Jeff Zwart | Luminox | Porsche Motorsport North America – GT3 Climb

Production Company: Medium Monster/Will Roegge

Project: Create a short film that captures the essence of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb & the Porsche GT3 Cup

Role: Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Colorist.

2nd camera operation by DC Chavez.

Special thanks to Red Bull USA & the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Very big thank you to Jeff Zwart, for giving me the opportunity to document his run and be involved on the project!

My first trip up Pikes Peak was with Rhys Millen in a Ford Focus rental car. We were scouting locations and camera positions for the 2009 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb short film I was creating to document his run. That film would later be called Climb Attack, a play on Hill Climb and Time Attack – the class Rhys was competing in that year.

For 2010, I shot my second Pikes Peak film with driver/director/writer/photographer – Jeff Zwart. With the support of Porsche Motorsport North America, Jeff had setup a Porsche GT3 Cup car to campaign at this year’s race to the clouds. I’m familiar with the GT3 Cup, having shot rounds of ALMS stateside and FIA GT-3 abroad. The 997 GT3 is a serious circuit machine, but how would it fare on the varied surfaces and weather conditions of a 14,000ft mountain?

This year’s strategy would be a less slip, more grip prerogative. How would the tail happy-mid engine 997 do on gravel? A bit out of place?

Pikes Peak 2010 seems to be a transitional year, more of the mountain is paved and the new batch of machines reflect this evolution.

Fortunately, DC Chavez was available to come on as a second camera operator and we split up the mountain based on my shot list.

On average, we were each operating 3 to 4 cameras at once. Coverage is key, especially with a practice and run schedule like Pikes Peak. 3 days of practice and 1 run on Race Day.

For this particular setup, I hiked out to a out cropping of boulders and shot between them.

These are all screen grabs from the final edit.

I’m excited to share the finished piece tomorrow – July 26, 2010.

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb – Jeff Zwart’s time attack championship winning and record setting run.

Project: Record in-car footage of the the Porsche GT3 Cup racing up Pikes Peak during the PPIHC.

Role: Director, Editor, & Colorist.

Shot with the Canon 5D MII. Edited in Final Cut Pro. Graded in Magic Bullet Looks.

Its been almost a week since the 84th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and normalcy still escapes me. Waking for 4 days in a row, hours before dawn to ascend a 14 thousand foot mountain left quite an impression (as it did the year before). As the sun separated the horizon line and the lifeless gray shapes around me formed the spectacular landscape of Colorado Springs – I found myself wondering ‘ why did you sleep in all these years?’

I’m working on a follow up to 2009′s Climb Attack. New driver, new car, and same class – Time Attack 2WD. Its my hopes that the film leaves your mind with the same sense of wonder – that mine experiences being on the edge of Bottomless Pit.

Bonjour, from France. It will be strange to see Porsche 911 GT3 cars in their natural environment at Paul Ricard this weekend.

CLIMB ATTACK from Will Roegge on Vimeo.

Rhys Millen approached me about doing a short film of his upcoming Pike’s Peak run back in May. I was excited to work with Rhys again because he is a good guy and a very talented driver. He is also very creative and to the point. Two qualities I respect very much. Rhys wanted to make a video documenting and highlighting his run. This was not going to be just any run. It was in a new car. Instead of the Pontiac Solstice GXP it was his newly built Hyundai Genesis Coupe. The Genesis has a longer wheel base, makes more power, and the cylinder count is 2 more than the Solstice’s 4. Plus he was going to try and break his previous record set in the Solstice and push the 2WD Time Attack Class record into the 11 minute mark.

Rain kept the car out of the 11′s, but as Rhys said right before he ran- “12:10″ he did beat his previous World Record in the 2WD Time Attack Class despite the slippery surface conditions on the asphalt. I’m excited to see what Rhys does next year at Pike’s Peak. He has the skills, now he just needs the car to propel him into the 11 and 10 minute range.

I had never been to Pike’s Peak or Colorado Springs. Being there was an incredible experience. I am very fortunate to have people like Rhys and Joshua Herron who believe in what I can do and want to work with me to make something new.

This short would have not been possible without their support and the support of Hyundai Motors America. Thank you.

Still frame from an upcoming edit. Stay tuned.

The also rises over the plains of Kansas. From the upper half of Pike’s Peak, the cold air makes it hard to hold the camera steady. Echoing in the valleys and through the W’s are the sound of turbocharged Lambda motor- gradually increasing in loudness. Eyelids push closer together and focus on the left handed corner off in the distance. Waiting for the sparkling metallic blue nosed Hyundai Genesis to reveal itself. Then bam, its there, its moving faster than you expected- a little bit frightening- then downshift, downshift, into the next left hairpin… and the engine roars pulling the Genesis forward.

More photos:

Dirt Biker blasts off the line from the half way point.

Kelly’s RMR built Nissan 350z makes it way back down the hill.

A precariously perched Sony EX-1 on the cliffs of Pike’s Peak. Rolling time-lapse.

Self Portrait. ‘ello Mom.

Road rash’ed jeans- check.

Ripping downhill.

Thumbs up.

Bearded Eyeball Hobo Herron scopes the path below.

Another precariously placed shot. Rock camera support.

Packing up the rig at the end of the morning – 9am Pike’s Peak Toll road opening.

This little piggy is a good luck charm!

Beware of the sasquatch.

Until the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb – July 19, 2009.