This Week: ‘Man Made Bugatti Super Car’ Premieres
After many months of hard work, long days and sometimes even longer nights, I’ve finally got some fantastic news to share — The Bugatti Veyron documentary that I produced and directed finally has an air-date!
‘Man Made: Bugatti Super Car’ will make it cable television debut this coming Thursday, February 11th, at 8 pm on The National Geographic Channel.
It is a project that I am immensely proud of and am eager to share. The film looks and sounds fantastic, as I briefly wrote about before, and it would be my hope that everyone in the audience enjoys the watch.
The folks at Bugatti were extraordinary in terms of the access they granted us and frankly we were able to capture some tremendous things on tape – Sometimes for the very first time. Even though I’ve had the distinct privilege to go inside of a lot of factories, design studios and engineering departments in the past, I don’t know if there’s any one group of people that I have more respect for then the VW engineering staff, given what they have successfully accomplished with this machinel.
People can knock the Veyron for the price or ask whether the world needs a 1,001 horsepower machine that can break the 250 mph barrier, but it unquestionably one of the most amazing engineering exercises ever undertaken and successfully completed in the automotive world. If you’re lucky enough to sit in the car and pull 1.9 G’s while braking from top speed, I guarantee you’ll agree with me. The Veyron is just an amazing thrill ride…
All told, this has been a wonderfully inspiring project to work on and to be a part of, and now it’s time to let it go… Time for you the audience to enjoy it and to get ready for the next great moto-adventure…
'Man Made: Bugatti Super Car' premieres this week on National Geographic
From the National Geographic Website:
The Bugatti Veyron is a “super” super car - part automobile and part airplane. And with a base price of $1,750,000, it is the most expensive production car in the world. Designed with materials and construction techniques normally found in the aerospace industry, this remarkable engineering achievement is one of the fastest street-legal cars ever built. Now, NGC takes an insider look at the Bugatti factory to see how this modern engineering masterpiece is built.
There’s also some video from the show available on their website, along with other info & air-date times;
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/man-made/4237/Overview#tab-Overview
6 Channels of Veyron Goodness
Audio Mixing for Bugatti Super Car
Every now and then, the various bits of life come together in truly remarkable ways — Today I got the chance to hear the 5.1 surround sound mix of Bugatti Super Car, our latest documentary for The National Geographic Channel, for the very first time. As much as I love the visuals of the show, there’s nothing quite as exciting as hearing a brand new 5.1 mix for a doc that you’ve been working on for months and months. It’s truly awe-inspiring as it brings new life to something you’ve seen a thousand times. Amazing how sounds has such a remarkable ability to impact the soul.
It’s one thing to be in the field filming for a doc, another to put the show together and yet something even better and more profound to hear it for the very first time… As always the final result will be up to you the audience to judge, but right now I’m very, very excited about it…
Many thanks to Salami Studios in Burbank…
This Week: ‘Motorcycle Crash Tech’ Premieres
As a rider, over the years I’ve become keenly aware that there are roads you know well and ride all the time, roads you’ve never seen but find yourself making plans to visit, and then roads that from a mere photograph have a unique power to consume your dreams — because they are not easy to get to or to conquer.
The last several weeks have been a remarkable stretch of time where all of my personal roads, both the seen and unseen, the known and unknown, have blended together to form a wonderful combination of one single and seamless moment where everything feels like it’s exactly where it is supposed to be for right now…
And I can’t think of a better culmination of that sense of purpose than this Thursday evening, when our newest sportbike documentary, Motorcycle Crash Tech‘, premieres on The National Geographic Channel at 9 PM EST.
In May, I briefly wrote about the project but at the time couldn’t go into much detail about it — Tonight I finally can…
After we finished Twist The Throttle, the next inevitable question was what do we want to shoot next? For month we went back and forth, talking about what would be different then Twist and yet still part of the greater sportbike arena… A few truly intriguing ideas surfaced, but they never quite took off or captured enough of our collective attention span… But then lighting struck… While ‘taking a break’…
We were watching a sportbike race, when a rider crashed. It looked horrific. It looked deadly. It seemed disastrous. Yet the rider got up. Shook his head in frustration. And walked away…
It was a scene punctuated by the notion that twenty, maybe fifteen, hell probably ten years ago, would have required an ambulance or a helicopter. But instead suddenly seemed rather matter-of-fact. The rider later quoted as saying it was a run of the mill event. Barely noticeable and simply a function of ‘push the edge’…
Tonight it seems rather obvious that something interesting was there, but at the time it was simply a curiosity — was racing, and by extension regular-riding, really safer today? Have we actually come to a point where we can engineer out the danger?
The answer as many riders know is, yes.
It is something I learned first hand this January when I crashed (an odd occurrence while working on a sportbike show about crashing no doubt!).
Now, of course I’m not suggesting that racing is 100% safe, nor regular everyday riding, neither one is, but the odds of survival should the worst happen have dramatically increased and that’s something I personally find fascinating… So we set out to see the remarkable advancements in racing and riding gear; from the bikes themselves, to the brakes, to helmets, and the actual riding suits.
I hope everyone in the audience enjoys! (Press Release Below)
Umberto rides the F4
New Motorcycle Documentary Premieres on the National Geographic Channel
September 17, 2009 at 9PM ET
“Motorcycle Crash Tech” is an extraordinary behind-the-scenes look at the new technologies being used to avoid motorcycle crashes, and prevent injuries or even death when a racer or rider does go down.
Exclusive interviews with racer Neil Hodgson and the legendary Giacomo Agostini describe first-hand what goes through a racer’s mind the moment they know they’re going to crash and vividly recount just how deadly racing was in the 1960’s and ‘70’s. Combining rare archival footage from years past as well as contemporary AMA racing coverage, the film explains the differences between high-sides and low-sides and the extreme forces involved in both types of crashes.
The film captures stunning action photography of world-class test riders Vito Guareschi (Alpinestars, Nolan, and Ducati) and Umberto Rumiano (MV Agusta) in action during what are normally closed test sessions of new riding gear and bikes. Brembo factory riders are also filmed testing the company’s newest brakes on twisting Italian mountain roads and performing incredible braking tests on Brembo’s private test track.
Produced by Cry Havoc Productions, an award winning documentary film company specializing in Moto related films, “Motorcycle Crash Tech” will premiere on September 17, 2009 at 9PM ET on the National Geographic Channel.
Filmed in 1080i high-definition and 5.1 digital surround sound, “Motorcycle Crash Tech” takes viewers on an extraordinary journey across Northern Italy. With rare access to the R & D facilities and research departments at Alpinestars, Brembo, Nolan, and MV Agusta, the film chronicles the very latest technologies being used in motorcycle riding gear, boots, helmets, brakes, and the bikes themselves to make racing and riding safer.
The Sweet Sound of 5.1
'Motorcycle Crash Tech' Audio Mix
It’s been an incredible few days as we wrap up the last remaining bits on our new sportbike doc for the National Geographic Channel (which I briefly wrote about previously) but none was nearly as exciting as sitting down at Salami Studios in Burbank, California, and hearing the 5.1 audio mix for the first time. While I totally dig the move the High-Def in terms of the visuals, there’s nothing quite as exciting hearing the sounds of sportbikes roaring in real, honest to goodness surround sound. It brings the hair on the back of neck up and makes two-dimensional images seem so much deeper… And honestly, I really dig the images in this show, so that’s saying something…
Hopefully you all will enjoy the show & the audio mix as much as I do 
Air-Schedule coming shortly…
Twist The Throttle - International Air Dates
Just a quick post to share some international launch dates for Twist The Throttle;
Poland/Hungary - Sundays at 9:00 starting on 8/2
Denmark/Sweden/Nordic/Finland - Every other Sunday at 11:00 starting on 8/23
Italy - Thursdays at 23:00 starting on 10/8/09
Japan - 1Q 2010
The series will continue to roll out worldwide in other territories and I’ll add new dates as they become available… Enjoy!
What Comes Next v2.0: The Bugatti Veyron
The Bugatti Veyron
“Nothing is too beautiful, nothing is too expensive” — Ettore Bugatti
Every now and then this gig truly has its moments — And the last month has certainly been one of them…
As most longtime readers have undoubtedly noticed, Twisting Asphalt has been dark for quite awhile — again — It’s been just over a month since I penned the last post. This self imposed media blackout is not a harbinger of a slow death for the site but rather the unfortunate side effect of the realities of life superseding the joy that comes from riding or sitting at the screen and hacking away at a post about riding.
For the past month I’ve been existing in a remarkable world of Moto-Lust, where each breath is not filled with only air but also the nuances of ultra-performance at its unequivocal best…
For the last thirty days I’ve had the distinct privileged to live one of the greatest automotive fantasy’s around — An unreal, absolutely marvelous adventure spent documenting the world’s fastest production car — The Bugatti Veyron.
It is a machine unlike any other automobile I’ve ever been around — That’s not to say I’ve lost my taste for Ferrari’s, Lambo’s or Porsche’s — But rather an acknowledgment of just how incredible this machine truly is when you see it in its native environment. From the design and engineering that went into it, to the craftsmanship at every step of the assembly process and, really, the utter lack of concern over time or money spent creating perfection, it is simply a hard to walk away from one and not admire it… Or dare I say fall in love with (though clearly I will never be one of the 300 owners — Starting at 1.7 million Euros I’m fairly certain that’s a hit my wallet will never support)…
While everyone talks about the Veyron’s remarkable top speed of 407 kph or 253 mph — After a month hanging around the car and the folks who build it, I’ve come to the distinct conclusion that talking about the top speed is the easy one-liner, the simple description you tell your buddy at a bar, but there’s so much more to this car… And frankly, I’m not even sure it’s fair to call it car… So much aircraft technology has gone into it that it’s probably more apt to consider it a airplane — just one that happens to have four-wheels.
On the Track with the Veyron
On the Track with the Veyron
What Comes Next…
Photo by Trevor Navarra
“What’s next?” is a seemingly innocuous question…
And yet it’s a documentary filmmakers most constant fear… It’s a refrain you hear often in this business. People ask it off-handily, almost meaninglessly, during hello-how-are-you kinds of conversations, and yet it collectively haunts us all… Because often times there is no known answer when the question is posed.
As someone said to me recently, ‘creating documentaries is like throwing darts at a board and waiting six months to see if they hit.’
And therein lies the fear…
You never quite know what is coming next, even when you think you do… Because nothing in this business, like life itself, is ever certain.
The job is in a constant state of evolution. It’s a system of constant challenges and never-ending risk vs. reward scenarios. And honestly that’s part of the draw too. There’s something amazingly evocative about constantly ‘battling’ for your spot in line. And yet it’s the biggest concern as well. The amount of time you have to breath from one project to the next is minimal at best and yet everyone always expects not only your ‘A Game’, but for your ‘A Game’ to actually improve. The status quo is never good enough. Nor should it be, really. The goal should be — no it has to be — to get better. But you know that when you take the gig… It’s part of the inherent contract you sign with yourself.
So as some of you might have noticed, lately I’ve been more or less missing in action on the blog front — it certainly wasn’t a pre-planned hiatus but rather the result of being consumed with ‘What has come Next’…
And it’s worth mentioning at this point that right now given where the world is at from an economic standpoint a good portion of me is just thankful there is a ‘next’ anything at all. When all is said and done documentaries, and even movies to some extent, though less so, are completely consumable products. Nobody needs them to live their lives. The world would continue just fine without them. If every network on the face of the planet went into a state of constant re-runs… Sorry, ‘encore presentations’… You have to logically think that some percentage of the TV watching population wouldn’t even notice… We live in a world with more visual diversity and stimulation than at any other point in history and it’s impossible to keep current on it all…
That being said tonight I’m thankful for more than just the gig itself — I’m thankful for my guys. They are truly an amazing group and they were able to make ideas that existed only in my head and turn them into reality.
I simply cannot thank them enough; Directors of Photography Andrew Waruszewski and Trevor Navarra, along with Jason Goodell, who Gripped and Gaffed, and Peter Karr , who handled Location Sound, were absolute magicians.
I bring all of this up because tomorrow the rough cut for the next sportbike doc heads back east for the network to review and it is without a doubt the best piece of work we’ve ever collectively done. Sportbikes have never looked this good. It is light years beyond Speed On Two Wheels and so far past Twist The Throttle it’s not even funny.
It used to be when I was sitting in the edit suite editing a show I knew if something, say a sequence or an act, was good because the hairs on the back of neck would stand up and I’d get that goose-bump feeling that made me think this was something I’d watch… This time I know it’s good because I can’t stop watching it… And I’ve already seen it a couple hundred times…
Now ultimately it’s up to you the audience to really decide if it’s better, but right now I’ve got the strongest hunch of my entire life. I’d bet the farm, the house, the in-laws, maybe even the dog… (Probably not the bikes though 
It feels like something entirely different and yet still consistent with the tenets of filmmaking that we collectively subscribe to… I simply can not wait for all of you to see it.
Photo by Trevor Navarra
Monday 10pm - Twist The Throttle Episode #8: Yamaha
Twist The Throttle - Yamaha
Just a quick reminder that the eight episode of Twist The Throttle, which showcases Yamaha, debuts this coming Monday at 10 pm EST/PST on Discovery’s “HD Theater”!
*Channel 76 and 281 on DirecTV, but if you’ve got a different cable system please check your local listings…
*Detailed episode listings are available on the Discovery HD Theater website here.
Monday 10pm - Twist The Throttle Episode #7: Bimota & Alpinestars
Twist The Throttle - Bimota
Just a quick reminder that the seventh episode of Twist The Throttle, which showcases Bimota & Alpinestars, debuts this coming Monday at 10 pm EST/PST on Discovery’s “HD Theater”!
*Channel 76 and 281 on DirecTV, but if you’ve got a different cable system please check your local listings…
*Detailed episode listings are available on the Discovery HD Theater website here.
Monday 10pm - Twist The Throttle Episode #6: MV Agusta
Twist The Throttle - MV Agusta
Just a quick reminder that the sixth episode of Twist The Throttle, which showcases MV Agusta, debuts this coming Monday at 10 pm EST/PST on Discovery’s “HD Theater”!
*Channel 76 and 281 on DirecTV, but if you’ve got a different cable system please check your local listings…
*Detailed episode listings are available on the Discovery HD Theater website here.
Monday 10pm - Twist The Throttle Episode #5: Suzuki
Twist The Throttle - Suzuki
Just a quick reminder that the fifth episode of Twist The Throttle, which showcases Suzuki, debuts this coming Monday at 10 pm EST/PST on Discovery’s “HD Theater”!
*Channel 76 and 281 on DirecTV, but if you’ve got a different cable system please check your local listings…
*Detailed episode listings are available on the Discovery HD Theater website here.
Monday 10pm - Twist The Throttle Episode #4: Kawasaki
Twist The Throttle - Kawasaki
Just a quick reminder that the forth episode of Twist The Throttle showcasing Kawasaki debuts this coming Monday at 10 pm EST/PST on Discovery’s “HD Theater”!
*Channel 76 and 281 on DirecTV, but if you’ve got a different cable system please check your local listings…
*Detailed episode listings are available on the Discovery HD Theater website here.
Monday 10pm - Twist The Throttle Episode #3: BMW
Riding the Alps on BMW Motorcycles
Just a quick reminder that the third episode of Twist The Throttle, which showcases BMW, debuts this coming Monday at 10 pm EST/PST on Discovery’s “HD Theater”!
*Channel 76 and 281 on DirecTV, but if you’ve got a different cable system please check your local listings…
*Detailed episode listings are available on the Discovery HD Theater website here.
Returning Home from The Latest Moto-Adventure
Cry Havoc Team Picture - National Geographic Shoot
Looking out the window at 30,000 feet, I kept thinking it’s an odd life that I’ve chosen and quite an adventure… Because while there are ups and downs, like every other aspect of life, every now and then things coalesce in incredible ways…
On Monday of this past week the first episode of Twist The Throttle premiered on HD Theater and yet at the very same time, the boys and I were just returning home after three weeks of shooting in Italy for our next and latest sportbike documentary project for The National Geographic Channel.
Now I’ve always loved returning home to LA — There’s something utterly romantic to me about the final flight path that you take to get to LAX. The way you drop down through the clouds and start hovering over the city’s amazingly large urban sprawl and the vast array of mountains, which seem to pop up from nowhere and everywhere all at the same time. But then every few miles you drop a bit more and soon you see the freeways, the cars, the traffic, the movements of life and I swear it’s somewhere in that moment when everything just feels ‘right’.
When it feels like you’re coming ‘home’…
However this time around it was even better because Twist was going to debut the next night — and as longtime followers of this blog already know that’s been quite a journey by itself — but it’s strange how the mind works sometimes. The debut of the series was the true completion of a two and half year adventure, my first series was finally getting on the air, certainly my greatest achievement in television to date, and yet while looking out the window I could help myself. My mind already was running through the shots and the scenes of what we just finished shooting. When people say ‘you need to enjoy the moment’, this should have been it. Yet the future seemed so much better.
The shoot in Europe was absolutely spectacular - in every way possible - and unlike other productions we’ve done. From the companies involved to the crew itself, things simply went perfectly almost every step of the way…And that never happens… Yet even more importantly the images are absolutely incredible. And while Twist is good, this project is going to be better. I can see it and I can feel it. It’s just a radically different beast, that’s better visually, more dynamic and more exciting… I don’t mean to pour on the hyperbole but when we were watched the dailies each night I just had to smile. It’s always quite a powerful sensation when you feel the product moving to the next level.
That upward movement is a direct result of the crew — I simply can not thank them enough; Directors of Photography Andrew Waruszewski and Trevor Navarra, along with Jason Goodell, who gripped and gaffed, and Peter Karr , who handled Location Sound, all did magnificent jobs. Collectively they truly put in an incredible effort and it shows on screen.
So now it’s time to get to work and put this sucker together… And I can’t wait
Monday 10pm - Twist The Throttle Episode #2: Ducati
Ducati Sport 1000 & 1098 on the Futa Pass
Just a quick reminder that the second episode of Twist The Throttle, which showcases Ducati, debuts this coming Monday at 10 pm EST/PST on Discovery’s “HD Theater”!
*Channel 76 and 281 on DirecTV, but if you’ve got a different cable system please check your local listings…
*Detailed episode listings are available on the Discovery HD Theater website here.
Twist The Throttle - New Air Dates!
Exciting news — The first episode of “Twist The Throttle”, which is on Honda, has a new premiere date!
Discovery HD Theater, which is Channel 76 on your DirecTV system, has scheduled the first episode of the eight part series to premiere on Monday, April 6 at 10pm, immediately following American Chopper.
The second episode features Ducati and it premieres on April 13th at 10pm.
More info shortly…
Update: Detailed episode listings are now available on the Discovery HD Theater website here.
Info Below…
Apr 06, 10:00 pm
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Honda
Today, Honda is both a worldwide brand and instantly recognizable name. But in the beginning, Honda is nothing more than Soichiro Honda’s last name.
Apr 07, 1:00 am
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Honda
Today, Honda is both a worldwide brand and instantly recognizable name. But in the beginning, Honda is nothing more than Soichiro Honda’s last name.
Apr 07, 5:00 am
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Honda
Today, Honda is both a worldwide brand and instantly recognizable name. But in the beginning, Honda is nothing more than Soichiro Honda’s last name.
Apr 12, 5:00 am
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Honda
Today, Honda is both a worldwide brand and instantly recognizable name. But in the beginning, Honda is nothing more than Soichiro Honda’s last name.
Apr 12, 4:00 pm
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Honda
Today, Honda is both a worldwide brand and instantly recognizable name. But in the beginning, Honda is nothing more than Soichiro Honda’s last name.
Apr 13, 10:00 pm
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Ducati
TV-PG
Motorcycles weren’t what the Ducati brothers had in mind when they first created a radio manufacturing company in 1926. See how the Ducati’s revolutionary designs have inspired modern pop culture.
Apr 14, 1:00 am
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Ducati
TV-PG
Motorcycles weren’t what the Ducati brothers had in mind when they first created a radio manufacturing company in 1926. See how the Ducati’s revolutionary designs have inspired modern pop culture.
Apr 14, 5:00 am
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Ducati
TV-PG
Motorcycles weren’t what the Ducati brothers had in mind when they first created a radio manufacturing company in 1926. See how the Ducati’s revolutionary designs have inspired modern pop culture.
Update:
HD THEATER TAKES TO THE ROAD WITH TWIST THE THROTTLE, AN EIGHT-PART SERIES EXPLORING SOME OF THE GREATEST MOTORCYCLE BRANDS IN THE WORLD
Original Turbo.com Broadband Series Makes Its Television Debut with New Footage on HD Theater Starting Monday, April 6
(Silver Spring, MD) – Millions of people ride motorcycles and millions more fantasize about what it would be like to ride these cultural icons of speed, freedom, craftsmanship and personal rebellion. HD Theater’s new series, TWIST THE THROTTLE, takes audiences on a remarkable 36,000 mile journey across the globe to explore eight of the most famous sport motorcycling brands. Each episode focuses on a single brand, showcasing the remarkable history; the behind-closed-door factory, design facilities and R&D departments; and ultimately, what it is like to ride these magnificent machines on some of the most picturesque roads and spectacular racetracks in the world. The brands covered in TWIST THE THROTTLE include Bimota, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, MV Agusta, Suzuki and Yamaha. TWIST THE THROTTLE premieres on HD Theater starting Monday, April 6 at 10 PM ET/PT. Additionally, TWIST THE THROTTLE is narrated by actor Ed Quinn (Eureka, CSI:NY), who is an avid sport bike rider.
Using spectacular 1080i high-definition and 5.1 digital surround sound, TWIST THE THROTTLE takes viewers directly to challenging racetracks like Kawasaki’s Autopolis on the island of Kyushu and Honda’s top-secret proving grounds in California’s Mojave Desert. For the first time ever, outside cameras were permitted on Yamaha’s private test track, Fukoroi, in Hamamatsu where TWIST THE THROTTLE put two of Yamaha’s newest sports bikes to the test. In addition to exclusive access to these private test facilities, the series travels on the open road through picturesque locales like northern Italy’s Futa Pass. Originally an ancient Roman road linking Florence to Bologna, the Futa Pass has over 200 curves carved into the mountainside in just a 20 mile stretch.
In addition, TWIST THE THROTTLE journeys through the history of each brand through interviews with the people behind their unique design philosophies. The series features an exclusive interview with
Massimo Tamburini, considered to be the “Michelangelo of Italian motorcycle design,” who created some of the most iconic motorcycles including the Ducati 916 and the MV Agusta F4. Normally a recluse, Tamburini unlocks the doors of his design studio to reveal how he creates “mechanical art” and why he believes machines have souls. Additional interviews feature some of
the most important names in the motorcycle world telling each brand’s remarkable story including:
• Honda’s Masanori Aoki, BMW’s David Robb and Yamaha’s Atsushi Ishiyama
• Former racing World Champions Freddie Spencer, Wayne Rainey, and Kevin Schwantz
• Current American road racing stars Mat Mladin, Neil Hodgson, Miguel Duhamel, Ben Bostrom, Jamie
Hacking and Reg Pridmore
• Legendary motorcycle journalists Nick Ienatsch, Mark Hoyer, Mitch Boehm, Clement Salvadori and
Mark Tuttle
About HD Theater
The first 24-hour high-definition network to broadcast all of its content in brilliant 1080i and 5.1 digital
surround sound, HD Theater offers compelling real-world and motorized content from a wide range of
categories including adventure, technology, nature and world culture – all designed to provide viewers
with the highest-quality television experience available. .
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s number one nonfiction
media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in 170 countries. Discovery
empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks,
led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery
and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified
portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit
www.discoverycommunications.com.
Speed On Two Wheels 50% Off Sale
For those of you who haven’t picked up a copy of Speed On Two Wheels on DVD and are interested, we’re offing a 50% off coupon code on all Google Checkout Orders. (Limit 2 Copies Per Customer).
Just use the link above and type in the following coupon code during your checkout:
twistingasphlt50%off
Here are some reviews of the documentary if you’re interested;
Oh Sweet Jet Lag
It’s 6:10 in the evening, I’m staring at a blank blog page and it feels like it’s the morning. And that’s because it is. In Italy.
At the moment the nine hour timezone difference is kicking my ass, though a small price to pay for a week of Italian coffee indulgence.
In the end it was a really quick trip that covered a lot of ground. More work than play — well there really wasn’t much playtime at all actually — but right now, at least in a business context, I feel fairly certain it was worth the time and the effort. While the world has gone digital on a global level, there are scenes and settings that emails don’t do justice to and some meetings that truly are better in person…
At the moment I can’t blog much about it nor will I go into great detail, but if there was a general tenor to the travel, it was simply ‘wow’. There is some cool stuff coming down the pike in the motorcycle universe and needless to say I’m greatly looking forward to going back with gear and crew to capture the magic of the people and their products.
A few random picts from the trip…
Wheels Up On Another Moto Adventure
Twenty-two months ago I boarded a plane bound for Japan, and then subsequently Europe, on a quest for sporty motorcycle greatness. It was the experience of a lifetime and to be honest it’s hard to believe that it took place nearly two years. I could swear it was just yesterday.
Eventually that quest turned into the Discovery HD Theater series Twist The Throttle and needless to say it was one of the greatest personal experiences that I’ve ever had the pleasure of living through.
Yet life — and television for that matter — is not about reliving memories, but rather creating new ones. Just as the clock continues to spin, so too does the need to fill the creative void…
So tonight I will once again be boarding a plane bound for Europe, only this time it’s not an adventure in search of great brands but rather brilliant people and quite literally the years they’ve spent and continue to spend in finding new ways to make riding and racing, in all it’s many forms, faster, safer and ultimately much more survivable should something go wrong.
In Twist The Throttle we spent quite a bit of time looking backwards, but tonight we start a journey to look forward… And I can’t wait, so stay tuned for more details
Not Your Father’s VCR
After many, many months of hard work it’s finally time to “Roll to Tape” — This weekend we started recording the final master tapes for each of the eight episodes of Twist The Throttle and I have to admit it has been a surprisingly emotional experience that has felt unlike the ending to any other project I’ve ever worked on.
On one hand I’m truly excited to see the project come to its natural conclusion as we approach the air-date of the first episode, yet on the other hand after working on Twist for nearly 21 months its hard to imagine that it’s time to ‘let go of it’. Back when I was in film school there was a often repeated expression that ‘films are never finished, they’re just put on hold for awhile’. Up until now I honestly can’t say that I’ve ever exactly felt that way before. Usually by the ending of this process there’s just an overriding sense that want it to end. You’ve seen the show a thousand times already and you’re mentally ready to move on.
But this time around it genuinely feels different.
Instead of feeling burnt out on the show or the subject matter, I find myself feeling more engaged if that’s even possible. As I watch each hour pass by, I keep thinking about the millions of little choices that make up an hour of documentary television — From the placement of the camera on a given shot to decisions made in the editing or the narration. There are an endless litany of decisions and yet the second an image rolls to tape the reality is that there’s nothing more that can be done because it’s time to let go of it.
5.1 Surround Sound Goodness
5.1 surround sound goodness twist the throttle
The bike comes flying on to the screen from stage left, the engine roaring, and in an instant the sound runs, swirling from right to left, from speaker to speaker in a rush of excitement… And it’s memorizing… captivating… and highly addictive… Because it’s the first time I’ve heard the 5.1 surround sound mix from a Twist The Throttle episode…
The last forty-eight hours have been an energizing experience even though I’ve been cooped up in the back of an audio post production room that’s tucked away on a side street in Burbank. It’s quite a thing to see the pictures come to life on yet another level. Quite a thing indeed…
Obviously I’ve been away from the blog for awhile, and frankly it’ll probably stay that way for a few more weeks as we rush towards final delivery. Long ago it seems that the days started blending together and time feels like an altogether strange beast at the moment; I honestly have no idea where it went, how much of it is left, or what exactly can be done in the brief bit that remains. Much of the past several months is just a blur. A glossy, glassy, confused mess that leaves me wondering where summer went. Yet as tired as I feel and as chaotic as the to-do list seems to be there’s also something quite magical when you sit back and hear the show in a way that you’ve never heard it before.
After such a lengthy and rushed cycle of rough cuts, fine cuts and mixing, it’s nice to finally feel like you’re coming out of the last corner and are finally able to see the finish line…
Exciting News - Twist The Throttle Goes Broadcast!
Twist The Throttle
‘What a long strange trip its been indeed’…
After many months of hard work, a severe lack of riding, some coy hints, and many days and nights spent in the edit bay, I’m excited to finally be able to share some fantastic news — Twist The Throttle is going to Broadcast!
Starting January 5th, 2009, you’ll be able to check out hour long episodes on each of the eight manufacturers showcased in the original online version of the series but this time around in the comfort of your own living room in high-definition on Discovery HD Theater. The time slot has yet to be finalized, but needless to say once it is I’ll certainly post something about it.
On a personal level, I’m extremely excited about the broadcast version of the series for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that the additional time afforded on air has allowed us to greatly expand on each individual manufacturers story. We’ve added a great number of new ‘voices’, new footage, historical vault material and lengthened just about everything else. If you enjoyed the original online version, I’d imagine you’ll greatly enjoy the new broadcast versions.
Right now I’m limited in how much I can divulge about the shows, but needless to say it’s been quite a trip to get to this point — This is an idea that has been percolating in one form or another for almost two years now and when I look back on it, it’s extremely exciting and fulfilling to see how the smallest germination of an idea can grow into something greater.
There are a number of folks who deserve a great of the credit for all of this, starting with our immensely talented Director of Photography Andrew Warsuzki and 2nd Unit Shooter (and as I’ve mentioned previously, Jack of All Trades) Andrew Cochrane. As I’ve mentioned previously both poured their hearts and souls into the project and each episode proves it. Ira Rappaport did a fantastic job with the new opening animation and show graphics. Truly awesome stuff… Finally I’d also like to toss a shout out to the incredibly talented Peter Karr, who has completely outdone himself once again by composing an absolutely rock’n original score for each show. Stuff like this ought to be available on CD’s…
So without further ado here’s the official press release:
HD THEATER TAKES TO THE ROAD WITH TWIST THE THROTTLE, AN EIGHT-PART SERIES EXPLORING SOME OF THE GREATEST MOTORCYCLE BRANDS IN THE WORLD
– Original Turbo.com Broadband Series Makes Its Television Debut
with New Footage on HD Theater Starting Monday, January 5 –
(Silver Spring, MD) – Millions of people ride motorcycles and millions more fantasize about what it would be like to ride these cultural icons of speed, freedom, craftsmanship and personal rebellion. HD Theater’s new series, TWIST THE THROTTLE, takes audiences on a remarkable 36,000 mile journey across the globe to explore eight of the most famous sport motorcycling brands. Each episode focuses on a single brand, showcasing the remarkable history; the behind-closed-door factory, design facilities and R&D departments; and ultimately, what it is like to ride these magnificent machines on some of the most picturesque roads and spectacular racetracks in the world. The brands covered in TWIST THE THROTTLE include Bimota, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, MV Agusta, Suzuki and Yamaha. TWIST THE THROTTLE premieres on HD Theater starting Monday, January 5 and stories will continue to be featured on HD Theater’s online home for motorized content, Turbo.com.
Using spectacular 1080i high-definition and 5.1 digital surround sound, TWIST THE THROTTLE takes viewers directly to challenging racetracks like Kawasaki’s Autopolis on the island of Kyushu and Honda’s top-secret proving grounds in California’s Mojave Desert. For the first time ever, outside cameras were permitted on Yamaha’s private test track, Fukoroi, in Hamamatsu where TWIST THE THROTTLE put two of Yamaha’s newest sports bikes to the test. In addition to exclusive access to these private test facilities, the series travels on the open road through picturesque locales like northern Italy’s Futa Pass. Originally an ancient Roman road linking Florence to Bologna, the Futa Pass has over 200 curves carved into the mountainside in just a 20 mile stretch.
In addition, TWIST THE THROTTLE journeys through the history of each brand through interviews with the people behind their unique design philosophies. The series features an exclusive interview with Massimo Tamburini, considered to be the “Michelangelo of Italian motorcycle design,” who created some of the most iconic motorcycles including the Ducati 916 and the MV Agusta F4. Normally a recluse, Tamburini unlocks the doors of his design studio to reveal how he creates “mechanical art” and why he believes machines have souls. Additional interviews feature some of the most important names in the motorcycle world telling each brand’s remarkable story including:
• Honda’s Masanori Aoki, BMW’s David Robb and Yamaha’s Atsushi Ishiyama
• Former racing World Champions Freddie Spencer, Wayne Rainey, and Kevin Schwantz
• Current American road racing stars Mat Mladin, Neil Hodgson, Miguel Duhamel, Ben Bostrom, Jamie Hacking and Reg Pridmore
• Legendary motorcycle journalists Nick Ienatsch, Mark Hoyer, Mitch Boehm, Clement Salvadori and Mark Tuttle
About HD Theater
The first 24-hour high-definition network to broadcast all of its content in brilliant 1080i and 5.1 digital surround sound, HD Theater offers compelling real-world and motorized content from a wide range of categories including adventure, technology, nature and world culture – all designed to provide viewers with the highest-quality television experience available. For more information on Discovery Communication’s premier HD network, please visit www.dhd.discovery.com or www.turbo.com.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISAD, DISBD, DISCK) is the world’s number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
Update: We’ve now got air dates!
NETWORK:
DISCOVERY
HD
THEATER
AIR
DATES
&
TIMES
(NOTE:
ALL
TIMES
ARE
’LOCAL
TIMES’ )
MONDAY,
JANUARY
5TH
10PM
- HONDA
MONDAY,
JANUARY
12TH
10PM
- DUCATI
MONDAY,
JANUARY
19TH
10PM
- BMW
MONDAY,
JANUARY
26TH
10PM
- KAWASAKI
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
2ND
10PM -
SUZUKI
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
9TH
10PM
- MV
AGUSTA
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
16TH
10PM
- BIMOTA & ALPINESTARS
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
23RD
10PM
-
YAMAHA
Quick Update on the Twist The Throttle front — Discovery HD Theater has decided to push the premiere of the series back until later in the 1st Quarter of 2009 in order to give it more promotion on both TV and in the Mags.
Unfortunately we don’t have the new air dates just yet but I’ll post them as soon as the new schedule is announced.
Twist The Throttle on YouTube
So this is kind of cool, but I just found out that the the online portion of Twist The Throttle has now gone on YouTube. Unfortunately you can’t embed movies on external websites, such as this one, but nonetheless it’s always fun to see a project spread… So if you haven’t seen it, you can check it out here.
Ducati Story of Passion Props
Always nice to wake up to good news It seems that veteran moto-journalist Jim McDermott, a long time contributor to SuperbikePlanet.com, has started a blog — Called “Real World Rider” — And for one of his first posts he’s penned a review of “Ducati: A Story of Passion” , the DVD that we produced for Pro Italia Motorcycles last year! (more…)
