When it comes to cool visuals, sometimes you need more than just special effects.
In this exclusive first look at a behind-the-scenes feature off the upcoming Blu-ray/DVD release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon (out Tuesday), we find out who was responsible for many of the awesome aerial stunt work that took place in the blockbuster flick.
That would be The Birdmen, a group of adrenaline junkies who jump from various high altitudes wearing specially made wingsuits. Director Michael Bay remembers seeing them profiled on a segment of 60 Minutes and knew immediately he had to hire them.
"I literally called [producer] Ian Bryce and said, 'Find those guys, wherever they are, get them in the office because I want to put them in this movie,' " he says in the clip above.
"To my surprise, the phone rang, it was Ian Bryce and he spoke humbly about a movie project," recalls stunt precision skydiver (and lead birdman) J.T. Holmes. "He told me what it was, and I was like, 'Sweet, I'm in.' "
Sure enough, Holmes and his team pulled off some pretty impressive moves for the film—so much so that he and his fellow Birdmen were among those contending in the Stunt Ensemble category at this year's SAG Awards.
And while they lost out to the daredevils behind the final Harry Potter, we're sure the nomination made those Birdmen all, er, jump for joy.