Dear Friends,

“The Fabulous Ice Age” is my first feature length documentary film and I taught myself to be a filmmaker in order to tell this story.

For almost three decades I’ve chronicled life's stories, newsmakers and community as an independent freelance photographer and photo-journalist. I’ve authored three books - my first book “Love in the 90’s “ was about my grandparent's love story and now my first film explores the life of their son, my Uncle Roy. Over many decades, Roy Blakey has compiled an archive that illustrates the whole story to ensure that this great history will not be lost. “The Fabulous Ice Age” introduces us to the people who loved skating and changed the world by following their passion. These spectacular shows dominated live entertainment for decades and now they are gone or have transformed into a new genre of skating.

One hundred years ago, Charlotte - Berlin's ballerina on ice - took New York City by storm. Then, seventy years ago, my Uncle Roy fell in love with world and Olympic ice skating champion Sonja Henie and later went on to become an ice skater and photographer himself. Growing up, I was six when I first met Uncle Roy during one of his rare visits and he brought me a Japanese Kimono and dolls from the Orient. Mostly I knew him as a person in clown make-up smiling at me from a photo on my dresser. Roy was the exotic gypsy uncle who traveled to distant places as a skater in the ice shows.

Highlighted in the film is the story of skating pioneers Eddie and Roy Shipstad and Oscar Johnson, who started out entertaining people on the ponds of Minnesota and ended up inventing “Ice Follies”- the first touring ice show; Sonja Henie, once known as the richest woman in Hollywood, entertained crowds at hockey games on her way to movie fame and fortune; great showman John H. Harris helped create “Ice Capades,” and businessman Morris Chalfen introduced “Holiday on Ice” to the world.

After six years I am almost finished creating the film. I have invested over $100,000 of my savings account and my income as a photographer in order to bring this film to life. This is a story that needs to be told.

The film has made it this far with the aid of generous contributions from my friends, skating supporters, family, anonymous donors and co-producer Suzanne Jurva. People like former skater and Olympic Champion Dick Button, the “voice of figure-skating”, former skater/producer Tom Collins, and Ken Shelley, star of the Ice Capades plus many others who have all contributed to make this film a reality. This support has brought the film to 3/4 of the way through post-production and I have a picture lock!

Now I’m reaching the difficult part of finishing “The Fabulous Ice Age” - paying for all of the services. This film cannot be completed without your help. I'm asking you to please contribute what you can to help bring this film to completion and PLEASE ask your friends to do the same. The film is so very close to being completed - every single dollar helps.

Your $77,000 worth of support will cover: *

post-production editing

composer for additional work on her original score

DVD and Blue Ray set up and creation

rights clearance contract, legal, research,

festival fees & expenses,

color & sound mix

archival footage transfer fees and graphic design.

If you love skating, or fondly remember the excitement and joy of the great ice shows, were a show skater yourself, or are a fan of documentary films this is your moment to be a part of an exciting first-time telling of an amazing story.

Please spread the word to your friends/mailing-lists as well. To show my appreciation for your generous donations, I have come up with some FABULOUS incentives. For more information about The Fabulous Ice Age please visit the website at fabulousiceage.com. Thank you so much for your help!

Gratefully yours,

Keri Pickett, Pickett Pictures, LLC

* (minus 4% for Indigogo unless I don't make my goal and then they will take 9% of the total amount raised.)