This automotive video is a little different. There are no slider moves, car-to-car motion sequences, or directed scenes. Jeff Gamroth of Rothsport Racing wanted a six-minute action-packed film that documented the trials and tribulations a pair of Porsche 911s would face while racing 1000 miles off-road in Mexico.
What resulted was Porsche history
They ended up being the first production-based 911s to finish the Baja Mexican 1000. My job was easy by comparison – to act as an embedded photojournalist using the simplest methods available and to capture it all.
To do that, I used a small set of tools: three GoPro cameras mounted inside the cars, a Canon 5D digital SLR with either a 24-105 mm or 100-300 mm lens, and my phone camera. I thought about placing the GoPros on the outside of the cars, but after one of the side mirrors got knocked off, I canned that idea.
In all, the Rothsport Racing Safari Porsche 964s raced for five days over extremely rough terrain down the entire Baja Peninsula. It took another five days to sort through the 500 minutes of GoPro footage and the other movie clips.
1000 WAYS TO FAIL from HOTRODFILMS.COM on Vimeo.
My editors, who put the selected cuts into a sequence that fulfilled my vision, found the perfect music. The drone footage was also a lucky find. I noticed a young Mexican flying his craft and later tracked him down to add his wonderful aerial coverage. Thanks to him, my editors, the drivers, and the entire Rothsport Team for their generous contributions to the making of this film.
It was little sleep, nonstop work, sandstorms, and scorpions. Do I want to go back and do it again? You betcha.