On Location: Paul Green Guides Road Closures for “Twisters” OK Filming
Just like a real tornado, a twister made for the big screen can disrupt traffic. But when the weather chaos is on film, the roadway closures and detours are all controlled.
For Universal Studios’ production of Director Lee Issac Chung’s new action thriller “Twisters,” the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) asked Freese and Nichols to coordinate with the filmmakers to meet their needs and minimize traffic impacts.
Paul Green, Construction Management Group Manager for our Central Plains region, worked closely with Universal Studios and ODOT to create detour routes, guide roadway closures and assist with rolling roadblocks.
“The project was to get approval for temporary road closures,” Paul said. “It consisted of everything from closing down roads at night for shooting, to working with communities to ensure no major events were happening that would be affected by filming.”
Universal Studios would provide Paul with details about specific scenes — road location and time the film crew needed to shoot — then he worked with ODOT to get quick approvals for the road closures.
Yes, there were road bumps.
For instance, the movie’s opening scene was shot along the US81 northbound off-ramp and under the SH3 overpass.
However, Cliff swallows, a protected bird species, nested underneath the bridge. Paul warned the film crew about complying with the Migratory Bird Act, which meant not disturbing or destroying the nest during filming.
Paul said it was an honor to be trusted by ODOT for this project. “It shows we are a reliable advisor,” Paul said. “They were willing to listen to our ideas and trust our decisions.”
Before joining Freese and Nichols in 2016, Paul spent more than 33 years at ODOT, including as Director of Operations.
With his traffic-control role, Paul got to peek behind filming scenes — before the special effects were added. He saw the staff throw mud on cars, spray the actors with hoses, and toss leaves in front of giant fans to create different illusions.
“It’s shocking to see how much detail goes into shooting a movie,” Paul said. “They had about 300 people on set, with 30 trailers just off the highway to accommodate the people and all the equipment they needed.”
Paul attended the premiere on July 15, invited by Jeanette Stanton, director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s Film + Music Office. “Twisters” will be released in theaters on July 19.