Growing up skating, there were always certain videos we would watch before a sesh. Videos that would get us all hyped up, amped, and ready to hurl our carcasses onto a handrail down a flight of stairs without a second thought. This video is right on par with that… but for drifting. It incites that same urge to do something ridiculously dangerous with little regard for consequence, and I CANNOT get enough of it!

* I did not edit this piece, only helped with some mograph muscle. Huge thanks to Andy Laputka (director/editor), Brian Casse, Mark Lenardon, and Chris Szczypala, Chris Boon, Hertrech Eugene, and Mike Vogt for their efforts shooting.

These guys know how to party.

Apparently this film is from 2009… but was perhaps never released? I can’t find it anywhere, but I spy a certain pack of wolfs…

Over the summer I have had an insatiable urge to shoot video. Since my car has been out-of-order, I have been catching rides to out-of-town drift events every chance I get. While it is seemingly easy enough for me to go and shoot an event – life ramps up it’s speed, making it seemingly impossible to edit anything. This video sat nearly complete as a rough cut, sans a few effects and grading for two months. Well… over the holiday weekend I was able to put the finishing wrench-time in and complete my first drift video in two years.

I tried a lot of new things with this video, which is really my driving force behind making them. I want to learn something with each project. This edit is no exception. I tried a lot of new things both behind the lens, and behind the keyboard. This video was a ton of fun to create… and even though it took me forever to finish it – I think it was worth it.

In a post from 2009, I said to ‘Expect big things from this guy in the near future!!!” Well… that future is upon is. My brother, Jamie, is a few days away from graduating the Art Institute Atlanta with a BFA in Digital Filmmaking and Video Production. He has been kicking some serious ass in his department, and I am SUPER proud of him! In preparation for his transition from full-time student to full-time name-taker… he launched a website featuring his work, and put together an impressive reel!

I am really excited for him, and can’t wait to see what awesome things he is able to tackle in the future.

The biggest change in my realm, is undoubtedly work-related. In late November, I was contacted by a local Atlanta studio to freelance on a showreel of animated print advertisements. The studio is Artistic Image, located in the King Plow Arts Center in west Atlanta.

The studio is really awesome, and does amazing work! After working on the showreel I got to work on some really fun spots for Cartoon Network LA. I was given all of the graphic elements to animate, and the concept was that ordinary back-to-school items would transform into giant aliens and battle it out. Really really fun spots to work on!

Then in January, the crew at Artistic Image asked me on full-time for a 6-month contract to work as a part of the team to revamp the historical Stone Mountain Lasershow.

The project would entail video-mapping technology to create the illusion that the mountain comes to life… giving the show an added element of dimension that the traditional lasers could not provide. It was an incredible project to work on, and took an immense amount of work to complete. Everyone on the team at Artistic Image did an amazing job. I had a chance to see the show’s opening July 4th weekend, and judging by the crowd’s reaction – this renovation was a HUGE success! I feel very honored that I was able to work on a project of this magnitude, and one that has such a historical significance to the state of Georgia.

This spot on 11alive.com gives a little more insight to what we did.

June marked the end of my contract, at which time, I was offered a full-time position as an animator. I graciously accepted the position, for I have been wanting to transition away from designing for web/print for well over 5 years. I was finally able to make the jump to motion design full-time, and I am incredibly happy about it. Everyone on the team at Artistic Image is super-talented, and most of all – really great to work with! I’m really excited that they gave me the opportunity to come on board and be part of the team!

TND Driftoberfest from Alexander Grant on Vimeo.

Alex is coming up on the video tip! I love drift videos that focus less on the driving, and more on the dumb stuff we do in the pits… like skate, and throw hamburgers. Driver differentiation: I am running with the windows down/lights on… Axel runs windows up/lights off.

“LAKAIROMANIA” from Marc Ritzema on Vimeo.

HONDA NSX (EXTENDED VERSION) BY FORMAT67.NET from FORMAT67.NET on Vimeo.

I love everything about this breathtaking edit from Format67… the concept; the cinematography; the grading; the sound design… EVERYTHING. The superb attention to detail reveals a master craftsman at work. This video breaks the barrier between it’s creator and the viewer in an attempt to capture the soul of the automobile; the soul of racing; and the soul of the enthusiast; to which I think Daniel Michaelis and his crew accomplish a stunning victory.

Gran Turismo East – Michelin Spot from Andy Sapp on Vimeo.

HUGE thanks to my buddy Alex for the amazing voiceover, to Will and Josh for hooking me up with some of the incredible footage, and to Cody for letting me borrow his 5DMKII!

Biggest thanks of all goes to Kieran at GTE for all his amazing help and unparalleled support over the years – both to myself and to the drifting community as a whole. Atlanta drifting would not be anything close to what it is today without it.

If you’re in the Southeast, keep an eye out for this commercial airing on Comcast very soon!