As you might’ve read in his feature (which you can find here). Byron Turk manages to capture TRAffIK in motion. He can also be seen on Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers, which will have him hitting the road for a few months beginning next month
TRAFFIK: Where are you from originally?
BYRON TURK: Born in Georgia, I grew up in SoCal.
TRAFFIK: How did you end up in Los Angeles?
BYRON TURK: Moved here with family back in 90, hung around ever since.
TRAFFIK: What is your experience in the field of film?
BYRON TURK: I have a degree in Film Studies from UC Santa Barbara, worked on various sets as a PA for about a year, and now I shoot or edit in television mainly. I’ve worked with mainly video and have been on more than a few interesting jobs.
TRAFFIK: When did you realize that you wanted to work in film and why?
BYRON TURK: In all honesty, I had dropped Computer Science in college and ran out of elective classes to take. I had to figure a major and thought, “what career field would I prefer to be unemployed in?”
TRAFFIK: What area of film do you most enjoy working in?
BYRON TURK: I enjoy it all, but varied up a bit. I like shooting and editing and going back and forth because I get burned out on one thing sometimes
TRAFFIK: Do you recall the first film piece you worked on?
BYRON TURK: I was set to make my first short with some friends but wanted to get a little dry run in. So I made a little avante garde piece of art called “The Sperm That Didn’t Make It.” It’s on Youtube, I was able to warm my storytelling brain up with that. The first “set” I was on was for a silent film called “Underrated” my friends were making but our school’s quality equipment assured that nothing shot that day actually made it to film. They still have that camera to this day, actually. It’s a nice paperweight.
TRAFFIK: What equipment do you usually use?
BYRON TURK: I rock a DVX100A with AudioTechnic shotgun and a Seinheisser G2 wireless LAV. I’m not a big fan of tripods but I have a nice used one. It’s a pretty solid set up for something that isn’t HD.
TRAFFIK: Do you have a favorite camera/piece of equipment?
BYRON TURK: I love my wireless mic and I actually had to be convinced to buy it. As a shooter, I am more focused on the image and love any opportunity to get my hands on an HD camera, but as a producer I love having that mic and not being attached to the subject.
TRAFFIK: Do you have a preference for black and white or color film?
BYRON TURK: (joking!)I like watching black and white films with subtitles so I can feel better than other people.
TRAFFIK: Would you say that you look at the world in a different way than most people?
BYRON TURK: I don’t know, maybe because I feel I can grab a story out of a situation or subject for a documentary type situation. I think that there’s a certain way I operate that’s allowed me to get where I am, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. When I am officially recognized as better than anyone else (see you at the Emmy’s!), I’m sure someone will figure it out for me.
TRAFFIK: What was the first film/movie you saw that truly made an impact on you and why?
BYRON TURK: I’m not sure the first, but I’m sure it was a bunch of film school classes feeding me boring movies and educating me why they were actually interesting. I am really inspired by a movie called, “The Celebration.” It’s a Dogma95 movie, Danish filmmakers made a pact in how they made their movies. Simple, on location sound effects, on locations lighting, on location props. It made you be creative and resourceful. Plus the subject matter is really just interesting. It’s a flawed family coming together for the father’s birthday. Really, just find it and watch it. I don’t want to give it away.
TRAFFIK: What are your favorite things/people to work with?
BYRON TURK: Jessy Plume as a photographer and AutoMatique as a band/subject. It’s a group effort and a family environment so it’s hardly any work at all with them. Jessy is a great photographer and I’ve learned a lot from her regarding style and other artsy type stuff we drink espresso’s outside cafe’s and talk about. I love working with bands and I absolutely love shooting models because they already know how to look good and that means less work for me.
TRAFFIK: What would be your dream shoot? Who would be involved? Why?
BYRON TURK: My dream shoot? I don’t know. I got into this racket to make movies. I supposed based on that reasoning I’d want to make a movie and tell a good story and get people connecting with it. As a job, I’m aspiring to get at least one stint in on Deadliest Catch. I figure that’s about the hardest job my specific field. Ideally, I’d like to find things that are interesting and show them to people. Music videos, features on www.intraffik.com, documentaries, stuff like that. Or maybe something hockey related.
TRAFFIK: What has been one of your hardest to put together shoots? How about your craziest?
BYRON TURK: Craziest could be a Marine Boot Camp documentary I shot on. I was still green back then and all the excitement was a bit much for me. Watching these kids get off the bus and a figurative hurricane of yelling and intimidating Drill Instructors was a bit much. That, and my friend/boss Sean constantly wondering out loud how hard it would be to sign me up for the Marines. He’s good at forging signatures .
TRAFFIK: What has been one of your favorite shoots to date and why?
BYRON TURK: The Marines project with Sean was a great experience. Working on Storm Chasers with him, trying to make an IMAX film and drive into tornadoes is something that I’m pretty sure not everyone gets into. Shooting AutoMatique is always more fun than playing on my new iPhone. Last year’s Keep-A-Breast [for Kiss or Kill Club] shoot was cool, the first time I did something charity related.
TRAFFIK: How would you describe the feeling that you get after you have completed a piece?
BYRON TURK: Relief. I love editing, but there’s a lot of tedious work that goes into the latter parts of finishing a piece. I usually try to show it and get friends to tell me they like it. My parents usually bring up a music video I did a few years ago that they like when I show them my newer weirder stuff.
TRAFFIK: What do you want the general public to come away with when they see your work?
BYRON TURK: I want them to think I am awesome. Pretty much. And whoever or whatever my work was about is pretty cool too. I just want to keep their attention for about three minutes.
TRAFFIK: Outside of filmmaking are there any other hobbies or things that you are involved in?
BYRON TURK: I enjoy playing ice hockey and playing guitar. I also enjoy watching ice hockey and watching people play guitars.
TRAFFIK: How would you describe your personality?
BYRON TURK: Only jerks don’t like me, so I’d say I’m pretty easy going.
TRAFFIK: What are some of your favorite things?
BYRON TURK: I enjoy when it rains in California and acting like I don’t even notice it. Time with friends and family is important too.
And now here Byron offers us a little insight into the world of Storm chasing…
TRAFFIK: You are a part of the Storm Chasers crew that ran it’s past two season’s of storm chasing on the Discovery Channel, can you give a little background on the show and your role/how you got involved?
BYRON TURK: I am a part of an IMAX film crew trying to make a movie about tornadoes. There is another team of meteorologist whom we team up with. They use us to get instrument data inside a tornado and we are kept safe by their guidance. I started off as a driver for the IMAX portion of things and worked my way up to Navigator inside the Tornado Intercept Vehicle. I’m good with computers so I run our GPS and run our camera decks. It’s a whirlwind of constantly bouncing from one thing to another during a chase.
TRAFFIK: How would you describe some of the on the road situations that you encountered?
BYRON TURK: Mostly wet. Some were pretty windy too. There’s a lot of situations where there is very little visibility and horizontal rain. Debris flying all around us. On top of that, you have other drivers losing their mind.
TRAFFIK: Had you ever been to some of the parts of the country that you were chasing storms in prior to Storm Chasers?
BYRON TURK: Not really. The closest I can claim is spending time Dallas and having an layover in the Dallas airport a few years ago.
TRAFFIK: How would you describe the rest of the crew and life in the TIV vehicle?
BYRON TURK: We ride in a homemade tank inside tornadoes and pee in empty water bottles. There’s not much else to say.
TRAFFIK: What were people’s reactions to the special storm chasing vehicle that you guys rode around in?
BYRON TURK: More and more people are familiar with it so we get the “I seen that on TV!” reaction a lot. Beforehand we would get a lot of different Mad Max or Dumb and Dumber without the fur type comments. Oh, and 11 miles to gallon, TIV1 is a Ford F450 7.2 liter turbo diesel, TIV2 is a Dodge 3500 6.7 liter Cummins engine. No, I have not seen a flying cow. Yes, we know we are crazy.
TRAFFIK: Were there ever times that you were worried about getting too close to the storms, especially seeing some of the damage it had done to some of the towns and peoples homes that you got to witness firshand?
BYRON TURK: I wouldn’t say we get scared, but are more “aware of danger” in some situations than others. This past year we intercepted in a fairly big town which is all sorts of a nightmare and also were chased down by a very fast moving powerful tornado at night. Before intercepts it gets a bit hairy trying to get to the right spot and getting wind speeds off the radio. Haven’t had any close calls so far. Knock on wood.
(click on images to enlarge)
TRAFFIK: The art of stormchasing became much more known after Discovery Channel started airing the show as did each of you (crew members), what were some of the questions that people/viewers of the show would send you?
BYRON TURK: They ask about our TIV2 that broke down a lot in the show and if we are going to be on TV next year. A lot of people really dug the show this year. After that, they ask to chase with us or for advice in becoming a storm chaser.
TRAFFIK: How censored was your blog that you kept for the show? Are there any crazy situations that you got yourselves in on the road that you can share?
BYRON TURK: No comment!
TRAFFIK: What did you miss most when you were out on the road?
BYRON TURK: My girlfriend (awwww) and friends. It’s a 24/7 gig so sleeping in and having nothing to do and no where to go becomes a fantasy by the end of the trip. My biggest memory from my return is coming home and taking a real shower with real none motel 6 soap.
Top left photo by Jessy Plume
Storm Chasers Crew Photograph property of The Discovery Channel
