40 foot Tornado Created by Reel EFX, Inc.
for Volvo U.K. Television Spot
Reel EFX, Inc. created the 40-foot high tornado for a television commercial that aired in the U.K. The strong updraft from a modified helicopter rotor and swirling winds from wind machines combined to produce a small, but very real tornado, many times larger than usual laboratory models. The director put a full size automobile and the talent next to the vortex without requiring any compositing or optical work. Of course, safety precautions and shielding were necessary to protect cast and crew from debris picked up by the 60mph winds at the spinning core. The tornado was one of a series that Reel efx has created in various sizes for photographic and entertainment purposes. Natural tornadoes are unpredictable and dangerous, and CGI tornadoes just do not look real. Reel efx's man-made tornadoes are repeatable , predictable, and controllable for various effects. A variety of visual effects are possible: novel camera angles, like looking down the center of the funnel; effects created by putting different material into the vortex, such as glitter or fire.
This was taken from behind the camera location for filming. There aren't any visual obstructions in the camera's field of view, so no manipulation was necessary in post.
Yes, that's a full size Volvo 850 in there. Look at the right edge of the photo, and you'll see a person standing next to the tower, just to give you an idea of the scale. The towers are 50 feet (15 meters) tall, 6 feet (2 meters) across, and 60 feet (20 meters) apart. The vortex is sucking up a mixture of coal dust and fuller's earth.
The photo was taken by Charles Cooley, one of the Reel EFX, Inc. crew on the job.
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