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Creative Pictures has completed filming the pilot episode of "Gentle Bend" 
A quirky dramatic comedy about relationships and redemption. 

Written by Norm Berketa and Allison Graham, this story follows 30-something Ben Dalton as he tries to pick-up the pieces of his shattered life, back where he once belonged.


​“Gentle Bend” TV Pilot
In 2007, actors and writers Norm Berketa and Allison Graham, came together to create a story based
loosely on their own experiences. It is an episodic dramatic-comedy about redemption and overcoming
obstacles, with an arcing storyline and very colorful characters.


Fast-forward ten years. In the summer of 2017, Berketa and Graham became producers and filmed the
pilot episode in Ottawa, Canada and the small town of Westport, Canada. With a cast of fifteen actors
and a small crew they filmed over six days and brought their script to life. Berketa, also an accomplished
musician, wrote the score for the episode.

Today, the pilot is being shopped to production companies, with the hopes of getting picked-up by a
streaming platform network. It’s a series designed to provoke thought and emotion, as well as to tackle
sensitive issues of the day and open the dialogue through myriad characters. Some are lovable and
some… not so much.

At the centre of the story is Ben Dalton, mid-thirties and a man whose life has completely turned upside
down. After losing his parents and finding his wife in bed with his boss, he heads back to the small town
where he grew up and couldn’t wait to leave, Gentle Bend. His now only living relative, Uncle Howard,
helps Ben get back on his feet, but after meeting some of the locals, Ben wonders if he made the right
choice in coming back.

Ben’s story is a lot like everyone’s. We all fall and have to pick ourselves back up. Starting over sucks, but
sometimes you have no other option. Berketa and Graham want nothing more than to share this story
with the world. The first season of ten episodes is written, and future seasons are planned

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A Special  Review From Co Creator  -  Norm Berketa -  To The Owner Of One Of The Magical Locations
Where "Gentle Bend" Was Filmed 


When looking at locations for our TV Pilot “Gentle Bend” in 2017, we were going for the warm, ‘small town’ feel. Each location had to be simple and inviting; a place you could call home at first glance. Peggy Kelly’s Connemara Bed & Breakfast was such a place. Located on a quiet street in Greely, Ontario, Connemara offered the exact look and feel we wanted. Beautifully furnished, bright rooms welcomed us as we stepped in for the first time, and peaceful warmth embraced us.

Connemara is really an extension of the owner, Peggy Kelly, in every way. She welcomed us into her B&B with warmth you seldom see these days, and her bright personality was intoxicating as she asked questions about our shoot and seemed to take a genuine interest in our project. My writing partner, Allison Graham and I sat with Peggy for over an hour, mostly just talking about our lives and what brought us all here at the same time. We discovered that our story had a theme that Peggy identified with.

In the end, Peggy was more than happy to let us shoot a scene at Connemara, and we were all happy that we had met each other. I would think that, as a guest of Connemara, one would feel the same peaceful happiness. I have no doubt that Peggy would do everything to make someone’s stay a beautiful experience. She certainly did that for us when we shot our scene there in May of 2017. Filming can be stressful and there are so many details to keep track of, but while shooting at Connemara, it felt like a walk in the park, and the scene tuned out to capture that very feeling!

I would recommend Connemara for anyone that needs time away from the busyness of life. I would especially recommend Connemara for artists and creative people who need to get back in touch with their inner selves; that most creative space in their souls. Often times, the noise of everyday life can dull our sharpest minds and rob us of being truly creative. Peggy Kelly understands that. It is why she created Connemara. For her, it was a return to peace and tranquility, and nothing would make her happier than to share that warmth with others.

Norm Berketa,
Co-creator of “Gentle Bend”

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Visit The Connemara House Click On Text
https://www.thenewyorkoptimist.net/8203the-connemara-house-bed--breakfast.html

http://gentlebendseries.com/home.htm

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