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SYNOPSIS
Big Fur is a feature-length biographical portrait of Canadian taxidermist Ken Walker.
Already a world champion, Ken’s work is on display in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and featured in National Geographic. But while he’s famous among taxidermists, he’s still seeking a career-defining project.
Back when he was a professional Roy Orbison impersonator, Ken’s theme song was “Pretty Woman.” But these days, the object of his obsession is seven feet tall and covered in coarse fur – he’s re-creating a female Bigfoot, as seen in the iconic 1967 “Patterson-Gimlin” film.
Ken’s meticulous research includes conversations with eyewitnesses who are sure – as is Ken himself – that they’ve encountered Bigfoot. He lives on the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies where folks still hunt and trap as a way of life. This is prime habitat for wolverines, grizzlies and woodland caribou, yet those creatures are rarely seen. To Ken and many others, Bigfoot does not seem far-fetched.
These events are made possible through the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, a South Arts program. The program is made possible through a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
Big Fur documents Ken’s Bigfoot re-creation from start to finish, when it is unveiled at the 2015 World Taxidermy Championships in Springfield, MO. While Ken would love to win Best in Show, his real hope is that putting “Patty” on display will prompt some hunter to open his freezer and pull out the proof that
Bigfoot is real. Instead, it’s Ken’s love life that gets thawed out.
Although true love proves illusory, Ken is still sure that any day Bigfoot's existence will be confirmed. Until then, he’ll keep searching for both. Big Fur is a wry, funny portrait of an artist with an unshakable belief that eventually he’ll find true love. Or the hairy, 800-pound validation of his life’s quest. It’s also a sympathetic insider’s view of taxidermy as an underappreciated art form. Last, but not least, it’s a call to preserve the last wilderness.
Because when there is no mystery left in the deep, dark forest, we’ll have lost more than Bigfoot.
Filmmaker Statement:
Like a lot of folks, I spent more and more time in front of the computer as analog film transitioned to digital. I missed those tactile elements – the feel of the gelatin emulsion, the magic and chemistry in the darkroom, the sound of the film hauling ass precisely through the movie camera. Then I discovered taxidermy, a perfect marriage of art and science that seemed untouched by technology.
But as I studied this under-appreciated art form, the storytelling filmmaker in me became more interested in the eccentric and outcast artists that were the masters in the field. Then I met Ken Walker, with his Bigfoot obsession, and found my movie.
I followed Ken for three years as he researched and built his amazingly life-like Bigfoot. I learned more about taxidermy and Bigfoot than I ever expected. I camped and filmed in the remote wilderness where resource extraction is causing habitat fragmentation that threatens all wildlife – including Bigfoot, if he exists.
And I learned the value of preserving our wild spaces, even as an increasing – and increasingly polarized – population makes those efforts less effective. Hunters and environmentalists rarely see eye to eye or work together, even though they share the same goal: conserving wilderness.
Big Fur uses its topics – familiar in pop culture – to promote the very idea of wilderness. If our landscape becomes so tamed that we can no longer even imagine that a wild hairy ape might exist in the forests, then we will have lost something more profound than Bigfoot. – Dan Wayne, Director
Filmmaker bio: Big Fur is Dan Wayne’s first feature documentary. He has been a professional photographer and cinematographer since 1990. He studied photography at University of Kansas and film at New York University. An avid outdoorsman, Dan has been practicing taxidermy since he began making “Big Fur,” but only mounts animals killed by cars or, more often, by his dog, Betty.
Press Quotes:
"A quirky documentary with tons of heart and humor.” – Variety
"A film with a poignant heart that connects the dots between Psycho and Blue Velvet." – Bay Area Reporter
“A quiet and thoughtful film that heralds the importance of environmentalism, art… and Bigfoot.” – Quelle Movies
“With moments of deep insight and interesting theories, by the end, Big Fur has crafted something rather unique. This is a quirky little piece that feels authentic in its journey, even for the skeptics out there. Big Fur is a story of man as much as it is myth, and it’s a fascinating one.” – Film Inquiry
“A taxidermy documentary that’s stuffed with surprises. Big Fur takes you inside the world of taxidermy, giving you a sneak peek into the belly of the beast… often literally.” – Hot Alien