As I mentioned last week, my brother Blake, of Bitchin’ Film Reviews, loves the PostSecret project. He volunteered to review the latest book, PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death, and God, and conduct an interview with the author and project founder, Frank Warren. Make sure to check out both the review post and the interview below.
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Blake: Thanks for taking the time to take to The Bluestocking Society, Frank.
Frank: My pleasure!
B: Let’s start with some background stuff. How did you come up with the idea for PostSecret?
F: I have a rich interior life that I didn’t get to share sometimes. And I thought if I could make a safe, non-judgmental place where you could share inside jokes, fears, thoughts, it would be really special.
B: What was your profession before this project?
F: I was a small business owner and entrepreneur for over 20 years. I actually just recently sold my business so I’m focusing on PostSecret exclusively. I spend fifty or sixty hours a week on it.
B: What do you spend those hours doing?
F: I do a lot of traveling. Last week I was in New York doing the Today Show, I travel a lot with the PostSecret exhibit. I read the postcards, respond to emails, etc., etc..
B: I saw on your website that PostSecret.com recently surpassed 270.000.000 visitors and according to the site, you received around 200 secrets in the mail a day. Why do you think the PostSecret project is so universally appealing?
F: That’s really been the big shock. It’s a project that means a lot to me personally, so seeing how it resonates with people is amazing. We’ve sold over one million books now. I think it’s appealing because of the level of vulnerability and honesty that people are willing to share. They enjoy that feeling, and they like feeling it over and over again. Then, you see secrets on a stranger’s postcard that reminds you of your own secrets and you get to feel a solidarity that may have previously eluded you.
B: You started the project by handing out blank postcards in Washington, DC and asking people to send them their secrets anonymously. Did you originally intend the postcards to be pieces of art?
F: Well, the original instructions was to take a four by six postcard, and treat it like a blank canvas. People really just ran with idea, and now, as you can see, the art is equally as important as the words.
B: PostSecrets has exploded on a global level. Is it now what you intended it to be when you started?
F: No, I never wanted to impose my own goals or ideas on the project, I really listened to the community and tried to develop it in the best interest in the project. Now, the project includes traveling to college campuses to share some of the inspiring and funny stories behind the secrets and listening to other people share theirs.
B: The new book is called PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death, and God. Why did you choose to this specific focus for the fifth book, and how is it fundamentally different than the previous ones?
F: Over the years, the secrets have become more soulful and meaningful. Of course, in every book (this one included) there are secrets that are funny, optimistic, sexual, and shocking. But this lastest book has secrets that reveal some of the deepest feelings about the great mysterious of life.
B: So, would you say the theme of PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death, and God is representative of where the project is going on the whole?
F: Uh, Yes, I would.
B: Besides America, what country sends you the most secrets?
F: It’s a tie between the UK, South America, and Australia. Where are you located?
B: Utah.
F: There are actually a surprising number of secrets from Utah. I started noticing a long time ago postmarks from Salt Lake City showing up frequently.
B: I would guess that’s a result of the intense religious atmosphere here.
F: Well, I think that that sort of environment can be extremely close knit, but also foster a fear of sharing our deepest fears, thoughts and hopes.
B: Is there a country that generally has particularly memorable secrets?
F: I receive a lot of very impactful secrets from Iraq and Afghanistan from soldiers.
B: If there is one, what would you say is the most common theme among all the secrets you get?
F: It’s always expressed in many different ways, but the most common theme is the idea that we’re all on this lifelong journey looking for that one person that we can tell all our secrets to.
B: You donate to, and do a lot of work with the National Hopeline Network. Why are you so involved with this foundation?
F: I won’t say that there’s a direct connection between having secrets and suicide, but I think those considering it are a lot of times weighted down with them. When I came up with the idea for PostSecret, I was working as a volunteer at one of their call centers. And I’ve personally lost a close friend and family member to suicide. The PostSecret community has been very generous to this cause as well, donating over $100,000 dollars.
B: You spend quite a bit of time touring colleges, what’s your favorite part about that?
F: I love sharing the stories behind the secrets, and listening to secrets shared at these events. It keeps the project fresh and alive for me. I enjoy going to colleges, and I think that young people are at a more vital point in their lives. They seem to be more honest about themselves and more courageous about sharing their stories.
B: What is your favorite secret that you’ve received in the mail?
F: That’s tough. I got one that was written on a Starbucks coffee mug that said, ‘I serve decaf to customers that are rude to me.’ I really liked that one.
B: Do you get a lot of secrets sent to you on things other than postcards?
F: Not often, but I’ve been sent secrets on bags of coffee, a potato was delivered just the other day with something written on it. Someone sent a naked polaroid picture of themselves once.
B: How do you pick the cards that get published online or in your books?
F: I just pick the ones the feel the most authentic or vulnerable. Or those that I feel are sharing something new. It doesn’t matter if they’re funny, sexual, or painful.
B: Do you have other projects in the works?
F: We’re trying to find a way to tell the story of PostSecret through film and television. But this is very, very slow process.
B: You did work with the All-American Rejects for one of their music videos, right?
F: Yes, I provided them with a bunch of the secrets I’d received, and in return they made a large donation to National Hopeline.
B: What’s in your CD player right now?
F: I just bought at Barnes and Noble one of Coldplay’s older albums, I heard it was better than their newest. I’m really enjoying that. On my iTunes, I’m listening to Gogol Bordello a lot right now.
B: I love Gogol Bordello.
F: Russian punk rock is really interesting. Their attitude differs so much from American performers.
B: What’s in your DVD player?
F: Last night I just purchased the collection of Stanley Kubrick films, so I’m going to go against what’s socially acceptable and say it’s A Clockwork Orange.
B: Stanley Kubrick is one of my favorite directors as well.
F: For me, what Kubrick does with film is phenomenal. No one comes close to what he’s done, for example, in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
B: What’s your favorite Kubrick film?
F: Just in terms of storytelling and craft, Full Metal Jacket is outstanding. With PostSecret, I try to run it as precisely and cleanly as possible. I’ll wake up in the middle of the night with thoughts, concerns, and ideas, and I use them to try to get everything out of it I can. I get the feeling that Kubrick did that with his films, with his actors. Doing all those takes to get the best film possible.
B: What’s on your DVR?
F: Madmen and the world series of poker.
B: Who would play Frank Warren in the PostSecret movie?
F: It’s kind of sad, but I’m a huge fan of Heath Ledger. I thought he was the most versatile actor in this age and time. I was very sorry to read of his passing.
B: What’s next for PostSecret?
F: Just trying not to screw it up. It’s a really special relationship that I’ve been able to earn with strangers so they’ll share their secrets with me, and I just want to keep it going.
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Thanks to Blake and Frank for conducting this interview. Make sure to check out the website for PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death, and God, the new PostSecret video, the PostSecret website, and Blake’s review of the latest PostSecret book.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I love the PostSecret project! It inspired me to create http://www.SecretRegrets.com — a site where people anonymously post the BIGGEST regret of their life. PostSecret is about secrets and artfully designed postcards. SecretRegrets is about regrets told through raw, emotional stories — with anonymous supportive comments from complete strangers. Check it out and follow on Twitter @SecretRegrets and become a fan of the Secret Regrets Facebook Fan Page.
I am a huge fan of the PostSecret site. I’m so envious that he got to interview Frank. wow.
Awesome interview!
I loved the interview, and I’m interested to check out the website and book. Good job, Blue Stockings Society!