Invest in Open Secret: The Film

Message from the filmmaker behind Open Secret:

Hello, my name is Kerry David, thank you for your interest in investing alongside us in Open Secret.

I started filming Open Secret five years ago with a small crew of passionate filmmakers. What we uncovered fundamentally changed the way we view our educational institutions and the blind trust we place in those who work in and around their confines.

We believe it will change yours too.

It will also give you the tools & insight to prevent your child from becoming a victim of a predator.

We’re excited to share that we are 80% complete with filming and seeking the final 20% to finish our film and support the release of Open Secret nationwide this summer!

Open Secret exposes corrupt systems, administrators and elected officials who colluded and covered up child sexual assaults in New Hanover County School District. We reveal how they controlled the narrative around abuse, protecting predators over children - AND THEY DID IT FOR DECADES.

That is, until a few courageous residents decide to unite and challenge them. Open Secret is an inspirational journey of their courage - we document a community rising.

Much was accomplished by intimidating victims and their families into a culture of silence and fear, which is why Open Secret will loudly and openly expose ALL that we uncovered in our five year journey,

We feel humbled and privileged to have documented these community members who risked so much to seek justice and accountability for these survivors. All in the service of saving future children.

This is their story....

Thank you for supporting Open Secret. It's more than a film - it's a movement.

Kerry David, Filmmaker

What we reveal in Open Secret, WILL save a child from becoming a victim of predators. It's imperative we finish and release this summer. We are almost there.

IF YOU INVEST WITH US TODAY, we will be.

A CLIP FROM OPEN SECRET: How it began....

Sherri Yelton became a whistleblower, and was retaliated against for writing a damning report outlining multiple child safety issues. As a mother of two, she felt it was her responsibility to raise the alarm. She paid a high price for speaking up.

UNCW Professor, Clyde Edgerton, also noticed an alarming trend - and tried to bring it to the attention of the administration and school board of education. He was met with the same resistance.

When the two came together and compared notes - they knew they needed to enlist others: this was when they met Reverend Dante Murphy - he joined the team ..... and a movement began.

Documentaries are having a resurgence and part of that has been linked to User Generated Content (UGC) being the fastest growing sector in the entertainment industry.

A CLIP FROM OPEN SECRET: "Passing the Trash"

We have interviewed family members, experts, witnesses - even attorneys representing multiple victims of alleged sexual abuse who wanted to speak on camera with us because of the inaction and stonewalling they experienced from New Hanover County School District.

Attorney, Faith Fox of the Cochran Law Offices in Charlotte, herself a mother, was staggered by the actions of New Hanover County Schools towards one of her clients:

When teachers are moved from school to school for inappropriate behavior with children - it's called, "Passing the Trash". Meaning, it happens so often, there is a term for it.

A CLIP FROM OPEN SECRET:

How did Open Secret get its name? Because people knew...A LOT of people knew.

Some were complicit in covering-up allegations of abuse, some looked the other way and others ... we still don't understand why they didn't act because they were court mandated reporters - they were legally obligated to report. They didn't. And children suffered.

RELEASE STRATEGY FOR OPEN SECRET

Our release strategy is to screen Open Secret throughout the United States theatrically, in community venues, educational settings, special events, and then globally. Partnering with a social impact specialist, we will strategically release from the east coast to the west coast, with targeted panel discussions and Q&A's after select screenings. Main point of discussion with our viewers will be how educational institutions can become safe environments for children to learn and grow, unimpeded by child predators and those who enable them. And how parents can start looking for signs and learn preventative measures that will protect their children.

A CLIP FROM OPEN SECRET: "There were reasons for that fear."

Multiple families were terrified to come forward after seeing others were retaliated against when speaking up. It took Professor Clyde Edgerton and Reverend Dante Murphy taking these facts to the School Board of Education (all of whom knew about these allegations as they were either the recipient of multiple correspondence and emails from parents and survivors, or cc'd on them).

A CLIP FROM OPEN SECRET:

Journalist to the Chair of the School Board of Education: "Why hold a press conference if you aren't going to answer these questions that everyone in this county wants to know?"

A Powerful Team of Allies And Wide Network:

Open Secret's film crew, growing cast of contributors, experts, investors, podcasters and allies collectively open up a vast marketing network to our team as we release the film.

While this film is very much a passion project for the majority of us, we are incredibly grateful to our investors, without whom, we could not finish and share this film, which is why it is our greatest area of focus to return your investment and ROI to you, while simultaneously sharing information that will SAVE A CHILD'S LIFE.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES ON OPEN SECRET:

We have a wealth of experts speaking up for children in our film, including CA attorney, Ray Boucher who has successfully settled sexual abuse cases against the Catholic Church for his clients, collectively totaling $1.2 Billion.

His experience with survivors of sexual abuse and how predators behave in the church are chillingly similar to those we ourselves uncovered and show how predators everywhere practically act from the same playbook.

First they groom the community, then they groom the families, and then they groom the child - much of this overlaps, but there are deeper reasons why communities often rally around the accused, and victim blame and shame. The predators spend time grooming them. School ground predators can attain "Teach of the Year" status - convincing everyone what a 'great guy" they are. So much so, you would never believe they were capable of such a heinous and criminal act....

They rely on us to believe them over the child - every time.

Tim Kennedy and Matt Beaudreau, Open Secret contributors and Co-Founders of the successful franchise, Apogee Schools.

Special Forces, Bronze Medal of Courage Recipient, Tim Kennedy and TEDx Speaker, Disruptor and Educator, Matt Beaudreau, Co-Founders of Apogee also support Open Secret.

What's Your Why? Tim Kennedy's "Why"

MMA/UFC fighter, Special Forces, Bronze Medal for Valor, Entrepreneur and Apogee Co-Founder, supports and contributes to our documentary, Open Secret - "What's Your Why?"

Open Secret Director/Producer/Writer interviewed by SuperPowers' Host & Founder, Devin Thorpe:

"It's more than a film, it's a mission."

The clip below is from a recent interview of Open Secret's producer, writer and director, Kerry David and Founder of SuperPowers, Devin Thorpe.

Open Secret's Director, Kerry David, interviewed by Devin Thorpe, host and founder of Super Powers for Good.

"I have the greatest admiration and respect for the survivors and advocates we filmed. They dared greatly against the odds, and challenged the systemic corruption that has traumatized so many children and families in their community.

For me it's simple, their courage and unity deserve to be witnessed." Filmmaker, Kerry David

Child sexual abuse is a global crisis. Our children are under attack, and it demands our attention NOW! Lean in with us. Take this film across the finish line and out into the world where it will raise awareness - and provide tools for prevention against further sexual abuse.

Open Secret: It's more than a film, it's a mission.

Invest with us and follow our journey as we post behind-the-scenes clips and outtakes, links to interviews and podcasts along the way.

Our social media platforms: IG and TikTok (@OpenSecretTheFilm)

SUPER POWERS FOR GOOD CLIP:

Click here for Kerry's Film & TV Credits