The Treasure of Oak Island
Project Synopsis
Over 300 years ago, two young lads on a small island off the
South Shore of Nova Scotia made a discovery, one which initiated a quest, which
continues to this very day. They found evidence of a block and tackle, which had
been supported by an oak tree and suspended over an area of disturbed earth. To
what purpose and what lay beneath? As their minds raced with thoughts of buried
pirate treasure (for these waters had been a favourite refuge of marauding
pirates and privateers), they dug with their bare hands until they discovered a
platform of timbers. Obviously, the construction was meant to protect something
of value, safe from prying eyes. When the boys returned with family and tools, a
concerted effort was made to unearth the treasure, digging down almost sixty
feet and encountering further platforms, at regular 10-foot intervals.
Exhausted, they called it a day and returned to their farms and villages to
properly plan their next efforts.
The following day they rested, for it was the Sabbath, but with renewed resolve
and materials they returned on Monday morning. However, the "money
pit" as it had now been branded was now filled to the brim with water, no
doubt supplied by the incoming tides.
For the next 200 years, uninterrupted, a vicious pattern set in: some flamboyant
entrepreneur would take up the cause, raise the necessary investment capital and
try again, convinced that now, surely, they "were so close". But every
company met with the same fate, financial ruin or the return of the dreaded
flooding.
The years went by.
By the turn of the century, the chase began in earnest. Miners, oil wildcatters
and engineers, spent millions with tools ranging from drilling rigs to dynamite.
The players ranged from an American President, Theodore Roosevelt to actors John
Wayne and Errol Flynn. But for all the digging, draining and blasting, all they
ended up with was a number of holes, all full of water.
Nothing.
By the sixties, the action shifted to the courtrooms as a feud emerged between
Oak Island's only two legal occupants, who to this day haven't spoken in 30
years, nor will they let any stranger set foot on their land.
So far, six people have died in the attempt. There is a story of a curse that
seven will die before the treasure is found. So what we have is the world's
greatest unsolved mystery, a stone's throw from the shore of Canada's most
picturesque province. Theories range from pirate gold to the Holy Grail, the
lost manuscripts of Shakespeare and even to alien visitors. All we know for sure
is that somebody went to a very great deal of trouble to hide something,
something, which we must assume to be of great value, either financially or
historically, or both.
So what's new about this story that hasn't already been covered in numerous
books, essays and previous documentaries? The only treasure we, as producers,
may be certain of is the massive built-in audience for there is a veritable
industry in Oak Island curiosity.
We live and work very near to Oak Island and have somewhat become
"locals" ourselves, and as such we have a more first-hand knowledge of
the goings-on in this tiny village. And there are some very significant
goings-on going on. For example, last summer a tourist from the UK showed up,
unannounced, with 30 years of amateur detective work under his belt. He had
intimate knowledge of the original parties involved, who built it and what they
concealed. He had knowledge of the island that even the residents didn't.
And he isn't alone.
Our story tells the human tale of people pursuing their dreams, relentlessly,
perhaps to the point of obsession. We have confidential materials at our
disposal, which leave us convinced that a solution is at hand and that the
unearthing of the treasure is eminent. If the historical evidence holds up, the
site will produce 50,000 to 60,00 pounds of gold and 18 caskets of precious
stones, mostly rubies and diamonds. A portion of it was once offered to the King
of England to pay off the national debt of the UK, in exchange for clemency. It
could conceivably affect the very economies of Canada and Nova Scotia, on a
dramatic scale, and even require us to re-write several history books.
We emphasize that this is a multi-platform production with a heavy Web Site
component. The TV portion is linear by nature, 2 hours in length with four
partitions:
1. The History
2. The Mystery
3. The Questions
4. The Answers
The Web site will deal with the width and breadth of the information, especially
the detail of the various theories. It will be highly interactive and cater to
the enormous audience which is aware of, and insatiably curious about, this
mystery. It will feature several areas where viewers can submit comment and
enter into dialogue, both with professionals who have explored this mystery and
with other amateur sleuths. It is our ambition to collate the body of evidence
which is scattered and fragmented and veiled with speculation and controversy.
What we have for sure is a fresh take on a great story, not just of treasure but
of people who really are dreamers and doers.
If we produce it, they will watch.
