Video: Calgary filmmaker behind NASA space junk Twitter hoax

Rumours that a NASA satellite fell in Okotoks, Alta., orbited the planet faster than the debris dropped from space on the weekend.

But the tweets that pegged the debris falling in Okotoks were merely quotes adapted from Orson Welles’ 1938 The War of the Worlds radio drama, which convinced terrified Americans that Martians had invaded the United States.

Even so, the Twitter hoax resulted in the Alberta RCMP fielding calls from reporters as far away as England and Japan, said spokesman Sgt. Patrick Webb.

“(Welles) did it via radio in 1938, so I figured I’d try it out with new media in 2011 to see what happens,” filmmaker Sebastian Salazar told the Toronto Star from Calgary.

Salazar, who said he is “certainly no Orson Welles,” was following the descent of the satellite on Twitter as people from Canada to Argentina speculated where it would land, he said.

When one person on Twitter suggested the satellite would land in Okotoks, another joked, “I hope there’s no aliens on those things,” Salazar said.

This reminded him of Welles’ infamous broadcast. He Googled it, gave it a listen, and started tweeting on his @imnotgonnalie2u account.

“Reporter Carl Phillips on the scene near Okotoks, AB, #UARS debris found at the Wilmuth Farm,” one tweet read. (Carl Phillips was the name of the reporter in Welles’ dramatization.)

“People were like, ‘Oh my God, start following this guy! He’s right there on the scene!’” Salazar said. “But some people caught on right away.”

He kept with the hoax because even NASA’s Twitter account was making lighthearted quips about the satellite, he said.

NASA’s official account tweeted: “Any pieces of #UARS found are still the property of the country that made it. You’ll have to give ’em back to U.S.”

While the satellite actually fell somewhere in the Pacific Ocean near the U.S. sometime after 11:23 p.m. on Friday, according to NASA, citizen journalists around the world quickly spread Salazar’s tweets and photos of debris — stuff he found lying around his house.

Because his story was translated into different languages, the reference to Welles got lost.

“They weren’t checking sources and facts,” Salazar said. “I’m glad none of the media outlets picked it up as being true.”

As it stands, Salazar has no additional Twitter hoaxes in the works and said he plans to shut down the account that started the ruckus. However, he doesn’t think the practical joke will hurt his career in the film industry.

“If anything, I’ve proven I can pull a good story or breathe new life into an old story,” he said.

In another social media hoax regarding the satellite, more than 290,000 people watched a video of the ‘crash’ posted to YouTube. But a man in the video clearly says he was in Oklahoma City.

RCMP spokesman Webb said he’s received more calls about this ‘incident’ than others that have actually happened, although he has yet to hear from NASA.

“And no, we did not arrest any little green men,” Webb quipped, “Although we did tow their spaceship to Area 51.”