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 February 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 February 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.” In addition, two more of my images will be shown online on the gallery’s site: “National Museum of African American History and Culture” and “Walt Disney Concert Hall.” 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
“CRAFT OF SPEED” MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY TO SCREEN AT ENSCI, PARIS
The “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary will be screening on Thursday, 9/12/2024 at the respected Ecole Nationale Superieure de Creation Industrielle (ENSCI) in Paris, France, presented by ENSCI and Humanist Films. This screening is part of their upcoming exposition, “Itineraire BiS: Designers, makers, tuners: repenser les standards industriels et inventer les nouvelles mobilites” (which is translated as “BiS: Designers, makers, tuners: rethinking industrial standards and inventing new forms of mobility”), from Wednesday, 9/4/2024 to Sunday, 10/13/2024. Located near the famed Bastille, ENSCI is France’s leading design school. This visionary exhibition is part of Paris Design Week, an annual design festival held throughout the capital city, which runs from Saturday, 9/7/2024 to Monday, 9/16/2024. As multidiscplinary artists, we were naturally drawn to MOONEYES’ automotive design, industrial design, graphic design, low brow art, and craftspersonship. We’re thrilled to be able to share our film with the French design community. To increase access, we are also offering an online screening geoblocked to France for the length of the exposition. Thank you to Jessica Leclercq, Samuel Pujol, Aude Bricout, and ENSCI for this incredible honor.
“CRAFT OF SPEED” SPECIAL SCREENING
ECOLE NATIONALE SUPERIEURE DE CREATION INDUSTRIELLE (ENSCI)
Paris, France
Live Screening
Thursday, 9/12/2024
8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. CEST
Le Bis - ENSCi
75 Rue de Lyon
75012 Paris France
To reserve tickets to the Live Screening:
https://www.eventbrite.fr/e/projection-en-avant-premiere-du-film-craft-of-speed-de-ming-lai-tickets-1002938344587?aff=oddtdtcreator&_gl=1%2A1devhjb%2A_up%2AMQ..%2A_ga%2ANTQzNTc2NzE5LjE3MjQ3NjcyMTM.%2A_ga_TQVES5V6SH%2AMTcyNDc2NzIxMi4xLjEuMTcyNDc2NzQ2MC4wLjAuMA..
Online Screening
Wednesday, 9/4/2024 to Sunday, 10/13/2024
France Only
*After this film becomes available on 9/4/2024 at 0h00 (UTC +2), you’ll have 7 days to start watching. Once you begin, you’ll have 48 hours to finish watching.
**Please note there are only English closed captions and no French closed captions.
To buy tickets to the Online Screening:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
To learn more about the Exhibition:
https://www.ensci.com/actualites/une-actu?tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=47777&cHash=4a521e59067f0132ccf6257bd2c170a4
craftofspeed.com
mooneyes.com
ensci.com
“CRAFT OF SPEED” MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY TO SCREEN AT NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM
The “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary will continue its film tour with a special screening in Nevada, presented by MOONEYES and Humanist Films. A live screening will take place at the incredible National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada on Saturday, 9/28/2024. And then an online screening for the U.S. will be held from Sunday, 9/29/2024 to Sunday, 10/6/2024.
Four years in the making, our 2-hour feature documentary covers the entire history of MOONEYES. Here’s the logline: 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.
With this special screening at the National Automobile Museum, we’re creating a unique “cinema event” for our attendees—not just a moving film screening and conversation but also an awe-inspiring day at the museum. Honored by Road & Track’s “12 of the Best Auto Museums in the U.S.,” the National Automobile Museum houses the extensive automobile collection of Bill Harrah, the founder of Harrah’s Hotels and Casinos.
Currently on display are a Speed Exhibit, Thomas Flyer Exhibit, Paul Newman Exhibit, Cars of the Stars Exhibit, and Mach 5 Speed Racer Exhibit. As kids growing up watching Speed Racer and later as film buffs/car enthusiasts following Paul Newman’s films and racing, we couldn’t be more excited to experience these exhibits.
Thank you to the Phil MacDougall, Emily Taft, and the National Automobile Museum for their warm hospitality.
“CRAFT OF SPEED” SPECIAL SCREENING
NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM
Reno, Nevada
Live Screening
Saturday, 9/28/2024
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Visit the Museum
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 Phil MacDougall, Executive Director of National Automobile Museum
National Automobile Museum
1 Museum Dr.
Reno, NV 89501
*The ticket price includes museum admission.
**Limited seating. Buy your ticket in advance. Pre-sales only.
Online Screening
Sunday, 9/29/2024 to Sunday, 10/6/2024
U.S. Only
*After this film becomes available on 9/29/2024 at 12:00 a.m. PDT, you’ll have 7 days to start watching. Once you begin, you’ll have 48 hours to finish watching.
Buy tickets:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
mooneyes.com
craftofspeed.com
automuseum.org
"CRAFT OF SPEED" MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY U.S. PREMIERE
Check out a selection of photos from our “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary U.S. Premiere. Thank you again to everyone who attended this special screening, presented by MOONEYES and Humanist Films. Special thanks to Glen Tao and Zap Teshima for photographing the event.
Learn more about the live screening.
Continue the celebration by watching the virtual screening.
Left to Right: Shige Suganuma, Owner of MOONEYES; Dean Moon, Jr.; Ming Lai, Director; Chico Kodama, President of MOONEYES USA
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED OUR “CRAFT OF SPEED” MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY U.S. PREMIERE!
On behalf of “Craft of Speed” and MOONEYES, thank you so much to everyone who attended our U.S. Premiere! We deeply appreciate you supporting our film and even more so MOONEYES. It was so special to see so many family, friends, hot rodders, racers, builders, craftspeople, designers, artists, enthusiasts, and the community celebrating with us. Thank you to everyone who traveled from afar to attend our event. Thank you for your standing ovation, kind words and, most of all, warm company and longtime friendship.
We hope you enjoyed the beautiful setting of our premiere—the Lions Automobilia Museum. It honors the legendary Lions Drag Strip, one of the most famous drag strips in southern California during the heyday of drag racing. Behind an unassuming door, they have an extenstive collection of not only dragsters but also race cars, hot rods, classic cars, and movie cars, including the original Batmobile, designed by George Barris. In choosing this unique venue, we wanted to create an unforgettable “cinema event” for you. Thank you to Lana Chrisman and your entire team at the Lions Automobilia Museum for your exceptional hospitality.
Our end credits are unapologetically long because so many people assisted in making our film. Independent filmmaking and distribution are extremely challenging. We are forever grateful to everyone who supported us and our documentary project. Our film simply wouldn’t be possible without you. Thank you so much to our talented crew, whom we consider not only as colleagues but also mentors. Thank you to our interviewees whose knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm fueled our film. A heartfelt thank you to our fiscal sponsor the International Documentary Association, generous donors, and strong supporters. Many thanks to the hot rodding, racing, speed industry, and car & motorcycle community for all your inspiration and assistance.
Most of all, thank you to Shige Suganuma, Chico Kodama, and Dean Moon, Jr. and your wonderful families. It’s been such a joy documenting your important story. Thank you for all your love and support. Our deepest thanks to all the MOONEYES staff, dealers, and racing teams in the U.S., Japan, and worldwide. Special thanks to Jim Dunn and his incredible family and team, who couldn’t attend because they were, of course, racing.
Our U.S. Premiere celebration continues with the Online Screening of our film from Saturday, 7/27/2024 to Saturday, 8/3/2024. Please stay tuned as we plan more special events for you—the awesome fans of MOONEYES.
See photos from the screening.
THE DESIGN OF “CRAFT OF SPEED”
Our feature documentary, “Craft of Speed,” is a love letter to hot rodding. An independent film that’s been produced outside of the studios, it documents the incredible story of MOONEYES speed equipment company. It explores a niche subject that has become a universal one, which spans across the world and embraces many different cultures.
For 30 years, 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 Asian/Asian American pioneers in their industry, they battled against racism and xenophobia and ultimately created a global following. Now, Shige is attempting to grow hot rod culture despite declining interest in hot rods, and Chico is handcrafting a new race car to try to break a second land speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats.
The Moon Equipment Company logo, with two eyes glancing to the side, is one of the most loved logos in hot rod history, car & motorcycle culture, and more generally pop culture. This iconic logo was originally conceived by founder Dean Moon and then refined by a Disney artist. It’s no wonder why the eyes resemble those of classic Disney characters.
Moon Equipment Company, now MOONEYES, has a long design history. Dean Moon had a strong sense of design and branding, not only creating the original logo but also carefully evolving it. Despite the different versions of the logo, the overall brand stayed unified and even grew more powerful. Shige Suganuma and Chico Kodama, who took over the company after Dean Moon had passed, has maintained his enduring design legacy.
The speed industry and more generally the world of auto sports are filled with many logos, from established brands to emerging ones. Just look at any race car, and you’ll see sponsor logos emblazoned all over it. Naturally, they compete against each other for the viewer’s attention.
In creating the key art of “Craft of Speed,” these were the daunting challenges that we faced. How could we honor MOONEYES’ rich design tradition and enter the competitive branding space of the speed industry and motorsports?
To create our film’s logo and movie poster, we worked with award-winning design director/graphic designer Sven Igawa of Igawa Design. We’ve had the honor of working with him for more than 20 years. He’s designed our production company’s brand identity and the key art for almost all of our films. A veteran in the field, he’s worked with many respected brands, including Crank Brothers, HBO, Icon Aircraft, Mountain Hardware, PlayStation, Quicksilver, VF Corp, and Western Digital.
As part of his intensive design process, Sven created many iterations of the “Craft of Speed” logo. We loved how the final logo resembled the strong frame of Chico Kodama’s land speed race car with its thick lines and reflected the painstaking work of the MOONEYES craftspeople with its precise curves. We also appreciated how the logo also felt fast in an unconventional way with the unique shape of the letters, especially the “S” and “E” in “SPEED.”
Building on the logo design, Sven designed many versions of the “Craft of Speed” movie poster. The final poster features Chico Kodama wearing a racing helmet as the primary image and him and his rear engine modified roadster against the dramatic backdrop of the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah as the secondary image. We love how Chico looks deep in thought as he tries to break his second land speed record. The direction of his gaze to the left also nicely matches our tagline that interprets MOONEYES’ lofty mission: “Honor the past. Build the future.” The yellow background and black type convey MOONEYES’ famous team colors.
The description line, “A Documentary about MOONEYES,” above the “Craft of Speed” logo is in type that is reminscent of pinstripers. MOONEYES worked closely with legendary artist/pinstriper/car designer, Ed Roth, and continues this strong tradition of art and pinstriping with Hiro “Wildman” Ishii and Michi Natoo, who are their resident artists/pinstripers.
We realize that even a beautiful logo has no meaning unless the company behind it gives it power. Dean Moon and his storied company created iconic speed parts, built renowned race cars, supported the hot rod and racing community, created hot rod history, and contributed to car & motorcycle culture and ultimately pop culture. Shige Suganuma and Chico Kodama have passionately continued his strong legacy. Hopefully, our own humble logo will gain significance over time as we celebrate the important work of Dean Moon, Shige Suganuma, and Chico Kodama.
We’re huge admirers of legendary graphic designer Saul Bass and his famous collaborations with filmmakers. We’ve had the privilege of working with many talented graphic designers over the years, who have elevated our work. We’re deeply honored to work with Sven and his company on this and all of our major projects. We like to think of him as our own Saul Bass.
“Craft of Speed” recently received a prestigious Silver Remi Award in the “Features - Documentary” category from the 57th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.
Elana Scherr, Senior Editor/Features of “Car and Driver,” says about the film, “It’s too good a history to go unshared.”
“Craft of Speed” will be celebrating its U.S. Premiere, presented by MOONEYES and Humanist Films. A live screening will take place at the beautiful Lions Automobilia Museum in Rancho Dominguez, California on Saturday, 7/20/2024 and then a virtual screening for the U.S. will be held from Saturday, 7/27/2024 to Saturday, 8/3/2024.
To buy tickets to the “Craft of Speed” U.S. Premiere:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
To learn more:
craftofspeed.com
humanistfilms.com / @humanistfilms
igawadesign.com / @igawadesign
LIKE WINNING THE LOTTERY. THE MOONEYES SPECIAL DIECAST.
Recently, my father-in-law discovered a Matchbox MOONEYES Special diecast car at our local Target. It was an extraordinary find. Over the years, MOONEYES and Hot Wheels/Matchbox have created many highly collectible diecast cars. While it might just be a cool diecast car to many people, it’s very meaningful to us. It pays homage to the gorgeous 1932 Ford coupe built by Willie Masayoshi Dorsey and Tim Cunha that inspired Chico Kodama, the President of MOONEYES USA, to build his own race car and start land speed racing. Willie let Chico drive the race car at the epic Bonneville Salt Flats, and Chico was instantly hooked. Tom Malloy, who now owns the race car, graciously allowed us to film this work of art. One of our favorite details is a memorable quote above the dash by Fred Larsen, a skilled Moon Equipment Company machinist, a legendary land speed racer, and Chico’s beloved mentor: “Put your foot in it!” This and all of the beautiful race car lettering was done by Hiro “Wildman” Ishii, MOONEYES’ resident artist and pinstriper. My father-in-law gave his lottery win to his grandson. It’s not just a fun toy but an incredible piece of history.
“Craft of Speed” will be celebrating its U.S. Premiere, presented by MOONEYES and Humanist Films. A live screening will take place at the beautiful Lions Automobilia Museum in Rancho Dominguez, California on Saturday, 7/20/2024 and then a virtual screening for the U.S. will be held from Saturday, 7/27/2024 to Saturday, 8/3/2024.
To buy tickets to the “Craft of Speed” U.S. Premiere:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
To learn more about “Craft of Speed”:
craftofspeed.com
CRAFTED: THE MAKING OF "CRAFT OF SPEED"
In our feature documentary, “Craft of Speed,” we tell the incredible story of MOONEYES, one of the most famous brands in motorsports. While many people know and love their attention-grabbing logo of two eyes glancing to the side, few people know the long history of the company, which started in the hey day of hot rodding in the 1950s. Our film takes you behind this renowned logo to its rich human story.
For 30 years, 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 Asian/Asian American pioneers in their industry, they battled against racism and xenophobia and ultimately created a global following. Now, Shige is attempting to grow hot rod culture despite declining interest in hot rods, and Chico is handcrafting a new race car to try to break a second land speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats.
My team and I started the project in October 2019. After four years of passionate work, the film is now completed. We survived the devastating pandemic, tough economy, widespread social unrest, and many technical challenges. Our film wouldn’t be possible without the support of Shige Suganuma, Chico Kodama, Dean Moon, Jr., the Mooneyes family, our sponsors, donors, and supporters.
I served as the Producer/Writer/Director as well as the Director of Photography/Editor/Colorist. For more complex interviews or larger scale events, I worked with Tuan Tran as a Producer/Co-Director of Photography. He did all of the gimbal and drone photography. We also recorded our own sound. In addition, we did our own behind-the-scenes photography.
Because of the pandemic, it was difficult and cost-prohibitive to travel to Japan with long quarantine times. So I worked with a local crew to film the scenes there: Kan Taniguchi, Producer; Peter Grasse, Producer/Mr. Positive; Meng Du, Assistant Producer/Mr. Positive; and James Honeycutt, Director of Photography.
The film’s 4096 X 1716/2.39:1 aspect ratio was inspired by the epic landscape of the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and Chico’s long rear engine modified roadster. Framing, composition, and camera movement were very precise to convey the craftsmanship of Mooneyes in creating their famed speed parts. Wide framing with ample negative space were used to express the loneliness of the craftsmen in their demanding work. The camera was often voyeuristic, peeking through windows or doorways to get a glimpse of the inner world of the craftsmen.
In the scenes of the breathtaking Bonneville Salt Flats, I was influenced by some of my favorite nature photographers, Ansel Adams and Sebastiao Salgado. In the scenes of the MOONEYES craftsmen and the vintage machines in the historic MOONEYES Machine Shop, I paid homage to the industrial photography of Irving Penn and Lewis Hine.
Because of my subject of passing history, I explored the Japanese concept of “mono no aware” (“the pathos of things” or “sadness about the impermanence of things”) through the film’s aesthetics, specifically nuanced framing, composition, camera movement, and editorial pacing.
I’m a huge admirer of Edward Hopper’s transcendent artwork. While he’s described as a realist painter, his paintings often depict scenes that are very evocative and even melancholic. Even though it wasn’t intentional, I think that in conveying the complex idea of “mono no aware,” the film resonates with Hopper’s powerful artwork.
Inspired by Japanese folding “byobu” screens that depict expansive narrative, historical, and natural scenes, I tried to replicate them cinematically with long pans that slowly reveal its subject matter and invite the viewer to contemplate the images and their meaning.
The film is observational in its approach. So I needed to be nimble, responsive, and unobtrusive. I modeled my approach after photojournalists and video journalists who work and travel with minimal gear. This required a camera kit that was small, light, fast, and powerful.
After a lot of research, I chose the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 as my main camera. Because it’s a micro four thirds camera, it’s very compact. I paired it with an equally small Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 II ASPH. POWER O.I.S. lens, which covered most of my shooting.
The GH5 is also very powerful, being able to shoot Cinema 4K (4096 X 2160) at 400 Mbps, 4:2:2/10 bit, ALL-Intra. When it came out in 2017, it was one of the highest spec’d cameras in a small form factor, with a relatively low pricepoint. I shot everything in V-LOG L in order to, as Panasonic claims, “gain wide dynamic range with 12 stops.” The GH5’s image quality is beautiful—sharp with natural colors. Its Dual I.S. feature allowed me to shoot handheld and not need a gimbal.
My Co-D.P., Tuan, owns a Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S, which is a nice complement to my GH5 for lowlight shooting. He also has a Panasonic Lumix DC-GH4, which we used for a C camera or backup camera. In addition to a collection of Panasonic and Canon lenses, he has a set of fast Rokinon prime lenses, which we used for shallow depth-of-field interviews.
Tuan was also equipped with a Canon C70, and our Second Unit/D.P. in Japan, James Honeycutt, was outfitted with a Canon C300 Mark II. Both cameras matched well with the GH5 and GH5S.
To film Chico Kodama doing land speed racing at the Bonneville Salt Flats and create an immersive feel, I used the GoPro Hero8 Black and GoPro Hero9 Black, mounted on the side of Chico’s race car. Both cameras have HyperSmooth 2.0 and 3.0 electronic image stabilization, respectively, which effectively eliminates any camera shake.
Because the GH5’s LCD is a bit small for my eyes, I chose an Atomos Ninja V for monitoring. At 5 inches, it’s the ideal size for easy viewing. Plus, it’s the perfect size to match the GH5’s compact body. With 1,000 cd/m2 (nits) brightness, it’s bright enough for most outdoor situations. However, at the Bonneville Salt Flats, I had to add a SmallRig cage and sunhood to the Ninja V to block out the blinding sun and reflective salt.
I appreciated all of the Ninja V’s monitoring tools, including the waveform monitor, focus peaking, aspect ratio guides, and 2X magnification. I loved how it could shoot to ProRes 422 HQ, allowing me to easily view the footage on a QuickTime player and immediately edit it on Adobe Premiere Pro without having to transcode it first, which is time consuming.
For the Ninja V’s storage, I opted for a Sony AtomX SSDmini, which fits flush with the back of the monitor. With its whopping 2TB size, I could shoot an entire day without changing the SSD and spending precious time downloading it. The SSD was ideal for long interviews because I didn’t have to keep switching out SD cards and disrupt the interviews.
To mount the Ninja V onto the GH5, I used a combination of a beautiful, strong 8Sinn cage and inexpensive, but well-made SmallRig parts. I love shooting handheld so I appreciated the sculpted right grip of the 8Sinn cage, which molds perfectly with the GH5’s grip without adding too much bulk. I balanced the left side of the camera with a SmallRig universal side handle. Everything was mounted rock solid with SmallRig NATO rails and clamps. Plus, I could easily adjust, reconfigure, or disassemble the camera rig.
Because my camera rig was relatively light, I could hold it all day. If I needed to rest or move, I could let it hang down or sling it to my side with a comfortable Peak Design Slide Lite strap. Because I’m also a photographer, I like being able to operate my video camera like a still camera.
For an onboard mic, I opted for a Deity V-Mic D3 Pro and later a Deity V-Mic D4, which are relatively small and have a super cardioid pick-up pattern. I loved how the mics have stepless gain knobs so I could adjust the gain on the fly and avoid using a preamp/XLR microphone adapter, which would’ve made my camera rig bigger and taller.
For interviews, I chose a trusty Sennheiser ME 64 cardioid mic and Sennheiser EW 100-ENG G3 wireless lavalier mics into a Zoom F4 field recorder and later a Zoom F6 field recorder. The 32-bit float recording capability of the Zoom F6 allowed me to record the extremely loud sounds of land speed racing or drag racing without distortion.
For camera support, I used a workhorse Sachtler DV-8 tripod as well as a Manfrotto 290 MM294C4 monopod for more mobility or tighter areas. For gimbal shots, I employed a Zhiyun-Tech Weebil Lab.
It took a long time to build this camera and audio kit, tailoring it to my needs. And it continues to evolve. However, it satisfies most of my requirements for it to be small, light, fast, and powerful. Despite the hard work to perfect it, you ultimately want it to disappear so that you can concentrate on the moment, operating it without thinking.
I edited and color graded the film with Adobe Premiere Pro initially on a Mac Pro (Late 2013) and later a MacBook Pro (2023) with a M2 Max chip. For storage, I used a massive amount of G-Technology drives and ultimately a giant OWC ThunderBay drive.
Composers, Sven Faulconer and Anthony Loomis, created the powerful music, inspired by the cyclical machine sounds of the historic MOONEYES Machine Shop. Sven composed the beautiful music for the Academy Award-winning short documentary, “The Elephant Whisperers.”
Sound Supervisor/Sound Designer & Editor/Foley Artist, Jeff Hutchins, designed the immersive soundscape. He’s known for his exceptional work on “SpongeBob SquarePants” and has won five Emmys and seven Golden Reel Awards for excellence in the sound industry.
And Dialogue Editor/Re-Recording Mixer, Bruce Greenspan, edited the dialogue and mixed the sound. He mixed the terrifying sound for the Netflix docuseries, “Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer.” We did the final review of our 5.1 mix at Monkeyland Audio, owned by sound industry veteran Trip Brock.
Design Director/Graphic Designer, Sven Igawa, designed our beautiful key art and advised on the titles of the film. He’s created successful brand identities and advertising campaigns for many international companies, including HBO, Mountain Hardware, PlayStation, and Quiksilver, and has won numerous awards in identity, packaging, and collateral.
“Craft of Speed” recently received a prestigious Silver Remi Award in the “Features - Documentary” category from the 57th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.
Elana Scherr, Senior Editor/Features of “Car and Driver,” says about the film, “It’s too good a history to go unshared.”
“Craft of Speed” will be celebrating its U.S. Premiere, presented by MOONEYES and Humanist Films. A live screening will take place at the beautiful Lions Automobilia Museum in Rancho Dominguez, California on Saturday, 7/20/2024 and then a virtual screening for the U.S. will be held from Saturday, 7/27/2024 to Saturday, 8/3/2024.
To buy tickets to the “Craft of Speed” U.S. Premiere:
craftofspeed.eventive.org
To learn more about “Craft of Speed”:
craftofspeed.com
“CRAFT OF SPEED” MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY TO CELEBRATE ITS U.S. PREMIERE
The “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary will be celebrating its U.S. Premiere, presented by MOONEYES and Humanist Films. A live screening will take place at the beautiful Lions Automobilia Museum in Rancho Dominguez, California on Saturday, 7/20/2024 and then a virtual screening for the U.S. will be held from Saturday, 7/27/2024 to Saturday, 8/3/2024.
SYNOPSIS:
For 30 years, 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 Asian/Asian American pioneers in their industry, they battled against racism and xenophobia and ultimately created a global following. Now, Shige is attempting to grow hot rod culture despite declining interest in hot rods, and Chico is handcrafting a new race car to try to break a second land speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats.
Four years in the making, this 2-hour feature documentary covers the entire history of MOONEYES. This version of the film has “burned in” captions to increase accessibility. Be one of the first to see this new and extraordinary film, which recently received a prestigious Silver Remi Award in the “Features - Documentary” category from the 57th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.
Our deepest thanks to Shige Suganuma & Family; Chico Kodama & Family; Dean Moon, Jr. & Family; the entire MOONEYES family; our esteemed interviewees; our talented crew; our loving families; and all of our generous sponsors, donors, & supporters. Special thanks to our gracious host, the Lions Automobilia Museum. This U.S. Premiere is dedicated to MOONEYES fans, for whom we made this film.
“CRAFT OF SPEED” U.S. PREMIERE
LIONS AUTOMOBILIA MUSUEM
Rancho Dominguez, California
Live Screening
Saturday, 7/20/2024
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Reception
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Screening
Lions Automobilia Museum
2790 E. Del Amo Blvd.
Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221
*The ticket price includes museum admission.
Virtual Screening
Saturday, 7/27/2024 to Saturday, 8/3/2024
U.S. Only
*After this film becomes available on 7/27/2024 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
mooneyes.com
craftofspeed.com
Left to Right: Tuan Tran, Producer/Co-Director of Photography; Ming Lai, Director; Chico Kodama, President of MOONEYES USA / Day 1 of shooting at MOONEYES, Santa Fe Springs
“CRAFT OF SPEED” WINS A SILVER REMI AWARD FROM THE 57TH WORLDFEST-HOUSTON
We’re excited to announce that “Craft of Speed” has won a prestigious Silver Remi Award in the “Features - Documentary” category from the 57th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival. Started in 1961, the WorldFest-Houston is the oldest independent film festival in the world. With so many film festivals all over the world, it’s very special to have such a long history of supporting independent film. The festival is known for recognizing emerging talent and has presented many renowned filmmakers with their first awards, including Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ang Lee, Ridley Scott, Robert Rodriguez, Robert Townsend, the Coen Brothers, Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, and David Lynch. It's extremely tough to get selected by a film festival and even more so to win an award, especially from an older and more established festival. So this is an unexpected honor. Our deepest thanks to WorldFest-Houston; Shige Suganuma, Chico Kodama, and the entire MOONEYES family; our insightful interviewees; our talented and hardworking crew; our generous sponsors, donors, and supporters; and our loving families.
To learn more about WorldFest-Houston:
https://www.worldfest.org/
To learn more about “Craft of Speed”:
craftofspeed.com
FILMING TIME MACHINES—THE MOONEYES DRAGSTER & DOS PALMAS
To see the iconic MOONEYES Dragster on display at historic MOONEYES headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California or at popular MOONEYES events, like their New Year’s Party at Irwindale Raceway in Irwindale, California, is very special. It’s instantly recognizable with its MOONEYES logos and yellow paint. It looks fast even standing still, with its Dragmaster chassis and Moon Equipment Company speed parts. It’s not just a famous race car, but a literal time machine that takes you back to the heyday of hot rodding and drag racing. It was Dean Moon’s test bench for his innovative products. The original dragster is on exhibit at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing while the replica one lives at MOONEYES Santa Fe Springs. This faithful reproduction features a chassis built by Dorin “Dode” Martin of Dragmaster, the same company that built the chassis of the original dragster.
To see the MOONEYES Dragster run is even more special. We had the honor of filming and photographing it, driven by MOONEYES owner Shige Suganuma, along with the equally renowned Dos Palmas dragster, driven by hot rodder, journalist, and author Tony Thacker. This “test and tune” at the Irwindale Dragstrip was in preparation for the dragsters’ appearance at the upcoming Dragstalgia at Santa Pod Raceway, England, which will celebrate 60 years of U.K. drag racing. As Shige and Tony took turns running the dragsters, we were transported back in time to when Dean Moon and his driver Dante Duce drove the original dragster. We love seeing these beautiful race cars in museums and car shows, but we enjoy watching them run even more.
Thank you to Shige Suganuma, Chico Kodama, Emi Suganuma, the MOONEYES crew, Tony Thacker, the Dos Palmas crew, and the Irwindale Dragstrip. Special thanks to Tuan Tran Video for their support.
To read Tony Thacker’s in-depth article on the Mooneyes Dragster and Dos Palmas:
https://www.motortrend.com/features/mooneyes-dos-palmas-gas-dragsters/
To learn more about the “Craft of Speed” Mooneyes Documentary:
https://www.craftofspeed.com/
“CRAFT OF SPEED” IS ON POWERTUBE TV’S “TALKING ABOUT CARS”
During the 74th Grand National Roadster Show, we were interviewed by Bob Beck and Randy Kerdoon on their popular PowerTube TV “Talking about Cars” podcast. Bob Beck is a respected builder, driver, race announcer, and podcaster. He’s the entertaining race announcer of the MOONEYES X-Mas Party and now the MOONEYES New Year’s Party Drag Races. Randy Kerdoon is an award-winning sportscaster and podcaster. He worked with renowned KNX News and KFWB News. Instead of a typical studio, their podcast was recorded at the amazing NHRA Museum, filled with famous race cars. In fact, mounted to the the wall above us was the record-setting Budweiser King Top Fuel Dragster, which was the first dragster to go more than 300 mph at the NHRA Gatornationals on March 20, 1982. Thank you to Bob Beck, Randy Kerdoon, producer Peggy Beck, PowerTube TV, and the NHRA Museum for this unique pleasure. Stay tuned as we plan our World Premiere.
To watch the podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CovSpNN9gBU
(Our interview starts at 12:57 and ends at 30:38.)
To learn more about “Craft of Speed”:
craftofspeed.com
“CRAFT OF SPEED” IS IN “HEMMINGS”
We’re very excited to be in Hemmings. Founded in 1954 by Ernest Hemmings, it’s a leading resource for car collectors. Whether you’re an aspiring car collector or you own a fleet of them, Hemmings fuels your passion with in-depth knowledge. We love their expertise in Dean Moon’s storied history, from helping Carroll Shelby build the first Shelby Cobra to serving as one of the founding members of SEMA (originally the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association and now the Specialty Equipment Market Association). We deeply appreciate Hemmings helping us to raise awareness about our fundraising and distribution efforts. Thank you to Tara Hurlin and Hemmings for their generous support! Stay tuned as we plan our World Premiere.
To read the article:
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/new-mooneyes-documentary/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=EDaily&utm_campaign=2024-02-07&uemlid=92d85e924889d04529be84da70b325e846a3253860c848122954084bafd29ee1
To learn more about “Craft of Speed”:
craftofspeed.com
“CRAFT OF SPEED” IS IN “CAR AND DRIVER”
We’re deeply honored to be in “Car and Driver,” one of the leading automotive publications in the world. We had the pleasure of being interviewed by Elana Scherr, Senior Editor/Features of “Car and Driver,” after she attended our MOONEYES Family & Friends Screening of “Craft of Speed.” We appreciate her extensive knowledge of hot rod history and MOONEYES. We love her in-depth coverage of the human story behind this iconic company, honoring Dean Moon, Shige Suganuma, and Chico Kodama. For many people, legendary publications like “Car and Driver,” which started in the hey day of hot rodding (founded in 1955), are the portals into the immersive world of car culture. So we’re very moved to be featured in it. Thank you to Elana Scherr and “Car and Driver” for this beautifully written article and Victor Carrillo of The ID Agency for his thoughtful introduction. Stay tuned as we plan our World Premiere.
To read the article:
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a46619090/mooneyes-documentary-hot-rodding-details/
To learn more about “Craft of Speed”:
craftofspeed.com