Chris Harris talks to Brian Scotto, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Hoonigan. They discuss Brian's journey in motoring journalism, the origin of Hoonigan and Gymkhana videos. They also explore the influence of video games on real-life racing, the growth of Hoonigan brand, and challenges of balancing content and business.
The Gymkhana series started from a small-scale project and gradually gained attention through innovative driving sequences and rawness.
Each Gymkhana film has its own unique charm, with Gymkhana 3 being praised for its rawness and Gymkhana 4 featuring a bigger production.
Gymkhana has inspired others to create their own car content and push the boundaries of automotive stunts while maintaining authenticity.
The podcast discusses the growth of Hoonigan from a burnout-focused brand to a broader car culture lifestyle brand, with partnerships and collaborations with other car enthusiasts.
Deep dives
The Genesis of Gymkhana
The idea for Gymkhana originated from the Jim Connor USA event, which was a combination of autocross and drifting. Ken Block decided to build a car specifically for Gymkhana and started experimenting with different stunts and filming techniques. The concept of a moving donut around an object led to the iconic scene with a Segway in Gymkhana 1. The focus was on creating authentic and raw car content, inspired by the fast and furious films but without the Hollywood elements.
The Evolution of Gymkhana
Gymkhana started as a small-scale project, with Ken Block testing out stunts and filming ideas over the course of a month and a half. The first Gymkhana film, Gymkhana Practice, was a collection of various stunts and driving sequences. It wasn't until Gymkhana 3 that the series gained more attention, with Ken Block taking on the Oldsburg Fiesta and exploring new filming techniques. Gymkhana 4 marked a bigger production, featuring Hollywood elements and a collaboration with the Logan team. Despite the success, the focus on rawness and authenticity in the earlier films remains a fan favorite.
Favorite Gymkhana Films
While Gymkhana 1 holds a special place as the first record, each Gymkhana film has its own unique charm. Gymkhana 3, with the Oldsburg Fiesta, stands out for its rawness and innovative driving sequences. The fourth installment introduced a bigger production and a collaboration with Logan, exploring Hollywood elements. However, some fans feel that the slicker approach deviated from the rawness they loved about Gymkhana. Ultimately, each Gymkhana film has its own fan base and offers a different experience.
The Future of Gymkhana
As Gymkhana continues to evolve, the future remains exciting. The series has inspired many to create their own car content and explore the boundaries of what's possible in automotive stunts. Despite the challenges and expectations that come with each new film, Gymkhana has been successful in maintaining its authenticity and entertaining fans around the world. The rawness, innovative driving, and unique filming techniques have become the defining features of the Gymkhana series.
The Origin and Growth of Hoonigan
The podcast discusses the origins of Hoonigan and how it has grown from a brand focused on burnouts to a broader car culture lifestyle brand.
The Impact of Fast and Furious and Hollywood on Car Action
The podcast examines the influence that movies like Fast and Furious have had on the perception of car action, and how Hoonigan aims to maintain authenticity in their films.
Expanding the Hoonigan Brand
The podcast explores the expansion of Hoonigan into different car cultures and styles, including partnerships and collaborations with other car enthusiasts.
Challenges and Future Aspirations
The podcast highlights the challenges faced by Hoonigan in the content creation industry, and discusses future plans to merge the style of top Hollywood stunts with Hoonigan's raw and authentic approach to car action.
Chris Harris sits down with the Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Hoonigan, Brian Scotto. The pair talk through how Brian got into cars and motoring journalism, how Brian founded Hoonigan alongside Ken Block, and also how the Gymkhana videos became a global automotive sensation.
