Sean Casey (filmmaker)
{{short description|American IMAX filmmaker and storm chaser|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sean Cameron Casey
| image = Sean Casey and TIV.jpg
| caption = Casey in 2011
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|12|28}}
| birth_place = California, United States
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = American
| other_names =
| known_for =Featured on Storm Chasers
IMAX filmmaker
Invented the Tornado Intercept Vehicles
| occupation = IMAX film director/producer
| spouse = Jennifer Casey div.
| children = 2
}}
Sean Cameron Casey (born December 28, 1967) is an American IMAX filmmaker and storm chaser who appeared in the Discovery Channel reality television series Storm Chasers.{{Cite web |title=Storm Chasers - Bio |url=https://go.discovery.com/tv-shows/storm-chasers/bios |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=go.discovery.com}} Casey created an IMAX film called Tornado Alley about chasing tornadoes and had to build the Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV) and the Tornado Intercept Vehicle 2 (TIV2) to film inside a tornado.{{Cite web |date=2004-09-30 |title=Forces of Nature Interview: Director of Photography Sean Casey |url=http://www.bigmoviezone.com/articles/index.html?uniq=199 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232412/http://www.bigmoviezone.com/articles/index.html?uniq=199 |archive-date=2016-03-03}}
Tornado Alley was released worldwide on March 18, 2011.{{Cite web |date=2006-05-21 |title=Filmmaker hopes to get inside a tornado |website=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/weather/stormcenter/2006-05-21-tornado-film-crew_x.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722112158/https://www.usatoday.com/weather/stormcenter/2006-05-21-tornado-film-crew_x.htm |archive-date=2009-07-22}} Casey has been named one of the 50 best minds of 2008 by Discover Magazine.{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=Corey S. |date=2008-11-18 |title=The 50 Most Important, Influential, and Promising People in Science |url=http://discovermagazine.com/2008/dec/19-the-50-most-important-influential-and-promising-people-in-science/?searchterm=50%20best%20minds |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215035/http://discovermagazine.com/2008/dec/19-the-50-most-important-influential-and-promising-people-in-science/?searchterm=50%20best%20minds |archive-date=2016-03-03}} Currently Sean is spearheading a program called "Plants For Schools" in which landscapes on Title 1 elementary school campuses are transformed into educational exhibits of conservation.
Tornado Intercept Vehicles
{{Main|Tornado Intercept Vehicle}}
Casey built two mobile armored trucks called Tornado Intercept Vehicles (TIV1 and TIV2) to film very near to from inside the tornadoes he chases, sometimes with atmospheric scientist Joshua Wurman's Center for Severe Weather Research and the Doppler on Wheels radar trucks (DOW 2-DOW 7).{{Cite web |last=McDonough |first=Kevin |date=2007-10-17 |title=On 'Storm Chasers': In pursuit of twisters |url=http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071017/LIFE/710170308 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192709/http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071017/LIFE/710170308 |archive-date=2016-03-03}}{{Cite web |title=Storm Chasers - Discovery |url=https://go.discovery.com/tv-shows/storm-chasers |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=go.discovery.com}}
Construction began on the TIV in 2003 and cost over $80,000. Sean began the concept of the TIV after having to use rented minivans to storm chase, and being unable to get up close to a tornado.{{cite web |url=http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/tv/Last-Call-With-Carson-Daly/7549/1919135208/Sean-Casey/videos |title = Watch TV Online, Stream Episodes and Movies {{!}} Xfinity Stream}} The windows are bullet resistant polycarbonate at {{convert|1.5|in|mm|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} thick. The Tornado Intercept Vehicles have a 7.3-liter Ford Power Stroke turbo diesel under the hood, and the top speed is {{convert|85|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}. The TIV weighs in at {{convert|8|ST|kg|abbr=on}} and holds {{convert|60|USgal|L}} of fuel.{{Cite web |title=Sean Casey Filmmaker |url=http://www.servinghistory.com/topics/Sean_Casey_filmmaker |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716045503/http://www.servinghistory.com/topics/Sean_Casey_filmmaker |archive-date=2011-07-16}}
Construction began on TIV2 in September 2007 with help from Great Plains Technology Center in Lawton, Oklahoma{{Cite web |date=2007-11-29 |title=Tech students help build tornado vehicle |url=http://www.kswo.com/Global/story.asp?S=7429345 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626163831/http://www.kswo.com/Global/story.asp?S=7429345 |archive-date=2018-06-26}} after Sean realized he needed to upgrade his vehicle. TIV2 weighs in at {{convert|7|ST|kg|abbr=on}} and is a 4-wheel drive, 3 axle vehicle. It stands taller than the original TIV and is capable of going on mud and unpaved roads without the fear of getting stuck. The original TIV has 2-wheel drive and extremely low ground clearance that would cause it to get stuck on unpaved roads. It is powered by a 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine, modified with propane and water injection, to produce 625 horsepower. This gives TIV2 an estimated top speed of over {{convert|110|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}. Fuel capacity is {{convert|95|USgal|L}} in a custom fuel tank, giving TIV2 an approximate range over {{convert|750|mi|km|sigfig=2}}. The body of TIV2 is constructed of a 1/8-inch steel skin welded over a {{convert|2|in|mm|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} square tubing steel frame. The windows in TIV2 are all bullet resistant 1 5/8 inch interlayered polycarbonate sheets and tempered glass. TIV2 also features an IMAX filming turret similar to the one on the original TIV. The original TIV's somewhat cumbersome hydraulic claws were not used on TIV2 in favor of four hydraulic skirts that drop down to deflect wind over the TIV to stabilize it and protect the underside from debris plus two stakes that extend down {{convert|42|in|cm|abbr=on}}. The stakes were so effective that after the first use, TIV2 could not retract the stakes, and they had to be dug out by hand.{{Cite web|url=https://cswxcenterandthc.weebly.com/sean-casey.html|title=Sean Casey|website=THE COASTERSTORM WEATHER CENTER AND THE HURRICANE CHANNEL}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.tornadoalleymovie.com Tornado Alley IMAX Movie]
- {{IMDb name|1791062}}
- {{official website|http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/storm-chasers/}} of Storm Chasers
- [http://originalmedia.com Production website] of Storm Chasers
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Casey, Sean}}
Category:American documentary filmmakers
Category:Film directors from California