“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

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED OUR “CRAFT OF SPEED” MOONEYES DOCUMENTARY U.S. PREMIERE!

Left to Right: Shige Suganuma, Owner of MOONEYES; Dean Moon, Jr.; Ming Lai, Director; Chico Kodama, President of MOONEYES USA

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

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