A social media post accompanying the video of a man sitting on the rotor of a helicopter and spinning with it is being shared widely as if it happened for real. The post calls it the rotor challenge. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a man spinning along with the rotor of a helicopter
Fact: This is a computer graphic video created by an CG artist and shared on his Instagram account named ‘mgb-core’. It is categorically mentioned in this account that the video is shot using smartsuit pro. Further, there are many animated videos shared by the creator in this account. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Halfway through the video, we can spot a watermark that reads ‘MGB CORE’. Taking a cue from this, Google search with relevant keywords led us to an Instagram account with the name ‘mgb_core’, which had a million followers. As per the description, this account is handled by a computer graphic designer, and further in the description, it is categorically mentioned that all the content posted on this account is created by himself.
This account shared a lengthier version of the viral video. In the lengthier version of the video, it can be seen after spinning at high velocity, the man eventually flies into the sky along with the helicopter. However, it is categorically mentioned in the post that the video is shot by animating the characters using ‘Smartsuit Pro’, an animation software. Further, the post-credits other animators who took part in making the video.
Also, there are many such computer graphic videos shared in this account. This proves that the viral video is nothing but an animation video. FACTLY has earlier also debunked a few animated videos which were passed off on social media as if they are for real, these fact-check stories can be read here, here, and here.
To sum it up, an animation video of a man spinning along with helicopter rotor passed off as real.
