Seven-time NASCAR champion and upcoming IndyCar star Jimmie Johnson has founded his own film production company named Charlie Meatball with the intention of landing a new series with a big media company. And I have to say, the name is perfect—I’m here for any race car driver that wants to name a big project after his dog.
The project Johnson has been working on is a six-episode series about his last season in NASCAR. It’s called “One Final Time,” as per Variety.
A ton of the footage is apparently shot by Johnson himself. The COVID-19 pandemic limited the amount of film crew members that could show up to the track to document Johnson’s final season, which meant all he had was a GoPro, a few different mounts, and a dream to make a solid film out of his last year.
And what a year it was. While Johnson wasn’t particularly successful in that final season, it was definitely one for the ages. Whether it was him testing positive for COVID-19 and being forced to quarantine, the topic of racial disparity as a result of George Floyd protests and Bubba Wallace’s treatment, or his transition into a new racing series, there’s going to be plenty to talk about.
Personally, I’m interested to see how it all turns out. GoPro footage is pretty high quality these days, and NASCAR is providing other 4K footage for Johnson to use. But it can be tough to know what to capture if you aren’t a trained eye in film, so I’m fascinated to see what Johnson managed to glean from his season.
A racing story is a natural place for a longtime racer to start, but Johnson says that his goal isn’t to tell racing stories exclusively. “We have plenty of irons in the fire,” Johnson said. “I’m looking for that passion in the partners we bring in, from the person telling the story to the people who are surrounded by it.”
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