Sunken Silver (East Texas Treasure Documentary)

Welcome to the new fundraising page for the documentary feature film, Sunken Silver. This new platform allows us to continue fundraising during the film's production.

Nearly 8 months ago, East Texas filmmakers Christian B. Roper and Brackston McKnight began researching a local treasure legend that has puzzled local communities for nearly two centuries. Never did they realize that they would eventually stumble upon the truth.

For the first time in history, one of the most incredible, yet unknown, treasure legends in America is coming to film. For over a century, men spent millions attempting to find pirate treasure at the bottom of small East Texas lake, and what they found ... just might surprise you. 

This film is aimed at bringing forth the possible truth behind the Hendricks Lake treasure legend while showcasing personal stories of searchers, new historical ties, and never-before-seen evidence. The goal is to provide an exceptional film that is not only historically significant, but also provides a rare look into one of the most incredible stories in Texas history.

Production will begin when $4000 has been raised. 

We aim to have the budget fully funded by June 1.

In short, we need community help in pulling this off. We've determined a minimum viable budget we hope to raise for this film to produce something that we would be proud of and something that we believe East Texas deserves. In return, we are offering perks which include various film credits for individuals and businesses. 

For Individuals we are offering the following:

$100 Donors will receive a Donor credit to name of choice
$500 Donors will receive an Associate Producer credit (with IMDB attribution)
$1000 Donors will receive an Executive Producer credit (with IMDB attribution) + attendance with team to film festivals

For Businesses we are offering the following:

$250 Donors will receive a Corporate Donor credit to business of choice
$500 Donors will receive a "Special Thanks To" credit at end of film + Signed 8"x10" framed poster thanking their business
$1000 Donors will receive a "Made Possible By" credit at beginning AND end of film + signed poster

Though not traditional advertising, this film has the potential to be seen by thousands across East Texas. We believe this is an ideal opportunity for a business looking for community involvement, and the signed poster would make for a great conversation starter in lobbies and offices. 

If you would like to claim one of these credits or would like to donate in other ways, feel free to contact us at [email redacted]. 

Your donations will allow us to cover the following necessities of our production:
- In-home interviews with several individuals associated with the legend (many of these people are out of state)
- Professional editing, audio, and scoring
- Licensing and fees associated with independent filmmaking
- Costs associated with widespread showings of the film, with the potential of getting the film hosted online to worldwide audiences

Our Research

Local legend states that 203 years ago, an incredible story started to take shape. One that would transform countless lives and lead to one of the greatest mysteries Texas would ever seek to solve. Many have told that $2 million in Spanish silver ingots, stolen from a Spanish galleon, Santa Rosa, by Galveston-area pirate Jean Laffite himself. The treasure was given to a band of smugglers led by Nicholas Trammel to be taken to St. Louis. However, upon fearing Spanish retaliation, the wagons - full of silver - were ordered to be hidden at the bottom of a lake in East Texas. The legend was so convincing that many men, as early as 1884 and as late as the 1970s, devoted their lives to finding the silver with several multi-million dollar searches. The possibility was so captivating that the stories of searchers spread across the country, helping ignite a resurgence of treasure hunting across the globe. 

I spent my life captivated by this legend, one seemingly misplaced and odd for this area. After months of our own research, we pose to you the question: What if these men were truly onto something? What if inaccuracy led to the wrong direction? We have identified several never-before-seen pieces of possible evidence, strange coincidences, and historical discrepancies that may forever change the way you view the Hendricks Lake treasure legend. If the story was fabricated, what purpose did it serve? And if the story is based on truth, just how much could we be able to prove? We present to you: Sunken Silver. 


sunkensilver.com

PRESS:

Longview News-Journal: "Stolen treasure, hidden mystery: Tatum-area lake lore focus of movie project "


Meet the Team: sunkensilver.com/team