The legendary Mint 400 is an annual off-road race started in 1967 known as “The Great American Desert Race”. Held just north of Las Vegas Nevada, the race is a four hundred mile test of man and machine alike. It is known for being one of the toughest and roughest courses in North American off-road racing. The course features the infamous “rock garden”, silt beds, miles of rocky moon-hills, sandy washes, and high speed graded roads. This year’s race will take place March 25th – 28th, and has over three hundred participants expected in twenty-two vehicle classes.
The directing and producing team of Matt and Joshua Martelli, known as “The Martelli Brothers”, head up Mad Media’s production team, joined by a seasoned crew of talented cinematographers and editors. “We’re passionate about off-road racing and we have been producing content within and about the sport for several years now, so we’re thrilled to take all that we’ve learned about high-end filmmaking and apply it to such a historic competition. Our plan is simple; we want to bring the raw energy and excitement of being at the race to television”, stated Matt Martelli. Joshua Martelli added, “Our goal over the next few years is to build the Mint 400 into the most important race in off-road. It has all the right elements. We are pulling out all the stops to make this TV show great, and to build a platform for the future of off-road racing.”
The Martelli brothers have teamed up with Jason Markham, who produced the live HDTV Championship Off-Road Racing show for NBC sports and SPEED Channel, which was heralded as the best off-road race coverage on television. In 2008 Markham was also responsible for the first live broadcast of an off-road race in history. The team has plans to tackle multiple off-road related projects together. “The combination of my technical and creative background and TV production experience, with that of the Martelli Brothers / Mad Media’s ability to create slick and engaging content is really exciting. They’re incredible storytellers, and have embraced the latest in high-end film gear like the RED and Canon 5D MKII cameras, which has put them in contention with any of the larger production groups in the industry. I’m thrilled to join forces with them and focus on creating compelling and exciting new media projects”, commented Markham.
The Mint 400 has a rich and storied history that includes the best racers as well as celebrities from around the world. Indianapolis 500 winners Parnelli Jones, Al Unser, Rick Mears, and Rodger Ward; off-road champions Mickey Thompson, Ivan Stewart, Jack Flannery, Walker Evans, BJ Baldwin, Andy McMillin; international off road competitor, Rod Hall; freestyle motocross celebrity Cary Hart; power boat champion Bill Muncey, movie and television stars James Garner and Steve McQueen; and astronaut Gordon Cooper, are among the many racing and entertainment luminaries who have competed in the Mint 400. The race was depicted in 1971 in Hunter S. Thompson’s epic novel “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”, which was later made into a feature film starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro.
About Mad Media:
Mad Media is San Diego based creative agency that offers professional film and television production, a complete arsenal of video post production services, as well as website and print design. Mad Media specializes in creating culturally relevant brand messaging that features professional athletes, musicians, and artists for the motor sports, action sports, and mixed martial arts cultures. Known for producing the award-winning viral film series “Gymkhana”, (one of the most successful viral films in history), Mad Media produces premium content for all mediums.
