Today, with YouTube reaching more 18-49 year olds than any U.S. cable network, what we watch isn't always (err... often) produced and distributed by large media corporations. Which, for anyone who loves the original 1974 Gone in 60 Seconds as much as I do, is welcome news! Because it means we get to see far more awesome car videos! Just as the ballsy H.B. Halicki wrote, produced, directed, and starred in Gone in 60 Seconds, now every car enthusiast with a cell phone can potentially do the same. I don't think Gone in 60 Second's chase scene could ever be trumped, but the above video, Drift 4, sure gives me high hopes for what ingenious filmmakers of today will come out with next.
A budding enthusiast-based film festival is actually emerging to celebrate exactly this - the OPTIMA Ultimate Film Festival collects nominations from across the U.S. in both the short and action film category. In it's second year, they'll be previewing at two regional events as well as a national screening at SEMA. Regional events include screenings at Formula Drift New Jersey June 17-18th and at Woodward Dream Cruise August 19th.Drift 4 placed as Runner-up in the Short Film Category of the 2015 OPTIMA Ultimate Film Festival... imagine what will come across the screen this year!