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Chattanooga, Tenn. - Tornado season may be winding down in the region of America’s heartland known as “Tornado Alley,” but IMAX film-maker Sean Casey and his custom-built “Tornado Intercept Vehicle” (known as “the TIV”) are still on the road and will be making a special stop to meet fans and visitors at the Tennessee Aquarium on Sunday, September 26, at 12 pm.

Casey, star of the Discovery Channel’s wildly popular Storm Chasers series, will be at the Aquarium to give industry insiders an advance screening of some of the dramatic footage from his upcoming film, Tornado Alley. For the past seven years, Casey has traveled Tornado Alley, the “severe weather capitol of the world,” on a personal quest to capture the birth of a tornado on film—at point-blank range.

While the film will not be released until the spring of 2011, Casey will be taking a break from the activities of the Giant Screen Cinema Association’s annual conference to spend some quality time with fans of the TIV and Tornado Alley. Winners of a Facebook contest, http://www.facebook.com/notes/tennessee-aquarium/win-a-chance-to-ride-in-a-tornado-intercept-vehicle/442454038255  will take a spin with Casey in the TIV, the armored vehicle he built to carry his IMAX camera into gale force winds, torrential rains, and unrelenting hail. During the event, Aquarium visitors will be able to get a close-up view of the vehicle and can pose for pictures with Casey and the TIV.

Available only for giant screens like the Tennessee Aquarium’s IMAX Theater, Tornado Alley takes audiences on a heart-pounding mission to experience a tornado’s destructive power. The film follows Sean Casey and the scientists of the VORTEX 2 project, the most ambitious effort ever made to understand the origins, structure, and evolution of tornadoes as they traversing Tornado Alley in their DOWs (Doppler on Wheels) and the TIV. Casey and the VORTEX team experience the relentless strength of nature’s elemental forces while gathering the most comprehensive extreme weather data ever collected. Audiences will be swept away by the adrenaline and the science as the giant screen reveals the beauty and untamed power of these breathtaking weather events.

Event Details:

Time: 12 pm-1 pm, Sunday, September 26

Location: Tennessee Aquarium - One Broad Street

About Giant Screen Films:

Over the past decade, Giant Screen Films (GSF) has established itself as a pioneer in the large format/ IMAX® industry. Since 1997, the company has built a reputation for producing and distributing films that, through the magic of immersive sight and sound technologies, offer viewers an inspiring perspective on the world presented on giant IMAX® canvas. GSF’s mission is to create and share films that push the boundaries of the large-format medium, challenging the imaginations of children and adults around the world. At the core of this mission is a dedication to the partnerships that bring a diverse range of subjects to the screen and, through meaningful educational collaborations, extend each film’s impact far beyond the theater.

The Tennessee Aquarium inspires wonder, appreciation and protection of water and all life that it sustains. Admission is $24.95 per adult and $14.95 per child, ages 3-12. Each ticket purchased helps support Aquarium conservation programs. The IMAX® 3D Theater is next door to the Aquarium. Ticket prices are $8.50 per adult and $6.00 per child. Aquarium/IMAX combo tickets are $29.95 for adults and $19.95 for children. Excursions aboard the new River Gorge Explorer depart daily into “Tennessee’s Grand Canyon.” Cruise tickets are $29.00 per adult and $21.50 per child (3-12). Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.tnaqua.org or by phone at 1-800-262-0695. The Aquarium, located on the banks of the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, is a non-profit organization. Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Aquarium and IMAX are accessible to people with disabilities.

Tags: Chattanooga, Discovery Channel, Doppler on Wheels, DOWs, Giant Screen Cinema Association, Giant Screen Films, GSF, IMAX® 3D Theater, River Gorge Explorer, Sean Casey, Storm Chasers, Tennessee, Tennessee Aquarium, Tennessee River, Tennessee’s Grand Canyon, TIV, Tornado Alley, Tornado Intercept Vehicle, VORTEX 2 Project