This takes us RIGHT BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED, little evidence and eyewitness accounts with nothing firm to back it up.

“ok, as someone who works in the TV/Film industry…..production companies do not have the end all be all say over what gets released. On reality TV shows such as this, the people being followed have a strong say and some creative control.”

You’re stating this as if it were a rule. It’s not at all, especially not for these low-budget cable productions. My brother was part of a cable channel documentary series, in this case looking for ghosts rather than Bigfoot. The first contract they were offered was so bad a lawyer told them not to consider signing it, but the second they did sign wasn’t much better. I believe the participants only made $1000 an episode and the producer did indeed have control over how the material was (mis)represented.

” If, and I mean if, these guys have no clue what the production company is doing and the production company is misrepresenting them by falsifying information, then they do have legal recourse. ”

What legal recourse do you have if the producer has final cut (or in my brother’s case, complete control)? Please inform me of a case where a reality show participant successfully sued for being presented in a bad light. If that was winnable, most reality show “villains” would have filed lawsuits by now.

“Now, if Moneymaker and his team signed away their souls to give the production company full creative control, then they are fools and it would just go to show that they were just looking to be on TV and get a paycheck.”

Anyone who does this is looking to be on TV and get a paycheck. They’re also promised the world by the production company (which really is only interested in the paycheck) and have a story woven about how this will help their field, they will be well-represented, this won’t be like other reality shows, etc., etc. They also don’t have much choice. Whether we’re talking cryptozoology, “ghost hunting”, etc. there is no accreditation and anyone can be one by calling oneself one. There are also many, many “groups” who do this for fun, any one of which would jump at the chance to appear on tv and make money if offered the chance from a sweet-talking producer. The producer is also most likely looking for the group with the lowest desired compensation and most easily controlled.

In my brother’s case, producer decided that each case would fit a narrative. There needed to be precisely two different ghosts at each haunting location, etc. Evidence of more was left on the cutting room floor, and sometimes initial guesses that were later ruled out were left in. Certain discussions and meetings were recreated for drama and to fit the narrative. Incidents like my brother determining a noise over microphones was due to interference from a walkie-talkie was left out and the viewers were left believing it was paranormal in nature, etc. No phony evidence was added in, but sometimes the final product bore little resemblance to the results of the original investigation – as some participants would later complain about on their own web pages. A little bit of Internet investigation (including staff who quit) would confirm for the reader what I’ve heard from people involved that some of the more popular programs in this genre do indeed manufacture evidence.

that my friend is funny right there..

It must be frustrating to work in this kind of environment so my sympathies Cliff!

It must be mega frustrating for the bigfoot researchers, to spend so much time hunting down real evidence and having the broadcast bozos insert fake shots because it looks better. If they had put fake plastic squid limbs in on the search for the giant squid, it would still be the laughingstock of marine research, instead of an accepted addition to our knowledge of the oceans.

Loren is very much correct. This show is not based on facts of any kind. Moneymaker states everything about Bigfoot as though they are absolute, indisputable truths. We all know that when it comes to cryptozoology, there are very few things based on absolute facts rather than educated guesses. Until we find a particular cryptid to exist and studied, any info out there on it is just a good guess. The same logic and truths apply to claims of “expertise” on a cryptid. No such thing.

Now that there have been two episodes, here is what you can expect to see on every single episode… Moneymaker’s ego and bragging… So called great footprints… Thermal images… Screams/grunts… Wood knocking… all of which may have been faked. These guys seem to get every single one of these things no matter where they go. Other groups who have spent years or decades searching for Bigfoot have only seen maybe one or two of those items throughout their entire careers. These BFRO guys are making a mockery of the field. Why do skunk apes smell bad? Well according to BFRO, they smell bad because they wallow around in alligator f*rts. **rolls eyes**

Loren, if you don’t really want to do the whole network TV show or documentary, then maybe just do a web series. Would be nice to see someone who knows what they are doing and who does so from a logical, scientific POV. Rather than just making things up as you go, faking evidence and cashing a paycheck from Animal Planet. Just sayin…

And if they are using trail cams or other means of documentation, who does that film belong to? As in, does it belong to the Bridges who can do with it as they please? Does it belong to the production company due to some contractual agreements? I would love to see what is on film, but only if it is real. I would hate to have the production company get first rights to the film and then manipulate that as well.

I would also like to thank you, Cliff, for taking the time and effort to explain what is going on behind the scenes. It is a welcome and refreshing change to see a TV personality approach a situation with honesty and tact.

“STAY FOR ANOTHER NIGHT, INVESTIGATE, MAKE IT A TWO PARTER! STAY DAMN IT STAY!

My husband and I were saying the same thing! OMG why do they have to pull a destination truth and run away after they get interesting hits in their research??? Bad used of tv formula as far as I’m concerned.