BIGFOOT ENTERPRISES
Sequim, Washington | Film Feature
Drama, Film-related Business
BIGFOOT ENTERPRISES: THE TRUE-ISH ADVENTURES OF PATTERSON & GIMLIN dramatizes the people, motives, and media storm unleashed by the film of the world's most famous cryptid. A story about dreamers, hustlers, and skeptics, with all the heart and absurdity that comes with chasing the American Dream.
BIGFOOT ENTERPRISES
Sequim, Washington | Film Feature
Drama, Film-related Business
1 Campaigns | California, United States
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BIGFOOT ENTERPRISES: THE TRUE-ISH ADVENTURES OF PATTERSON & GIMLIN dramatizes the people, motives, and media storm unleashed by the film of the world's most famous cryptid. A story about dreamers, hustlers, and skeptics, with all the heart and absurdity that comes with chasing the American Dream.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
You’ve seen it a thousand times: the 16mm film clip of Bigfoot striding through the clearing, arms swinging, head and shoulders turned slightly toward the camera.
Small town dreamer Roger Patterson is constantly chasing the next big opportunity, from mini stagecoaches to vegetable juice enterprises. When he discovers a magazine article about mysterious creature sightings, he convinces his rodeo friend Bob Gimlin to join him on an expedition to film Bigfoot. Against all odds, they capture footage of what appears to be the legendary creature.
With the help of Hollywood publicist Barbara Palmieri, they launch “Bigfoot Enterprises.” Against the backdrop of the chaotic late ‘60s, Roger and his cohorts barnstorm their film to enthralled audiences around the country. While Roger embraces the spotlight, the more reserved Bob grows increasingly uncomfortable with the commercial aspects of their enterprise.
In the media frenzy that follows, competing Bigfoot hunters and skeptics accuse Roger of promoting a hoax, while true believers stay loyal. When LIFE Magazine offers a chance at legitimacy through a featured cover story - contingent on passing lie detector tests and expert validation - the controversy brings Roger face-to-face with a wall of scrutiny and his own mortality.
When Bigfoot wandered into the American imagination, the world embraced a mythical creature that has inspired generations to explore the unknown.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
I’ve been captivated by the Patterson-Gimlin film for most of my life. Growing up in the ’70s in Northern CA, that shaky strip of 16mm film was part of the cultural wallpaper — tucked between episodes of In Search Of…, Wild Kingdom, and those grainy specials about Jane Goodall that made the world feel full of mystery.
One day I asked myself, what if the camera had turned 180 degrees that day in October 1967? What would we see on the other side — the people behind the lens, their hopes, their hustle, their hunger to capture something bigger than themselves? I wanted to explore the world just outside the frame.
That question became BIGFOOT ENTERPRISES. It’s not about proving or debunking a myth — it’s about the dreamers who built one. It’s a story about faith, ambition, and the messy, beautiful human urge to believe in something just out of reach.
WHY NOW?
On April 1st, 2026 we were awarded The Washington State Filmworks Small Budget Production Incentive, which will cover 30% of our 300K budget. But, we need to raise the rest of the budget by September 1st or the incentive goes away!
We are going to equity investors, sponsors, the Bigfoot community and YOU to help us bring this story to life!
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP?
No cast, no movie. We have an amazing group of Washington based actors already cast for the film. Our budget, which comes in just below SAG's Ultra-Low threshold, has $24,990 carved out for our talented and dedicated cast.
We need your help to get them paid!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Supporting Cast
Costs $9,750
All performers will be paid the Screen Actor Guild's Ultra-Low Budget daily rate of $250/day.
Roger Patterson, Main Character
Costs $4,500
The actor playing Roger will be paid $250/day for 18 days.
Bob Gimlin, Main Character
Costs $3,250
The actor playing Bob will be paid $250/day for 13 days.
Barbara Palmieri, Main Character
Costs $1,500
The actor playing Barbara will be paid $250/day for 6 days.
SAG Pension, Health & Welfare
Costs $3,990
Per the SAG contract, an additional 21% of all wages must be paid into the Pension, Health & Welfare.
SAG Approved Payroll Service
Costs $2,000
12% of cast salary goes toward a Screen Actors Guild approved payroll service.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Eric Fulford - Director
Eric is an award-winning filmmaker, 3 time Emmy®Award-winning creative director, and founder of design agency BALLAST. Eric’s made a career of digging into the dusty reels of American storytelling. From the punk-legend skate myth of DAY AT THE POOL to the surreal Hollywood spiral of THE PLATINUM LOOP, the guy’s got a thing for stories where truth, fiction, and ambition all share a drink.
Mark Schwartz - Screenwriter/Producer
I love bringing history to life. Since moving to the Olympic Peninsula, my passion for Bigfoot has exploded. The feature I produced at a similar budget, VOYAGE OF THE HEART, an homage to a last of the Mohicans Italian fisherman, was distributed by First Look Studios and selected for the LA New Directors, Santa Barbara and Mill Valley Film Festivals. My INQUISITION series, set in 15th century Spain, is being developed by Barcelona-based Nostromo Pictures. My documentaries Miss or Myth?, Mi Vida, and Dollar a Day, Ten Cents a Dance, shave screened at Sundance, Berlin, Toronto, Los Angeles, London and Chicago Festivals and been broadcast on Bravo, PBS and the BBC.
Jennifer Ryan - Editor
Jennifer Ryan is an accomplished editor with a distinctive ability to shape compelling, award-winning work for clients including Netflix, The History Channel, and The Dollywood Company. Her craft blends creative intuition with technical precision, guided by a sharp editorial eye and an innate sense of narrative rhythm. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Fine Arts from UC Santa Barbara and has pursued advanced studies in Motion Design at Otis College of Art and Design and Film & Post-Production at UCLA.
Mark Yellen - Screenwriter/Producer
Mark Yellen has produced or executive produced over a dozen feature films, including Montana, Where the Rivers Flow North, Guncrazy, The Big Squeeze, Blast, Fist of the North Star, One Good Turn, and the award-winning Shiloh trilogy (Shiloh, Saving Shiloh, and Shiloh Season). Beyond feature films, Mark has produced or executive produced over 200 music videos and commercials for artists such as MC Hammer. Lil Wayne and En Vogue and brands including Honda Motorcycles, Charles Schwab, and BMW. In addition to Bigfoot Enterprises, Mark is currently in active development on the feature film adaptation of Joseph Wambaugh’s best-selling book, Finnegan’s Week (also with Schwartz); the reimagining of the “tall tale” Pecos Bill; and two television series: Age of Action with showrunner, Trey Callaway; and the adaptation of the life story of Emily “Mickey Hahn” titled: Shanghai ’35, with showrunner, Shaina Fewell.
Zoe Omega - Social Media Manager
A Seattle native, Zoe is the cofounder and Chief Operating Officer of Seattle Voice Lab. Graduating in the 2003 cohort of Reel Grrls, she worked at 911 Media Arts Center. Her films have been shown at multiple film festivals, most recently at the Show Me Consent Film Festival. Zoe has been active in the Washington film and arts scene since 2003. In 2022 she relocated to Port Angeles, in the heart of Bigfoot Country.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
You’ve seen it a thousand times: the 16mm film clip of Bigfoot striding through the clearing, arms swinging, head and shoulders turned slightly toward the camera.
Small town dreamer Roger Patterson is constantly chasing the next big opportunity, from mini stagecoaches to vegetable juice enterprises. When he discovers a magazine article about mysterious creature sightings, he convinces his rodeo friend Bob Gimlin to join him on an expedition to film Bigfoot. Against all odds, they capture footage of what appears to be the legendary creature.
With the help of Hollywood publicist Barbara Palmieri, they launch “Bigfoot Enterprises.” Against the backdrop of the chaotic late ‘60s, Roger and his cohorts barnstorm their film to enthralled audiences around the country. While Roger embraces the spotlight, the more reserved Bob grows increasingly uncomfortable with the commercial aspects of their enterprise.
In the media frenzy that follows, competing Bigfoot hunters and skeptics accuse Roger of promoting a hoax, while true believers stay loyal. When LIFE Magazine offers a chance at legitimacy through a featured cover story - contingent on passing lie detector tests and expert validation - the controversy brings Roger face-to-face with a wall of scrutiny and his own mortality.
When Bigfoot wandered into the American imagination, the world embraced a mythical creature that has inspired generations to explore the unknown.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
I’ve been captivated by the Patterson-Gimlin film for most of my life. Growing up in the ’70s in Northern CA, that shaky strip of 16mm film was part of the cultural wallpaper — tucked between episodes of In Search Of…, Wild Kingdom, and those grainy specials about Jane Goodall that made the world feel full of mystery.
One day I asked myself, what if the camera had turned 180 degrees that day in October 1967? What would we see on the other side — the people behind the lens, their hopes, their hustle, their hunger to capture something bigger than themselves? I wanted to explore the world just outside the frame.
That question became BIGFOOT ENTERPRISES. It’s not about proving or debunking a myth — it’s about the dreamers who built one. It’s a story about faith, ambition, and the messy, beautiful human urge to believe in something just out of reach.
WHY NOW?
On April 1st, 2026 we were awarded The Washington State Filmworks Small Budget Production Incentive, which will cover 30% of our 300K budget. But, we need to raise the rest of the budget by September 1st or the incentive goes away!
We are going to equity investors, sponsors, the Bigfoot community and YOU to help us bring this story to life!
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP?
No cast, no movie. We have an amazing group of Washington based actors already cast for the film. Our budget, which comes in just below SAG's Ultra-Low threshold, has $24,990 carved out for our talented and dedicated cast.
We need your help to get them paid!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Supporting Cast
Costs $9,750
All performers will be paid the Screen Actor Guild's Ultra-Low Budget daily rate of $250/day.
Roger Patterson, Main Character
Costs $4,500
The actor playing Roger will be paid $250/day for 18 days.
Bob Gimlin, Main Character
Costs $3,250
The actor playing Bob will be paid $250/day for 13 days.
Barbara Palmieri, Main Character
Costs $1,500
The actor playing Barbara will be paid $250/day for 6 days.
SAG Pension, Health & Welfare
Costs $3,990
Per the SAG contract, an additional 21% of all wages must be paid into the Pension, Health & Welfare.
SAG Approved Payroll Service
Costs $2,000
12% of cast salary goes toward a Screen Actors Guild approved payroll service.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Eric Fulford - Director
Eric is an award-winning filmmaker, 3 time Emmy®Award-winning creative director, and founder of design agency BALLAST. Eric’s made a career of digging into the dusty reels of American storytelling. From the punk-legend skate myth of DAY AT THE POOL to the surreal Hollywood spiral of THE PLATINUM LOOP, the guy’s got a thing for stories where truth, fiction, and ambition all share a drink.
Mark Schwartz - Screenwriter/Producer
I love bringing history to life. Since moving to the Olympic Peninsula, my passion for Bigfoot has exploded. The feature I produced at a similar budget, VOYAGE OF THE HEART, an homage to a last of the Mohicans Italian fisherman, was distributed by First Look Studios and selected for the LA New Directors, Santa Barbara and Mill Valley Film Festivals. My INQUISITION series, set in 15th century Spain, is being developed by Barcelona-based Nostromo Pictures. My documentaries Miss or Myth?, Mi Vida, and Dollar a Day, Ten Cents a Dance, shave screened at Sundance, Berlin, Toronto, Los Angeles, London and Chicago Festivals and been broadcast on Bravo, PBS and the BBC.
Jennifer Ryan - Editor
Jennifer Ryan is an accomplished editor with a distinctive ability to shape compelling, award-winning work for clients including Netflix, The History Channel, and The Dollywood Company. Her craft blends creative intuition with technical precision, guided by a sharp editorial eye and an innate sense of narrative rhythm. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Fine Arts from UC Santa Barbara and has pursued advanced studies in Motion Design at Otis College of Art and Design and Film & Post-Production at UCLA.
Mark Yellen - Screenwriter/Producer
Mark Yellen has produced or executive produced over a dozen feature films, including Montana, Where the Rivers Flow North, Guncrazy, The Big Squeeze, Blast, Fist of the North Star, One Good Turn, and the award-winning Shiloh trilogy (Shiloh, Saving Shiloh, and Shiloh Season). Beyond feature films, Mark has produced or executive produced over 200 music videos and commercials for artists such as MC Hammer. Lil Wayne and En Vogue and brands including Honda Motorcycles, Charles Schwab, and BMW. In addition to Bigfoot Enterprises, Mark is currently in active development on the feature film adaptation of Joseph Wambaugh’s best-selling book, Finnegan’s Week (also with Schwartz); the reimagining of the “tall tale” Pecos Bill; and two television series: Age of Action with showrunner, Trey Callaway; and the adaptation of the life story of Emily “Mickey Hahn” titled: Shanghai ’35, with showrunner, Shaina Fewell.
Zoe Omega - Social Media Manager
A Seattle native, Zoe is the cofounder and Chief Operating Officer of Seattle Voice Lab. Graduating in the 2003 cohort of Reel Grrls, she worked at 911 Media Arts Center. Her films have been shown at multiple film festivals, most recently at the Show Me Consent Film Festival. Zoe has been active in the Washington film and arts scene since 2003. In 2022 she relocated to Port Angeles, in the heart of Bigfoot Country.