Paranormal Highway of America (Part 2); Science Channel’s “The Unexplained Files” TV Episode
In a previous post my initial 37 Degree Latitude theory matured into more of a Paranormal Highway that shot across the US. This highway encompasses underground bases, military structures, caves, some sacred Native American sites, UFO crashes and other very interesting sites like Fort Knox, Area 51, and a little higher up the 38 degree latitude, the Pentagon. In 2013 I shot a Cattle Mutilation segment for Science Channel’s, “The Unexplained Files” season one, filmed by RAW TV Productions. In that segment I briefly discussed my 37 Degree Latitude Theory pertaining to Animal Mutilations and UFO sightings we’ve had in Colorado and the surrounding states. The production company was so intrigued with the theory that when they found out the Science Channel approved a season 2, they pitched my theory to them as a full episode. The Science Channel agreed, so I worked closely with RAW TV putting together the episode. Since most episodes contain two 1 half hour segments on two separate topics, my episode was a full one hour on one topic, so there was a lot of work to do.
The following gives you an idea what we covered within two weeks and in five states interviewing a lot of eye witnesses. Some people I interviewed didn’t make the show, and I’m sorry for that. I know how it feels being on camera and not making the cut, having it previously happen to me with a clip I filmed for the “In Search of Aliens” TV show. So for those eye witnesses who didn’t make the cut, I’m sorry but extremely honored I got to interview you. For those who made the cut and aired on the show, I thank you for all your time and effort to meet with me.
We started our filming in Missouri, then Illinois, then Nevada, then New Mexico, and finally Colorado. Four thousand miles later on my truck, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. A lot of hard work, but definitely worth it.
University of St. Louis, Missouri
The main reason we visited the University of St. Louis first, was to learn about alternative sources of energy which could possibly explain the non-conventional propulsion used on many of the unknown crafts people are seeing. One of the engineers at the University of St. Louis built a working Ionocraft model, so we went there to learn more about it. This was a very informative and fun segment that unfortunately didn’t make the show.
Ionocraft
Actual demonstration of a working Ionocraft, totally cool!
During the 1960’s, engineers were looking at alternative sources of energy for travel, the Ionocraft was briefly considered. One of the reasons the Ionocraft concept was dismissed, was due to the tremendous amount of voltage needed to lift the craft.
The Ionocraft consists of two parallel conductive electrodes, one in the form of a fine wire and another which may be formed out of wire grid, tubes or foil skirts with a smooth round surface. When it’s powered by high voltage (in the range of a few kilovolts), it produces thrust in the air without requiring any moving parts.
The problem with using this technology is the amount of voltage needed to propel it. The small model seen in the above picture needed over 46,000 volts for lift. To make a craft large enough for a crew to fly, you would need voltage in the multi-millions which was and still not feasible.
Filming at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
Raw TV crew setting up to capture me walking into the Physics building at Washington, Universtiy.
Director Sean and cameraman Ben discuss physic questions with Professor Bender.
The segment with Professor Bender didn’t make the show. Our interview with him was discussing the unknown craft people are seeing. He basically said the maneuverability of these craft defy the laws of physics as we know them, so that can’t be possible.
Radio DJ Dennis Havis
1973 Piedmont, Missouri UFO Sighting
Director Sean and Production coordinator Nick discuss how they want to set-up shooting with Dennis.
The interview segment with Piedmont’s former radio DJ, Dennis Havis didn’t air. Dennis was the go-to person for media and personnel on the 1973 UFO sighting there. He was a wealth of information about what happened back in 1973. One of the most important things I learned talking to him was something not commonly known; Undercover Air Force agents showed up and started interviewing the eye witnesses. The impression was, “The craft wasn’t ours”.
Cathy Leach
Eye Witness, 1973 UFO Sighting
Clearwater Lake, Missouri
Cathy showing the film crew the location she and her friend saw a UFO hovering over the water.
Cathy was one of the two women who saw a craft hovering over the waters of Clearwater Lake. When I interviewed her, it was as if the event happened yesterday. The detail of her sighting was very informative and convincing. “On a side note.” I used to live in Missouri back in the early 1970’s. My dad used to bring me to Clearwater Lake to fish. My dad has long since passed, but the memories of us fishing together were flooding my mind. And to think my dad and I used to fish this lake around the same time the sightings were occurring, brings me back full circle. What a rush.
Melvin Noll
Eye Witness 2000 Triangle UFO Sighting
Highland, Illinois
Me and Melvin just after shooting his segment.
Melvin’s interview didn’t make the show which was a shame. He was the first person to see the triangular craft slowly pass by his location. As the craft got closer to him, he described it as rectangular with two stories of windows running down its side. He said it was larger than a football field and completely quiet. Melvin was the one who initially reported the sighting to the police department.
Police Dispatch, Tina Joaquin
2000 Triangle UFO Sighting
Highland, Illinois
Director Sean and Production Coordinator Nick discuss how they want to film Tina.
As a former Deputy Sheriff who had always engaged with dispatch when on duty, it was fun talking and interviewing Tina for the show. There was a form of familiarity and commonality we shared that made the interview fun. Tina is very professional and as the police dispatcher in 2000, handled the sighting with expertise while communicating with multiple law enforcement agencies during that phenomenal event.
Detective, Mark Lopinot
Eye Witness 2000 Triangle UFO Sighting
Highland, Illinois
Detective Mark Lopinot being interviewed in his car for the show.
Detective Lopinot who was a patrolman back in 2000, worked for the O’Fallon, Illinois Police Department. He was in his squad car traveling east on Highway 50 and as he passed over the Interstate 60 bridge, he spotted the craft. He told me the craft was hovering over a convenience store a few hundred feet off the ground. It was huge, over one hundred and fifty feet long and made no sound. When it moved locations, it didn’t drift, it would dart from one location to the next, within a blink of an eye.
It was pleasure interviewing Mark, and we hit it right off. Joking and poking fun at the camera crew, we nailed the interview segment in 30 degree weather. One important thing I learned from Mark about the craft he saw was, as large as it was, the lights on the craft reflected no light. This is common in many UFO sightings, the light just doesn’t reflect.
Detective Mark Lopinot is showing me an actual picture that was taken by law enforcement of the craft. The squiggly lights in the picture are due to camera shutter snap motion caused by the person taking the picture. This is a common occurrence we investigators see in pictures all the time, camera movement.
Air Associates Flight School
Chesterfield, Missouri
The Raw TV crew setting up to shoot the flight simulator segment.
Patrick Russell
Flight Instructor
I’m sitting next to Patrick getting ready to shoot the flight simulator segment.
Patrick was supposed to take me and a cameraman up in an actual airplane and perform a stall scenario. The stall segment was to show what would happen to conventional aircraft that tried to hover not under power unlike a Harrier Jet. Well conventional aircraft would drop like a stone. Unfortunately it was too windy that day to safely go up and perform a stall, so we used their stat-of-the-art flight simulator. This was way cool. I had taken a couple of flight lessons in the past, mostly doing figure eights and ovals, but this time I was able to crash an airplane and walk away unharmed. Fun!
Little A’Le’Inn, Rachel, Nevada
My truck parked at the famed “Little A’Le’Inn” Rachel, Nevada
Pat Travis
Owner, The Little A’Le’Inn
Raw TV sound engineer Rob, setting up Pat for her interview.
I had met Pat Travis years before when I investigated Area 51. No, this show was not the first time I’ve been to Rachel or have seen Area51, the director wanted it to appear it was my first for continuity. Over 15 years ago I had hired a guide and we hiked Tikaboo peak just after Freedom Ridge was taken by Nellis. I saw the base with my own eyes.
I had talked to Pat many times in the past and while we were there, I convinced her to go on camera with me. She was hesitant at first because of the movie “Paul”. The movie crew from the film Paul, told her they were filming a documentary so there was no compensation given to the Inn. They sucked for doing that and when the movie came out, Pat was pissed. Anyway with a little convincing and a smile, I got to interview her for the show and we sat at the bar while she told me about her Area51 UFO sighting. Unfortunately that segment didn’t make the show which is a shame because she is so animated on camera. Such a lovely person to speak with and I’m sure I’ll see her again.
T.D. Barnes
Area 51 Retired Radar Engineer
Taking a selfie with Mr. Barnes in my truck before shooting.
It was really enjoyable talking with T.D. Barnes about his career at Area51. I located Mr. Barnes for the show after speaking with journalist George Knapp from Las Vegas. George had told me about the club, “Roadrunners International” out of Las Vegas and T.D. Barnes is the president. George also told me Barnes used to work at Area51 and that I should speak with him. So thank you George for the T.D. Barnes heads-up, he was terrific!
West Gate Area51
Picture of the West Gate of Area 51 taken by me using a Nikon D3200 DSLR with a 200mm zoom.
Originally my idea was to have me and the production crew hike up Tikaboo Peak to view the Area51 base off in the distance. The base would be about 20 miles away from our viewing point there. It would have taken a full day of driving, 4×4’ing, and hiking to get to the viewing area. Due to production time constraints, we opted to get as close as we could to the base’s West Gate without getting into trouble. The production crew being from England and not natural born citizens of the US, were concerned if we got too close, their production equipment would be confiscated and their digital media taken from them. Also the thought of putting them on a no-fly-list to the US was a concern too! So we opted to hang back a little distance and use our zoom lenses. You can clearly see one of the guard shacks and plenty of surveillance cameras watching us while we were watching them.
John Lear
Las Vegas, Nevada
Raw TV cameraman Ben, setting up a shot with John Lear.
What can I say about John Lear, what a wealth of information! The show made it appear as if I didn’t know who John Lear was or that he wrote the Dulce papers (which I had acquired years ago) but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Anybody who is anybody in Ufology knows who John Lear is and all he has contributed. I’ve wanted to meet him for years and now was my chance. Out of all the people I interviewed for the show, John was the one person I was most nervous about. He’s an icon and a giant in his field and highly respected among UFO investigators, and I got to talk to him “mano y mano.”
I wish I could tell you everything we talked about off camera, John is an encyclopedia of UFO related information, and I savored every minute. There was one moment during filming which I had to re-ask my question to John multiple times and finally nailed it on the fourth try. John was purposely making faces at me trying to crack me up, but I succeeded with my question. He asked me, “How could you stay so professional while I was off camera trying to make you laugh?” I replied “It was easy, I was talking to John Lear”.
Final Wrap-up in my Colorado Garage
Raw TV cameraman Ben, setting up shots of my investigation gear. In the background you can see my truck and my wife’s legs towards the center right, and my other best girl is seen towards the left, my Harley.
Raw TV, Film Crew in front of my House
Starting on the left: Rob, Ben, me, Sean, and Nick
The Raw TV film crew hails from London and it was a blast spending a couple of weeks with them. Very professional and very experienced, this was by far the best crew I’ve ever worked with. They were very considerate with all the UFO witnesses they met, unlike other crews I’ve spent time with. These guys are top notch and I hope I get to work with one or all of them again in the future. Thanks guys.
Side Note: I learned a lot about being in front of the camera from these guys. Not only were they busy doing their jobs, but also very active teaching me the business and making me better at it. Sure there were tough times and a lot of hard work, 10 to 14 hour days, but there were fun times as well. Reality TV isn’t for everyone, you have to be able to take the good with the bad and stay with it. It’s definitely not a walk in the park, but the RAW TV crew made the walk easier.
Raw TV productions started up in 2001 and since then they’ve been busy making popular and award winning shows for broadcasters in the UK and US including the BBC, Channel 4, Five, CBS, A&E, Discovery, Nat Geo and others. March of 2014 Discovery Communications acquired RAW with the intention to have them expand into scripted programming and push further into high-quality independent films. I wish them the best of luck!
Category: 37 Degree Latitude Theory, Chuck Zukowski, In the News, The Z-Files
