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The Chasers of Tornado Alley: Touching the Sky (Director's Cut)

"The Chasers of Tornado Alley: Touching the Sky" is a story about the American storm chaser. Where, how and why they pursue some of nature's most powerful forces are all answered in this documentary film by veteran storm chaser Martin Lisius. We see the destruction caused by storms, but also the beauty they reveal. And, we learn about the efforts chasers are making to save lives.

  • Martin Lisius
    Director
    The Chasers of Tornado Alley (1996)
  • Martin Lisius
    Writer
    The Chasers of Tornado Alley (1996)
  • Kim George
    Producer
  • Marisa Lynae Hampton
    Key Cast
    "Mother Nature"
    Into the Spotlight (2023)
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Science, Nature, Adventure, Climate
  • Runtime:
    48 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    July 15, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    17:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • RAW Science Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    October 5, 2024
    New York City
    Official Selection - Jury Award
  • Húsavík Explorers Festival
    Húsavík
    Iceland
    November 9, 2024
    Iceland
    Official Selection
  • Los Angeles Cinematography Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    September 9, 2024
    Los Angeles
    Winner - Best Documentary Cinematography
Director Biography - Martin Lisius

Martin Lisius is a Texas-based filmmaker and veteran storm chaser. As a cinematographer, he has contributed to productions for BBC - including the "Planet Earth" series, National Geographic, NBCUniversal, Netflix and Warner Bros. He has appeared on "Oprah," CNN, The Weather Channel, and CBS Evening News, collaborated on "Twisters" (2024), and worked as a technical advisor on "Twister" (1996).

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Director Statement

I was inspired to make this film after giving a career day presentation about storm chasing to school children who wanted to know everything about the topic. My goal for the film was to portray storm chasers as accurately as possible. My goal was to show audiences what a typical chase day is like, what chasers are doing to help their communities, and to see and understand the incredible beauty of the storms they pursue. We spent 7-years with a crew of 2 to 3 people, and traveled thousands of miles across Tornado Alley to gather the images necessary to tell our story.