Kickstarter

GOAL REACHED! BUT FUNDRAISING CONTINUES!

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OPEN SECRET is a first-person documentary that chronicles Steve Lickteig’s 20-year search for 1) Who his real birth parents were; 2) Why a whole town kept the secret from him; and 3) How his family’s tumultuous history is bound up with Kansas itself, a misunderstood land of tornadoes, prairies, fried food and deep secrets.

When I started OPEN SECRET, I had no idea of the surprises waiting for me—or the amount of interest this project would generate. My family has come forward with revelations that have completely changed the story’s outcome. Producers, including HBO’s Documentary Films, have responded to the film and are waiting to see a rough cut.

NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO FUND OPEN SECRET. The film received initial funding from the Rosenthal Family Foundation and the Eastman Family Fund. From this support, we’ve completed 90% of the shooting and now are deep into the editing process. But we need your help.

OUR GOAL is raise five thousand dollars by February 16, 2010, in order to finish the film by May 31, 2010. This money will be used primarily for editing, which is the most time-intensive and expensive part of making a film like this. Given the enthusiasm expressed so far, I feel confident we can distribute the film through HBO, the BBC, or another quality venue. OPEN SECRET will eventually be available on a deluxe DVD with all the extras—and, I hope, your name in the credits as a funder!

SUPPORTERS LIKE YOU are essential to telling this story. After spending hours interviewing my family and the people I grew up with, I've come to realize that this story is about more than a secret; it's a story about difficult choices; parental love and personal identity. It's a story about family.

Making this film has not only helped me to understand the potency of secrets themselves, but also the power of talking about them. I think my family is stronger because of the process of making this film and I hope OPEN SECRET will inspire other families to talk about their history.

If you have questions about the film or if you'd be interested in making a tax deductible contribution, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

--Steve Lickteig

PRODUCTION TEAM

Charlotte Stoudt, Producer
Karen Everett, Supervising Editor
Bret Sigler, Editor
Laura Kissel, Director of Photography
Rob Hilton, Composer