The Gymkhana Files

Watch The Gymkhana Files

  • TV-MA
  • 2018
  • 1 Season
  • 7.8  (494)

The Gymkhana Files is an Amazon Original series that premiered in 2018, chronicling the creation of Ken Block’s latest Gymkhana video, Gymkhana 10. The show provides a behind-the-scenes look at the intense process of creating the viral Gymkhana videos featuring Block’s outrageous stunts and precision driving.

The series is directed by award-winning filmmaker, Brian Scotto, and co-produced by Scotto and Block’s company, Hoonigan Media Machine. The eight-part series highlights the evolution of the Gymkhana franchise, capturing the development of each video and the team’s determination and creative problem solving to make the impossible possible.

Each episode of The Gymkhana Files focuses on a different aspect of the production process, from conceptualization to filming and post-production. The series features exclusive interviews with Block, as well as his team of expert drivers, designers, and mechanics, including Derek Dauncey, Forest Duplessis, Hoonigan Brand Manager and Stunt Coordinator respectively.

The show is not just for fans of extreme racing and stunt driving, but also for car enthusiasts, filmmakers, and anyone who loves a good underdog story. The Gymkhana Files is a testament to the power of perseverance, creative vision, and a team of dedicated individuals coming together to push the boundaries of what is possible.

Throughout the series, viewers get to witness the creative process involved in bringing the Gymkhana videos to life, from the initial sketch of a stunt to the final polished video. The team works tirelessly to overcome numerous obstacles, including weather conditions, permits, logistics, and technical issues. The show also highlights the challenges of working with different cars and the extensive modifications required to make them perform at the level needed for the stunts.

One of the most fascinating aspects of The Gymkhana Files is the incredible detail and attention paid to the minutiae of each shot. The show features detailed discussions about every aspect of the shoots, from the camera angles to the pyrotechnics used in the stunts. The sheer scale of the production (including the building of a full-scale roller coaster for one stunt) is also jaw-dropping.

The series also delves into the personal side of Block’s life, including his relationship with his family and his motivation for creating the Gymkhana videos. This human perspective on Block gives the series a more relatable feel, and viewers get to see him as more than just a stunt driver.

Overall, The Gymkhana Files is a must-watch series for anyone interested in extreme driving, filmmaking, or just good storytelling. It is a fascinating exploration of the creative process, showcasing the dedication and hard work required to produce such incredible stunts. The Gymkhana Files is a thrilling ride, packed with breathtaking visuals, heart-stopping stunts, and incredible moments of triumph.

The Gymkhana Files is a series that ran for 1 seasons (8 episodes) between November 15, 2018 and on Amazon

The Gymkhana Files
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Seasons
Where it all Began
8. Where it all Began
December 6, 2018
A long time ago, before Ken was a factory driver, before he was racing for world championships, he was a rookie known for a few national wins but completely unproven on the world stage. Ken, and the Monster World Rally team (as it was known back then) knew they needed to test their skills on the highest level, and so they arrived for the first time ever in 2007 at the World Rally Championship in Guanajuato, Mexico. An extremely successful first race here at Guanajuato legitimized Ken as a world level driver, and paved the way for the last decade of racing and viral content. So for GymkhanaTEN, the team knew they had to come back here. To where it all began. Guanajuato is a rally town, through and through. The fans are extreme, and while normally the race takes place out in the hills around the town, for GymkhanaTEN Ken and Brian wanted to bring Ken's Ford Focus RS RX down into the narrow mining tunnels that are one of the most iconic features of the town. Because the team knows this city so well, they've admittedly not really thought the segment fully through. Which either means it's going to be a complete disaster, or they might just have the best GymkhanaTEN segment yet, in this city that helped launch Ken Block and GYMKHANA to a world audience.
Get Yourself a Truck
7. Get Yourself a Truck
December 6, 2018
With Sweden behind them, the team is finally in a rhythm. Brian and Ken, having completely ignored and moved past the arguments of Los Angeles, arrive in Texas with a mission - to ensure they throw dirt and smoke in the air of this sleepy Texas town. Shamrock, Texas is known for its world famous Conoco Tower - an icon depicted in all three of Pixar's Cars films. The town is the inspiration for Radiator Springs - a tiny town once famous as a Route 66 stopover now all but fallen off the map if it wasn't for the animated franchise. The arrival of the Hoonigan crew definitely draws some onlookers, as does their new vehicle - a gorgeous, custom built 1977 Ford F-150. With the prototype engine that powered the Le Mans winning Ford GT, hand-crafted aluminum panels and a classic front grill, the Hoonitruck is the gnarliest, most tire-roasting-est weapon in Ken's arsenal, and it's debut in small town Texas is a wonder to behold.
On Thin Ice
6. On Thin Ice
November 29, 2018
With the specter of Los Angeles hanging over them - Ken, Brian & co. head to Lule
It Is What It Is
5. It Is What It Is
November 29, 2018
While Los Angeles is now behind them, the team splinters and communication grinds to a halt. Brian heads back to Hoonigan Media Machine, continuing to prep GymkhanaTEN, while Ken heads back to racing. After the lackluster results the team has seen in the first half of the season - Ken faces a difficult decision about his future in the World Rallycross Championship, and an unexpected announcement to the team. While those conversations weigh heavily on Ken, Brian heads halfway around the world to Sweden to ensure that the team is better prepared for the next segment. The team seems to be learning the lessons from the experience of Los Angeles, and with only three segments left, it's imperative they get some viral moments in Sweden or the entire project could be a failure.
It All Falls Apart
4. It All Falls Apart
November 22, 2018
For the second segment of GymkhanaTEN, Ken and team wanted to do something new and original, something that had never been seen before. You can't kickflip a car - but you might be able to grind it - with that idea translated over from skateboarding, the team takes the tires off a 1991 Ford Escort Cosworth RS to try something admittedly new to them. In an old tire factory in an industrial part of Los Angeles called South Gate, the Hoonigan team readies their wildest idea yet - an entire segment solely on rims. The concept itself dates back to a previous Gymkhana, GymkhanaTHREE, which at the end featured a prolonged center-axis donut until the tires blew completely off of Ken's race car. The idea of a Gymkhana on rims was born immediately, but never seemed reliable enough to extend to a full ten minute film. For GymkhanaTEN, however, the idea was perfect. Right out of the gate, the team expected a pretty steep learning curve - but what they encountered is something they never could have anticipated.
In The Dirt
3. In The Dirt
November 22, 2018
With a successful, if anticlimactic, ending to the first segment of GymkhanaTEN, Ken flies off to Loheac, France to continue his attempt to win a championship in the World Rallycross Championship, also known as WorldRX. A shoulder-to-shoulder, full contact circuit racing sport, rallycross takes the mixed surfaces and hot-hatch style cars of rally racing and puts it in an arena for fans to watch. One of the fastest growing motorsports, it has the eyes of manufacturers and fans alike. With the might of Ford behind them, Ken and second driver Andreas Bakkerud, a young, camera-happy Norwegian, hope to use their new Ford Focus RS RX in order to contend for a championship. But with some weaknesses the team has yet to iron out, the risk is there for a below average performance. Meanwhile, Brian continues the development work on GymkhanaTEN - scouting in small-town Texas for the final segment of the film.
The Motor City
2. The Motor City
November 15, 2018
There is a reason it's called the Motor City. The home of American automotive, Detroit makes perfect sense as a Gymkhana location. With wide swathes of urban decay next door to a booming downtown, it paints a unique portrait of an American city. In the works for over 7 years, Ken & co have wanted to film a Gymkhana in Detroit since 2010, and finally get the opportunity. As the first shoot of GymkhanaTEN, the stakes here are incredibly high. This city will set the momentum for the rest of the year long project, so the team wants to get out the gate first. They bring the Ford Mustang Hoonicorn v2, Ken's most popular vehicle, and plan a wild array of tricks to put the Hoonigan stamp all over Detroit. But shooting in the Motor City in Fall brings a bunch of potential hazards. Filming in cities is always a challenge, with permitting, police escorts and road closures needing strict timeframes and filming to go off without a hitch. But add weather, oily roads, and a 1400hp monster of a vehicle - it's a recipe for mayhem that the Gymkhana team will have to navigate like they always do - flat out.
At the Peak
1. At the Peak
November 15, 2018
Ken Block and his team of Hoonigans have built a viral video empire out of a simple concept. Driver. Car. Location. No limits. The result has been 9 Gymkhana films that have earned over 500million views on YouTube alone, won numerous ad awards for best branded content, and garnered millions of reposts, parodies, and tributes online. With GymkhanaTEN, the team wants to make their greatest film ever - with 5 cars, 5 different locations, and a brand new, radically different, custom built vehicle the world has never seen. However, before any of that can even get started, Ken and the team have a different mountain to climb: literally. Climbkhana, Ken & co.'s first attempt at a brand new viral series, is going to combine their Gymkhana series with the unique motorsport of hillclimb, on one of America's most iconic mountains: Pikes Peak, Colorado. With extreme altitude, wild weather, and devastating consequences off the corner of every cliff - this might be the most difficult video they've shot to date. The team prepares for GymkhanaTEN, the largest project they've ever done, on this mountainside, finishing off one of their most unique video projects ever. All in a day's work.
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Where to Watch The Gymkhana Files
The Gymkhana Files is available for streaming on the Amazon website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Gymkhana Files on demand at Amazon Prime.
  • Premiere Date
    November 15, 2018
  • IMDB Rating
    7.8  (494)