We’re creating a feature documentary that uncovers the hidden history of the Sheboygan County Hospital — a place where lives intersected in complex, moving, and often forgotten ways. Watch our campaign video to learn why this story matters and how you can help bring it to life.
Summary
My name is Kate Arpke Houle and there is a story that has been gently tapping me on the shoulder for years, until last summer when it started actively not just tapping, but shoving me around and demanding to be made. This is when my partner, Rob and I got the chance to visit the mental hospital where my dad grew up and we decided that it was important to bring our cameras. This is the very true family story of my dad and his siblings and their wildly unique upbringing in a county mental institution in rural Wisconsin. My father’s parents (my grandparents) were the live-in superintendents and caretakers of what was once The Sheboygan County Hospital and is now dubbed, “The Insane Asylum” for the various ghost hunters, haunted attractions, and airsoft players that the now closed facility plays host to in order to keep the building and property maintained. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​
We started pre-production and filming in the summer of 2024. We have already put a year of work into making this documentary film a reality. So far this film has been entirely self-funded and we need the resources to continue this project and finish the movie! Ask yourself if this is a film that you would want to see and if it is a movie you would pay to see and consider helping fund this production now. This campaign is incredibly close to our hearts because it is focused on preserving not only a major piece of family history but also Wisconsin history, and mental health history while exploring concepts in both paranormal activity and horror themed entertainment.
This film uncovers the whole truth rather than having my family’s legacy become nothing more than a haunted attraction. This project is incredibly urgent because of the nature of life, death and cyclical fading of generations, the fact that we still have access to some of the people and the location itself is not lost on us and we are acutely aware that time is limited and running out. Further it is a timely story for the present day; between the arts and mental health programs being gutted and defunded right now, and sensational headlines splashing across screens, there is no better time for a movie that brings a very human story back into focus and examines history, family and love through an empathetic rather than polarizing lens. It is our goal to have all filming completed by November of 2025 and a rough cut edited together by January 2026 and a final cut by the beginning of April 2026 and ready for festivals, educational licensing, community screenings and eventually streaming services. While the movie will get finished regardless, we absolutely can’t hit these goals and deadlines without your help!
Asylum: Not Abandoned - Sizzle Reel. A first glimpse at the story we’re bringing to the screen and some of the footage we have shot so far.
What We Need & What You Get
Your support will help us cover essential costs associated with filming and post-production, ensuring that we can create a compelling and impactful story. It is our hope to find support through grants and backers as well. Having a successful Indiegogo campaign with momentum will demonstrate that this film has legs both through support and an audience. Your contribution towards funding will help us keep moving with this project as well as make us look good for additional grants and investors.
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Here’s what we need funding for:
Your support will help fund the extensive continuing historical research, on-going production costs, travel for conducting and capturing important interviews, updated equipment needs, additional crew, the long process of post-production, editing, color-correction, sound-design, a musical score, consulting, film festival submissions, distribution and travel associated with marketing and building awareness to give it as broad of a reach as possible! We have gotten really far on our own, but now we could use some help to get through the next phases of this monumental undertaking.
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Your support means the world to us, and we can’t wait to share this journey with you. Thank you for being a part of our story!
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All contributions are greatly appreciated and backers will receive the same perks that will be available on our IndieGoGo page based on the contribution amount. Here is our current list of perks.
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For contributions at $500 or more, you will receive an "Associate Producer" credit.
For contributions at $1,000 or more, you will receive an "Co-Producer" credit.
For contributions at $5000 or more, you will receive an "Executive Producer" credit.
Contact us for other funding options
We have chosen IndieGoGo as our fundraising platform because of its international reach, and respectability in the creative world as well as its accessibility and credibility for future grants and investors. Additionally, IndieGoGo will help us as we progress into post-production to build visibility, a community and an audience around this film. However, they do take a 7% cut of the funds raised and hold on to it until the campaign ends. This isn’t necessarily ideal for us as we need production funds to move forward now! And yes—of course there are going to be some cool rewards and unique perks for backers: early access to the film, behind-the-scenes updates, your name in the credits, and much more! These perks will be available to everyone who backs the film, not just the IndieGoGo backers. Our goal is to raise at least $25,000 to keep production moving.
Other Ways You Can Help
We understand that not everyone can contribute financially, but there are still many valuable ways to support our campaign! Here are some simple actions you can take to help us spread the word:
Spread the Word:
Share a link to this page with your friends, family, and social networks. The more people who know about our project, the better our chances of reaching our goal!
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Make Some Noise:
​Use your voice to advocate for our documentary! Talk about it in person, on social media, or through any community groups you’re a part of. Your enthusiasm can inspire others to get involved.
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Stay connected with us for updates and news about the project. Your support, whether financial or through sharing, is crucial to our success!
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Every little bit helps, and we truly appreciate your support in any form. Thank you for being a part of our journey!