditory experience. I am really looking forward to making this film!"

Editor ✂️

Krisztián Kajtar

1736531136_pf_edit.jpg"I’m Krisztián, editor of Pickled Fish! In the past few years, I have edited numerous short films spanning various genres, including comedy, thriller, and documentary. I took on editing this film because I found the story and its characters fascinating. I love editing films that focus on character drama and dialogues. The edit is an often overlooked aspect of films like these, as there is nothing “flashy” about them, but these films are equally if not more challenging to edit than fast-paced ones. I always try to "get into the head" of the characters when I edit a film, and make the cut reflect their mental states. It is a great challenge to do this with complex characters such as the two brothers of Pickled Fish. I can’t wait to immerse myself in the world of Pickled Fish, and work together with this amazing crew!"



Why It Matters

This project is not just about filmmaking - it’s about preserving and honoring stories of resilience in overlooked communities. With your support, Pickled Fish can shine a light on the universal struggles of adapting to a changing world.


If you are interested in donating more than £500, please contact us at [email protected] !



PRIZES FOR PRIZE DRAW

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5 x One-of-a-kind ceramic coffee cup inspired by Pickled Fish

10 x Pickled Fish inspired candles made by our very own production designer! 

£35 Buzzy Bee Bakery Voucher (UK delivery exclusive)

5 x 'Pickled Fish' postcard packet 

1 x A one-on-one virtual class with a yoga therapist and senior kids yoga teacher trainer with over 20 years experience.





Or enter custom amount

Rewards

This project offered rewards

£30 or more

£30 Reward

Entry to Our Pickled Fish Prize Draw, a copy of our Digital Production Booklet, which includes script drafts, storyboards, concept art and much more! And you will be granted access to exclusive BTS content via our Instagram. (Prizes and information on the prize draw can be found at the bottom of our page). All previously mentioned rewards are also included.

£10 or more

£10 Reward

You will receive a shoutout on our social media and be blessed with a successful fishing season.

£20 or more

£20 or more

You will recieve a 'Thank You Credit' in the publicly released film and receive an exclusive preview link to 'Pickled Fish' before its release. All previously mentioned rewards are also included.

£50 or more

£50 Reward

You will receive a one-of-a-kind ceramic coffee cup inspired by Pickled Fish, along with a signed script by the entire crew. The Pickled Fish mug is limited to the first 15 people who donate £50 or more. Please note: delivery is available only within the UK. All previously mentioned rewards are also included.

£100 or more

£100 Reward

You will recieve a personalised post card packet & a personalised 'Thank You' video! All previously mentioned rewards are also included.

£200 or more

£200 Reward

You will recieve a high-quality, signed 'Pickled Fish' A3 Poster Print. All previously mentioned rewards are also included.

£350 or more

£350 Reward

LIMITED - Associate Producer Credit (IMBD Credit). All previously mentioned rewards are also included.

£500 or more

£500 Reward

LIMITED - Executive Producer Credit & an on-set visit (IMBD Credit). All previously mentioned rewards are also included.

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