A Bigfoot-Sized Adventure: Inside the “Bad Day for Bigfoot” Filmmaker Field Trip
June 23–29, 2025 | Eastern Oregon Film Festival (EOFF)
Filmmakers: Zach Green & Devin O’Rourke
Home Base for the Week: Dern Haven, La Grande, The Grande Ronde Valley, Oregon
Eastern Oregon Film Festival hosted its inaugural Filmmaker Field Trip, welcoming writer Devin O’Rourke and director Zach Green to La Grande for an immersive week of location scouting, local networking, and creative discovery in support of their upcoming feature: Bad Day for Bigfoot.
From the moment Zach Green and Devin O’Rourke touched down in La Grande, their week-long residency with EOFF unfolded as a deeply immersive and creatively charged experience. Nestled at the edge of the forest in their home base at Dern Haven, the filmmakers were welcomed with a casual dinner at Side A Brewing—an easy entry into the warmth and support of the local arts community.
The days that followed were a rich blend of exploration and collaboration. Early in the week, they traversed the Grande Ronde Valley, taking in the cinematic potential of towns like Union, Cove, and Summerville. Conversations with local leaders—like County Commissioners, City Economic Director, La Grande Oregon Mainstreet and The Union County Chamber of Commerce — and a visit to Growiser with Andy Huber revealed not only striking backdrops for the film, but also helped to enrich themes and characters for the script that help flavor the film with the region’s culture.
Midweek shifted toward deeper community engagement. Over coffee and eggs at the Liberty Theatre Café, the filmmakers connected with representatives from La Grande’s Main Street program, Tourism board, and Economic Development office. These conversations laid the groundwork for potential partnerships and local crew collaboration. They visited Eastern Oregon University and connected for Student Opportunities with the College of Arts Sciences and Humanities. That evening, they shared their vision for Bad Day for Bigfoot in a public pitch and Q&A event at HQ—sparking curiosity, excitement, and plenty of Bigfoot theories from the audience. The evening went long with many socializing around possibilities for this film and many of their own ideas – a great industry mixer – everyone left smiling and activated.
{PHOTOS ABOVE BY Robin Spangler}
As the trip progressed, the focus turned toward scouting the grittier and more mysterious corners of Eastern Oregon—rustic cabins, winding forest roads, forgotten bars—each whispering of the ‘1985’ backdrop the film imagines. A few potential Sasquatch sightings were even whispered about along the backroads and up into Pumpkin Ridge. A visit to Eagle Eye Studios and Artist David Lundquist revealed actual casts, maps, art and stories galore about the big guy. Evenings wound down over dinner at The Depot, Tai Fresh Gardens, Tap That Growlers, Raul’s and culmitated with informal gatherings with local musicians and artists.
Daily agendas emphasized building the production ecosystem: meetings with landowners like Amelia and Chip Ettinger and park managers, along with time set aside for writing and reflection (defragging). On Saturday, the team met with VFX artist Jed Laurance and artist E. Charles Miller, who helped stoke the surreal and otherworldly tone the film leans into. Through another chance, serendipitous encounter another private forrest was provided for exploration. Some great contacts and leads made. A spontaneous trip to the Perry Swimming Hole capped the day with a cold plunge and a hopeful glimpse of mountain goats (no goats today!)
By the time Sunday morning arrived, it was clear the field trip had left a mark. The filmmakers departed with a sharper sense of place, clearer production pathways, and a deepened relationship with the people and landscapes that might soon be an integral part in Bad Day for Bigfoot.
With initial development support from EOFF’s Filmmaker Support Fund and more funding opportunities on the horizon—like the Oregon Film Impact Grant— which the team plans to apply for while taking advantage of Oregon’s great credit system for filmmaking, Bad Day for Bigfoot is gaining traction as a truly original Eastern Oregon inspired feature.
To stay in the loop, visit the project landing page and support the campaign and find the film on Instagram.
🎥 A Mission of Creative Immersion
EOFF’s new development program, Filmmaker Field Trips, brings film teams directly into the communities we love and know best—introducing them to Oregon’s unique landscapes, local talent, and cultural gems while supporting project development and production feasibility.