 Ledwell was skeptical of the idea, but ultimately agreed to provide about $100,000 of the $160,000 budget for Pierce's first film.Prior to his directorial debut, Pierce worked as a set decorator for television shows like the Western series "Hondo" and for films like "Waco" (1966) and "Coffy" (1973).Pierce's directorial debut was "The Legend of Boggy Creek", which was inspired by the Fouke Monster, a seven-foot-tall Bigfoot-like creature said to live in the swamps near Fouke, Arkansas.