Greetings from IMAX Filmmaker Sean Casey!

I'm licking my wounds from a this last chase season, and it's going to take a good amount of licking.

I'm in the process of fixing TIV2 with a fellow who builds class one vehicles for the Baja 1000.  We are also going to be building a TIV3. Yeah, I know, just when you thought the world didn't need another TIV.
I'd put a picture up of TIV3 but it's top secret right now,  I don't know why it's "top secret", but it sounds good.  TOP SECRET! Sounds like we know more than we actually do.  Guess that's why the Government has so many top secret programs.

Also trying to get funding for the Imax film. It's hard for me to ask "Hi. I need a million dollars, can I have it and give you 20% of an Imax film?" I want  to be finished in a year from now and then start a tornado
intercept tour company. Maybe I should auction a seat in the TIVs for next year on Ebay.  But then we'd have to deal with a client and I don't know think our SOP is in line with someone who is adverse to peeing in a water bottle.  And that client is probable going to be older and have some money, with my luck it'll be John McCain.  He'll get excited and have a heart attack and then we'll be faced with the question, "Do we stop the chase?"  The answer will be "no" and then we'll have some explaining to do a week latter when we drop off our client at the local morgue. Maybe we'll just sell TIV t-shirts

Besides all that, getting a little tired of Los Angeles, time I think to move a bit north...have gone on three fishing trips since chasing.  Caught 5 Yellow Tail, 4 Yellow Fin Tuna, and an assortment of Skip Jack, Sierra, Cabrillo, and Trigger fish.

I'm making fish tonight for friends and hoping I don't poison anyone.

Besides all that, I'm raising my beautiful family and trying to figure out what is eating all of my tomatoes.

Sean Casey

**************
Sean is making appearance on Extra today (Thursday!) and will be on a few other programs like Insider so keep a look out!

B

Remember, Storm Chasers at 10pm on Discovery Channel this Sunday!
tellallyourfriends.

Comments

[Richard Cave]

Thanks for posting here Sean. A TIV 3 now if you need a driver/photographer just ask!

I will hopefully be doing my BBC Camera operators course next year, so who knows I could be on the team. I lived in a tank for five years rememberLOL.

As for what is eating your tomatoes, I blame sasquatch, hey thats another IMAX idea! LOL

Looking forward to more of your fine work, you will get there dude. If you film it they will come...

Hey enjoy the fishing and enjoy being with the family.

Rich

[M.R.]

Sasquatch? Nah, a very confused chupacabra. Thanks for posting, Sean. Good luck on your hunt for funding. I'd rather be fishing or chasing tornadoes any day than have to go through that nightmare. Best wishes to you and your family!

[Bryan]

Sean Casey! I saw you on the premier of "Tornado Intercept", and last year's” Storm Chasers”, I can't wait to see your I-Max film.
I'm making a documentary about tornadoes for my school project, and naturally I want to include you, my video will be posted on YouTube when it's finished. Right now I’m still trying to find good footage, I was wondering if you had any footage I could use?, Maybe a video of you talking about the TIV?
You can E-Mail me at: bootserx12@gmail.com

[Dani]

Hey Sean,

Great to hear from you again (and the rest of the team of course) Just watched the first episode of the new season, and I feel your pain! I remember the frustration coming through on the posts here at the beginning of the season. Its like re-living it all over again. :) (Coincidently, it was also about that time that I first caught the first season of Storm Chasers, being in the UK, the Discovery channel likes to make us wait)

Cant wait for the next episode, and the 'Big Surprise'

[Khristopher]

Great first episode! I can't wait to visually see what happened, after reading all of your posts on the blog throughout the season.

[Cameron]

I think you should keep both TIVs, even with the third one. What if something happens to TIV2? Or, you and an extra crew in TIV1 could intercept tornadoes together! And, if there are more than one tornadoes in the chase area, you can follow what you want to do in TIV2 while TIV1 follows Josh's ideas.

[Melanie]

Hi, im Melanie, im 15, from Illinois, and probably one of the biggest fans of this show. Since I was 8 years old, weather, especially storms and tornadoes, amaze me. My dream is to become a storm chaser/meteorologist. Im completly obsessed with storms. Whenever theres a storm near my house, I just want to get out there and see it, yet everyone I know always seem terrified. I've been waiting so long for a show like this and I absolutly love it. Keep doing what you guys do best and maybe some day that will be me out there. Fyi, im whatching your show right now :)

[Matt Granz]

Hey Sean, it seems the best ideas always have huge hurdles to overcome, which is also most likely the reason why you don't see an army of TIVs rolling out on the plains loaded with IMAX capability. I don't envy your having to go knocking on doors for the money, but keep hope alive... We're all rooting for you.

[Jason]

Hey i just got hooked on this show. At first i was like nO but now im like yes. I blogged about it please come and check it out and leave a comment please. Thank

Jason
cblawton.com/mylifeinjerzy

[Seth]

Sean, I love the show and the action.

The one thing that frustrates me is equipment problems. Maybe this is good TV or story line,
but, since the Discovery Channel hosted shows
like Monster Garage, why not try to get help
from master fabricators and welders
like Jesse James and have
a more reliable TIV?

[James Hanna]

I love the show and glad it made a return trip but I'm confused as to why with all of the issues with TIV 1 that you didn't take the time to test TIV 2 more. It seems that you would realize that axles can only handle up to a certain weight and that tire studs can as well. I'd think that a retired military transport vehicle would suit your needs best, one with tires of course. I know a lot don't go very fast but you could modify one and it would probably be the best TIV you could have.

Same goes for Josh. He should have tested the DOW's equipment more too since he had problems. I mean tornado season is only 2 or 3 months so you have 10 or 11 to test.

[Brandon Copic]

Ok Sean... Great Show you have on your hands I'd like to see that footage or the Imax film! Yeah like a few people here I am only 14 years old. I watch the show every new night even if that means losing sleep for school. I happen to be a weather spotter for NBC 24, Toledo, OH, it's more of a volunteer job, but you know it's actually fun for me we got a strong supercell here in toledo and jeez i got knocked over by 60mph+ winds that hurt bad! I almost got struck by lightning 3x that's a whole lot! 1st time we were going to where i will be working as an Air Force Meteorologist in 3 or so years i am about to turn 15, and lightning struck the pole right next to us! 2nd I was a guard a Captain i was in charge in fact. I was going outside checking to see if everyone's badges were off because there was lightning and the badges were medal, and I went outside like I said and lightning struck 50 or so feet from me and shocked and knocked me over, they said i was so worried about them I forgot to take off my badge! Finally I was swimming and lightning struck about 75ft away and I ran so fast! Shocking isn't it? :) I had 7 Funnel clouds go over my house once scary eh? Tornado landed accross the street from where i was, so I have been friends with everyone at nbc24 and have been working with them. So I have been with weather forever! If you want shoot me an email-Whitmerfootball12@yahoo.com, or ToledoWeatherSpotter@yahoo.com, and I could forward that email to you about me getting knocked over by the 65+ winds! Talk to you later. (Must be bored of my stories! :) )
-Brandon, Weather Spotter

[cade allen]

hi my name is cade i am your biggest fan! I live in Kansas. next season can i come with you. i know a lot about tornados. i even have my own probe. i live in the middle of tornado alley.my gandpa and uncle went down to greens burg,KS to put back all the broken houses.after what the ef5 did.i really like tiv2 i also miss the tiv1.i want to shoot my own i max film too! i am almost in the fith grade. my parents are big fans too. they said i should come see what it is like with you i ordered all your videos.i want to be a storm chaser like you! i watch all your videos.write me back about your answer cade.

[Ryan Phelps]

Sean,

Great season so far! I've been watching every episode of Storm Chasers on Discovery. I've always been a big fan of tornadoes ever since I watched "Twister" back in the day. I'd definitely ride with you guys and help out however I could just to gain the experience (don't care how many times I have to pee in a gatorade bottle!) I like what I do but I think that tornado chasing is the ultimate opportunity! I'm 24 and anxious to live life to the fullest. Contact me at ryanphelps1@gmail.com before next season. Best of luck!

[Don Williams]

Sean,

If you need a chassis hat will hold up contact Martin
Christensen at All German Auto in Escondido, CA.

His racing team runs the Baja 1000 but his company and an associated company in the San Diego area were was selected to build two cars for a Russian group for use in the Dakar Ralley.

I have photos of the cars and engines and can link you up with him. He will make a suspension that will not fail.

DAW

[Don Williams]

Sean,

I have to assumr you have already contacted MacGillivray Freeman in Laguna Beach for advice in getting support.

You can find them, as well as All German on any Google search.

I would guess that MacGillivray Freeman wouldn;t provide significant support since you are apparently linked to Discovery, but they might help in some way.

Greg MacGillivray is the key person in the company since founding partner Jim Freeman was killed in a helicopter crash in 1976.

It's worth a try.

DAW

[Josh]

Pirate4x4 & TIV3

Sean, I share your frustration about the problems with TIV2 and agree with the pirate gang that it's due to using light duty truck components. It looks like you're using Lonnie for the build and I don't question his expertise in his field, but a baja rig is a light off-road racer, very different from a 10ton plated tank.

To my point, please don't keep them in the dark, create a build thread and post progress so they can analyze the construction and provide input. I think it's the best way to insure you end up with a bulletproof rig to meet your highly-specialized needs and prevent another USA6x6 from happening.

Tonight ep4 premieres--I'm crossing my fingers that TIV and DOW get some action.

-Josh

[Tim E Virginia USA]

Hey Sean,
I would love to know when ur out and about during the season I want to see the TIV and would love to tag along on a chase. I have been on quite a few and get alot of pics of course I am as crazy as you and get as close as I can.
So If you can reply that is cool if not that is cool too.
Thanks Tim

[Roy H. Barrett II]

Mr. Casey,

I have watched this season with apt enthusiasm for the TIV II. I have been thinking that perhaps there is another method which would be reliable, affordable and productive for your efforts. If you want a vehicle that is low, strong, survivable and 'all that' why not use as a basis for your construction the basic chasis from a military 6x6 vehicle? You would tailor the springs for your height and tension while leveraging off of the proven all wheel drive capability that is witnessed by several decades of technology.

I think that the concept you have fielded is sound and if it were coupled with some 'heavier' proven technology, could be the ultimate in Tornado Chasin' Gear...

Best Regards Sir,

Roy H. Barrett II

[Steve in East Tennessee]

I had to pop in here and drop you guys a note. Watching this season, especially tonight's episode of TIV1 being hit, or close, to the core of a twister.. good grief man, my heart is STILL thumping. I can't imagine the rush you guys get doing what you're doing.

And Sean, this is for you. With the weight of that beautifully insane bit of Mad Max hardware you're driving around in, I wasn't too surprised to see the thing break. I don't know if you've thought of looking into this as a possible source for engineering help, but you should look into hooking up with the guys that build monster trucks. These guys build trucks designed to fly through the air and come down still drivable, and they know how to build hard core components. I would think they'd groove on the challenge of helping to build that armored beast. Just make sure to mention you don't want THIS truck to fly.

I've been geeked by intense weather since I was a kid, and man, being able to virtually tag along with this show through Discovery is the coolest thing ever.

I really, really feel for you with not being able to get your shot yet. The frustration has to be unbearable. I don't know how you don't turn into a raving lunatic missing storm after storm. Maybe you get that way, but that's left on the floor of the editing suite. ;)

I commend you guys for doing something so incredibly important in gathering useful data, but Sean, I really hope you can finally get that once in a lifetime shot of an intercept. When you do, I'll be first in line at the nearest Imax theater with a big grin on my face.

[Randall]

Hey Sean,
I'm liking the show. I'm watching the show right now. Looks intense. I wanted to throw in a question and a comment about the TIVs.

Question: Have you ever considered using big rig or semi big rig to piggy back the TIVs on the long hauls?

Comment: If you had a big rig you could limit the TIVs to a specific number of square miles. I've also seen custom tour bus type vehicles built for auto racing. For example, if you had to travel 300 miles to a storm you could use the big rig to haul the TIVs until you were within a 50 mile radius of the storm. Then deploy the TIV or TIVs.

[Isara]

Love the show - just watched your accidental intercept & it was riveting! I'm dying to see more! I can't wait for TIV3. Having lived in Tornado Alley my whole life, I will glad to see if the data can help save lives.

[Steven weishair]

hey Sean, this is Steven weishair. i have been into storms since i was twelve i am now 19 and thinking bout going back to college for meteorology but i have been wondering if your team could use another person. i will do what ever is asked of me as long as i understand it of course but I'll try my hardest and i have chased a few tornadoes in Minnesota but it was dark and stupid but my pictures didn't turn out though. i was chasing two in the same area it was awesome but stupid of me to be i between the two. i can be available anytime and really want a job for storm chasing no matter what it takes i will hopefully get a job soon if you need more info just give me an email and i'll give you my number there Thanks for your time. hope you get the shot you are looking for. ps an idea for you maybe you should take both TIV's out at the same time so if you need to you can have 2 of them in different places to help increase your chance of getting you r shot you need
thanks again for reading this long message please respond

[Jacob Rhodes]

Well i have to say i love storm chasing i have done it off and on for a few years as a Kansas Native. I also do a little work on Demolition Cars so i know a little about what makes or breakes a vehicle. Love the TIV2 but just from watching the first few shows you need a beefier drive system, and i was thinking of something along the lines of a big rig chasey. They do make allwheel drive big rigs. I know it is higher off the ground but you can lower them to, and you do not need the big rig engine to power it. Use the cummins like you have in the TIV2. Anyways you can use my idea if you want. If you have any questions email me.
Always been interested in storms and there awsome power i have taken storm chasing classes in the past and when i get some free time away from the job i chase still.

[mike]

trailer your tiv military does it with their tanks until their needed. build or buy a trailer, lowboy style. you'd need tandum or tripple axle, the same type you see transporting a backhoe. when you load the tiv back it on so you can drive it off quick when needed. this would eliminate the stress of road travel breakdowns on the tiv (broken axles etc) keep it in tip top shape. buy an international like the doctor drive's 350hp diesel with a crew cab and a utility box back. faster travel less stess. hope you get this email me if you do,i'm a tractor trailer driver mike