Keep Drifting Fun – Irwindale 120 FPS

Production Company: Self Produced

Project: Use motion graphics to track info graphics to RED One footage from Irwindale 2011. Test the RED One with the RED 18-85 and RED 300mm lenses.

Role: Director, DP, and Editor. Motion Graphics by Skylar Smith.

Shot on the Red One MX.

Special thanks to Formula Drift and Skylar Smith.

K&N Air Filters – Limited Edition Vaughn Gittin Jr. HPI RC Drift Car Sweepstakes

Production Company: Self Produced/K&N Air Filters

Project: K&N teamed up with HPi RC Cars to give away Vaughn Gittin Jr’s HPi 1/10th scale RC Drift cars – they contacted me to direct a chase between Jr and his 1/10th scale version. I’ve worked with Jr on several stunt driving shoots this year and he is always a pleasure to work with on projects. For this project we had one of HPi’s best Pro RC drivers and half a dozen of the 1/10th scale cars to use abuse. I brought in Skylar Smith and Jr brought in Andy Laputka – both filmmakers I’ve worked with in the past and good friends of mine. We knocked out the spot and Skylar did a great job of cutting the entire piece together.

Role: co-Director & DP. Also directed by Andrew Laptuka and Skylar Smith. Edited by Skylar Smith.

Shot on the Red One, Canon 5D, and Contour + POV Cameras

Special thanks to everyone at K&N & HPi

Hyundai Motor Company North America – Speed Golf with Rhys Millen

Production Company: Self Produced/Rhys Millen Racing

Project: While working on the Leadfoot festival promotional material in New Zealand – Rhys brought up his idea to do a golf cart video with his Hyundai Veloster Rally Car. We had a down day of filming from the Leadfoot spots and we shot this piece – which has been released by Hyundai North America. A golfer uses Rhys and his Hyundai Veloster Rally Car to get to the green the quickest way possible – Speed Golf. Shot in one day.

Role: Director & Editor. Behind the Scenes & golf ball vfx by Skylar Smith.

Shot on the Canon 5D & Panasonic HPX

Special thanks to Rod, Shelly, Rhys & Eddie.

Electronic Arts – Need for Speed “The Run” Promo

Production Company: Self Produced/Need for Speed Branding

Project: Need for Speed was launching their newest title – The Run and asked me to come up with a chase sequence between two of its featured cars. The cars, Vaughn Gittin JR’s 1969 Mustang RTR-X and the present day RTR Mustang GT. We shot out in a highly confidential location in Arizona and were able to pull of some awesome stunt work thanks to the talents of Vaughn Gittin JR and Chris Forsberg who were the stunt drivers in the spot. In post, we cut in Los Angeles with Gypsy Sound doing the audio post work and Jerimiah Morey doing the final color grade. This project was a blast to work on from conception with Charles Kha and Rachel Kelly – all the way to the finishing.

Role: Director & DP, Camera Operators: DC Chavez & Skylar Smith, Color by Jerimiah Morey, Sound by Justin Gay & Gypsy Sound

Shot on the RED One, Canon 5D, Sony EX1, and Canon T2i

Special thanks to Justin Gay & Jerimiah Morey.

The end of 2011 has been crazy for me. The last few months of this year have kept me very busy and one of the projects I’m looking forward to finishing up is a piece on Team Need for Speed driver Chris Rado. Here are a few screen grabs from the video. Still editing it currently between a host of other projects. I really am liking how these few frames have turned out with some simple grades.

Low fall sun and some morning time attack = nice flaring. All of these shots are from my Sony EX1R. Which I was operating hand held to get Chris as he was about to go out in his first session at Infineon Raceway.

The light even caught some of the particles in the air – check out the bottom left part of the frame. I love atmosphere like that.

FWING 2.0 ready for battle. Stay tuned for the upcoming video. I’m excited for it, Chris and Rob were fantastic interviews and it makes it easy when Chris breaks the Front Wheel drive record at the event to make the story end on a high note!

The coldest I’ve ever been has to be…Wyoming. Prior to this most recent trip, wind chill and cold temperatures combined to make a few snowboarding trips – extremely brisk. However, Wyoming in December at 3am has to take the prize for the coldest I’ve experienced. -16 degrees will make you want to curl up and quit. When temperatures hit positive later in the day – it felt insanely warm!

This was my first trip to Jackson, WY and I really loved it. Compared to the mining towns of Colorado – Jackson had a very cowboy western feel. This motel, the four winds caught my eye as its the title of a Bright Eyes song I dig.

The town also has a thing for antlers which make up arches, lamps, and furniture randomly around Jackson.

We setup a time lapse inside of our rental car to capture this epic sunrise.

Having stayed two nights at the Rustic Inn, I highly recommend it! Awesome breakfast and friendly folks.

The Tetons are actually very grand.

Team Honey Badger, my sound recordist Justin has been through snow and cold with us in the past. Here we wait in between takes just inside of Yellowstone.

AHHH. REAL Mountains.

We then headed to Idaho.

Stanley, Idaho – not many people live there, but the ones that do are amazingly nice and make excellent food. Niceness and Yuminess per capita is high.

DC reps our Motel. Jerry’s Motel.

Friends of mine think the mountain roads are fun to drive in Southern California. The roads outside of Boise, are nothing short of a motorcyclist or driver’s dream. So many sweeping curves and switchbacks.

We ended up getting our last shots at sunset outside of Boise, Idaho.

Magic hour, get it right, get it tight.

Until next time. Keep em turning.

Leadfoot Festival – :90 Promo 2012

Production Company: Self Produced

Project: Rod Millen must have one of the greatest driveways in the world. Over a mile long of twisting tarmac with some of his favorite features from courses and roads that he has raced – from around the globe. Now in its second year, the Leadfoot Festival is Rod’s celebration of speed – on his own driveway with his friends, family, and invited top drivers. This :90 spot was made to promote the 2012 festival.

Role: Director & Operator /Co-Editor (Skylar Smith)

Shot on the Panasonic HPX-170, Canon 5D and T2i cameras.

Special thanks to Rhys, Rod, Shelly, and Eddie.

After leaving Tucumcari, New Mexico we headed further west to Albuquerque – home of the second longest tramway in the world. We rode the tram up to the top, which provided spectacular views of the state and city. We didn’t stay long because the winds at the top were blowing and it was very chilly.

These tubes marked different points on the horizon – the national laboratories, the city of Santa Fe, and the airport. We were there at a perfect time of day and the light was amazing – as the sun was setting to the west.

I had to hold Tailyr’s hair back from blowing around just to take this photo. We look cold!

The ride down was even more fun than the ascent. The tower in the foreground is the higher of the two towers. Underneath the tram car is a massive drop at this point over the last canyon before the top station.

The two tram cars pass at the mid point of the tram way. On the way down, I got a hold of my friend Dan who met us for dinner with his roommate Tyler.

All of us pose with Dan’s daily driver s13 and Westy. White kids.

Next day, we rolled into Arizona. Here is Westy at the Flinestones campground outside of the Grand Canyon.

“I DO DECLARE, this CANYON IS GRAND!”

Back on the highway, we played tag with a long train.

Until we pulled off for gas in one of my favorite Route 66 towns in California – Ludlow. It has a few abandoned buildings – a diner, gas station, and a few houses.

Westy takes a break under the canopy of an old gas station. I really like the decay and old hand painted signage.

The window frames of the nearby burnt out diner provide a good frame for Westy. After 6 days, 2,600+ miles, and lots of fun stops – we had made it back to California and Los Angeles.

Keep the wheels turning.

Chicago, Illinois November 2011. The leaves were golden and hanging on like the last warmth of summer on a fall afternoon. It was time to bring my 1974 Volkswagen Westfalia Van back out to California from the midwest. The van, known as Westy – short for the Westfalia camper conversion it sports, had been at my parents house since the end of Keep Drifting Fun’s road trip. Westy had been through two motors. The replacement motor had lasted for less than 2,000 miles – before total failure. The carburetors were missing adjustment screws and in need of a freshening up. Luckily, the van broke down in Minneapolis, Minnesota – the home of VW shop Further Performance. They set Westy up with new Weber Carbs and installed a new motor.

A criticism of modern cars is that they have no soul. Westy is all soul. The VW van is a toaster on wheels – tall and narrow. It drives like a truck, with the power of an overweight VW Beetle, and has all the quirks of a a hippie that has had one too many trips.

So if speed, safety, and comfort are none of your concerns – its the perfect road trip machine. It’s like turtle. It has a massive shell that can house all of its occupants comfortably. It can easily sleep 2, if not 4 adults who are willing to get close. It has a fold up table, plenty of storage, and originally came equipped with a stove, refrigerator, and sink. Westy has been modified with solar panels providing the van with power, a modern stereo system head unit, and new speakers.

My girfriend was adventurous enough to come with me on the cross country trek. From Chicago, we headed past St.Louis and the Arch. Chugging along at 55mph.

In the past few years, after criss crossing the United States at least 10 times – I’ve come to appreciate the beauty of Route 66. The interstate highway system is the worst way to see the US – its vanilla and all the same. Route 66 is the US at its best: entrepreneurial, unique, and filled with personality. Here is the World’s largest Rocking Chair outside of Cuba, Missouri.

Back onto the highway, we zipped past Tulsa, Oklahoma.

We wanted to stop off in Oklahoma City, to check out the bombing memorial and downtown area. Oklahoma was sleepy and quiet on a midweek afternoon.

The memorial was beautifully done and modern. It remembers all of those who were killed, injured, and survived the Oklahoma City Federal building bombings. The reflecting pool was low and shallow – book ended on both sides by arch walls that commemorate the time of the attack. It really made me think about how violence is pointless. Its awful to think about how many innocent people lost their lives because of a few men’s hate of the government.

Chairs commemorate those who were killed. The smaller chairs represent children.

After grabbing a couple cupcakes and coffees we were back on the road. The van’s speedometer is off at higher speeds – I used the GPS to help keep the speed in check. Cruising around at 55/60 is frightening when trucks fly past at 70/75 in the southwest.

Next spot for photos was Tucumcari, New Mexico. Another Route 66 stop bypassed by the modern highways. Check out the Westy Camper can in the mural!

Legendary mural. This is the second time I’ve stopped in Tucumcari to take photos by the town’s murals.

Until part two. Here is one for the road.

Need for Speed – Fredric Aasbo 2011

Production Company: Self Produced

Project: Fredric Aasbo was 2010 Formula Drift Rookie of the Year. In between the 2010-2011 Formula Drift seasons he won several major international drifting competitions and was set to drive for Papadakis Racing in the Scion tC. A new car for Fredric and a new challenge – going from being a privateer to driving for one of the most successful drift teams in the world.

Role: Director/Operator (with Skylar Smith, Joe Ayala, and Justin Shreeve)/Co-Editor (Skylar Smith)

Shot on the Panasonic HPX-170, Canon 5D and T2i cameras.

Special thanks to Charles Kha, Rachel Kelly, Matt Powers, Skylar Smith, Joe Ayala, and Justin Shreeve.

This is my car, this is me driving, this is as fun as it looks…photo by Skylar Smith.

Rhys uses his hands to explain car positioning for a video we shot in New Zealand on his family’s property. We ended up mowing sections of the long grass down to make a golf course like setup for his rally car.

Some of the other residents were curious about our project. Rod Millen has a few sheep and cows on the property. They help to keep the property’s grass in check.

These rolling green hills were our set location for the day. Not a bad view in any direction.

Even downwards. The cliffs were not for those with a fear of heights! Doesn’t bother me, so it provided some awesome views.

Apparently, Disney’s the Chronicles of Narnia did some of their shooting on this outcropping for one of their films. I can imagine a castle or battle staged one one of those bluffs.

More than meets the eye, the bushes by the cliffs conceal several natural blowholes – sea arches that connect to the land side. The previous owners even build stairway to access the bottom of this one on the property.

Inland the property feels more like a farm. A ridge hides the ocean from sight and grassy fields fill your view.

That and awesome race machines – like Rod’s record setting Pikes Peak Toyota Celica and RX7 rally cars.

I’m happy with the picture quality from my Canon 300 HS. Great pocket sized point n shoot. Thanks Dad!

Until next time, keep the wheels turning.

After Formula Drift Irwindale, Rhys Millen asked me to travel to New Zealand to work on promotional content for the 2012 Leadfoot Festival. Having never been to NZ, I immediately re-arranged my schedule to make the trip down south work out. After a 14 hour flight, Rhys and I arrived back in his homeland. It was as beautiful as I’d heard, NZ is lush and green and the people are incredible. Rhys’ father, Rod Millen, has a stunning 160+ acre property along the coast – near Hahei Beach. Rod has built an incredibly challenging driveway (over 1 mile long) and is hosting his own hill climb & historic automobile festival on the property annually. Similar to the UK’s Goodwood Festival, the event takes place over three days and is nothing short of a race enthusiasts dream!

Rhys shipped his Global Rally Cross and X-Games car – the Hyundai Veloster down from the US for the media day event. Also parked out on the lawn is Rod’s Porsche Cayenne Rally SUV and his Pontiac Cheiftan station wagon.

One of the cars I had the pleasure of driving was this RHD Toyota Land Cruiser. The four speed was entertaining to drive around the bay to Hot Water Beach and is the perfect NZ ranch vehicle. I haven’t had the chance to drive a right hand drive car since visiting England last year. Always takes a minute to get the left hand used to shifting gears again – since all my manuals are LHD in the US.

Both Rod and Rhys have fond memories of growing up in New Zealand – there is something magical about the island. Its not the jet lag, that wakes you up in the morning yearning for adventure that you really can’t get anywhere else.

Plus it seems like the country hasn’t been lost on Facebook, the internet, and addicted to crappy television. There is so much to do outside and friendly people everywhere. We found cruising the Land Cruiser at 40MPH acceptable at all times (well below the posted maximum) and a rush to get nowhere. It was like a working vacation.

The final day in NZ, we fished at sunrise then surfed the break at Hot Water beach. There was a fun swell coming in and no one minded sharing the waves with the small 5 person (total) surfer crowd. This type of wave and crowd is unheard of in Southern California. This was on a weekend too! Thanks to Rhys, Rod, Shelly, Eddie, and Mike for their hospitality!

Larry showed us the “counter fit” markets. They were filled with knock off: watches, glasses, bags, and clothes. Skylar does his best german rocket scientist pose. SCIENCE!

After the markets we all jumped into Tuk Tuk like three wheeled motorcycle carts and raced off to Westlake. The cultural area that surrounds the lake. Its known for its pagodas and temples. About time to get some culture in the mix after all that racing.

Through the trees and fog was a wonderful sight.

A fully rebuilt Pagoda. Check out that lightning rod of a roof. Amazing.

Monastery across the way from the pagoda.

Old meets new. The fog makes this shot.

The roof of the pagoda was gold and immaculately detailed.

Small pond and garden outside of the pagoda.

By the end of the 6 days in China, we were all running on empty. Here Skylar and Linhbergh wait to check in for our flight back to Los Angeles. China, what a trip.

Until New Zealand, up next.

- Will

Our hotel was within walking distance to the stadium. It made the morning commute easy for World Drift Series and it also made our world in China very small. Unless you wanted to grab a taxi the few blocks around the hotel was the world’s map of the day. Up the street, was a small park on a hill side – which we ventured to on the 2nd or 3rd day. Filled with a bamboo forest and a cave.

I really like asian architecture. Seeing a pagoda later in the week really made me excited. The architecture has so much character.

This path led to the entrance to the park and the stairs up through the forest.

Trees. There was a security camera right above this sign – which was an excellent theft prevention device.

When you don’t know the meaning of the characters in a foreign language – you tend to study the typography and composition instead. I really dig these previous two photos.

Andy gets down on some McCafe. Which became a the morning habit in Hangzhou, China. Much better than in the US.

Linhbergh takes a break from shooting qualifying to enjoy the spectacle. Danger.

The roof of the Yellow Dragon Stadium.

Andy and Jacob chill underneath the cat walk we were exploring earlier. Way up there.

In Part III. We adventure into the knock off markets and Westlake.

Larry Chen asked me if I wanted to come to China to shoot the World Drift Series this year and at the time I was not sure if it would work with my schedule. When the end of October came around, Larry asked again and having just finished the Nissan social media project I was in need of a break – so I accepted his offer! After a 14 hour flight, I was in Asia for the first time and in the company of friends from Formula Drift.

Currently, I’ve traveled to 5/7 of the world’s continents. Which is astounding to me, because growing up I never imagined being a world traveler. Its something neat that has come with the many jobs I’ve done in the past 5 years!

China has not been as foreign to me as I expected – because I’m in the company of friends. English speaking friends who could make anywhere different feel familiar. Bicycles and scooters are easy means of transportation in the city.

Yellow Dragon stadium is an impressive place. Suspended between two towers. Its an unlikely place for a drift event as there is no pavement inside of the stadium. All of the asphalt had to be laid down over top of plywood.

More updates coming soon.

Nissan North America – 14th Annual Petit LeMans

Production Company: Digital Guerilla

Agency: TBWA/Chiat/Day

Project: Document the Signatech Nissan LMP2 team at the 10 hours of Petit LeMans. As part of a five video series for Nissan North America -promoting Nissan’s racing efforts in a variety of professional racing series – World Challenge, Grand AM, TORC, and ALMS. The Signatech Nissan LMP2 team entered Road Atlanta – leading the LMP2 Intercontinental LeMans Championship. Qualifying 2nd position in LMP2 they finished third in class and clinched the championship before the final race at Zhuhai. The Signatech team was a pleasure to shoot – their future looks very bright.

Role: Director, Co-Editor (DC Chavez/Skylar Smith)

Shot on the Canon 5D and Sony EX1 cameras

Samuel Hübinette Racing – Formula Drift Irwindale Finals

Production Company: Self Produced

Project: Samuel Hübinette is the winningest driver in Formula Drift. Nicknamed the Crazy Swede, he is known for his rally style driving and loud MOPAR machines. For 2011 he brought on Irishman Dean Kearney on his SHR team in the SRT Viper. Sam talks through the journey to professional drifter and teaming up with Dean Kearney.

Role: Director/Operator (with Skylar Smith) Editor

Shot on the RED One, Canon 5D, and Contour + cameras

Working on a project for K&N Filters with Vaughn Gittin JR and HPI racing – here is a little screen grab from the shoot today. Can’t wait to share the final product in a few weeks.

- Will

Need for Speed – Matt Powers 2011

Production Company: Self Produced

Project: Matt Powers went from finishing in 16th place last season to entering the final round of 2011 in 5th place overall. Thanks to two podium finishes and some great qualifying runs – Matt Powers is a new force in Formula Drift and a legitimate threat to finish the season on the podium. I sat down with the always entertaining Mr.Powers and then used footage from this year to fill out Matt’s answers.

Role: Director/Operator (with Skylar Smith, Joe Ayala, and Justin Shreeve)/Co-Editor (Skylar Smith)

Shot on the Canon 5D and T2i cameras.

Special thanks to Charles Kha, Rachel Kelly, Matt Powers, Skylar Smith, Joe Ayala, and Justin Shreeve.