Moto the Movie is one of the most well-respected moto movie franchises in history, and judging by the number of sold out stops on the premiere tour, easily one of the fan favorites as well. Now in it’s 9th installment of the film, Moto the Movie is back and better than ever. As each chapter is released, the production team manages to elevate and delight fans in grander ways than the previous installment. In Moto 9, the film showcases some of the most iconic training locations, including: “The Nest”, “Baker’s Factory”, and “El Chupacabra Ranch” paired with some of the wildest free riding locations on the planet, as well as riders from all over the globe. If you have a passion for anything moto, this film is definitely for you.
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On Wednesday, November 8, 2017, I had the opportunity to attend the premiere for Moto 9 in Salt Lake City in front of a sold out crowd of more than 530 guests. As usual, the film surprised and thrilled the entire audience. Moto 9 is in your face action, brilliant cinematography, and a ton of fun for everyone. Each stop on the premiere tour has an added element, unique to that specific city. For the Salt Lake City stop, presenting sponsor, Edge Powersports, made an exciting announcement just before the movie started. Thanks to the generous donations by so many of the Edge Powersports customers, they raised enough money to grant a wish for Make-A-Wish Utah. Edge Powersports owner, Bryan Green, introduced Wish Kid Austin Simpson as they presented him with his brand new RM-Z 250 – and what better way to give away a brand new dirt bike than by riding it into the theater, down the stairs, and directly to center stage in front of the packed house! Rich Larsen was responsible for the grand entrance and it’s no surprise that the guests in attendance were pretty stoked to watch a brand new dirt bike be ridden in a movie theater. Going to check that one off on my list of firsts this year – pretty sure nowhere else would you have the chance to see something like this. It’s a Moto 9 exclusive! The moto community is one that is known for going above and beyond to help out a rider in need, whether at the track or overcoming a life-threatening illness. With so many Edge Powersports customer in attendance, it was the perfect opportunity to thank them for their generous donations and showcase exactly where their donations were going. Not only did Austin receive the brand new Suzuki RM-Z 250, decked out in full custom graphics, but he also received a full kit of 2018 Fly Racing gear.
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After the film, I caught up with producer, Jason Plough, to hear some stories of life on a “tour bus” and what it takes to produce one of the most beloved moto films of all time.
Freestyle Photocross (FPX): Give us the run down. How is the premiere tour going so far? How many stops on the tour this year?
Jason Plough (Plough): Premiere tour this year has been nothing short of amazing. This year we have 20 stops, all across the country and we have tripled our growth at most of them this year. Definitely a cool feeling thinking back to Moto 5 when we first started the tour, to where we are now.
FPX: What would you say has been the most surprising tour stop?
Plough: Boise, Idaho. This is our fifth year going back to Boise and each year we have about 300-400 people show up. This year is our biggest showing we’ve ever put on. We had 740 people!
FPX: You’re now in the 9th installment of the most epic and outstanding moto movie franchise. How do you keep innovating each installment to keep people coming back year after year?
Plough: Variety. That’s a tough question, but each year we find ourselves filming new riders in new locations with new filming techniques. We are always open to working with whomever, wherever, and whenever. Our goal every year is to get better and to push our filming limits so that we are topping the year prior. It’s always a good time when you have good music, great riders, and epic locations.
FPX: What is the biggest challenge you run into when producing a film like Moto the Movie? How do you mitigate those challenges?
Plough: By far, our biggest challenges are getting the higher caliber riders to spend the time filming with us. A lot of the time they are on strict training regimens or flying to and from the races. Another challenge for us every year is licensing the music. We find a lot of great songs, and once our music manager reaches out to the bands, more often than not, the songs are just too expensive for us to license. We are always on the lookout for up and coming, undiscovered artists.
FPX: What is your favorite segment from Moto 9? Why?
Plough: Kernside. We went out to Bakersfield knowing little to nothing about the riders we were working with. We showed up, met the three riders (Jimmy Hill, Derek Beckering, and Scott Kranyak) and realized that they didn’t have matching gear, their bikes were pieced together, but more importantly, they knew how to shred. They quickly make you realize that you don’t need to look the flashiest, or have the nicest things, to rip a dirt bike. The segment to me is just full of fun and excitement, from start to finish.
FPX: How long does it take from concept to final cut to make each film?
Plough: About 8 months. From the time we start filming to when Dominick Russo is done editing, its about 8 months. Between planning and putting on the premiere tour, that fills up another 4 months. So all in all, were busy all year long.
FPX: How do you go about selecting the athletes you want to feature?
Plough: That’s a tough question. We try to have a variety of riders in our films. You always need some Motocross guys, trail guys, and some free riders. So we sit down and we map out the athletes we want to work with depending on what sponsors we have on board and what will benefit both us as a movie and our sponsors as well.
FPX: You’re filming many of these segments in the middle of the race season. Do you ever run into any challenges with any of the riders and their training schedules? How do you work around that?
Plough: It’s actually not that bad. You just have to remember that you are working with their schedule and not your own. Almost all of the racers practice and train during the week, and that’s when we capitalize on filming them.
FPX: You’re working with the top athletes in the sport setting up technical and “in your face” action shots to wow your audience. Have you run into any “close calls” or “oh sh**” moments while filming?
Plough: Oh yeah! You definitely can’t be afraid to get to close to get the perfect shot, but at the same time you have to know your limits. The thing that happens the most is our camera gear and us, getting roosted by dirt and rocks…not fun!
FPX: What would you say is the most interesting thing you learned about one of the athletes this time around?
Plough: That Blake Baggett is one talented individual. He is probably one of the most gifted riders we’ve worked with. From the outside looking in, it comes off like he doesn’t even have to try.
FPX: What do you hope people take away from the film?
Plough: One thing. We hope that it makes them want to go ride their dirt bike.
FPX: With so many different moto-related movies out there, why do you think Moto the Movie resonates with the audience year after year?
Plough: Moto the movie has turned more into a brand than anything. When people watch our movies, or they come to our premieres, they know what they’re getting. A good variety of riding, good music, and good times.
FPX: There are obviously a lot of aspiring moto photographers and videographers out there. What advice would you share to the next generation of content creators?
Plough: We get asked this question all the time. My advice is to try to create unique footage, or film things that haven’t been seen before. Stay relevant to the times and work with talented athletes.
FPX: You’re coming up on the 10th chapter of the Moto the Movie films. Where do you see the future of the franchise going?
Plough: Our end goal is to turn Moto the Movie into a brand. Moto 10 will be the last of the franchise, and the movies after that will be something along the lines of “Moto the Movie presents…” Long term, we want the premiere tour to be what we are known for. Currently we have 20 stops. 10 years down the road, we want 250 stops. Dream big, right?
This is the third year in a row that I’ve had the opportunity to attend a stop on the Moto the Movie premiere tour. What the production team probably doesn’t know is that working with them has been a huge jumping off point for the evolution of Freestyle Photocross from simply a motocross photography company to a true motocross media outlet. After attending my first-ever Moto the Movie premiere for Moto 7, I got to interview producer Jason Plough, editor Dominick Russo, and riders Kris Foster and Adam Enticknap. I’m grateful that two installments later, I not only got to interview the production team again, but also was brought on board to help shoot the stills for one of the segments of Moto 9. These guys are the real deal and have accomplished producing a motocross film that is sure to captivate audiences for years to come.
The film will be officially released to the masses on November 21, 2017, but you can pre-order your copy now – just in time to watch with the family on Thanksgiving!
Thanks to the entire Moto 9 team for having me out at the Salt Lake City premiere. As per usual, it was one hell of a good time!
