First of all, I gotta say that anyone who knows me knows that I'm a very critical and opinionated person. And skeptical! So even though I had the honor and privilege of working for NBC Universal as their special effects set photographer for the drifting sequences, I honestly gotta admit, I was skeptical about the movie at first.
Why? Well come on! Look at the first two F&F movies. The first one had brilliant lines like "turbocharged Spoon motors" and "Motec exhaust" and the second one was more like a dirty south rap video, although I couldn't complain about Eva Mendes. Homegirl was on point and dayam she was lookin GOOD!
So I was super surprised when I, Mr. Skeptical, sat down with my friends in Universal's Gibson Ampitheatre with our free Sprites, popcorn, and pizza... and we actually LIKED the movie. A lot. I mean, yeah I already knew some things about the movie because I was on set and I saw the stuff happening. But the way they directed it, and did the photography and editing was just dope. I think it was really well done, from a photographic standpoint and also from a standpoint of telling the story and explaining drifting and Japanese culture to the average Joe Schmoe American movie watcher. I mean sure, the movie had its lame parts (like Lil Bow Wow's car)... but the things they showed in Japan, from the parking lots, to bike racks, to payphones, vending machines, school girls, traffic sequences, homes, and garages... that stuff was really on point! It was interesting for the movie watcher, and kept it real for the OG heads who know what's up with drifting, and people who know Japan. I might just be one person voicing my opinion, but still, I think it's a credible one for this particular case. Why? I might not be able to do tandem drift initiations at 100mph like some of my other friends, but I did author the first hardcover book on Drifting in the United States, and I've been to more drifting events and shot at more tracks and become close friends with more drifters in more areas of the world, than most people. And I go to Japan for photo shoots and drifting events alot. And even I think this movie was great!
I think Justin Lin and his team did an awesome job of portraying drifting and Japanese culture to the American audience, and there were even some cool cameos by your favorite import models and Japanese celebrities, including, yes... the real DK. Not Donkey Kong, I'm talking about Dorikin, Keiichi Tsuchiya. I spoke with Justin about it yesterday, and he credits much of the movie's success in "keeping it real" to one of my personal friends, Toshi Hayama. Justin just kept mentioning Toshi's name and crediting him every time we asked him about Japan, drifting, and the "keeping it real" aspect. And no shit! Toshi did a hell of a job consulting with this movie, because we did NOT hear about "Motec exhausts" and crap like that. In fact, you could see several cameos of Tosh throughout the movie, that was pretty funny..!
I also liked the fact that you didn't see a whole lot of lame CGI like you did in the John Singleton version (2F2F) of the movie. Justin used real drifters as the stunt drivers- people like Rhys Millen, Samuel Hubinette, Tanner Foust, CalvinWan, Alex Pfeiffer, and even Japanese drifting legends like Nobushige Kumakubo, and Kazuhiro Tanaka, just to name a few. The 7 car tandem sequences you see in the movie were REAL! I loved it! It was exciting as hell...
In fact, the whole movie was pretty exciting and entertaining overall, from the drama and excitement of the action sequences, to the storytelling part of it, which is usually boring in most movies... but the FF3 producer and director prevented any potential mind wandering during the movie because there was always something interesting to look at, whether it be interesting details of the Japanese apartments, tuning shops, clubs, schools, intersections, or maybe it was just alot of hot chicks with short schoolgirl skirts... but either way, they kept it entertaining, and injected some humor into the script too, making it a really fun and entertaining movie overall.
I know alot of you guys are skeptical about this movie, and I was too. There have even been talks of people trying to organize a boycott of this movie, and I think that's just ridiculous.
People have even said this FF3 movie will "ruin drifting" because it's gonna get exposed to mainstream media and all that jazz... but those people really don't know about drifting for real. Yes people, there is a "behind the scenes story" to everything, including drifting. Insiders like me and my friends know and see what's happening behind the scenes, and believe me, it's not easy.
Each one of us has to go through a personal struggle each time we try to deal with any of these big companies trying to get into the drifting market. Whether it's a driver trying to get sponsored by a big company, or whether it's an event organizer or magazine trying to get advertisment revenue from corporate America, or whether it's little old me trying to ink a deal with a big time automotive publisher to create a drifting book, or promote a drifting trading card series.
All of us guys and girls who work in the drifting industry are drifting fans too! Just like you! But you gotta realize, sometimes you need to do things people might call "selling out" (or I prefer, "selling yourself short") in order to achieve the bigger picture- advancing the sport of drifting. Reaching more of an audience, and introducing more people to drifting. Just think about the first time you saw drifting, and how you reacted to it, and how it made you feel. If we REAL CORE DRIFTING ENTHUSIASTS don't take part in projects like this, then someone else who doesn't know shit is just gonna take the initiative and do it themselves, and they're gonna do it in the wrong way. So I want to ask some of you certain "hardcore drifting fan" people, please stop spreading bad rumors about this movie, or the so-called "sell outs" who were involved in it! They aren't sell outs! We love drifting just as much as you do! We all want to see drifting advance in America, and all over the world. Both as a sport, and as a lifestyle and culture.
But that will only happen if we take these opportunities by the horns and do our part to help shape the growth of the sport that we love so much. Whenever Hollywood or Corporate America tries to steer drifting in a wrong direction, we "industry types" need to be there to countersteer it and put it back on track. (No pun intended. uhmmm... well ok, it was kinda intended)
Bottom line= I loved this movie. I think Justin Lin, Toshi Hayama, and the leading actress did a great job with the movie! Justin and Toshi helped steer the movie in the right direction, and the leading actress? She's just fine. And that's good enough for me!
Go see Fast & Furious 3 when it comes out in theaters on June 16th!!! You won't be disappointed, this movie is hella fun! Don't hate on it, the only one missing out on a good thing will be you! I was lucky enough to get to see the world premiere at Universal, but I know I'll definitely go see it again with my other friends!
Antonio Alvendia, Cipher Garage
...And now, on to some of the fun pics!
It was super hot and humid in Hollywood yesterday, and the lack of breeze didn't help!!! So everyone was a bit sweaty and sticky... man I hate humid weather. It felt like Miami or Houston or something!
Me on the red carpet of the Fast & Furious 3: Tokyo Drift World Premiere with Lisa and Debbie (they were lookin fly no doubt!). I really need to learn to shut the F up and stop talking when someone's taking my picture. haha maybe then I'd stop making stupid faces in photos haha
See more images on the next page.
These are images taken at the Red Carpet Premiere of the The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift
Me on the red carpet of the Fast & Furious 3: Tokyo Drift World Premiere with Lisa and Debbie (they were lookin fly no doubt!). I really need to learn to shut the F up and stop talking when someone's taking my picture. haha maybe then I'd stop making stupid faces in photos haha
Yeah, Lisa and Debbie prove that the photos look much hotter when I'm not in em.
More images on the next page.
Jim Liaw from Formula D with his wife Angela, and their personal friend.
My boys from Schikane Clothing with Formula D judge Alex Pfeiffer. Jay "OGchan" Yoshida, Cory Domaloan, Alex Pfeiffer, Stan "the man" Tran from NBC Universal, and Tobin Honda.
MC Hammer and his wife are hella cool, and Hammer got it started with some fresh kicks on too! Peep him out at http://mchammer.blogspot.com!
More images on the next page.
These are images taken at the Red Carpet Premiere of the The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift
BJ from Daimler Chrysler and FF3 stunt driver/FormulaD Champion Samuel Hubinette with their ladies! They were all dressed up for the occasion, looking hot! (Uhhh.. just to clear up that statement, I was referring to the ladies, not Samuel and BJ. Although they were dressed well too! haha)
Erik Jacobs from DG Trials fame, rocking the red carpet with alot of chest hair!
"Setto!" Aiko Tanaka and her moms! Her mom is hella cool! I was talking to her in Japanese for like 20 minutes.. haha
More images on the next page.
These are images taken at the Hard Rock following the Red Carpet Premiere of the The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift
Some of my boys from Formula D! The drivers! Dai Yoshihara, Samuel Hubinette (sorry bro I dunno how to make the two dots over the U and I know you're so particular about that LOL), Alex Pfeiffer, and Tanner Foust! I dunno where Rhys was...?
Haha me, Sunisa and Stina chillin out at the FF3 afterparty at Hard Rock. Big ups to my boy DC Chavez for taking these pics! DC is not only the man behind DC Sports, he is great at shooting cars also... but more importantly, he is a professional party photographer! Whenever there are hot ladies getting drunk somewhere, you can be sure my man DC is there with his camera in hand!
Sunisa, me, Stina, and Crystal chillin out at the bar!
More images on the next page.
These are images taken at the Hard Rock following the Red Carpet Premiere of the The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift
Kelly from American Idol came up to my friend Tobin and asked if she could take a picture! Man that's dope!
Jay, Cor, Stan and Tobs outside, on their way to the super gangsta employee parking lot. They got player parking because of Stan, those fuckers! haha Stan's the man!
Stephen Dietrich from Alpinestars and Mayumi!!! Mayumi works with alot of companies, helping them with translation and coordination in the Kansai area of Japan! Mayu is the shit! Love that girl!