"CSI: Miami"

[mdetrano 0]

This is why I like the Fandango scene. Even though it's joke-y (hilarious, in fact), it still comes off as more realistic than most movie/TV skydiving scenes out there.

[JohnRich 4]

Quote

This is why I like the Fandango scene. Even though it's joke-y (hilarious, in fact), it still comes off as more realistic than most movie/TV skydiving scenes out there.

That's an interesting comparison you bring up.

In Fandango it's a comedy scene which contains much valid information. And in the CSI Miami episode, it's a serious drama scene, that contains much incorrect information. Kind of the exact opposite of what you would expect!

[decompresion 2]

I saw that shit too?
And he was saying that his friends were getting their license?
Is there some private celebrity dropzone?
Does tom cruise secretly own a jump plane?
Because the beer rules apply to them also...First oscar? beer! first emmy? beer! first cover of people magazine? beer!
And no cheepo Coors light crap either like the rest of us ramen eaters. (You hear that Mr. cruise?)

There are no dangerous dives
Only dangerous divers

[towpilot2003 0]

I flew the Otter (In the hangar scene and interior shots)from Perris to Hawthorn in LA spending the day on set. When I landed the covered up the SKYDIVE PERRIS and changed the N number immediately before shooting. Just a big white sticker. They did have some very experienced skydivers on scene getting as much of the story accurate but honestly to make anything Hollywood you have to bend many realities we all saw on TV. That's typical Hollywood, entertain the Wuffo's. The writers were being educated on the spot as best they could be... trust me.
All of the air to air shots were filmed Near Vandenburg air force base in California (you can see the base in the free fall scene). The reason was the Ocean, the sorta kinda flat farm looking area (Like Florida) and being located near HollyWood. The Caravan was used to keep cost down of the production, pretty self explanatory...
The wife: In the show, she's an old battle ax, the "stand in" actress for the wife (Stand ins used to set up camera angle etc) was way hotter, I'm just sayin, should have used her ;-)

I've done a few Hollywood-ish productions and I was told something by Scott Smith (regional director) a while back, "Movies are like sausages, the finished product is good, but you don't want to see how they're made." So with that we'll just have to deal with terribly inaccurate skydiving scenes from Hollywood until writers and producers can deal with their ego and "creative genius" not being interrupted :-)