If you notice a camera crew or drone making their way around Wheatley, it’s local actor, producer and director Alex Petrovich filming B-roll for his new three-part documentary series titled “Wheatley: From Fish to Flame”.
Petrovich says that Bell Fibe TV has ordered three episodes that tell the story of Wheatley, from its beginnings as Pegtown to the resiliency shown after the August 2021 explosion.
“From Fish to Flame isn’t so much a reference to the explosion,” he explains. “It’s an homage to the flame that burns within the people of Wheatley — something I witness on a daily basis.”
Since Petrovich and his family moved here last year, he’s made friends with many Wheatley residents and sees the resilience and strength of his adopted community.
When aired, each episode will be a 15-minute documentary, with the first episode titled “From Pegtown to Wheatley Fishing” and the second episode titled “Fishing to Bootlegger of the Lake”. The third episode is yet unnamed but will cover the time from the explosion to the present.
“I don’t want to dwell on the explosion,” he says. “I want to showcase people.”
Currently he’s trying to line up interviews with locals who can help tell the story, including trying to get his crew onto a fishing tug for a day to learn more about the day-to-day workings of the fishing industry.
The documentary is in pre-production right now and filming should wrap up over the next few weeks.
If all goes well, it should air on Bell Fibe TV early next year.
