Behind The Scenes Of A Touge Drifting Video

Check out what goes down on a typical day of shooting a viral drifting video as this awesome Toyota JZX90 slides through the stunning fall touge mountain roads.

I’m sure we’ve all been there; you’re scrolling through YouTube when you stumble across a video that blows your expectations out of the water. That’s exactly what happened when I found this video from SkuraWeekly of a perfectly built Toyota JZX90 Mark II laying down fresh rubber through mountain passes.

Not only is the JZX90 an absolute stunner, but the autumn Washington (sorry, I meant “Mexican”) scenery creates the perfect backdrop that needs to be seen to be appreciated. Check it out here:

What makes this video even better? The team dropped a behind-the-scenes video showing exactly how a shoot like this comes together. For anyone into automotive videography or looking to step up their game, it’s a must-watch to see what goes down and the unexpected issues that often arise on a project like this.

For the crew, the day kicks off at 5 AM when most of us are still sleeping. (Pro tip: if you want to shoot cars, get used to these hours – they’re usually the most incredible time to film.) By 6, the crew’s assembled at their location, in “the jungle of Mexico” (if you know, you know!) Here, the fall colors are in full effect, creating the perfect backdrop for what’s about to go down.

As they get ready to go, the team realizes that even something as simple as condensation in the headlights becomes a challenge that needs to be overcome. Most 90s JDM car owners will be able to relate to this struggle, and I often have the same problem with my S15. However, these little hurdles are always good to know how to overcome on the day.

As the team preps the gear, they show off the weapons of choice for the day. A Sony Alpha 7S III gets paired with a Sigma ART 24-70mm f/2.8 on a DJI Ronin RS2 Pro gimbal, then switching to a Sigma ART 35mm f/1.2 later on for those dreamy, video game-like depth effects that make the car pop. The lenses are paired with a circular polarizer (CPL), to cut out glare, and ND filters to help reduce light without compromising ideal shutter speeds.

With the shoot in full swing, the videographer is strapped into the trunk with a harness (the perfect, safe way to get “the shot”) while the JZX90 throws down on the touge.

From on-the-floor stills to that epic over-the-bridge drone shot, every angle is carefully planned and executed while battling constantly changing light conditions. Each 10-second drift sequence in the final video takes nearly an hour to nail.

After more than twelve solid hours of work, they wrap up the shoot without any crashes or major drama, both of which can throw a huge spanner in the works during projects like this.

But the work’s far from over, as it’s time for them to head to the editing studio to work the final magic you’re treated to in the finished video.

If you want to give (much less risky!) touge drifting a try for yourself, nothing beats the free online drifting game Drift Hunters MAX.

NOTE: The roads were closed during this project. Don’t try this at “home”; keep it to the closed tracks (or touges), guys!

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