Video: An In-Depth Look at the Daredevils Behind the Isle of Man TT
The Deadliest Motorcycle Race in the World Is a Labor of Courage, Passion, and Love
You might be familiar with the Isle of Man TT race, or you might not. Regardless of how familiar you are with such incredible display of skill, you probably already know that motorcycle racing isn’t exactly the safest sport out there. But what you might not know are the people behind it, the riders and their families. More specifically, what goes through their minds before them or their loved ones zip up their leathers.
We were recently exposed to a captivating 19-minute documentary produced by Chris Kippenberger of Studio Kippenberger called, Isle of Man TT. Needless to say, we were mesmerized by the angle of his story. Rather than focusing on the craziness of the track, the euphoria of the fans, or simply zoom in on the deadly aspect of it all (as most of the media has done), he explored the human side of the Isle of Man TT.
Chris was kind enough to grant us an exclusive interview, and here’s what he had to say:
6S: What made you want to cover the Isle of Man TT?
CK: I wanted to cover an iconoclastic event. When I looked at what had already been done, I didn’t quite like anything already on the market, aside from big budget films like “Hitting the Apex.” I wanted to shoot a pilot for what I’d personally like to see in a 20-minute format for a possible show series or so.
6S: What’s one thing that shocked you the most about the Isle of Man TT?
CK: Everything. I knew very little going into the event. For instance, I was not aware that it was a time trial event.
6S: What were the racers like toward the film and crew?
CK: They were all very good. I believe our lack of understanding or knowledge of who they were helped with that. They knew we weren’t blowing smoke up their ass. John McGuiness is one, if not the most known man of the Isle of Man TT. We sat down and chatted with him plenty, and we had no idea who he was. It was exactly that that enabled us to get very no nonsense statements from him.
6S: Were any of the competitors or families guarded due to the constant sensationalism of danger, crashes, and death on behalf of the media?
CK: It was recommended from the beginning that we do not focus on sensationalizing the crash and death angle. This was never our intention. The intention was to give tiny insight to doing what you love under extreme circumstances and risk.
6S: Most of your films are about cars, bikes, or motorsports in general. Are you motorcycle rider, or car racer yourself?
CK: Nope. Never rode a bike in my life. I do have a 62 Vespa which is tuned. Illegally.
After you watch the goosebump-inducing trailer, we encourage you to check out the full documentary. You can thank us later!
