TJ “eurojax” Kleven
Video Guy
I’ve produced more than 300 videos covering cars, interviews, tutorials, travel, events, and ideas that probably started with “this would be funny.” I handle the concept, contacts, scripting, filming, editing, and publishing. Occasionally, I host. (Also, what’s a eurojax?)
My work ranges from finding cool cars and telling their builders’ stories, to finding the funniest way to handle the comment section. (Never read the comment section). Whether I’m explaining car maintenance or filming a belt filter press in a wastewater building, I care about the same things: a good hook, a clear story, and an edit that respects people’s attention.
Below is a small sample of some of the work I’ve done over the past two decades, the story behind it, and what role I had.
Statistics, since everyone loves statistics:
1.6M+ YouTube views
2,190 YouTube subscribers
91 videos on YouTube
Creating on YouTube since 2007
Most viral video: 284,000 views
The 818, a Subaru-powered kit car
An automotive feature from my video portfolio, exploring a Subaru-powered kit car. I took this feature from the first outreach to the owner/builder to the final edit. I found the Subaru-powered 818, connected with the owner Keith Pizio, and pitched the concept. From there, I developed the story, filmed and hosted the piece, and edited the finished video—handling the entire production from start to finish.
2027 Subaru WRX “Gen Z Edition”
I created a satirical reveal for a fictional Subaru WRX “Gen Z Edition,” building the concept around Gen Z slang. I developed the premise, used AI sparingly to make the vehicle how I wanted it, and edited the video around the reveal. I wrote the script, sourced the voice-over from my longtime creative collaborator Adam, and adapted the finished piece for YouTube, Instagram Reels, and TikTok.
11k views on IG/FB.
Money Shot: The Series
This weekly series was born of wanting to create something that held me to a hard deadline. There were very few automotive news shows on YouTube at the time, so I put it on myself to carve out the Subaru section of that untapped market.
This was my first “baby”. I created it from the ground up, starting with the concept, art, motion graphics, then moved to the essentials like creating my own teleprompter with one-way glass, learning how wireless lavaliers worked, building my own greenscreen, and sourcing content to bring to the viewer. These skills brought me to DrivingSports TV where I hosted their weekly news series DrivingSports Extra!
alt SHIFT – The Series
After moving to Colorado, the need to produce video content got to me. I was working as a technical writer and just couldn’t scratch the itch that video production brought me. I came up with a concept: a car series for geeks, by a geek. I partnered up with a local dealership that was more than happy to loan me a vehicle for a weekend to film. I came up with new branding, worked with dealerships nationwide to procure vehicles, and got a few sponsors here and there.
A Simple Idea: Go To Alaska and Review a Vehicle
This was my first ever Top Gear-style feature. I sourced the vehicle from my friends at Continental Auto in Anchorage, AK and set off with just a concept: Make it like an episode of Top Gear with its absurd ideas. I got to travel to my hometown of Valdez, AK in it and learned some valuable lessons about video production. This is one of those videos that I look back on and say, “It’s fine.”. There are things I would have changed (Read: Drop the accent in the VO), but the production quality really shines.
Where It All Started: PRoN: The Periodic Review of NASIOC
When people ask, “show me the best video you’ve ever made”, this isn’t it. However, the way it all came together in 2007 is unmatched logistically and creatively. Two guys set out to make a video series about their silly little Subarus. One with a chocolately-baritoned voice living in New Hampshire, the other, a portly fella with dreams of becoming Joel McHale on Talk Soup, living in Alaska. This is before dropbox, before AI, before even YouTube. Adam and I swapped ideas via e-mail, and each set out in our respective parts of the world to put together a show. We got viewers to film their own things, like showcasing their cars or showing us the US Navy Battleship they lived on. Files were shared in .wmv format. Adam and his group of friends took on Road Rallies, project cars, part installs, while I learned green screen fundamentals, how to be a host, editing programs that no longer exist, and proper filming techniques. When each of us had our parts, we uploaded the done projects to FTP servers and I put it all together into one show. These PRoN episodes will get lost to time, but for a brief period, we were the only people creating a car show solely on our own, with thousands of miles between us, with one hell of an enthusiast community behind us.
Get in touch
Got an idea for a show? Need help with your business? Drop me a line and let’s see what happens.