Awarded The Golden Frog in the Short Documentary Films Competition at the 2022 Camerimage International Film Festival, A Mouthful of Petrol brings viewers into the high-octane world of banger racing, where drivers compete in salvaged cars and contact is strongly encouraged. Director Jess Kohl and cinematographer Adric Watson bring visual lyricism to the story of a young British petrol head preparing for his first race, and in the process the filmmakers immerse viewers in a world that's likely unfamiliar to their own.
Here, the regular collaborators reflect on their experiences making the project, which was supported out of Panavision London.
Panavision: How would you describe the look of the documentary?
Jess Kohl: We wanted the film to feel really naturalistic and immersive, to allow the viewer to feel like they're up-close with the action and the emotion of the banger racing world which is incredibly visceral and rich in texture, smells, colors. The pops of color from the cars stand out in an otherwise quite bare rural British landscape. We shot during winter, so that also informed the look and feel. Short, cold days lent to darker, cooler tones in our color palette.
Adric Watson: The environment of banger racing felt so extreme set against the otherwise quaint English countryside. It was noisy, colorful and textural; the senses become overwhelmed with cracked metal, sparks, fumes, oil and mud. As our formal approach was decided to be observational, I wanted to get close to our characters and tell the story through longer unbroken shots, predominantly on a single focal length and fixated on single characters. I wanted to elevate the expected look of observational documentary and make it feel more considered and cinematic.
Did you find inspiration in any particular visual references?
Kohl: We were looking a lot at the work of Roberto Minervini as reference for camera movement. He often shoots long takes following characters, letting the camera roll for extended periods of time to allow the characters to become immersed and pay less attention to the presence of the camera. This made sense for the action of our characters, who spend a lot of time roaming around the car yard or at the races.
Watson: When shooting observational documentary, I always have the work of Michael Glawogger and Wolfgang Thaler in mind. Another initial visual reference for me was Son of Saul. I wanted the camera to become absorbed into a character while the environment is layered in through sound and background. This concept wasn't dogmatically followed, but it guided the majority of my handheld camerawork.
Kohl: Another key reference for us was Chlo Zhao's The Rider, for its themes as well as the naturalistic and visceral approach to the cinematography and shooting landscapes. I think there's an interesting parallel between rodeo culture in the U.S. and stock car racing in the U.K. Both are thrill-seeking endeavors with the potential to be incredibly dangerous, and they attract a similar socioeconomic group of people, with strong gender-conforming roles attached to them.
What brought you to Panavision for this project?
Watson: Working with Panavision is always a privilege their legacy needs no explanation. Their generosity in supporting a no-budget, independent production deserves a great deal of praise. Film is always in danger of prioritizing commerce over art, and companies like Panavision that understand the value in supporting projects like ours are integral to the future of the artform.
Kohl: With such a wide range of lenses and equipment, we knew Panavision would be the best place to help us tell the story. We wanted to use a long, vintage zoom lens that would allow us to shoot the racing scenes in a dynamic way, close-up on the action, and Panavision were able to provide a 25-250mm that allowed us to do this. The support from the team was incredible and facilitated our being able to execute this film.
What did your collaboration look like once you started shooting?
Watson: Most of our creative discussions happened on the drive to and from our location. Once we were on set, Jess gave me full trust to shoot freely. As this was an independent production, everyone involved continually made sacrifices to carry on working. I don't think this would have been possible had we all not had a personal belief and investment in the project, which comes from a sense of trust and respect that starts at the top.
Kohl: Adric and I have worked together quite a bit on both commercial and documentary projects, so we have a good understanding of how each other works, which helps with communication and trust. A big part of the shooting process here was me taking a back seat and giving Adric the freedom and space to follow the characters. It was important to have conversations prior to filming, because once we were on set with our characters, we just wanted to be shooting uninterrupted.
What inspired each of you to become a filmmaker and what keeps you inspired today?
Watson: My family were painters, so I became immersed in visual communication as a child. I started making films with my school friends after seeing The Lord of the Rings and saving up for a DV cam so I suppose I owe it to Andrew Lesnie [ASC, ACS] and Peter Jackson. I'm continually inspired by people who work outside of conventional filmmaking structures, and documentary has always been on the frontline of this.
Kohl: I never thought to myself, I want to be a director.' I just started making work about communities or individuals I was interested in exploring, and gradually that has expanded into becoming a director. It's an amazing job as it allows me to explore worlds, people and places that I'd otherwise have no access to. It allows me to put myself in someone else's shoes and hopefully allows an
Europe Stories
09/11/2025
Dalet today announced a transformative leap forward for media operations: Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) that unifies the Dalet ecosystem under one natura...
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
18/09/2025
Individual phones could be tracked back to specific residential addresses
Sm...
18/09/2025
September 18 2025, 04:20 (PDT) Dolby Atmos arrives in Maruti Suzuki Victoris, e...
17/09/2025
It was the ultimate convergence of pop culture and literary prestige: Last night, Dua Lipa brought her Service95 Book Club podcast to the stage for a special li...
17/09/2025
Transatlantic collaboration combines experience and agility to drive innovation in network design and delivery
Luxembourg, September 16, 2025 - SES, a leading ...
17/09/2025
Wednesday 17 September 2025
UK artists capture icons of stage and screen, inclu...
17/09/2025
For the Moon Safari anniversary tour, AIR opened the doors to their backstage. Just a few hours before the Paris concert, DPA met with two key figures of the te...
17/09/2025
Auditions will be held in Dublin, Cork and Galway
The County Parade returns f...
16/09/2025
Hace una d cada, la m sica latina representaba apenas el 8% de las reproducciones globales en Spotify. Hoy, constituye m s de una cuarta parte (27%) de toda la ...
16/09/2025
A decade ago, Latin music made up just 8% of global Spotify streams. Today, it a...
16/09/2025
Spotify is expanding our video lineup with a new partnership with Zoo 55, part of ITV Studios. For the first time, acclaimed content from ITV Studios is landing...
16/09/2025
Calrec has strengthened its collaboration with audio metering expert RTW by integrating RTW's new TMxCore metering platform across its full range of Argo IP...
16/09/2025
Leading space solutions company will use optical ground stations to deliver faster, more secure data from space
Luxembourg, September 15, 2025 - SES, a leading...
16/09/2025
Comscore Unveils The Scoreboard: An Interactive Destination Surfacing Consumer B...
15/09/2025
Global K-Pop sensation aespa is redefining what it means to be rich with the r...
15/09/2025
Every day, millions of people around the world turn to Spotify to enjoy the audi...
15/09/2025
After months of intensive planning and implementation, Brembo SGL Carbon Ceramic...
15/09/2025
Unique sports content orchestration platform builds momentum among SES's cus...
15/09/2025
-- Opens door to growth in renewable energy New Delhi, India - 15th September -- Global business and industry leaders from around the world are joining technol...
13/09/2025
Harmonic's Software-Based XOS Advanced Media Processor Provides Unparalleled Efficiency and Unlocks New Business Models SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 13, 2025 -...
12/09/2025
For fans, we know how important it is to stay plugged into music culture and dis...
12/09/2025
Link ping, Sweden and Shipley, United Kingdom, September 12, 2025 - Agama, the expert in video observability and analytics for service quality and customer expe...
12/09/2025
Feature-length retrospective from Studio Crook to air in 2026
Sir David Jason returns to the nation's favourite comedy channel, U&GOLD, for Open All Hours:...
12/09/2025
Friday 12 September 2025
The Boomtown Rats, Nyah Grace, Soweto Kinch, Royal Ballet and Madness also announced to perform at the ceremony on Tuesday
Sky today ...
12/09/2025
Wuppertal September 12, 2025
Riedel Unveils Ultra-Light Bolero Mini Wireless Intercom BeltpackAt IBC2025 in Amsterdam, Riedel Communications unveiled Bolero M...
12/09/2025
Wuppertal September 12, 2025
Riedel Communications Acquires hi human interfaceRiedel Communications today announced the acquisition of hi human interface fro...
12/09/2025
CORE+ virtually removes distortion, setting a new standard for church sound and giving worship teams the clarity and confidence they need.
Read the full artic...
12/09/2025
The Late Late Show is back with a bang after the summer break, and Patrick Kielt...
12/09/2025
The World Athletics Championships, Ireland v France in the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final, the Irish Champions Festival, and two Sports Direct Men...
12/09/2025
The Records Show starts Sunday at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player.
Katie Hanno...
11/09/2025
RADAR, Spotify's program for emerging talent, recently hit a major milestone...
11/09/2025
Link ping, Sweden, September 11, 2025 - Agama, the expert in video observability & analytics for service quality and customer experience, announced today the la...
11/09/2025
Under the USD 89.6 Million award, SES Space & Defense will provide global commer...
11/09/2025
Leading Balkan DTH provider adds capacity to consolidate its m:Sat TV platform at 23.5 degrees East and serve more customers across the region
Luxembourg, 11 S...
11/09/2025
UKTV's free streaming service U launches on Sky Q
Free streaming service U has launched on Sky Q in the UK, UKTV and Sky confirm today, expanding the footp...
11/09/2025
From the discreet 2061 lavaliers to 4099 and 4011 mics, the setup delivered clean, natural sound in one of the most challenging broadcast environments.
Read th...
11/09/2025
From rugged build quality to natural, detailed sound, the verdict is clear: big performance can come in a very small package.
Read the full review here!...
11/09/2025
Tonight on Prime Time
RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm
Tonight RT Prime Time...
11/09/2025
RT Statement: 2026 Eurovision Song Contest
At the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in July, a number of EBU members raised concerns ...
10/09/2025
Lossless on Spotify Premium is here.
Lossless audio has been one of the most a...
10/09/2025
The Television Will Be Revolutionised Sep 10, 2025
Written by Sunit Kotecha, Director of Delivery and Operations, YouView
2025 marks a century since the f...
10/09/2025
First of Spains F110 frigates get future-ready with Rohde & Schwarz communicatio...
10/09/2025
Harmonic's cOS Platform Supports DOCSIS and Fiber, Enabling Midco to Deliver Reliable Multi-Gigabit Connectivity to Subscribers SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 10,...
10/09/2025
RT brings three days of live radio, live entertainment, live news, live weather, personal appearances, and more
Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, The Oliver ...
09/09/2025
Since 2020, Spotify's RADAR program has been a launchpad for emerging talent...
09/09/2025
In 2020, Spotify launched RADAR with a clear mission: to identify, nurture, and ...
09/09/2025
If you're on BookTok, you know the drill. You scroll, you tap, and suddenly your To Be Read list is overflowing with trending must-reads. Not unlike Spoti...
09/09/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
Awarded The Golden Frog in the Short Documentary Films Competition at the 2022 Camerimage International Film Festival, A Mouthful of Petrol brings viewers into the high-octane world of banger racing, where drivers compete in salvaged cars and contact is strongly encouraged. Director Jess Kohl and cinematographer Adric Watson bring visual lyricism to the story of a young British petrol head preparing for his first race, and in the process the filmmakers immerse viewers in a world that's likely unfamiliar to their own.
