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Dover's Alfred Thomas Catalfo — "Freddie" to his friends — says that it all comes down to one thing for him.

Whether you're writing a script, directing a film, acting, even trying a case in the courtroom, it's all about telling a story, explains the Seacoast filmmaker, songwriter-musician and personal injury attorney.

"You're asking an audience — and a jury — to go on a journey with you, and you're saying that you'll be authentic, engaging and that their time will be well-spent," he said.

Those familiar with the Seacoast native's talents in the many creative aspects of his life say that he can be counted on to deliver in all of those areas.

He's an inspiration to everyone around him, said Jeff Spires of Dover, producer-director at Spires Video Services and the director of photography on Catalfo's last five projects, including the new short film, "Bighorn," a supernatural historical fantasy shot on the Seacoast this summer and based on a fact: that General George Armstrong Custer's bandmaster, Felix Vinatieri, an Italian immigrant and the great-great-grandfather of 2002 Patriots' Super Bowl winning kicker Adam Vinatieri, was ordered to stay behind at the 7th Cavalry's Powder River camp and missed the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

The story takes place in 2002 and 1876. After reviewing the script, the NFL, in what Catalfo said is a first for independent film, granted him permission to use footage from the Super Bowl.

Steve Alexander, recognized by the U.S. Congress as the world's foremost living Custer historian, portrays Custer.

It has its Seacoast premiere during "New Hampshire Night" activities at 8:30 p.m. today at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, opening night of the four-day 2010 New Hampshire Film Festival. It will have an encore screening at 4:45 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 17) at the Foobar restaurant in the Port City, the last day of the festival. After the festival, it is to be made available on the Internet via the movie's Web site, www.BighornMovie.com.

"Bighorn's" world premiere came Oct. 7 during the 12th Annual Custer Week in General Custer's hometown of Monroe, Mich.

"I think it's his best work to date," said actor Michael Walsh of Farmington, N.H., who has the lead as skeptical professor John Flaherty. He also had the lead role in Catalfo's 2006 Internet triumph, "The Norman Rockwell Code," a 35-minute spoof of "The Da Vinci Code," timed for release the day the film of Dan Brown's mega best-selling book opened in theaters.

It was featured in Entertainment Weekly's "The Must List" ("Ten Things We Love This Week") and had more than one million online hits in three months. The Library of Congress, much to the amazement of Catalfo, selected "The Norman Rockwell Code" for inclusion in its film collection featuring works by American filmmakers chosen on the basis of their historical, cultural or aesthetic significance.

"I actually knew Dan (Brown) before we did 'The Norman Rockwell Code.' He congratulated us and asked for a DVD, which I sent over. He's always been very gracious," Catalfo recalled.

Catalfo feels "Bighorn" is the best of his body of work of short films, which he has written, produced and directed, including a comedy, a dark comedy, a thriller and what he calls "The Twilight Zone-ish "Bighorn."

"Hopefully, we get better at storytelling, directing, producing, editing and understanding pacing," he explained. He believes that being an attorney, particularly a trial attorney, can offer some deep and interesting insights into the human psyche, psychology and the way conflicts develop and are resolved. "That makes you a better storyteller, even when it's a work of fiction," he said.

Walsh said it is Catalfo's "unbridled imagination," coupled with his boundless energy and love for history and science that has fueled his intriguing story of "Bighorn."

Performance artist Jeff Onore of Boston can't wait to see it. He was in Catalfo's "Ear Whacks," a five-minute dark comedy about a Las Vegas gambling addict whose best friend, a hit man, lends him an ear on his wedding.

Onore hails the filmmaker as extremely talented and driven.

"His scripts are fun, smart, inspirational. I have known him for a long time, have read much of his work and all of his films should be made," he said. "Freddie is a kind and gentle and humble guy. He is smart, cool, creative and always positive about not only his projects, but also his friends. He is a tremendous asset to the creative community, not only in New Hampshire, but New England. He is a good listener, tremendously creative."

He also happens to be an exceptional songwriter, Onore adds, "winning the first MTV Basement tapes competition." "I always felt that his songs could be huge."

The feature film scripts he has written include dramas, thrillers, action-adventure and comedies He was a winner and/or finalist in 21 major screenwriting competitions in three years with three different film scripts. He has been cited for writing that "exemplifies dedication to creative, innovative, visionary storytelling."

He recently wrote a pilot for an HBO/Showtime-style original series about which producers are excited, Catalfo said.

Seacoast filmmaker Marc Dole of Newmarket praises Catalfo as one of the best writers with whom he has ever worked.

"He always has a great story to tell and I have always admired the way he networks before, during and after production to help maximize the amount of help needed to get a great project done and make people aware of that final product," he said. "I think I am the only non-actor that has worked on all his films since 2003, and he has helped on most of mine."

There's a Seacoast creative network based on friendships and filmmaking, Catalfo acknowledged. "Many of my friends are filmmakers and we help each other out. If any of us had to pay for everything, with all of the equipment, elements and crew that are required, it would be prohibitively expensive to make short films," he explained.

The budget for each of his short films is under $5,000. "There is almost no way of significantly monetizing a short film. You do it for the love of the craft, to tell a story and to demonstrate that you're capable of doing a feature film," he said. "Any artistic endeavor is a leap of faith."

Portsmouth's Chase Bailey of Left Bank Films, the executive producer of "Bighorn," has been particularly supportive, he said. Bailey was John Malkovich's film production partner and executive producer of "The Libertine," starring Johnny Depp, and producer of "The Life Before Her Eyes," starring Uma Thurman and Dakota Fanning.

"I love that crazy, crazy man," quips Bailey of Catalfo. "He is a very good writer with very good instincts," he adds. "His directing style is sort of out there, but he gets it done."

Michael Walsh admires Catalfo's ability to make connections and his faith that "serendipity will come to his aid." "I've never seen it fail him," he said. "Among other traits, he has an ability to facilitate his films on his resourcefulness and little to no money."

"As Freddie will tell you," adds cinematographer Jeff Spires of Dover, "his mind is in Hollywood, but he lives in New Hampshire, disguised as a trial lawyer." "Every day, as lawyer, filmmaker and parent, he continues to go for it, no matter what yesterday brought, not matter what went wrong. There is a side to Freddie that won't give up, no matter the odds and we all admire his tenacious attitude to become a successful filmmaker. That's truly inspirational to me and the people who are around him."

Catalfo believes his strengths as a filmmaker are recognizing that the story always comes first and being able to work with people in what are often fairly chaotic environments.

"It's very easy to get wrapped up in the technical aspects of filmmaking, especially with all the new technology out there," he explains.

The people he works with, he adds, are very smart when it comes to camera, lighting, and special effects and are wonderful collaborators. "I try to focus on story structure, getting good performances from the actors and moving the project forward to completion," he said.

Catalfo has been a staple in the Seacoast film community for years, said Portsmouth filmmaker Michael Venn who was asked to be part of "Bighorn." "I've always thought of Freddie as a good writer whose works have a 'Twilight Zone-esque' quality to them," he said.

Having a story he really wants to tell inspires Catalfo, who majored in history in his undergraduate work. He said he always has been fascinated by "odd, truth-is-stranger-than-fiction stories that are just stunning." "People think you're kidding when you explain what happened," he said.

The subject of fate interests him too. His 2008 film, "The Stag Hunt," focused on the probability theory. "Consciously or unconsciously, people are playing the odds with everyday decisions on a moment-by-moment basis," he explained.

GO PATS!

He first heard the story of Felix Vinatieri and the 7th Cavalry Band when the Patriots won the Super Bowl in 2002. He was intrigued by the story and always remembered it, finally writing the script early this year. It seemed obvious to him that it needed to be presented in parallel time periods — telling Felix's story in 1876 and tying it to Adam's accomplishment in 2002.

He believes "Bighorn" will have a very broad appeal because of its engaging, concisely told story "with a Twilight Zone-ish flair."

Besides being entertained, he hopes viewers take an understanding that "sometimes destiny is not amorphous, but a real, tangible thing — that life is tenuous and that a path taken or not taken by a person can have an effect even generations later."

Had Felix Vinateri rode into battle with Custer at Bighorn, would the Patriots still been victors of the 2002 Super Bowl? Or would it also have been New England's Last Stand?

Pats' fans shudder to even consider that possibility!