The Kid Cam Files Part II

Looking Back on Another Journey to Oz

Here's the rest of The Kid Cam Files:

Abby




Joe

Amy

The Kid Cam Files

Looking Back on Another Journey to Oz

Sadly, I was unable to integrate any of the Kid Cam footage the kids shot into my documentary. However, some of what they captured was simply too funny not to share.

So here they are... The Kid Cam Files...


Brianna





Kevin

OUTTAKES from OZ

Looking back on Another Journey to OZ

The kids begged me for a blooper reel. So, now that my documentary is complete I went back and found all the funny moments that never made it in to my project and put them together in a cute, little montage.

So here it is...
OZ OUTTAKES

The KID CAM

Looking Back on Another Journey to OZ

Technically it is a Flip Video Camcorder…but I called it the “Kid Cam” and it had three simple rules.

Rule #1: Everyone gets a turn. Share.
Rule #2: Do not disturb those rehearsing, performing, or working.
Rule #3: Return it to me by the end of the night.

All three were clearly printed and labeled right on the camera. Ten minutes after I handed the camera over to one of the kids, I was playing judge in the “Case of the Camera Hogs.” So much for sharing….

Twenty minutes later, I walked out from backstage and found all 48 kids sitting in the house, apparently because they were being too loud, for what I quickly realized was a direct result of the “Kid Cam.”

At least Rule #3 was never broken. I’m thankful for that.

So, my brilliant plan to capture youth theater from the Petite’s point of view was not working out as I had hoped. But, I promised the kids that the “Kid Cam” would reappear, but not until the cast party…not ideal for any of us, but it worked.

While I don’t have enough usable “Kid Cam” footage from rehearsals to work it into my documentary, I have more than enough of the cast party. Everything seemed to work out in the end, because I planned every since pre-production to use video from the cast party beneath the closing credits.


The video ranged from dizzying….



….to thankfully not so dizzying…




…to…well…

Waterfalls and Other Things...

Looking Back on Another Journey to OZ.

Looking for a challenge? Try holding an interview with someone under the age of 15...

There are three things I learned about interviewing kids:

1.No matter how extroverted they are, no matter how many times they’ve graced the stage, or no matter how shy they are, when it comes to talking on camera I quickly found there are two kinds of kids; the kids who barely notice that little red light and the kids who stare at it like it could leap out and eat them at any moment. And even working in a theatre environment, I still found those camera shy kids. For these cases I eventually developed a strategy of sorts: I would allow the kids to choose where they wanted to talk (I also avoided the term “interview” as much as possible) so that they would be someplace they were comfortable. Sometimes, as a result of this, either my video or audio suffered mildly, but the answers I received in return from the kids were well worth a little extra editing in Premiere.



2.It does not matter how great you are at talking with kids; interviewing them is something entirely different. The younger they are the more specific your questions need to be. I fell into this trap a few times when I asked, “What is your favorite part of being in the Petite Players?” And well, let’s just say I did not always get the type of answers I expected. (Like…waterfalls…)



Um...whoops!

3.Kids cannot stand still, and they will move out of frame. And they will do it a LOT. Just ask them to sit. It’s so much easier!


Check out the Petite Player's web page!
http://www.elizabethgrand.com/Theatre_Classes.php

I Took a Journey to OZ....

Looking Back on Another Journey to OZ

ATTENTION! ATTENTION!

Well, not really, but I just wanted to say that since my capstone project is nearing its completion I am shifting the focus of my blog, but only for the remainder of the semester!

I guess I should begin by explaining what my capstone project is…

Currently, I am in the post-production stages of a documentary short called Another Journey to OZ, which will be somewhere between ten to fifteen minutes in length, focusing on a Pittsburgh area youth theatre troupe out of Elizabeth, PA known as the Petite Players. The story follows the kids (from grades 3-12) from the initial stages of rehearsal to the final curtain to the cast party, as they get ready for their production of OZ! in early June 2009.

Very soon, on December 8^th to be exact, I will have the nerve-racking task of presenting the finished product to my professors and peers (and parents!).

I have learned a lot in the time I spent with the Petite’s. Some of what I learned is practical things that I can apply to future projects as I finish out my final semester in college and move on to a job after graduation. Some of the other things I have learned the Petite’s taught me without either of us realizing it.

As I edit my documentary I am flooded with memories of the two months I spent laughing and smiling with these kids. They invited me into their family…no questions asked, and every one of them will always have a place in my heart. I have been visiting the Grand Theatre every time I come home from college for some break or another, and every time I am bombarded with hugs and stories.

My next few posts will focus on everything I have learned working with the Petite Players…my second family.

"Big Guys with Bigger Hearts" Rescue Ink Unleashed

Take all the generalizations you may have heard, and all the preconceived notions you have both heard and accepted about bikers over the years and chuck them out the car window. Then, while you’re at it, find yourself a Harley-Davidson and run those stereotypes into the pavement. National Geographic Channel is destroying everything you may have ever believed about bikers with their new series Rescue Ink Unleashed.

The show follows the story of “eight tattooed tough guys;” Joe Panz, Big Ant, Johnny O, Eric, G, Batso, Des, and Angel, who discovered they shared not only a love for motorcycles, but a deep love for animals, and a loathing of those who abuse them. And so Rescue Ink was born. Based in New York City, this group is dedicated to saving the lives of any and all sorts of animals—from dogs and cats, to horses and pigs, fish and even chickens—and they are not afraid of the tough cases either. “The Rescue Ink approach is in your face,” says member Johnny O, a 45 year old single father of two and trained martial artist. And he is not kidding either. The Rescue Ink guys are not shy about putting animal abusers in their place, but they are willing to educate neglectful pet owners on the proper way to care for their pet. The men of Rescue Ink come from different backgrounds and some have even had run-ins with the law, but once you get passed their tough exterior it is easy to see how caring these guys are. They’re “big guys with even bigger hearts,” says the shows tagline, and they’re out to make a difference. “Only the weak abuse animals,” says member George “G” Perry, 40, who shares his love of animals with his two children, “It makes me proud to be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Rescue Ink Unleashed is an in your face, fast paced, show filled with plenty of drama, lots of love, and a bit of humor, that once the credits roll 30 minutes later, leaves you wanting more. The show is in your face and fast-paced, and the story lines are easy to follow. Each episode of Rescue Ink Unleashed focuses on select members of the group and only 2 or 3 cases—if even that many. Fast cuts and close-ups keep the energy high, and the use of transitional hooks keep viewers from straying during commercial breaks. At the beginning of each episode, Rescue Ink throws you right into the action. In fact, the history of the organization and its members are not even covered until the second episode. Rescue Ink Unleashed is all about the action, and it is filmed and edited in a way such as to keep viewers entertained and wondering why the credits rolled so soon.



What initially got me interested in Rescue Ink Unleashed was not even something I could have predicted; it wasn’t the cute animals, it was the bikes. True, my dad has owned a total of four motorcycles in his past, and currently two reside in our garage (one is a Harley-Davidson Road King, and the other is an American Ironhorse chopper), but I never thought motorcycles would play a role in me tuning in to watch a TV show. Though, I still was not entirely disappointed in the not-so-plentiful number of times a bike appeared on the screen. Perhaps this is a symptom of my being a writer, but I loved to watch how the Rescue Ink guys relate to each other and to see how much of their personalities really come out on camera. It’s easy to see these guys are not only amazing individuals; they are family, and that’s what keeps me watching.

My Rating:




Links for Learning More:

Official Show Webpage: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/rescue-ink-unleashed/all/Overview?sicontent=0&sicreative=3973210612&siclientid=804&sitrackingid=91298458&source=banner_semgngc_112#tab-Videos/07182_00

Rescue Ink Official Website: http://www.rescueink.org/

The Men of Rescue Ink Unleashed

Watch Clips HERE!

Batso struggles to watch Ebony's surgery :



Chickens have invaded Queens:

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*all images taken from nationalgeographicchannel.com

The Story Behind the Search for the Afghan Girl

Her face will never be forgotten. In June 1985 her haunting green eyes peered out from the cover of National Geographic Magazine. She was a girl of no more than 12, living in an Afghan refugee camp in Pakistan. She would soon become the face of the war within Afghanistan, just as Anne Frank became the face of the Holocaust. The world was captivated. And yet, her identity was a mystery. She came to be known simply as the “Afghan Girl,” and her picture was everywhere.

Photographer Steve McCurry spent years in Afghanistan photographing the Afghan peoples struggle. He captured the image of the “Afghan Girl” after walking by a tent, serving as a school, in a refugee camp when the young girl’s eyes caught his attention. Gaining permission from her teacher, McCurry took the “Afghan Girl’s” picture using the natural sunlight coming in the tent flap. He never knew her name. For years after that, the “Afghan Girl” haunted Steve McCurry. “I can’t get those images out of my mind,” he said. “I don’t think a day has gone by since I took that picture, I haven’t gotten a letter, a phone call asking for [her] information.” McCurry has looked for the “Afghan Girl” before, but his search had never been successful. But this time around, all that will change.

When the identity “Afghan Girl” was revealed, the story made headlines. Search for the Afghan Girl follows Steve McCurry’s journey to rediscover the young girl he met in the refugee camp so many years ago. In spite the story’s potential for a great deal of emotional content, the producers of Afghan Girl keep the show straightforward and simple. The w

riting is short and to the point. The video flows smoothly from scene to scene, no fancy cuts, no flashy editing. Search for the Afghan Girl utilizes the epic story of McCurry and the young girl to tell the bigger story of Afghanistan’s seemingly endless struggle.

Search for the Afghan Girl is highly informative, and deeply poignant. It’s a story that could easily have run as a news special, but it’s also a story that can bring tears to your eyes, the way a tale of hope and dreams almost always do.

*Images from National Geographic.com

My Rating:

WATCH SEARCH FOR THE AFGHAN GIRL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE!

"I'd like the American people to help rebuild Afghanistan. Afghanistan has been so destroyed.

The schools, the country side, have been damaged. The whole country is a mess. We need all the support we can get to rebuild my country."

- Sharbat Gula

"The Afghan Girl"

March 2003

Links for learning more:

A Life Revealed: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2002/04/afghan-girl/index-text

Read the Original Story Published July 1985 in National Geographic: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2002/04/afghan-girl/original-story-text

Steve McCurry Photography: http://www.stevemccurry.com/main.php

Steve McCurry's Blog: http://stevemccurry.wordpress.com/

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Watch Search for the Afghan Girl here:

Reality TV and National Geographic may not be Worlds Apart

What do you think of when you hear the words reality television? Is it the exotic locations, the off-the-wall cast? Is it the bizarre challenges, or unusual circumstances? We know, deep down, that what is happening on reality TV is not reality as it naturally happens. The show is being guided by producers, hence all the crazy challenges that occur from week to week, because honestly, reality as it really happens is dull. But what if it isn’t? Maybe that was the question National Geographic Channel producers asked themselves back in 2003 when they came up for the premise of a new series dubbed Worlds Apart.
Worlds Apart is a 13 part reality series which aired in 2003 but can still be caught online. The ingredients are easy, mix one American family with one vastly foreign culture for a week, sit back and wait for it to boil. And boil they will. Each family must travel thousands of miles to a remote village in places like Peru, Ghana, and Papua New Guinea, where they will essentially become a member of the tribe (village, etc…) and assume the role as an active member of the culture. It’s more than an eye-opening experience. For the families who take part, is it exactly how National Geographic describes, “Culture Shock 101.” In this new environment, far from the every day comforts of life in the states, emotions and tempers are naturally bound to erupt.
But, what makes Worlds Apart stand out from other reality shows is, in fact, the reality. With the exception of the interviews, nothing is staged. From learning to slaughter a chicken, to sleeping in a one room hut—the challenges are all real. Though, the show may be a little on the gimmicky side, that is what makes it stand out from National Geographic’s other productions and ties it all together. Each “character” seems to have his or her own theme music, which varies slightly depending on the mood or atmosphere of the scene, and which always fits the culture in which we, as viewers, are in; it would be a bit awkward to hear jazz music when we’re in Ghana or traditional chants in the states. Another bonus is that the lightness of the show allows it to be a great family show and a fun learning tool for kids. Because after all, amidst all the hoopla and sheer entertainment, this is still National Geographic and part of their mission is to educate. Worlds Apart is not just a show about what happens when people are thrust into a completely new situation; it’s mostly about cultural respect.

I have to say that I was greatly surprised by my enjoyment of Worlds Apart. I only briefly enjoyed reality TV when I was in junior high and watched Big Brother on a regular basis, and don’t have much respect for it as a form of entertainment. Coming into Worlds Apart, I had a mixed set of feelings towards the idea of my beloved National Geographic Channel delving into the world of reality television. But I was greatly pleased with this show, and recommend it both to fans of reality TV and to those like me who seem to tune it out. Worlds Apart is a gem, and I wish the series could have continued.

*Images from Hulu and AOL Video

My Rating:








Watch the series at these links:
The Best of National Geographic Channel: http://www.joost.com/032004g/t/Best-of-National-Geographic-Channel
National Geographic Videos: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/videos/feeds/cv-seo/Full-Episodes/All-Full-Episodes/




Series Premiere Episode: "Oakton Meets Papua New Guinea"

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National Geographic Goes Inside a Cult

Today, there are over three-thousand cults in the United States alone. Only a handful has made it to the public’s attention. Maybe you can recall some of the more commonly referred to ones such as The Yearning for Zion ranch which made headlines last year when police removed 416 children from the remote Texas compound following a tip from a cult teenager who claimed she was being sexually assaulted by members of the group. In 1997 the thirty-seven members of the UFO cult known as Heaven’s Gate committed mass suicide with the belief that their souls would be transported to a waiting spaceship which coincided with the appearance of Comet Hale-Bob. Or maybe you recall some cult leaders in recent history, like the leader of the FLDS Church (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) Warren Jeffs, who, in 2006, appeared on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List, and was later found guilty of two counts of being an accomplice to rape and received a jail sentence of ten years to life. The leader of the Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, Texas, David Koresh, proclaimed himself the Son of God. In 1993, Fifty-four adults and twenty-one children were found dead after a siege by the FBI culminated in the burning of the compound. Or Jim Jones, leader of The People’s Temple, whose 909 followers, 276 of whom were children, drank a poisoned fruit punch laced with cyanide in order to, as Jones puts it “[protest] the conditions of an inhumane world.”
Michael Traveser says his group will never commit suicide.
There is a place in the remote deserts of New Mexico which calls itself Strong City, and in April 2007, National Geographic photographers were allowed inside their gates. The leader of the cult is Wayne Bent, though followers know him as Michael Traveser. Wayne Bent claims to be the Messiah. In an interview for the documentary, in which Bent is seated on, what almost appears to be, a makeshift throne and draped in white, Bent made this affirmation; “I am the embodiment of God. I am divinity and humanity combined….I swear it by the One who lives for ever and ever.” As of August 2007, Wayne Bent’s followers believed the world would come to an end at midnight, on the 31st of October 2007, and Michael Traveser is their only route to Heaven. Inside Strong City families and relationships have been dissolved; all emotional ties with anyone other than Michael are broken. There are no sexual relationships, except those in which God tells Michael he must “consummate” with one of the cult’s women; sex is sinful, and Strong City residents strive to life a life free of sin. Members do not work outside the cult. They have no personal possessions and give Michael all there money, which includes any inheritance or social security they may receive. The children of Strong City do not attend public school; Michael feels it is a bad influence, but he lets them educate themselves by surfing the internet. Though, as 15 year old Matthew explains to the cameras, he finds learning things, such as learning about the planets of our solar system, useless. Thirty-one people have left Strong City. Some had to leave their children behind and come back later to remove them from the cult, often by force.
This is where Inside a Cult begins. An Albuquerque news station, KOAT, reports that a sixteen year old girl was taken from the Strong City compound by the state. The documentary then continues slowly and eerily from there. The simple musical score is prominent beneath a softly spoken and simply written narration. The combination of the two, layered with long, compelling shots is oddly captivating, and viewers may find themselves immovable in their seats. Inside a Cult is a complex story which is simply told, and this simplicity makes it gripping. It almost seems as though the show was cut and pasted together in a hurry. Many of the interviews are raw footage, with little to no editing involved. Most of the camera work is hand-held, creating a shaky, unstable feeling throughout. However, unlike many documentary films which exist mostly to tell a unique, real-life story, Inside a Cult does not merely impart the tale. This occurrence is very subtle and unapparent, but it is there in the subtext, if you listen closely. This is an exposé. So while the residents of Strong City have let the photographers in on the pretext of spread the word of God, the producers had a different agenda, one in which uncovers the terrible reality of living Inside a Cult.

I first came across Inside a Cult after completing Carolyn Jessop’s memoir, Escape. Jessop was born into the FLDS and, at 18, forced to marry a man 32 years her senior. Jessop eventually escaped the cult, along with her eight children. Escape was a fascinating memoir and an eye-opening read. Inside a Cult, though it only briefly mentions the FLDS, created a good companion to the book. I recommend both completely.


My Rating:





Want to learn more?

-Inside a Cult Official Webpage: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/inside-a-cult-3401/Overview#tab-Overview
-Strong City's Webpage: http://strongcity.info/
-PBS Frontline: Waco-The Inside Story: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/waco/
-Introduction to the Branch Davidians: http://www.fountain.btinternet.co.uk/koresh/index.html
-FLDS Directory: http://www.flds.com/
-Lifiting the Veil of Polygamy; Video Interviews with Cult Survivors: http://livinghopeutah.org/polygamy.htm
-TIME Q&A with Polygamy Survivor Carolyn Jessop: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1675126,00.html
-Heaven's Gate Official Website (left untouched after suicides): http://www.heavensgate.com/
-TruTV; Heaven's Gate: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/mass/heavens_gate/1.html?sect=8


Watch Inside a Cult Here:

Inside a Cult

Watch the Sequel Inside a Cult: Messiah on Trial to find out what happened to Wayne Bent and Strong City after the documentary aired:

Inside a Cult: Messiah on Trial | National Geographic Channel

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Not Everyone Loves a Cliff Hanger: The Mystery of The Girl Who Cries Blood

When we begin there’s no fanfare, no amazing moment that rivets you to the television set, nothing to make you want to devote the next half-hour of your life to the images dancing in front of you…nothing but a teenager walking down a busy street, a sweet smile on her face, a happy bounce in her step. Her name is Twinkle, and “for the most part she is a normal Indian teenager.” But everybody has a story, right?
For those who have been introduced to the mystery of stigmata, Twinkle’s story will seem hauntingly familiar. According to National Geographic, stigmata are a “phenomenon where the victim receives wounds which mimic the injuries Christ endured during his crucifixion.” For believers the appearance of the wounds (most often on the hands, feet, forehead, and waist) is a sign of God’s presence. For others stigmata are a mystery waiting to be solved, and for some, it is simply wishful thinking on the part of believers.
However, Twinkle’s situation is a bit different. The young girl has been dubbed “the girl who cries blood” for a recurring affliction that causes Twinkle to bleed spontaneously and from no visible source. Most striking are the streams of blood which seem to flow like tears from her eyes, but the teen has reported spontaneous bleeding from her hands, feet, scalp, ears…and the list goes on…and on. Family, friends, doctors, mystics—everyone who has seen Twinkle has been baffled by this mysterious affliction. Doctors in India refuse to treat her. Mystics claim she is not ill but possessed, and a leech-like spirit is sucking her blood. Others think it may be psychological, and some claim it is merely a hoax. Even American doctors are puzzled. But Dr. George Buchanan, director of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, wants to solve the riddle of “the girl who cries blood.”
And so the show goes on…following Dr. Buchanan as he attempts give Twinkle and her family a diagnosis and some piece of mind. The feel of The Girl Who Cries Blood is fast-paced and emotional. It takes a concept similar to Discovery Health’s popular series, Mystery Diagnosis, and gives it the traditional National Geographic touch—there’s no reenactments (sometimes home video is used), and no catchy gimmicks. The Girl Who Cries Blood is a show that’s all about the story, and the story is both its saving grace and its downfall. The traditional story arc is followed here to the letter; it begins with the setup, your basic introduction (characters, setting, etc.), followed by rising action, the main events that escalate until we reach…the climax (or peak of the story, where all the action was heading), and fall back down with a resolution, what happens now that the story is over. But it is in these last two, climax and resolution, where The Girl Who Cries Blood will potentially anger viewers. The problem? Well, the show seems to be missing these most important storytelling elements. Before your even ready for it, the credits begin to roll. And since there currently seems to be no publicly known plans for a sequel, The Girl Who Cries Blood only leaves you with questions and provides you no answers.

I have to be honest; I waited all summer to watch this show. After every promo that ran on National Geographic (and there were a lot of promos), my excitement grew. I loved the potential of the story and the mystery behind it. But after the show concluded I wondered, where’s the rest of the story, what happens now? Of course, I am not telling you to avoid watching this show. You should watch it. Make your own decisions. (And let me know what you think!) This is just one person’s opinion.

*Images from channel.nationalgeographic.com

My rating:





* Currently, The Girl Who Cries Blood is not available on DVD, but you can check your local listings (http://www.tvguide.com/) for the next showing!


Want to Learn More?

-The Girl Who Cries Blood official web page: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/the-girl-who-cries-blood-4450/Overview

-Catholic Encyclopedia; Stigmata: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14294b.htm

-Associated Content; What is Haemolacria?: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2139349/what_is_haemolacria.html?cat=5



Al Roker talks with Dr. George Buchanan:

Watch a clip from The Girl Who Cries Blood:

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Enter the Thrill Zone with National Geographic

Summertime. A time for relaxation, fun, and adventure. A time for engineering, physics, and psychology? Summertime. A time to come screaming down to earth at insane speeds, feeling our hearts beat out of our chests, our stomachs rising to our throats. A time to push the limits of what we think our bodies can handle and shout in excitement to discover we are still alive. We survived. Summertime, the perfect time…for rollercoasters.

Ever since the roaring twenties we have loved the thrill we get from riding the perfect coaster. There’s just something about that thrill of controlled danger that keeps coaster fans coming back for more. But, rollercoasters as we knew them back in the twenties are no more. The rollercoaster has evolved so extremely since then coaster enthusiasts have given them a new name. They are a new breed, the breed called Supercoaster.

National Geographic’s original series, Thrill Zone, takes an in-depth, ninety minute, look at Supercoasters, exploring the engineering that goes into creating a new coaster, to the physics of coaster design, to the differing psychology of the enthusiasts versus the “coaster phobics.” The world of the Supercoaster is a diverse one, with engineers, physicists, designers, mechanics, and psychologists all working towards a common goal, keeping riders safe and keeping thrills up(who says we can’t all get along).

But, does Thrill Zone succeed in keeping the thrills up? For the most part the answer is yes. Music video style editing keeps the show moving, and tight, dramatic shots add anticipation and mystery. And what, other than actually riding, can be more exciting than seeing that large, initial drop gleaming in the sunrise, patiently awaiting it’s days first load of riders. What’s more, there’s a story here waiting to be told as well. And it may not be the story you would expect. Thrill Zone: Supercoasters is the story of a war—the war to build the biggest and fastest Supercoaster the world has ever seen. It’s about the adrenaline rush. In its ninety minutes, Thrill Zone introduces viewers to today’s coasters and talks to the many different people who brought these behemoths into being. Often, these people are scientists who stress that if you want to understand the workings of a rollercoaster you must first understand the universal law of gravity, and for many out there, physics is not an easily understood science. The laws of physics, the laws of coaster building, are complex and not easily broken down into easily explainable pieces for the average viewer. But whether Thrill Zone, with its use of metaphor, creative writing, and numerous computer graphics, succeeds in explaining this tough science is a decision to be made by the viewer. Where Thrill Zone does succeed, however, is in keeping viewers interested. And they do this by telling a story, starting with the birth of the Supercoaster and the history the brought it here, visiting the Supercoasters of the present (featuring a surprise coaster you won’t believe, dubbed The Blue Flash), and foreshadowing the Supercoasters of the future.

But beneath it all—all the science and all the chaos—the real theme here is a simple two words: What if? What if, in the quest to build the biggest and fastest Supercoaster, we go too far? What happens when, in our desire for an adrenaline rush, we go too big and too fast? How much are we willing to push the limits of what our bodies can handle just for the next big thrill?

My first rollercoaster is by no means a Supercoaster, but it is famous. The Racer has long been one of the most popular rides at Kennywood Park for generations, and is now a historic landmark. Ever since my first ride on The Racer I have loved coasters, and I’ve been watching shows about them just as long. But something about Thrill Zone: Supercoasters left me feeling unsatisfied. As someone who doesn’t grasp science easily I found the physics and psychology parts of the show moved a little to quickly for me to completely understand. But, I still recommend the show to viewers who love a good thrill, after all Thrill Zone does have six seasons of exciting episodes to check out.

My Rating:

Additional Links worth checking out:

Roller Coaster Database: http://www.rcdb.com/

How Stuff Works, Roller Coaster G-Forces: http://science.howstuffworks.com/roller-coaster5.htm

Sorry...but at least for now Seasons of Thrill Zone are not available for purchase but you can watch the Supercoasters episode here and more episodes are available on Hulu....

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Taking a break....

Hi all!
It's finals week, which means it's almost summer time...which means a documentary to film, and summer job to keep me busy (and fill my checking account), and a Biology class to endlessly confuse me!

But I will be back on and blogging again in the fall with lots of new documentaries for you to check out!

See you then!

Dana

Tornado Intercept Goes into the Heart of Twisters and Raises Viewers’ Heart Rates

Like Dorothy and Toto on their journey to Oz, prepare for a mind-whirling ride inside the center of a tornado. So, what happens when a tornado-enthusiast IMAX filmmaker and a renowned meteorologist join forces? Well, it has something to do with a one-hundred plus pound camera, a few Doppler Radars, a whole lot of adrenaline, and an armored vehicle known as the TIV.

Sean Casey needs an epic shot. He wants to go inside the center of a tornado, and he wants to take his IMAX camera with him. Sean has been filming tornados for awhile, and he used to rent mini-vans to do it. But, now, Sean is on most rental company’s “do not rent” list, and a mini-van isn’t going to keep him safe when high-speed winds and debris are flying all around. For this Sean has a solution, and it is called the TIV, or Tornado Intercept Vehicle. The TIV, basically a “bullet proof tripod on wheels,” was concocted from this filmmaker’s imagination…and money. But, Sean is not the only one on a mission; This is where meteorologist Josh Wurman comes in. It is Josh’s goal to measure the wind speeds of the bottom 30 feet of a tornado: the area where his Doppler cannot reach and where all the destruction happens.
Tornado Intercept is an action-packed thrill ride which matches nature’s fury. The show never seems to slow down, and viewers may come to the end of the hour realizing they had been holding their breath all along. The action is not fueled by the twisters, but by creative filmmaking. Perhaps to accommodate what must be cramped conditions inside the TIV, much of the camera work was handheld, which, of course, led to shaky, unstable video. And yet, it is this unsteadiness that creates so much of the apprehension for viewers as the TIV moves in to intercept. This unsteadiness both on the screen and in our nerves is only intensified by a deep underscore of music and sound effects—rain, hail, thunder and lightning, and ferocious winds—match the personality of a F5 tornado. Also, keeping minds spinning is a creative use of that old-time movie technique—split screen. In one corner we have Sean and his IMAX camera, in another Josh is on the two-way radio, then there is, of course, the TIV, and finally, the TIV’s destination, the twister. With so much chaos to focus on, viewers may not know where to turn their attention. Tornado Intercept is full of intense imagery, suspense, and some ground-breaking science. But, does Sean ever get his final epic shot inside the funnel of the storm? I’m sorry, but that’s something I just cannot tell you…

I was eight years old when the film Twister, starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, came out in 1996. Twister, it is safe to say, was my favorite movie for years and sparked an obsession with tornados that has stayed with me even until today. People would say: what do you want to be when you grow up? and for years my response had been “storm chaser.” But as I grew up, I begin to realize science was not my calling, I was far more creative than logical. But the dream of chasing twisters has not entirely left me, it has only changed courses. I still want the adrenaline rush of being a storm chaser, but now, instead of filling the role of scientist, I want to be the one behind the camera.

My Rating:




Buy the DVD: http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/product/1166/3044/1074.html
Learn about the TIV: http://science.howstuffworks.com/tiv.htm
See more images of the TIV: http://stormchaser.ca/Misc/TIV/TIV.html
The Fujita Scale of Tornado Intensity: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/f-scale.html


Watch a clip from Tornado Intercept:

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