Formula D Las Vegas 2009 from Will Roegge on Vimeo.

Here is my edit from Formula Drift Las Vegas 2009. What do you think?

Watch in proper HD on vimeo not the embed.

Formula D, New Jersey – “The Guantlet” from Joshua Herron on Vimeo.

Joshua “Hobo/Bearded Eyeball Films” Herron’s latest compilation of drifting moments set to non-mainstream music selections. Mr. Hobo Herron’s videos keep improving in style and quality with each release. I’m very excited to see what’s next when the Formula Drift series comes to the city of sin. Las Vegas and we get to shoot on Hobo’s home turf. So pumped. Nice work Josh. 

Formula D New Jersey 2009 from Will Roegge on Vimeo.

Formula Drift New Jersey was my first time at Wall Speedway. Last year, since the event was held at Englishtown Race Way Park- the drivers were initiating at high speed on the road course left handed sweeper. With Wall, they start on the bank initiate their drift into the corner do the full corner, transition from the banking to the flat, and then run a figure eight between the center dividers. For a shooter, this setup is amazing. The distance from one end to the other is manageable on foot and with the lens. Unlike Englishtown which was shot at the end of my zoom/maximum focal length the entire run. Wall’s dramatic transitions also provide for more action- with the weather also proving to be a factor in qualifying and practice on Friday.

Music by AFI. Shot/Edited/Colored by Will Roegge (me)  

Let me know what you think?

Formula D Long Beach 2009 from Will Roegge on Vimeo.

Long Beach Formula Drift, round one, was well over a month ago. Slacking on finishing edits. By this time I should have completed an edit for Formula Drift Atlanta Round 2.

To give a little insight into my editing process. I usually review all of my footage. Grab “selects” and string them together in a sequence. Prior to launching Final Cut Pro- I’ve usually selected several songs that I want to use. The nicest part of making my own edits- is the ability to use whatever music I desire. No worries about copyright, because I’m not selling anything or producing the video for money.

The song I picked for this edit is special. I first heard this remix at the Sundance Film Festival 2009. My old roommate Brian Steele had played Tokyo Police Club for me a while back. Then Dave Drusky, the coolest person I know from Portland, introduced me to the remix by RAC- while at Sundance. It fit my life at the time incredibly well. Lyrically and compositionally.

Its difficult to use songs that you particularly care for in an edit- because it inevitably means that you must listen to them repeatedly. Which can kill the freshness and one’s desire for future listening.

Tokyo Police Club – Be Good (RAC Remix). 

Chris Forsberg Racing at Formula Drift Atlanta – Day 2 from Blair Stopnik on Vimeo.

Blair Stopnik over at MMi put together this cool behind the scenes look at Chris Forsberg racing’s win at Formula Drift Atlanta. Very cool perspective on a victorious weekend. 

Catch Joey Redmond, Jason Smalls, and I in a golf cart at around :35 seconds. 

Plus huge bonus points in my books for using Saves the Day.

Tanner Foust : Slow Motion Scion tC from Wrecked Magazine on Vimeo.

Joey Redmond got me to shoot Formula Drift Round Two for Wrecked Magazine. Thanks Joey! Here is a single slow motion run by Tanner Foust in his Scion Tc. Respect to Joey for the color treatment, it came out looking nice.

Can’t wait to see how the guys at Wrecked Magazine put my camera work to use.

Some times you can be oblivious to the beauty that is right in front of your nose.

If you live in Atlanta, you get the best clouds. Early summer storms roll in and blanket the sky with speeding fluffy white sheep clouds.

In Los Angeles, we barely get to see the cloud ceiling through the layer of low hanging smog- so when I get the chance to shoot photos and videos in other places- I usually get very stimulated by my surroundings- that are usually hidden to me.

Here are some of my photos from my trip to Atlanta for Formula Drift Round II 2009.

Driver’s Meeting and meeting up with T2 Films – Tim Tulov. Super nice duder. Looking forward to working with him in the future.

Tanner Foust and the line of driver’s at the autograph session- got a wicked time lapse of this- until some fools stepped in front of the camera.

Only got to see a few peeps from the ATL- what’s up S3 Mag crew, Drift Mechaniks, and Team Rowdy.

Wrecked Magazine Golf Cart

Whole bunch of solid folks in this photo, Andy Sapp, Tim Tulov, Antonio Alvendia, DC Chavez, and Lieze Truter. Yo!

Tanner Foust and Papadakis Racing’s Scion TC powered by a TRD NASCAR motor

DC Chavez reviewing some of the footage. Shwagged out in Rockstar/Scion Racing team gear.

Chris Forsberg laying down another solid run. Which would eventually end up earning him 1st place.

Dai Yoshihara looked to be doing better in his IS350 than at Long Beach- looks like Falken is working out the suspension and setup kinks.

The Tuner Icon’s car caught on fire a few weeks ago…and still looked to be running a bit rich- shooting flames everywhere.

Robbie Nishida laying down a wall of Hankook tire smoke- as the lights illuminate the track.

Before the start of the 2009 Formula Drift season, Ricky Chu, John Naderi, and I headed out to MTN High for Formula D Ditch Day. Here is the combined footage and edit from Ricky, John, and I’s cameras. 

My Video Of the Week pick is here. Joshua Herron’s Long Beach 2009 edit. Great song by RJD2 , dupa smooth dolly shots, nice tilts, pans, super smooth camera control- which fits well with the car control exhibited between the walls off Long Beach. Josh has really stepped his game up with this edit. 

Not bad for a dude that has been sleeping on my couch. 

Stay up for big things from Joshua Herron for the rest of 2009. 

Framing up a shot in my Cosby sweater.

April 10th & 11th, 2009 was the first round of the 2009 Formula Drift Season at Long Beach. The Long Beach track is a portion of the setup used by the Long Beach Grand Prix which is held the weekend after Formula D. This year, shooting for StreetFire.net instead of Riceboytv- Ricky Chu, Ricardo Glock, Joshua Herron, and I set out to shoot the event. Here are some images from my Panasonic LX2 from the new StreetFire office in downtown LA, Korean BBQ Tacos courtesy of Scion (thanks Fred), some dupa fresh clouds, and of course drifting from LBC.

Check it out:

If you didn’t know this about me- I really like clouds. In Southern California we don’t get many big white fluffy clouds. When we do, I’m usually lost in them- like this past week. Head in the clouds. Reminding me of someone special…

Joshua Herron is in town and crashing on my couch- nice having two different S14′s to drive everywhere. Plus some much video dorking out.

Crazy J shift knobs are what the slider kids are rockin.

When you ride shotgun you can take photos and enjoy your world a bit more.

110 North express lanes overhead – I dig how it looks. Stacks and stacks of highways.

Downtown Los Angeles.

Outside the StreetFire.net office/loft

Inside the new digs.

8 stories low.

Downtown Long Beach. Dark skies.

Rik and I schemed to get our hard cards with photos of us with cowboy hats on- no luck.

Head in the clouds.

JTP, Justin Pawlak’s FC RX7

The new Bergenholtz racing RX8

Ricky Chu takes over so I can shoot some stills

Ross Petty’s rasta S15, remember the white S15 Ross was driving in Mexico- looks a little different now. Very nice from Garage BOSO.

Formula Drift starting grid

Korean BBQ steak and tofu tacos courtesy of Fred Chang and Scion.

Kogi Korean BBQ tacos

Ricardo Glock and Ricky Chu approve.

Couple of crazy supercharged G35s.

Victor’s Emergency Hookers towing service

Pat’s freshly painted Nissan 240sz S14, gold with white and red graphics- running an AIT body kit. 

Glad to see everyone out at Formula Drift! Till next time.

Video Of the Week, Joshua Herron‘s Media Day edit. 

Josh works the eazy dolly and gets some awesome dolly shots along the fence at the Long Beach course for Formula Drift Media Day.

Super smooth dollies with foreground fence movement- combined with drifting looks phenomenal. 

Shooting at the Formula Drift Pro AM was limited this year because of some lengthy media meetings and lines for media credentials. Bummer because the Pro AM event was just as action packed as the World Drifting Championships. There was tons of carnage as drivers pushed their cars to the limits on a wickedly fast course. An over due congratulations to the drivers who earned their Formula Drift Pro Licenses. I look forward to seeing the Pro AM series aligned with the Formula Drift Pro schedule next year and new faces to be joining the ranks at the events! Song by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Snapped/Chopped/Colored by me for Wrecked Magazine. Send it!

Samuel Hubinette added the trailer for his upcoming video “Drift Ya Later” on Vimeo. From attending all of the Formula Drift events this season and seeing all of Samuel’s Top 16 Driver Introductions – the Crazy Swede does some silly burn outs and has ridiculous control over his Viper. This trailer re-enforces his madness and car control.

Pat Mordaunt & Blake Fuller's Nissan 350s

On Sunday, October 12, 2008 – I had the opportunity to attend the 2008 Formula Drift awards banquet. While there shooting interviews and some b-roll for riceboy I got to see Pat announced as the winner of the 2008 Spirit of Formula Drift award! Since Pat was in China for drift demo his father, Dave Mordaunt, accepted the award in his absence.

In the little over half a year I’ve been involved in the drift world – I can say that the Mordaunt family are the kindest and most spirited fans out there. Its very fitting for Pat to win the award. He charges every round and is going to continue to develop into one of the sport’s top professionals. I’ve been lucky to shoot, road-trip, chill, skate, and drive with Pat and one of the reasons why my job is sweet is because of driver’s like him! Its hard not to get inspired.