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Epic shred head and off-road ripper extraordinaire Blake Wilkey dropped his latest video project SOCAL SHRED this week. Off Road Xtreme heard about the project coming together and is excited to share the highly produced video with our audience.
Blake and Eric Connor of SoCal Suspension take their Baja Bugs on a landmark adventure. Starting out on the San Diego cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, they travel through several remote locations heading for their destination, the legendary sand dunes of Glamis! Each scene contains loads of high energy off-road action, stunning landscapes, and impactful visuals that are truly satisfying.
Blake Wilkey and his company Shreddy Lyfe debuted this latest project on the popular Shreddy Lyfe Youtube channel with almost 60,000 subscribers. The stars of the show are Blake’s wheelie loving Megalodon Baja Bug and Eric’s SoCal Suspension Baja Bug that looks to be just as professionally built.
This latest video seems to be highly produced with a lot of coordinating and planning to successfully pull off. Wilkey and Conner directed the nearly 20 minute long video. It caught our attention, so Off Road Xtreme reached out and asked Blake what all went into this deal:
ORX: What was the inspiration for this latest project SOCAL SHRED?
Blake Wilkey: Eric’s Baja Bug shared a lot of similarities with my “OG Shark” Baja Bug from Urban Assault. So when Eric planted the seed for this project, we decided to do a little spin-off.
ORX: The SOCAL SHRED video had a totally different vibe from the last projects. what is your feeling?
BW: Both of the Baja Bugs are licensed and insured. The mission was to do some cruising on the streets. Once our tires hit the dirt, we would thrash and mash. We selected all these spots that anyone from the local San Diego area might recognize. We came up with the idea of making it seem like it was one continuous day. I wanted to do something bigger than what is normally going on. We brought in some very creative individuals to help make this very methodical aiming to produce a cinematic style short film.
The Pacific Ocean was one of many epic backdrops for SOCAL SHRED.
ORX: How much time went into just filming?
BW: So many hours! We shot for 8-9 days of filming. Early mornings to late nights, all with the goal of continuity. We would arrive on location somewhere for sunrise and work till sundown.
ORX: What was the biggest unforeseen challenge in SOCAL SHRED, and how did you overcome it?
BW: When Eric’s Bug broke down, we had to transition for the audience. We did not want to scrap the day, so we pivoted to a contingency plan picking it up where we left off and still have it look badass!
ORX: Looking back, what was your favorite part?
BW: My favorite part was shooting with Coyote (the roadside alien scene starting at 6:20). He is full of energy and was ecstatic to be included. After we would shoot something with him and then show him the scene, he’d get really stoked. For me that is an epic feeling. I have been stopping by to hang out and chat for almost 10 years now. We have become friends and it’s always heartwarming for me to cross paths with the dude.
Aliens dig wheelies!
ORX: Is there anyone you want to recognize that went above and beyond for this SOCAL SHRED project?
BW: Chris with Project Ronin. He was the true director with the vision and the angles on lock. He really nailed this project. Will the Drone Pilot got us those amazing shots that brought our scenes to the next level. Garrett Spicer and Cameron Baker captured all of our behind the scenes. Eric for being a part of it. It was his initial concept and I fine-tuned all the details. Special thanks to Gladiator Tires, Rugged Radios, and PRP Seats. They believed in our vision and helped us bring this to life.
ORX: You always seem to be having a good time working. any advice you can share?
BW: My dad always said work harder, not smarter. I feel like I am working harder everyday but it is like a vacation because I love what I am doing.
Teamwork makes the dream work.
ORX: What’s Next For Blake Wilkey?
BW: Well you probably know about the Trophy Shark. I am really excited to go race against the top dogs and give it a go. Besides that, we are going short-course racing in Class 11 with the Great American Short Course (GAS). The TERRA Crew Take Over at LACRMX on April 11 and another one in Pismo not long after that. I cannot wait to get back in the Mini Boat Mafia for more Jet Stream adventures. And the Shreddy Ranch in Boulevard, California will come online next winter.
ORX: Can ORX come down to see the jaws trophy shark?
BW: Sure thing! We hope our first race will be the 2021 Mint 400 since it got pushed back to December. It will be loads of work to get her ready, but we are not afraid of that. Come on down and check it out.
