In documentary, you work closely with your subjects. We’ve had the joy of spending more than four years with MOONEYES on this multimedia project, which includes a feature documentary, documentary photography series, cinema events, and more. To create this expansive project, we’ve enlisted the help of gracious MOONEYES family, friends, and colleagues; respected experts; and talented crew.
During the pandemic, we received precious aid from the California Humanities CA Cares Relief Grant and Doc Society to survive during this challenging time. Our fiscal sponsor, the International Documentary Association, has provided invaluable filmmaking support. Through two crowdfunding campaigns, we were blessed by many generous donors from all over the world to help finish the film.
To independently distribute our film, we’ve partnered with many leading automotive museums, renowned industrial design colleges, respected automotive publications, and rising car culture brands. We’re honored to collaborate with Nick Tolosa of Makina Drivers Club and Anthony Ngo of 8th & Santa Fe.
To organize our CineMakina: “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Screening / Car Show / Photography Exhibit, presented by Makina Drivers Club and Humanist Films, we’re excited to work with many innovative speed shops, talented photographers, celebrated food & beverage vendors, and kind volunteers. Most of all, we’re grateful to all of the devoted MOONEYES fans and passionate automotive community, for whom we made this film.
To all of these people, families, companies, and organizations, we owe a debt of thanks. We’ve always thought independent filmmaking is about collaboration and gratitude.
To learn more about CineMakina on Saturday, 3/1/2025 at 8th & Santa Fe in Downtown, Los Angeles:
https://www.craftofspeed.com/newsarchive/makina-drivers-club-x-humanist-films-present-cinemakina-craft-of-speed-mooneyes-documentary-screening-at-8th-amp-santa-fe
To buy tickets:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
YOU WATCH A MOVIE. EVEN BETTER, YOU SEE SOMEONE REBUILD THEIR LIFE.
A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS FROM CINEMAKINA WILL GO TO L.A. WILDFIRE RECOVERY.
As the news of the Los Angeles wildfires recede from the headlines, it becomes even more critical to assist those in need. Makina Drivers Club and Humanist Films are based in L.A. We couldn’t help but feel heartbroken by the wildfires in our great city. We have dear friends who have lost their homes. We’ve frequented thriving businesses that have been destroyed. We’ve enjoyed the beautiful natural surroundings that have been ravaged. Through our CineMakina: “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Screening, we hope we can help, even in a small way. A portion of the proceeds will go to L.A. wildfire recovery. We plan to donate it to the respected California Community Foundation. We deeply appreciate your support of CineMakina and our humble efforts to assist.
To learn more about CineMakina on Saturday, 3/1/2025 at 8th & Santa Fe in Downtown, Los Angeles:
https://www.craftofspeed.com/newsarchive/makina-drivers-club-x-humanist-films-present-cinemakina-craft-of-speed-mooneyes-documentary-screening-at-8th-amp-santa-fe
To learn more about California Community Foundation:
https://www.calfund.org/
To buy tickets to CineMakina:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
A CINEMA EXPERIENCE CREATED ESPECIALLY FOR YOU
Like independent filmmaking, independent film distribution is extremely tough. This is especially challenging with a niche feature documentary about hot rodding and car & motorcycle culture like our “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary. Many, if not most, independent films can’t find distributors. Even films that are selected and even awarded by the major film festivals can have a difficult time securing them.
Even if the independent films do find distributors, the deals that they receive are usually not profitable or even fair. More often than not, they're preyed upon by predatory distributors, who demand all of their rights as well as their profits in exchange for elusive distribution. Any earnings are buried in their high marketing costs. So independent filmmakers aren’t able to survive, much less thrive.
Independent filmmakers have thus resorted to independent distribution. Sometimes, they work with “aggregators," a type of intermediary to get their films into the major streaming companies. Lately, despite paying expensive fees, they still aren’t able to get their films into the streaming companies.
Currently, streaming companies, which are actually tech companies, are in a state of contraction, downsizing and not acquiring independent films. Independent filmmakers are therefore left with no place to release their films.
So what are independent filmmakers to do? How can they distribute their films? How can they make a living? How can they have a long-term sustainable career? One way is to do what filmmakers, especially independent ones, do best—be creative. As Specialized, one of the leading bicycle manufacturers, said in their classic tagline, “Innovate or die.”
To be more specific, independent filmmakers may have to go outside of the traditional film distribution system. They may have to reach out to their audiences directly. Luckily, no one knows their audiences better than them. This independent distribution strategy helps shift the power from the distributors and streaming companies, who are profit driven, to the filmmakers, who are creative driven.
This isn’t a new idea. It’s actually an old one. Starting in the 1950s until his retirement in 1988, Warren Miller, one of the first skiing, snowboarding, and action sports filmmakers, pioneered independent distribution by renting his own theaters, doing his own marketing, and hosting his own screenings. He connected with his own niche audience of skiers, snowboarders, action sports enthusiasts, and outdoor lovers directly. Ultimately, he lived to 93 and had a prolific career, producing, writing, and directing hundreds of successful films.
This direct-to-consumer distribution model involves audience building or, more generally, community building. When we decided to distribute our film independently, we were honored to work with leading automotive museums, renowned industrial design colleges, respected automotive publications, and rising car culture brands to reach the widespread automotive community.
For our latest cinema event, the CineMakina: MOONEYES Documentary Screening on Saturday, 3/1/2025 at 8th & Santa Fe in Los Angeles, California, we’re thrilled to collaborate with Nick Tolosa of Makina Drivers Club, Anthony Ngo of 8th & Santa Fe, and all of the featured speed shops, exhibiting photographers, celebrated food & beverage vendors, and other talented folks involved with the event. In addition to being good people, they're great at building a strong community. Imagine a rich cinema experience created by your community specifically for you.
To learn more about CineMakina:
https://www.craftofspeed.com/newsarchive/makina-drivers-club-x-humanist-films-present-cinemakina-craft-of-speed-mooneyes-documentary-screening-at-8th-amp-santa-fe
To buy tickets to CineMakina:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
BEHIND THE SCENES OF "CINEMAKINA: SLEEPERS SPEED SHOP / LEN HIGA"
Makina Drivers Club X Humanist Films present the CineMakina: “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Screening on Saturday, 3/1/2025 at 8th & Santa Fe in Los Angeles, California. As part of this cinema experience, there will be a car show showcasing legendary MOONEYES and modern speed shops. One of the featured shops is respected Sleepers Speed Shop, owned by Len Higa, which is known for hot rodding Porsches.
We admire the storied history, elegant design, and precise engineering of Porsche. To be able to film Len and his team hot rod air-cooled Porsches is an incredible honor. We love how the world of MOONEYES becomes interconnected with the world of Porsche in this video. We’re thrilled to be able to tell Len’s important story.
The video was produced by Nick Tolosa of Makina Drivers Club and Ming Lai of Humanist Films. Ming also wrote and directed it as well as edited and color graded it. Inspired by Len, we wanted to “hot rod” this video like we had done with our “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary.
Tuan Tran served as the director of photography. He was also the co-director of photography on “Craft of Speed.” His camera kit, which he owns and operates, consists of a Canon C70 with a Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS lens as the A camera and a Canon R5C with a Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS lens as the B camera. With these Canon Cinema EOS cameras, he created beautiful rich footage. The dual gain output (DGO) of the Canon C70 allowed us to film in the shadowy speed shop without any digital noise.
Tuan mounted the Canon C70 on a DJI gimbal to help speed our filming during the tight shoot day. It also helped to create fluid shots in an otherwise static space, where Len and his team were focused on their intensive work. We also designed long dolly shots with the gimbal-mounted camera to engage the viewer with the subject.
Tuan also operated the DJI drone. While we used the drone to create dramatic aerial establishing shots of the speed shop, we also employed it in atypical ways—like long eye-level dolly shots of the shop. In effect, it would draw the viewer into the dynamic setting.
We love black-and-white films and photography. We enjoy all the classic black-and-white films and more recent ones like “Roma” by Alfonso Cuaron and “El Conde” by Pablo Larrain. We also adore the black-and-white photography of legendary landscape photographer Ansel Adams and documentary photographer Sebastiao Salgado.
Master street photographer, Elliot Erwitt, eloquently said, “Color is descriptive. Black and white is interpretive.” To this end, we used black-and-white to help convey Len’s artistry and craftsmanship. We were also inspired by the chiaroscuro of his speed shop’s interior. Because the location is cluttered with Porsches, tools, machines, and parts, it helped to remove the distraction of these items and unify the overall look.
Ming edited the video with Adobe Premiere. While we shot the video in color, he converted it to black-and-white during color grading. Thanks to the Canon C70 and R5C’s rich color science and wide dynamic range, he was able to color grade the footage and convert it to black-and-white easily. The footage looked beautiful and contrasty.
Instead of black-and-white being used to convey the past, color expresses the vibrant, idyllic past when Len and his brother, Travis Higa, used to watch Kenji Okazaki drag racing his MOONEYES / Jim Dunn Racing Team funny car—a formative time in their youth. We were able to source this amazing archival footage of Okazaki from MOONEYES. Because the video had degraded over time, Ming restored the original color of this historical footage.
For the interview of Len, we wanted to make it look natural—like it wasn’t lit. We used a Godox UL150, a 150 watt LED light that is fanless and completely silent, which makes it ideal for recording interviews. To soften and shape the light, we used a Godox SB-UE octagon softbox with a honeycomb grid.
Our audio kit included a powerful and compact Zoom F6 audio recorder, which has 32-bit float, and a trusty Sennheiser G3 lav mic and ME-66 shotgun mic. Like typical garages, the speed shop was very noisy, inside and out. We were able to record the audio cleanly with the Zoom F6 and denoise it easily in Adobe Premiere.
Jeff Hutchins, who envisioned the soundscape of “SpongeBob SquarePants” and has won five Emmys, created the powerful sound design, specifically the archival footage of Okazaki drag racing. Brianna Tam via Artlist composed the powerful score, which gave the video gravitas and humanity.
Thank you so much to Len Higa & Family, Thomas Johnson, Tony Jackson, Gary Castillo, and Sleepers Speed Shop for this huge honor. Many thanks to our crew for their dedication and hard work. And a heartfelt thank you to Nick Tolosa of Makina Drivers Club and Anthony Ngo of 8th & Santa Fe for their dynamic collaboration.
Presented by Makina Drivers Club X Humanist Films
Production Company: Humanist Films
Featuring: Len Higa, Tony Jackson, Thomas Johnson
Producer: Nick Tolosa/Makina Drivers Club
Producer/Writer/Director: Ming Lai
Composer: Brianna Tam/Artlist
Director of Photography: Tuan Tran
Drone Operator: Tuan Tran
Editor/Colorist: Ming Lai
Sound Designer: Jeff Hutchins
Photographers: Ming Lai, Nick Tolosa
Archival Footage: Courtesy of MOONEYES
Thank You: Sleepers Speed Shop, Len Higa & Family, Tony Jackson, Thomas Johnson, Gary Castillo
Special Thanks: MOONEYES, Nick Tolosa/Makina Drivers Club, Anthony Ngo/8th & Santa Fe
sleepersspeedshop.com
craftofspeed.com
humanistfilms.com
makinadriversclub.com
8thandsantafe.com
mooneyes.com
To watch the video:
https://www.craftofspeed.com/newsarchive/cinemakina-sleepers-speed-shop-len-higa
To learn more about CineMakina:
https://www.craftofspeed.com/newsarchive/makina-drivers-club-x-humanist-films-present-cinemakina-craft-of-speed-mooneyes-documentary-screening-at-8th-amp-santa-fe
To buy tickets to CineMakina:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
"CINEMAKINA: SLEEPERS SPEED SHOP / LEN HIGA"
Makina Drivers Club X Humanist Films present the CineMakina: “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Screening on Saturday, 3/1/2025 at 8th & Santa Fe in Los Angeles, California. As part of this cinema experience, there will be a car show showcasing legendary MOONEYES and modern speed shops. One of the featured shops is respected Sleepers Speed Shop, owned by Len Higa, which is known for hot rodding Porsches.
We admire the storied history, elegant design, and precise engineering of Porsche. To be able to film Len and his team hot rod air-cooled Porsches is an incredible honor. We love how the world of MOONEYES becomes interconnected with that of Porsche in this video. We’re thrilled to be able to tell Len’s important story.
To buy tickets to CineMakina:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
Presented by Makina Drivers Club X Humanist Films
Production Company: Humanist Films
Featuring: Len Higa, Tony Jackson, Thomas Johnson
Producer: Nick Tolosa/Makina Drivers Club
Producer/Writer/Director: Ming Lai
Composer: Brianna Tam/Artlist
Director of Photography: Tuan Tran
Drone Operator: Tuan Tran
Editor/Colorist: Ming Lai
Sound Designer: Jeff Hutchins
Photographers: Ming Lai, Nick Tolosa
Archival Footage: Courtesy of MOONEYES
Thank You: Sleepers Speed Shop, Len Higa & Family, Tony Jackson, Thomas Johnson, Gary Castillo
Special Thanks: MOONEYES, Nick Tolosa/Makina Drivers Club, Anthony Ngo/8th & Santa Fe
sleepersspeedshop.com
craftofspeed.com
humanistfilms.com
makinadriversclub.com
8thandsantafe.com
mooneyes.com
"CINEMAKINA: SLEEPERS SPEED SHOP / LEN HIGA" DROPS ON VALENTINE’S DAY
We had the honor of filming Len Higa and his team at Sleepers Speed Shop, which is known for hot rodding Porsches. This respected speed shop is a part of our upcoming CineMakina: “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Screening / Car Show / Photography Exhibit, presented by Makina Drivers Club X Humanist Films, on Saturday, 3/1/2025 at 8th & Santa Fe in Los Angeles, California. Because this video is about passion, we’ll be releasing it tomorrow on Valentine’s Day.
To learn more about CineMakina:
https://www.craftofspeed.com/newsarchive/makina-drivers-club-x-humanist-films-present-cinemakina-craft-of-speed-mooneyes-documentary-screening-at-8th-amp-santa-fe
To buy tickets:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
HOT RODDING A DOCUMENTARY
In our “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary, Dave Shuten, Lead Builder at Galpin Auto Sports, defines a “hot rod” as “a car that was specifically lightened and modified to be faster than stock.” In the same spirit, we tried to “hot rod” our documentary, modifying it so that it performs better than a typical one.
Interviews into Voiceovers
Most documentaries tend to use interviews. While the interviewees may provide much insight, their appearance, usually seated and stationary, can bring a film to a literal standstill. It’s no wonder they are often referred to pejoratively as “talking heads.”
The feature documentary, “Senna,” about legendary race car driver Ayerton Senna, didn’t show any interview footage and just used the audio from the interviews. With lower thirds titles, they identified the interviewees’ voices. In a film about racing, its fast pace was never slowed down by a motionless interviewee. This technique was not only innovative but also very effective.
Paying homage to “Senna,” one of the best motorsports documentaries, we adopted this brilliant technique but modified it. When we introduce our interviewees, we show them just once in an interview setting or in “B-roll” (supplementary footage to support what an interviewee is saying or convey an idea of the film) and identify them with lower thirds titles. When their audio only is used the next time, we re-introduce them, crediting their voices with lower thirds titles. However, after this second introduction, we don’t name them again except in the closed captions.
In other words, we try to make the viewer remember the interviewees’ voices. We realize that this is a difficult task when people are used to seeing “talking heads.” It requires much more work on the viewer’s part. However, we believe that the more you put into a film, the more you take away.
Two of our favorite directors are Wong Kar Wai and Terrence Malick. In his beautiful films, Wong tends to use voiceovers to reveal how his characters feel. Malick similarly employs voiceovers in his transcendent films, but they feel much more poetic. By utilizing only the audio of our interviewees, we turn it into voiceover. Inspired by Wong and Malick, we try to use this personal voiceover to express character.
This voiceover technique was necessitated by the fact that our documentary subjects are very shy and humble people. We knew that if we formally interviewed them with cameras, lights, and audio equipment, they would be less at ease. So we would often record just their audio. After they finished a long day of work, they sometimes would “talk story,” as Asian people say. Their stories were thus very personal and powerful.
In many documentaries, there are often numerous interviewees. While their thoughts may be important, the viewer tends to forget who they are or, even worse, not care about them. In our our film, we purposely limited the amount of interviewees so they become more important and memorable. Our interviewees included just our main documentary subjects and a few respected experts. This, in turn, made it easier to remember their distinctive voices.
B-roll into Poetry
Another convention of documentaries is “B-roll.” For example, if an interviewee is talking about war, the film will cut to war footage. And then it will cut back to the interviewee continuing to speak. B-roll can simply be illustrative or it can be much more—symbolic, adding layers of meaning like poetry.
We studied English literature in college and then graduate school and learned to analyze poetry by the masters. It was extremely challenging to deconstruct it and understand what it meant. However, it gave us a deep appreciation of its power and economy. Even a short poem could have many layers of meaning. To give our film more power, we used this important lesson from our English literature studies. So our B-roll is often symbolic, imbued with meaning.
In addition to being writers, we’re also filmmakers and photographers. So we used the powerful tools of cinematography and photography to infuse our B-roll with meaning, from framing and composition to lighting and color to camera movement and coverage.
Inspired by the craftspeople at the MOONEYES Machine Shop and their exacting work, we were very precise with our framing, whether our camera was on a tripod or handheld. Building things by hand is usually a solitary pursuit so we showed this loneliness with lots of negative space in our framing.
Conversely, we also used many close-ups to get more personal with our documentary subjects. They are naturally shy and quiet. However, they are very giving and allowed us into their lives. Christopher Doyle, who shot many of Wong Kar Wai’s films and is one of our favorite cinematographers, explains how he “dances” with his actors, moving with them. We similarly tried to follow our subjects.
Oftentimes, we created frames within frames, shooting through doors, windows, and objects. We used this style of framing for two reasons. We wanted to convey a sense of voyeurism, allowing the viewer to peek into the private lives of the craftspeople and better understand their devotion to their craft. We also employed these multiple frames to show how the craftspeople were locked in by their demanding craft.
For landscape or architecture shots, we always tried to convey the grandeur or power of a location with ultra-wide shots, stately mountains or buildings, and dramatic skies. Some of our favorite landscape photographers are Ansel Adams and Sebastiao Salgado. And our favorite architecture photographer is Julius Schulman. We pay homage to all of these master photographers in our cinematography.
As photographers who love landscape and street photography, we’re constantly reading the natural light and the colors that it produces and evaluating how they can help convey the story. In our opening scene at Speedweek on the famous Bonneville Salt Flats, the entire image is brownish white from nearby fires and high winds. The scene appears foreboding as Chico Kodama, the President of MOONEYES USA, and his crew prepare to race his new rear engine modified roadster. It sets the tone of the film, foreshadowing the challenges ahead. In our color grading, we optimized the natural colors of a scene while preserving their integrity.
Camera movement was also intentional, moving only when motivated by our subject or the scene. Working in advertising, we were trained to be able to justify every detail in an ad, from graphic design to photography to copywriting. Every element must powerfully convey the concept and message of an ad. Nothing is left to chance. We applied this same discipline to our shot design and camera movement.
Because our cinematography was so deliberate, it seemed like it was fully planned, like a narrative film. Except for a few instances, it was not the case at all. However, our filming strategy was to make everything—especially live and unfolding events—look like it was completely planned to give the film more power. In addition to “dancing” with his actors, Doyle explains how he “responds” to a space. We similarly were inspired by our locations and designed our shots on the fly. It’s akin to playing jazz, which Doyle has also referenced.
Infusing Culture
While the form of a documentary, through its conventions of interviews and b-roll, may be easier to change, the feeling of one is much harder to modify. Because our documentary subjects are Japanese, we wanted our film to feel Japanese and more generally Asian, honoring their rich culture. We tried to achieve this through not only the film’s imagery but also its pacing.
Earlier, we had discussed using negative space to show loneliness. In Asian and particularly Japanese art and design, negative space is just as important as positive space. The negative space allows us to focus on the subject. Because we love Japanese minimalist design, we appreciate how they create by taking away, reducing the design to its most essential.
In Japanese art, there are incredible panoramic paintings which are spread across multiple folding screens, known as “byobu.” They depict narrative, historical, or natural scenes in great detail. One of our favorite Japanese artists, Takashi Murakami, uses large “byobu” screens as the media for his dynamic paintings. We tried to recreate these “byobu” screens cinematically with long panning shots, slowly revealing our subject matter and allowing the viewer to contemplate the images and their meaning.
One of the themes of our documentary is the Japanese concept of “mono no aware” (translated as “the pathos of things” or “sadness about the impermanence of things”). Chico Kodama, the President of MOONEYES USA, laments about how “hot rods are dying.” Less and less people know how to build, maintain, or race them. So we explore this concept of “mono no aware” through the film’s aesthetics, specifically nuanced framing, composition, camera movement, and editorial pacing.
As we mentioned, we’re huge fans of Wong Kar Wai. In “The Grandmaster,” his epic about legendary wing chung kung fu master Ip Man, there’s a similar feeling as “mono no aware.” In this case, there’s sadness about not about the impermanence of things but the loss of culture. In the “making of” documentary, Wong talks wistfully about how many styles of kung fu are disappearing. We couldn’t help but find similarities in this profound feeling.
We also explored the Japanese concept of “wabi-sabi” (translated as “imperfect, impermanent, and simple beauty”). In doing so, we showcased the time-worn beauty of the vintage metalworking machines in the historic MOONEYES Machine Shop. To us, “wabi-sabi” and “mono no aware” are related ideas in that there’s a sadness about something becoming old, but there’s also an appreciation for its aging beauty.
Test Bench for the Future
Ultimately, a documentary, like a hot rod, is a test bench for creative ideas. You put all that you know and love into a project. You honor the past, you break the rules, and you make a film your own. By doing so, you build the future. Documentary filmmaking and hot rodding are thus not so different as one might think.
CineMakina
Makina Drivers Club X Humanist Films present CineMakina: “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Screening on Saturday, 3/1/2025 at 8th & Santa Fe in Los Angeles, California. This cinema experience includes a film screening, car show, photography exhibit, music, food & beverages, vendors, limited edition merch, and more. A portion of the proceeds will go to Los Angeles wildfire relief.
To learn more:
https://www.craftofspeed.com/newsarchive/makina-drivers-club-x-humanist-films-present-cinemakina-craft-of-speed-mooneyes-documentary-screening-at-8th-amp-santa-fe
To buy tickets:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
MAKINA DRIVERS CLUB X HUMANIST FILMS PRESENT CINEMAKINA: “CRAFT OF SPEED” MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY SCREENING AT 8TH & SANTA FE
Makina Drivers Club X Humanist Films present CineMakina: “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Screening on Saturday, 3/1/2025 at 8th & Santa Fe in Los Angeles, California. This cinema experience includes a film screening, car show, photography exhibit, music, food & beverages, vendors, limited edition merch, and more. A portion of the proceeds will go to Los Angeles wildfire relief.
Four years in the making, this 2-hour documentary covers the entire history of MOONEYES. In the film, Shige Suganuma and Chico Kodama, two Japanese/Japanese American hot rodders, helped save Moon Equipment Company, an iconic American speed parts company, rebrand it as MOONEYES, preserve legendary founder Dean Moon’s legacy, and popularize hot rod culture in Asia. This year, MOONEYES will celebrate its 75th anniversary.
Makina Drivers Club is a popular car culture lifestyle brand, founded by Nick Tolosa. He was inspired to create his rapidly growing brand by his love of MOONEYES and his passion for cars. “Makina” means “machine” in Filipino, honoring his rich heritage. In addition to beautifully designed products, Makina creates a strong sense of community. Like MOONEYES, it celebrates car culture and embraces all types of cars and enthusiasts.
Just south of the Arts District and east of the Fashion District in Downtown Los Angeles, the 8th & Santa Fe campus includes Makina Drivers Club, DTLA Auto Garage, Idyllic coffee, and Collegium footwear as well as a unique event space that plays host to many dynamic automotive events. In fact, along with other great car culture brands, they are the epicenter of the vibrant DTLA automotive scene.
Before the documentary, there will be an awe-inspiring car show, showcasing history-making MOONEYES vehicles and the incredible builds of modern speed shops: Benton Performance, Bulletproof Restorations, Current Los Angeles, Manofield + Mobile Weld Specialist, Sleepers Speed Shop, The M Shop, Timeless Autoworks, Vintage Japanese Motor Union, and Vintage Vochos.
There will also be a breathtaking Community Perspectives photography exhibit, exploring L.A.’s car culture. We’re proud to feature the work of talented automotive photographers: Andy Bermudez @floral.nef, Andres Caceres @rflctve, Jacob Martinez @_kidsoftoday, Elias Omar @omarchived, TJ Roque @mr.mukatsuku, Tyler Rousseau @tyler_rousseau, and Justin Villanueva @justinrvillanueva. To benefit L.A. wildfire recovery, prints of select photographs will be for sale via silent auction.
After the film, there will be an engaging conversation with Ming Lai, Director of “Craft of Speed,” and Special Guest, Oliver Wang, cultural scholar, writer, and curator of the Japanese American National Museum’s upcoming exhibit, “Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community.”
Throughout the event, there will be food, beverages, and vendors. After the screening and discussion, enjoy the after-party with music. CineMakina will be an unforgettable celebration of L.A.’s car culture and community.
Both Makina Drivers Club and Humanist Films are based in Los Angeles. Our hearts go out to our family, friends, colleagues, and everyone who’s been affected by the wildfires in our great city. A portion of the proceeds will go to L.A. wildfire relief.
Thank you to Nick Tolosa of Makina Drivers Club and Anthony Ngo of 8th & Santa Fe for making this great collaboration possible. A heartfelt thank you to Shige Suganuma, Chico Kodama, and MOONEYES for their ongoing support. Special thanks to Oliver Wang and the Japanese American National Museum. Our deepest gratitude to all our car show participants and featured photographers. Many thanks to our vendors for their hospitality and our volunteers for their assistance. Most importantly, thank you to all our attendees for your love and support.
CINEMAKINA: “CRAFT OF SPEED” MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY SCREENING
8TH & SANTA FE
Los Angeles, California
Saturday, 3/1/2025
2:00 p.m. Doors Open
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Car Show / Photography Exhibit / Vendors
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Film Screening
6:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Conversation with Ming Lai, Director of “Craft of Speed,” and Special Guest, Oliver Wang, Cultural Scholar, Writer, and Curator of the Japanese American National Museum’s upcoming exhibit, “Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community”
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. After-Party / Music / Vendors
8TH & SANTA FE
1219 S. Santa Fe Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90021
Parking is available onsite, across the street, and on the surrounding streets.
Buy Tickets:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
craftofspeed.com
humanistfilms.com
makinadriversclub.com
8thandsantafe.com
mooneyes.com
CINEMAKINA SCREENING OF "CRAFT OF SPEED" MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY ON SATURDAY, 3/1/2025: TICKETS GO ON SALE SATURDAY, 2/1/2025
Tickets go on sale Saturday, 2/1/2025. A portion of the proceeds will go to L.A. Wildfire Recovery.
More details to come.
craftofspeed.com
humanistfilms.com
makinadriversclub.com
8thandsantafe.com
mooneyes.com
SAVE THE DATE: SATURDAY, 3/1/2025, CINEMAKINA SCREENING OF "CRAFT OF SPEED" MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY
WE LOVE LOS ANGELES.
It’s our hometown and homebase.
It’s where our fondest memories were created and where we find inspiration.
We love its rich diversity, culture, and community.
Our hearts go out to our family, friends, colleagues, and everyone who’s been affected by the wildfires in our great city.
Thank you to all the firefighters, healthcare providers, emergency services, disaster relief organizations, and volunteers for your dedication, hard work, and compassion.
To donate or find resources, please visit one of our favorite charitable organizations, the California Community Foundation:
https://www.calfund.org/funds/wildfire-recovery-fund/
"CRAFT OF SPEED" MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY SPECIAL SCREENING AT THE SEGERSTROM SHELBY EVENT CENTER
Check out a selection of photos from our “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Special Screening at the spectacular Segerstrom Shelby Event Center. Thank you again to everyone who attended this event. A heartfelt thank you to the Segerstrom Shelby Event Center and Hillbank Motor Corporation for their warm hospitality and Matt Stone and Doyle Gammell for being our special guests. Special thanks to photographer Glen Tao for documenting this special event.
Please stay tuned as we plan more cinema events.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED OUR "CRAFT OF SPEED" MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY SPECIAL SCREENING AT THE SEGERSTROM SHELBY EVENT CENTER!
Thank you to everyone who attended our “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Special Screening at the Segerstrom Shelby Event Center. We enjoyed meeting all of you and celebrating Dean Moon and Carroll Shelby’s legendary collaboration. Our attendees were able to view an awe-inspiring collection of street and racing Cobras and high performance Mustangs at the museum and Hillbank Motor Corporation, a classic car dealership next door. The highlight of this cinema event was a fascinating discussion with Matt Stone, a respected author and the former Executive Editor of MotorTrend, and Doyle Gammell, one of the storied team who built the first Shelby Cobra at Moon Equipment Company. They talked about Dean Moon, Carroll Shelby, and the birth of the history-making sports car. To cap off the event, Steve Johns fired up the last Cobra produced by Shelby American—his 1967 King Cobra.
A heartfelt thank you to the Segerstrom Shelby Event Center (SSEC), the Segerstrom Family, Ted & Rae Segerstrom, Mike Kujawa, Alan Calgaro, and the entire SSEC team for all their support in hosting this exciting event. Thanks a million to Hillbank Motor Corporation, Shayna Stander, Ashton Stander, and the Stander Family for creating the best merch store ever, where you can buy your own Shelby Cobra, Daytona Coupe, or GT40. A special thank you to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Jim Orr for allowing us to use legendary photographer Dave Friedman’s iconic images of the first Shelby Cobra being built at Moon Equipment Company. And many thanks to our friends Vince Wong and Michelle Chun for their event support and our photographer friend Glen Tao for documenting this special event.
The celebration continues with an online screening of the film for the U.S. from Sunday, 11/17/2024 to Sunday, 11/24/2024. To buy tickets: craftofspeed.eventive.org
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED THE PERFECT EXPOSURE GALLERY / “AESTHETICS” PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP SHOW!
Thank you to everyone who attended The Perfect Exposure Gallery / “Aesthetics” Photography Group Show. It was very special to share my photographs, exhibit with other respected photographers, and show in our great city of Los Angeles. Many thanks to Armando Arorizo, Gia Trovela, Alejandra Lopez, and The Perfect Exposure Gallery for this huge honor. The exhibit will be on view until Sunday, 1/26/2025.
To learn more about the exhibit:
https://www.humanistfilms.com/news/2024/10/3/ing-lai-photographs-part-of-the-perfect-exposure-gallery-aesthetics-photography-group-exhibition
"CRAFT OF SPEED" MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY SPECIAL SCREENING AT NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM
Check out a selection of photos from our “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Special Screening at the National Automobile Museum. Thank you again to everyone who attended this event. Many thanks to the National Automobile Museum for this incredible honor.
Our next screening is on Saturday, 11/16/2024 at the spectacular Segerstrom Shelby Event Center in Irvine, California. To buy tickets: craftofspeed.eventive.org
MING LAI PHOTOGRAPHS PART OF THE PERFECT EXPOSURE GALLERY / “AESTHETICS” PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP SHOW
I’m excited to announce that I’ll be participating in my first photography exhibition, “Aesthetics,” at The Perfect Exposure Gallery, opening on Saturday, 11/9/2024 and on view until Sunday, 1/26/2025. “Aesthetics” is “a group show that intends to present a variety of photographers’ work in their own styles and medium of choice in celebration of diversity of expression using the photographic medium.” “The Perfect Exposure Gallery was established in 1988 as a forum for the aesthetic, the contemptible and the sublime in photographic imagery. The gallery has exhibited Pulitzer and World Press Photo award winners who have gained prominence in their respective fields for commitments to excellence in their artisty.” I was drawn to this respected gallery because of its celebration of legendary photographers like Nick Ut, Ringo Chiu, and many others whose powerful work has inspired me. The exhibit is curated by the gallery’s owner, Armando Arorizo, who is also a veteran photojournalist—a field that I deeply respect.
In addition to filmmaking, photography is an integral part of my artistic practice. I especially love architecture photography. Two of my photographs will be displayed as part of the show: “Grand Arts Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts” and “National Museum of the American Indian.” I’ve always wanted to exhibit my work so this is a huge honor to be a part of this exciting show. These images are part of a continuing series of architecture photographs that I’ve taken over many years—an extensive study of architecture. These bold B&W images interpret the dynamic architecture as abstract forms, turning them into fine art. Thank you to Armando Arorizo, Gia Trovela, Alejandra Lopez, and The Perfect Exposure Gallery for this wonderful opportunity.
THE PERFECT EXPOSURE GALLERY / “AESTHETICS” PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP SHOW
THE PERFECT EXPOSURE GALLERY
Alhambra, California
On View
Saturday, 11/9/2024 - Sunday, 1/26/2025
Opening Reception
Saturday, 11/9/2024, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Closing
Sunday, 1/26/2025, 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The Perfect Exposure Gallery
2424 W. Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91803
213-381-1137
theperfectexposuregallery.com
To learn more about Ming Lai and Humanist Films:
humanistfilms.com
To learn more about their latest film and photography project:
craftofspeed.com
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED OUR "CRAFT OF SPEED" SPECIAL SCREENING AT THE NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM!
Thank you to everyone who attended our “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Special Screening at the National Automobile Museum (NAM) in Reno, Nevada. We loved meeting all of the MOONEYES fans and sharing the incredible story of this legendary company. Thank you so much to the National Automobile Museum for all your support. It was a huge honor to screen our film at your respected institution—one of America’s top 10 automobile museums. Thank you to Phil MacDougall, Kathy Powers, Emily Taft, Blake Edwards, Bruce Ballard, and the entire NAM team for this wonderful opportunity.
Our film will continue to screen online for the U.S. until Sunday, 10/6/2025. If you weren’t able to attend our NAM screening, you can simply watch it online from anywhere in the U.S. during this time. To buy tickets: craftofspeed.eventive.org
“CRAFT OF SPEED” IS IN “JAPANESE NOSTALGIC CAR”
We’re excited to announce that our “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary is featured in “Japanese Nostalgic Car” (JNC). We had the honor of being interviewed by Ben Hsu, Founding Partner and Editor-in-Chief of JNC, after he attended our U.S. Premiere. JNC is “a publication for collectors, enthusiasts and drivers of vintage Japanese automobiles.” Their goal is “to elevate awareness of old Japanese cars, educate people about Japanese car history, attract more individuals to the hobby and perhaps even save a few cars from being scrapped.” We can’t help but love Japanese nostalgic cars, having grown up during that time. So we appreciate how MOONEYES embraces them as well as hot rods and every genre of car in between. Thank you to Ben Hsu and JNC for their generous support!
To read the article:
https://japanesenostalgiccar.com/mooneyes-craft-of-speed-documentary/
To attend our next screening on Saturday, 11/16/2024 at the Segerstrom Shelby Event Center in Irvine, California:
https://craftofspeed.eventive.org
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED OUR "CRAFT OF SPEED" SPECIAL SCREENING AT ENSCI, PARIS!
Thank you so much to everyone who attended our “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary Special Screening at the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Creation Industrielle (ENSCI) in Paris, France. It was a huge honor to be a part of your visionary exhibition, “Itineraire BiS: Designers, makers, tuners: repenser les standards industriels et inventer les nouvelles mobilites” (translated as “BiS: Designers, makers, tuners: rethinking industrial standards and inventing new forms of mobility,” and popular Paris Design Week. We deeply appreciate being able to share our film with your respected school and vibrant design community. Thank you to Jessica Leclercq, Samuel Pujo, Aude Bricout, and ENSCI for this wonderful opportunity.
Our film will continue to screen online for France during the rest of the exhibition until Sunday, 10/13/2024. If you weren’t able to attend the ENSCI screening, you can simply watch it online from anywhere in France during this time. To buy tickets: craftofspeed.eventive.org
“CRAFT OF SPEED” MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY TO SCREEN AT SEGERSTROM SHELBY EVENT CENTER
The “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary will be screening at the spectacular Segerstrom Shelby Event Center (SSEC) in Irvine, California on Saturday, 11/16/2024, presented by the SSEC and Humanist Films. To increase access, we’re also offering an online screening for the U.S. from Sunday, 11/17/2024 to Sunday, 11/24/2024.
Four years in the making, our 2-hour feature documentary is a love letter to MOONEYES, hot rodding, and international car and motorcycle culture. In the film, Shige Suganuma and Chico Kodama, two Japanese/Japanese American hot rodders, helped save Moon Equipment Company, an iconic American speed parts company, rebrand it as MOONEYES, preserve legendary founder Dean Moon’s legacy, and popularize hot rod culture in Asia.
As part of this “cinema event,” you’ll not only be able to watch the film and a Q&A with the filmmakers, but also visit the museum and the neighboring Hillbank Motor Corporation, a classic car dealership specializing in Superformance and Shelby Cobras, Daytona Coupes, and GT40s.
Opened in October 2021, this museum and event space houses the Segerstrom Family’s private collection of street and racing Cobras and high performance Mustangs. The respected Segerstrom Family developed much of Orange County, California, including South Coast Plaza and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
From the moment you enter the SSEC, you’ll be awestruck by the size and scope of this massive collection. You’ll be able to experience the rich history of legendary Carroll Shelby and Shelby American.
Dean Moon and Carroll Shelby were good friends. Shelby famously built the first Cobra at Moon Equipment Company. In the museum, there’s a historic photo of Fred Larsen, a talented racer, builder, and machinist at Moon Equipment Company, as part of the storied team who built the Cobra. You’ll learn about this successful collaboration in our film.
Thank you to the Segerstrom Shelby Event Center, Ted & Rae Segerstrom, Segerstrom Family, Shelby American, SSEC Team, Hillbank Motor Corporation, Shayna Stander, and Stander Family.
“CRAFT OF SPEED” SPECIAL SCREENING
SEGERSTROM SHELBY EVENT CENTER
Irvine, California
Live Screening
Saturday, 11/16/2024
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Visit Segerstrom Shelby Event Center & Hillbank Motor Corporation
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Screening
3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Conversation with Ming Lai, Director of “Craft of Speed,” and Matt Stone, Author & Former Executive Editor, MotorTrend
JUST ADDED: Special Guest, Doyle Gammell, who was part of the team that built the first Shelby Cobra at Moon Equipment Company
Segerstrom Shelby Event Center
5 Whatney
Irvine, CA 92618
*The ticket price includes museum admission.
Online Screening
Sunday, 11/17/2024 - Sunday, 11/24/2024
U.S. Only
*After this film becomes available on Sunday, 11/17/2024 at 12:00 a.m. PDT, you’ll have 7 days to start watching. Once you begin, you’ll have 4 days to finish watching.
Buy tickets:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
craftofspeed.com
mooneyes.com
segerstromshelbyeventcenter.com
hillbankusa.com