ALL ABOUT US
Everything - That's What We Give
We’re a team of professionals who love what we do and have an undying passion for film and video productions. EPISODES-The Movie first opened its doors in 2000 as a project born of Tom McNulty's years in behavioral health and his close relationship with his buddy, Peter Hertsgaard. After pushing back a few Corona beers at a Mexican restaurant in Buffalo, N.Y., Tom and Peter talked about the challenges of breaking the community perception of these nasty, no-good, drug addicted teens. Tom knew better as a therapist he worked with hundreds of adolescents giving him very unique insights about the kids he met and worked with for so many years. As he spoke, Peter, actively listening. realized there was a very moving story to be told. Tom added that it had to contribute to improving treatment approaches, break through to families and openly showcase the emotional pain that can lead kids to alcohol and drugs. One thing sparked another and they agreed to become co-writers. Peter brought tremendous depth of theatrical experience as an actor, director, writer, producer - Tom had an eye inside the pain. He was already hosting health talk radio and had co-directed three TV specials on the local ABC-TV affiliate and CBS affiliate. He had a regular writing gig with Business First on Behavioral Health in the Workplace - a topic he speaks on often at corporate settings. So off they went writing face to face, hours over the phone and any chunk of time they got. When they finished it was a beautiful moment they shared at Sweetness 7 Cafe in Buffalo, N.Y.
Beautiful blue beams of light shine on Niagara Falls, New York from the Canadian side. Folks, this is "Bucket List" must see.
-Photo by Tom McNulty
"No Waiting" - a photo by Tom McNulty.
One of Buffalo’s most iconic buildings and a National Historic Landmark, the 145-year-old Richardson Olmsted Campus is being renewed after years of neglect.
Designed by great American architect Henry Hobson Richardson and the famed landscape team of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the building incorporated a system of enlightened treatment for people with mental illness developed by Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride.
Today, the Richardson Olmsted Campus is home to one of the largest historic preservation projects in the nation. Since 2006, the nonprofit Richardson has been hard at work bringing the site back to life after decades of neglect.
Tom McNulty holds a Masters from Florida State University in Counseling Psychology & Human Systems. He was a child/adolescent/family therapist in a private psychiatric hospital then at a Day Treatment program - both in Florida. In 1988, he was recruited for a VP of Marketing position at BryLin Hospitals (for three years, he was also VP Addition Medicine). He also created an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Progressive Corporate Care, Inc. and later , in 1994, Primary Behavioral Health - a Management Service Organization (MSO) blending behavioral and primary care.From 1995-2015, Tom hosted 800+ weekly, health talk radio programs: Frankly Speaking on WBEN-AM 930, Mind Matters in 1996 (first ever weekly on behavioral health-WHTT-FM 104.1), and Spotlight on Health on WECK-AM then MIX 96.1. In 2007, he was highly recruited to be the President & CEO of the Mental Health Association of Erie County. (MHA) It was there he created the first national chapter of the very successful Give An Hour program and, with the Erie County Bar Association, he created Take a Case - both initiatives for returning veterans. These efforts led to the "Salute to Service" fundraiser designed to foster a symbiotic relationship between the agency and WNY Heroes, Inc. The sold out event raised $221,000 in one night. While at MHA, Tom also began the Healthy Eating Institute to foster education about eating and mental health - also to address the obesity pandemic and garner much more attention to anorexia nervosa and bulimia. The Behavioral Informatics Center initiative was getting legs to integrate metrics in all of MHA's programs and be a Center of Excellence for providers. His idea for workplace behavioral health support, Mind Your Own Business was frowned upon as was growing the veteran mental health programs. Tom moved back to full time consulting where being your own boss meant things get done - like EPISODES!!
Peter Hertsgaard has a Masters in Fine Art (MFA). He is an actor, director, producer, creator, writer, and business entrepreneur. He owns several companies in the industry. He has utilized very sophisticated behavioral health tools and themes in his interactive theater methods of facilitating Fortune 100 companies, unions, educational universities/colleges, and not for profits to learn and embrace change. His areas of expertise include: conflict resolution, domestic violence in the workplace, corporate trauma, lack of diversity and acceptance of all people, sexual harassment, addiction, and most of today's dysfunctional behaviors in the workplace. It was behavioral health training that brought Tom and Peter together when Tom was at BryLin Hospitals and hired Theater for Change - Peter was an actor in the business. Their combined experiences and belief systems help craft what is now Episodes. Peter is the Director of Episodes. He is also the co-writer, executive producer, and President of Episodes Motion Pictures.
