Storm Shooters

RichVid

Well-known member
Is it just me or does every clip from the midwest showing a tornado also have the compulsory whooping, screeching, near-orgasmic comments from the chaser-crews? I saw a clip a couple of years ago that was phenomenal...some guy was set up on the side of a highway on sticks as a tornado came RIGHT at him...he quietly held his shot as the thing came within what looked like a hundred yards or so, chewing up the real-estate...I even heard him whispering into a cellphone at one point to someone "I think I'm going to have to get out of here"...That was amazing...

Now, I see Ma and Pa Kettle in the pickup-with the twister about a mile or so away in the background-hootin' and hollerin' like there's no tomorrow - The news readers always seem to have tongue-in-cheek comments after these clips...Maybe these are Rosenblum-trained shooters...

I'm trying to figure out if they're excited because A) It's an incredible act of nature or B) They're going to make some $$$ or C) Both

Seriously, shooting a twister is something I'd like to do one day before I croak...
 

Natural Born Stringer

Well-known member
I think they are tornado calling. Tornados are mysteriously drawn to rednecks living in trailer homes. The more "redneck" you sound, the better luck you'll have attracting the tornado.

On a related note, have a look at this fool: http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000567039094/
Not only will there be lots of whooping and hollering going on when this thing hits the road, I'm guessing there will be plenty of panicked screaming as well. I wish them Godspeed in their bid to clean up the gene pool.
 

Raptor

Member
And lots of chasers are waiting to see the aftermath when ( if ever ) this thing hits a serious TOR. Definitely over the top, and has seen some serious negative comments in the chaser community. And Oh yeah, the answer t the question above- Definitely A... :)
 
Storm chasing is a lot like sporting events that are broadcast. Take golf for instance. Some yahoo ALWAYS has to yell "Get in the hole!" Storm chasing, it is "Large tornado on the ground!" People...PLEASE SHUT UP! Please save all of your yelling for the next Ozzfest.
 

woodsiecam

Well-known member



can't wait to see this one in a crumpled heap on the side of the road.

i agree with iastrmchsr, nothing worse than someone screaming like a jacko fan while getting great footage of a tornado. i've been chasing for over a decade, seen plenty of tornadoes, and NEVER have felt the need to destroy my nat sound by yelling. in fact, most of the time, i can barely speak. it's a truly awesome and terrifying sight.

i'm guessing the people who do this want to hear their voice on the tee-vee. and i guess it's their right to have their 15 min of fame if they catch "the big one"... just as long as they're no where near me.

anyone else seen an increase in "chase barnacles", aka the people that follow us when chasing? i have to remove my SKYWARN and NSSL tags from my back window because it's become so bad... i'm talking 10+ random cars tailing me during a chase. not only is it annoying, but it's dangerous if we have to double back.
 

Natural Born Stringer

Well-known member
LOL, chase barnacles.... that's awesome.

If I was a chaser, I'd just have a sticker on the back in big, bold letters that says "DANGER! DO NOT FOLLOW THIS VEHICLE DURING SEVERE WEATHER". Then if some dumbass dies, you can simply point out that they were clearly warned not to follow you. Infact, now that I think of it, such a sticker might keep you from being sued by the "barnacle's" family. You never know these days....
 
I recently saw a photo of this "car" (the Tornado Intercept Vehicle or as they called it, the "TIV") in a book on storm chasing. The guy is actually a cinematographer. The book also had a picture of the guy readying an IMAX camera for use in the car. If I can get the name of the book I'll post it.

I live 15 miles from Xenia, OH that has been hit several times, especially during the 1974 Super Outbreak. Around here, trailers and trailer parks are called "tornado magnets"!
 

RichVid

Well-known member
Dang dude...the '74 Xenia Tornado was big, black, nasty, and synonymous with the worst mother nature has to offer...truly looked like the finger of the devil...I think it was just about the worst of the Super Outbreak that year...something tells me if there were 'Chasers back then like there are now, some of them would've got killed!

 

Frank McBride

Well-known member
April 3, 1974. I was one scared 10-year-old cowering in the hallway of our Huntsville, AL home with a pillow over my head. We had more tornadoes just in our town than I could count, one causing major destruction only a block or two from our house. I STILL have nightmares! It was later we learned it wasn't just our part of the country.

To bring this back around to TV, WHNT-TV (CBS, as I recall) had just installed their own weather radar and it had just gone live that week. The result was local news at it's best: Wall-to-wall coverage, specific warnings for specific parts of town as the tornadoes appeared on the echo, and between that and the whole sky turning green, our family knew when it was time to duck and cover.

We all get tired of the radars getting over-hyped, but when the stuff hits the fan, they really can be a great tool.

FMc
 
The tornado intercept vehicle (TIV) pictured above has been modified since the picture was taken. Sean Casey of Graphic Films, added a turret so his IMAX camera can rotate in the top of the vehicle.
'Forces of Nature' which is their film currently playing in IMAX theatres around the country (released May, 2004) was produced prior to his building the TIV. He's working on his next release, 'Tornado Alley' scheduled for 2008.
He'll be featured in an upcoming Nat. Geo. Channel special in the fall (they're financing the film). You can learn more about the TIV at IMAX Tornado

[ July 20, 2005, 07:17 AM: Message edited by: AtlantaPhotog ]
 

(Sin)ical

Well-known member
Sound is not the general priority when witnessing a tornado. I know we all want to hear the nat sound, but fear is a part of that. When you're standing in the path of the finger of nature, you're jeapordizing your own safety. I generally thought to myself, "what the hell am I doing out here?" If you need some natsound, just play a freight train...that's what people usually describe it to be. I never thought about money when I was in a tornado. You have to respect that storm chasers are there, so you don't have to be.
 

RichVid

Well-known member
fear is a part of that
Uhhh ok professor... I'm sorry, but what I've heard doesn't sound like fear...It sounds more like "Dukes of Hazzard"

[ August 07, 2005, 01:46 PM: Message edited by: RichVid ]
 

Air_7

Well-known member
Well, being trapped in a brush fire in Ca could be fearfull for some but the nat sound without out me saying anything is 1000 times better. Id rather catch someone being scared for there life rather then the cameraman who is crying behind the lens.....The video is avalible for viewing at www.lacountyfire.com as you must become a member first for free and the check out the "Williams Fire" in the video section....
 

Stormgod

Active member
Any of you who are freelance shooters/chasers should check out www.stormnet.org
We are a group of chaser who work for various stations in 4 countries. We have our own forecast Mets, and some benefits for the average chaser.
 

Stormgod

Active member
Oh one last thing. We do not put up with "yahoos" who do some of the things we have been discussing here. We are all adults and professionals. Come and see us.
 

woodsiecam

Well-known member
been chatting with the TIV guys, didn't realize they were a legit chase team. they actually go out with the DOWS and get updates every 10 sec on the windspeed in the funnel. the TIV weighs 6.36 megagrams (14,000 lbs)
 

JoeyK

Member
I saw the TIV this past June when chasing up in northeast Kansas right outside Emporia, it's a pretty cool vehicle....
 

RichVid

Well-known member
There was some more tornado stuff released from Iowa over the weekend that aired out here... Must've been the "chase barnacles" as there was lots of hooting and "oh my God" in the background, along with what looked like shaky, 1 CCD-cam mini-dv video...And these people were like a 1/2 mile away...Tonight they released tape shot by a guy who had one of the twisters pass about 100 yards away from him and his house...he just shot it and then started running...but he was nice and quiet!
 
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