Four Smart Questions for BeardCard, Provo Canyon Bigfoot Videographer

Artist, Guy Edwards, depiction of Provo Canyon Bigfoot

We recently asked BeardCard, videographer of the Provo Canyon Video what we think are important smart questions bigfooters want the answers to. Please read his responses below and re-watch his original video. (Click to see our stabilized Provo Canyon Bigfoot) 

1. Have you been to that area before? Have you seen wildlife there before? The reason I ask, Bigfoot have been reported to "hang-out" with certain fauna.
We have been up four wheeling and hiking in this area quite a bit. We have camped there a few times as well. We haven't been this this exact location many times, but many places throughout Provo Canyon and near Squaw Peak. There are many many deer up there. It is actually deer hunting season right now, so tons of hunters are/were up there as well. Besides deer and smaller animals, I have seen a couple mouse over the years, but not often.

2. You said you went back to the site to get your belongings, do you plan on going back to revisit what happened?
We have, and may be going back up soon to document what happened on video.

3. How many people were with you? Did you think it was Bigfoot before you reviewed the video?
There were 5 of us there. My wife and I, and 3 of my siblings.
Before coming home and watching the video, it being a Bigfoot had been brought up along with lots of other thoughts. In the moment we didn't know what it was besides a huge animal who turned quickly to look at us, and we were way to close to it. Still at this point all 5 of us are not sure what it was or could have been.

4. Finally, what is the craziest question you've been asked so far? 
Probably, "Do you think it could have been a turkey fanning its feathers?"  Um no. It was huge, had arms and stood and stared at us. If the video doesn't show that clear enough, in person all of us can assure you that thing was not a turkey.
Or "Looking at your shoes in the video you guys obviously weren't dressed in hiking gear, how can you explain this..."
We were simply out there to camp overnight and decided to go on a little hike up to some deer. We were not set to be hiking long distances, we were simply on a fun little camping trip.
Or "What do you have to say to the people who call hoax?"
They can think what they want. A lot of people are so set in their opinions that nothing can ever waver them. We simply posted our video online to show friends and family how freaky it was, the Bigfoot community and news media blew it up from there.

Thanks for the interview BeardCard! Now that we heard it from you we can cross the Turkey-Theory off the list as possibilities! Please watch the original Provo Canyon Bigfoot video below.

Stabilized (non-shaky) Version of Provo Canyon Bigfoot Video

BLC artist, Guy Edwards, doing a liberal interpretation of the Provo Canyon Bigfoot

"As an artist, I understand optical illusions...this is more than an illusion" --Guy Edwards, Editor of Bigfoot Lunch Club.

First, we want to say there simply is not enough visual information in the Provo Canyon Bigfoot video to make a definitive determination. With that said, initially we were certain that foliage in the foreground was creating the negative space defining the Bigfoot's left arm. 

A perfect example of how negative space can define an object is a water colored white picket fence painting. Since the canvas is already white, you do not paint the fence, you paint around the fence, you paint what is called the negative space. (see image below)

Do not paint the fence, paint the space around the fence--so Zen.

We had a feeling that the yellow foliage in the foreground was creating the negative space between the arm and the body. We felt like this illusion added to the eerie-ness to the action of the Bigfoot standing up, which also made this video a must-watch! After we stabilized and reviewed the slow motion, we definitely found foreground foliage was creating some of the negative space, but behind that there is definitive negative space NOT created by the foreground foliage. In other words the gap between the body and the "arm" is most likely there.

Until we saw the stabilized slo-mo version of this video we were not able to conclude if the foliage was creating the negative space or no. Our conclusion is, bigfoot or not, that gap between body and "arm" is real. We recommend going full screen with the video and the quality turned up to 1080pHD.

We always felt like the reaction of the videographers/hikers were genuine  which we think was the second component of this video being compelling  We reached out to BeardCard, the video uploader, to ask a few more questions, including permission to stabilize his video. We have not heard back from him and offered to give him the stabilized version for his own YouTube Channel.We are hoping, since this is for educational purposes and not commercial, he will not mind us posting the stabilized version here.

Oh and here is the frame and the artistic rendition side-by-side.

Provo Canyon Video and artist rendition side-by-side (click picture to enlarge) 

Dr.Meldrum Backs 3-Year-Old Bigfoot Blimp Project

Rendering of the Bigfoot Blimp to be used in the Falcon Project

We have been covering the Falcon Project since February 2010. Click the following link to read our entire Falcon Project coverage. The blimp project has been trying to get off the ground since before then. This may change if Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Professor of Idaho State University, can raise over $300,000.

Originally the Falcon Project was the dream child of gold dredger, William Barnes, and business-owner, Jason Valenti.  Back in 2010 the Bigfoot blimp had a different design (see picture below)

2010 version of Bigfoot blimp

On November 4th 2010 Reuters picked up the story read excerpt below.

Now Meldrum is seeking to raise $300,000-plus in private donations to build the remote-controlled dirigible, equip it with a thermal-imaging camera and send it aloft in hopes of catching an aerial glimpse of Bigfoot, also known as sasquatch.

Meldrum, author of "Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science," said the undertaking represents a giant leap in the quest for an animal he believes may have descended from a giant ape that once inhabited Asia and crossed the Bering land bridge to North America.

"The challenge with any animal that is rare, solitary, nocturnal and far-ranging in habitat is to find them and observe them in the wild; this technology provides for that," he said.

SRC: Reuters.com

Since the Reuters piece Utah's KSL.com has picked up on the news and posted two videos on it's website.

SRC: KSL.com

Discovery News has high praise for Dr. Jeff Meldrum's credentials and rightly notes his reputation is why the Falcon Project is getting attention:

Part of the reason that the plan -- dubbed the Falcon Project -- is gaining such notoriety is the participation of Jeffrey Meldrum. In stark contrast to the vast majority of Bigfoot hunters and enthusiasts across the country and on television, Meldrum has legitimate scientific credentials as a professor of anatomy and anthropologist.

While these areas of research are not directly relevant to Bigfoot, Meldrum is more academically qualified than most to examine and analyze alleged Bigfoot tracks and photographs.

SRC: Discovery News

According to TheWeek.com it is a "Wacky Plan"

The plan, dubbed the Falcon Project, was first envisioned by a Utah man named William Barnes who allegedly came face-to-face with a "well-manicured" hairy creature in northern California sometime in 1997 and subsequently approached Meldrum with the notion of finding Bigfoot using an airship. The Falcon Project is projected to take flight next spring. 

That is, at least, if it ever takes off. Fundraising efforts have been slow. Reuters reports that Meldrum has yet to raise a single dollar for his cause. Still, he's hardly the only party interested in finding the legendary beast. Spike TV is offering a $10 million reward to anyone who can offer irrefutable evidence of Bigfoot's existence as part of a new reality show.
SRC: The Week