Chris Novy
EF0
Another year gone by. This time a storm season with a shaky start but a strong and interesting season in the end.
Each year I make my annual call for video on the WX-CHASE group and here on Stormtrack looking for new video (new at least new to me) to present in SKYWARN training classes. A couple of weeks ago I had an off-list conversation with a long-time WX-CHASE member who questioned why spotters need to see new video each year when there is already so much video out there. My basic answers were 1) to keep the classes interesting/fresh, 2) to illustrate new findings and/or significant case studies, and 3) because the quality of the video just keeps getting better and better.
For those of you that don't know, I have been teaching free SKYWARN classes for more than 20 years now. Sometimes by myself but more often in conjunction with other very noteworthy speakers at large venue appearances. My classes are designed to be entertaining and informative and although I cover certain "mandatory" topics every year I'm always interested in summarizing interesting recent events. Video is the key to making this happen as I try to avoid graphics or static images.
Some have suggested that I paint all chasers in a bad light. This is not true. I paint bad behavior in a bad light --whether it's chasers, spotters, emergency managers, or the general public. Because my talks are *my* talks I'm free to speak my mind --unrestrained by government or employer restrictions. Most people I speak with enjoy my perspective but there are some whom take offense to it. Sorry. My goal is to make spotters safe, accurate, and vested in the reporting process.
So what kind of video do I need? Well think back to your early chaser days. What kind of stuff confused you? What mistakes did you make with respect to positioning and what were the consequences? Did you make any bad reports or hear others make bad reports that left you scratching your head? One big part of my talks is covering all the stuff that confuses new spotters. Anyone can spot a big fat tornado but the scary-looking clouds, brief peeks at strange features through the trees, and glimpses of things in a flash of lightning at night are really confusing to spotters and lead to false/mistaken reports. Next, there's safety. Remember that guy in the Camaro doing 100+ and passing cars to catch a rain-wrapped tornado? It's stuff like that and people parking on the highway or doing other reckless things that really need to be mentioned. Why? Well part of the reason is that in order to make my classes thorough I need to show both the good and the bad. So if you have footage of chasers/spotters properly parking well-off the road and carefully watching the skies I need that footage. If you have footage of chasers running 100 lights on their vehicles and confusing other motorists I need that footage too. The other reason for the safety-related footage is that some of these topics are really boring or hard to illustrate without footage. For example, footage showing someone trying to drive in zero visibility is great stuff and something you can't really explain without seeing the actual stuff.
In a nutshell here's the kind of stuff I always need:
--Ambiguous features. The "what the hell is that?" and close-match look-alikes.
--Night footage (as long as it's bright enough to see in an auditorium) of all kinds
--Severe weather actually happening (hail, damage, flooding, tornado debris, etc)
--Safety hazards such as flooding, downed lines and trees, escaped livestock
--Stupid people tricks like driving through deep water, touching power lines, standing in the middle of the road
--Time-lapse footage (or footage I can make into time-lapse) illustrating storm-scale movement
--Inflow and outflow features
--Multiple views of the same storm event shot simultaneously by different chasers from different locations
--Examples of people making reports on phone, radio, Spotter Network
--Oh Sh*t moments. Stuff that will make spotters think twice before trying the same thing you did
--Gadgets that make spotting safer or easier including computers and weather apparel
I have no budget for footage since I do these talks for free. All I can offer is on-screen credit for your contribution (assuming you want your name mentioned) and I will put people interested in your footage in contact with you. In exchange for your footage you receive my deepest thanks and the satisfaction that you are helping with protecting your friends and neighbors.
I do not share or redistribute any footage given to me with one important exception. Unless specifically asked NOT to, I do share footage with Weather Service offices who ask me for new material. Some chasers have no problems sharing with NWS but have asked me to put each NWS office in contact with them directly. I fully understand the need to maintain control of your footage. Others' have no problem with me sharing their footage with NWS so long as proper credit is given and measures are taken to ensure the footage will not make it into the hands of commercial interests.
So if you have any footage that might be helpful I'd love to see it. Simply contact me off-list at [email protected] or you can PM mere here on ST. If you have ideas I can use for the 2010 training classes but not necessarily any footage I'd still like to hear from you. I don't like working in a vacuum so input from others is always welcome.
In 2010 I'm making it a point to cover new venues such as Indianapolis and the chaser convention in Denver and hope to spread my safety and accuracy messages to a new generation of spotters.
Again, my thanks.
..Chris.. Yukon, OK
Each year I make my annual call for video on the WX-CHASE group and here on Stormtrack looking for new video (new at least new to me) to present in SKYWARN training classes. A couple of weeks ago I had an off-list conversation with a long-time WX-CHASE member who questioned why spotters need to see new video each year when there is already so much video out there. My basic answers were 1) to keep the classes interesting/fresh, 2) to illustrate new findings and/or significant case studies, and 3) because the quality of the video just keeps getting better and better.
For those of you that don't know, I have been teaching free SKYWARN classes for more than 20 years now. Sometimes by myself but more often in conjunction with other very noteworthy speakers at large venue appearances. My classes are designed to be entertaining and informative and although I cover certain "mandatory" topics every year I'm always interested in summarizing interesting recent events. Video is the key to making this happen as I try to avoid graphics or static images.
Some have suggested that I paint all chasers in a bad light. This is not true. I paint bad behavior in a bad light --whether it's chasers, spotters, emergency managers, or the general public. Because my talks are *my* talks I'm free to speak my mind --unrestrained by government or employer restrictions. Most people I speak with enjoy my perspective but there are some whom take offense to it. Sorry. My goal is to make spotters safe, accurate, and vested in the reporting process.
So what kind of video do I need? Well think back to your early chaser days. What kind of stuff confused you? What mistakes did you make with respect to positioning and what were the consequences? Did you make any bad reports or hear others make bad reports that left you scratching your head? One big part of my talks is covering all the stuff that confuses new spotters. Anyone can spot a big fat tornado but the scary-looking clouds, brief peeks at strange features through the trees, and glimpses of things in a flash of lightning at night are really confusing to spotters and lead to false/mistaken reports. Next, there's safety. Remember that guy in the Camaro doing 100+ and passing cars to catch a rain-wrapped tornado? It's stuff like that and people parking on the highway or doing other reckless things that really need to be mentioned. Why? Well part of the reason is that in order to make my classes thorough I need to show both the good and the bad. So if you have footage of chasers/spotters properly parking well-off the road and carefully watching the skies I need that footage. If you have footage of chasers running 100 lights on their vehicles and confusing other motorists I need that footage too. The other reason for the safety-related footage is that some of these topics are really boring or hard to illustrate without footage. For example, footage showing someone trying to drive in zero visibility is great stuff and something you can't really explain without seeing the actual stuff.
In a nutshell here's the kind of stuff I always need:
--Ambiguous features. The "what the hell is that?" and close-match look-alikes.
--Night footage (as long as it's bright enough to see in an auditorium) of all kinds
--Severe weather actually happening (hail, damage, flooding, tornado debris, etc)
--Safety hazards such as flooding, downed lines and trees, escaped livestock
--Stupid people tricks like driving through deep water, touching power lines, standing in the middle of the road
--Time-lapse footage (or footage I can make into time-lapse) illustrating storm-scale movement
--Inflow and outflow features
--Multiple views of the same storm event shot simultaneously by different chasers from different locations
--Examples of people making reports on phone, radio, Spotter Network
--Oh Sh*t moments. Stuff that will make spotters think twice before trying the same thing you did
--Gadgets that make spotting safer or easier including computers and weather apparel
I have no budget for footage since I do these talks for free. All I can offer is on-screen credit for your contribution (assuming you want your name mentioned) and I will put people interested in your footage in contact with you. In exchange for your footage you receive my deepest thanks and the satisfaction that you are helping with protecting your friends and neighbors.
I do not share or redistribute any footage given to me with one important exception. Unless specifically asked NOT to, I do share footage with Weather Service offices who ask me for new material. Some chasers have no problems sharing with NWS but have asked me to put each NWS office in contact with them directly. I fully understand the need to maintain control of your footage. Others' have no problem with me sharing their footage with NWS so long as proper credit is given and measures are taken to ensure the footage will not make it into the hands of commercial interests.
So if you have any footage that might be helpful I'd love to see it. Simply contact me off-list at [email protected] or you can PM mere here on ST. If you have ideas I can use for the 2010 training classes but not necessarily any footage I'd still like to hear from you. I don't like working in a vacuum so input from others is always welcome.
In 2010 I'm making it a point to cover new venues such as Indianapolis and the chaser convention in Denver and hope to spread my safety and accuracy messages to a new generation of spotters.
Again, my thanks.
..Chris.. Yukon, OK
