Film Site Diagram Dilemma

After Patterson and Gimlin filmed the bigfoot at Bluff Creek on October 20, 1967, most researchers, including John Green and Rene Dahinden, were convinced that it would only be a matter of months before a bigfoot was either properly filmed, or indeed captured or killed. The film was, at it were, the beginning of the end for proving the existence of the creature.

As a result, not a lot was immediately done with regard to going to the film site and taking proper measurements of objects in relation to the camera position. Fortunately, Lyle Laverty was there the next day after the filming and took photographs of the footprints. Then Bob Titmus took casts of the prints on October 29, 1967, and drew a proper diagram of the site and the filming action, but he did not take and provide measurements.

What sparked Rene Dahinden to take measurements four years later (1971) was probably because the creature had not yet been caught (either again on film or physically). The inference here is that he reasoned we should get as much as we can on what we have. Rene, however, was not experienced in this sort of work. Nevertheless, to his credit, he did borrow and use a surveyor's tape and develop a plan of action, using a film frame for reference (fortunately, the film site remained essentially the same during the intervening years. It has now been virtually obliterated by Bluff Creek). Also to his credit, he did solicit the help of Igor Bourtsev for the preparation of a proper film site diagram. Although communications got a little messed up in this process, their final diagram was essentially correct.

Recently (2005), as a result of Meet the Sasquatch, Igor revisited all of Rene's paperwork (basically photocopies of film frames with lines, measurements, and symbols) and worked with me in checking the original diagram. Igor found a few discrepancies, so we put together a revised diagram, which is shown here.

My objective in doing work in this connection, which includes construction of the film site model, was to get a better "picture" of the site (photographs can be very deceiving). As I have related in Meet the Sasquatch, a number of things were learned from the model.

I have received considerable feedback on my film site work, so those of you who are highly into the film, please print out the diagram illustrated and place it in your book to keep the record straight.

Tag: chris murphy roger patterson bob gimlin bigfoot bluff creek researchers john green rene dahinden filmed film film site laverty titmus casts prints diagram site creature igor bourtsev sasquatch