How Eddie Huang's Vice Became Clearly Defined at Sugar Studios

      Vice Is Broke is an unfiltered, gritty exploration of the rise and decline of the Vice Media empire, directed and narrated by chef-turned-filmmaker Eddie Huang. Huang dedicated years to refining his skills as a documentarian within the Vice ecosystem, serving as the host and producer of the travel series Huang’s World.

      Unfortunately, when Vice filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023, Huang claims it didn’t pay him over $100,000 in owed residuals. This prompted him to create Vice Is Broke, which chronicles the company’s journey from a free magazine to a global media powerhouse valued at approximately $5.7 billion before its downfall.

      “He experienced everything firsthand, and he’s going to reveal it all, which is thrilling,” remarks Jijo Reed, who oversaw post-production for Vice Is Broke. “You get the sense that nothing is off-limits, and it dives deep. That’s what makes it an exceptional documentary, as the essence of documentaries is to provide profound and voyeuristic exposés.”

      Sugar Studios’ Atmos Stage 2. Courtesy of Sugar Studios.

      Reed is the founder of Sugar Studios, one of Los Angeles’ most fashionable and welcoming full-service post-production facilities. The vibrant, retro-inspired headquarters is situated above the Wiltern Theatre, an iconic venue in the city’s music scene.

      The Art Deco structure serves as an ideal backdrop for Huang to craft his first feature-length documentary after a lengthy career that included writing the bestselling memoir-turned-sitcom Fresh Off the Boat.

      “He’s definitely a rock star,” Reed notes. “His energy is boundless, and he was highly engaged in every aspect of post-production. Collaborating with Eddie was fantastic.”

      Sugar Studios handled all aspects of color correction, visual effects, sound design, mixing, and final delivery, while Huang and producers Raymond Mansfield and Sean McKittrick (known for Get Out and BlacKkKlansman) brought in editor George Mandl to edit the documentary. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year.

      Vice Is Broke manages to blend journalism with the street-smart insider insights that Vice was once famous for.

      “Vice’s presence challenged our entire understanding of journalism and branding,” Huang states in the film. “We invested in storytelling and character, demonstrating a DIY, ‘forget what you heard, I’ll see it for myself’ mindset.”

      Thanks to Huang and other personalities who recount their experiences at Vice, including Proud Boy provocateur Gavin McInnes, who co-founded Vice before leaving in 2008, it unfolds as an engaging cautionary tale. Huang confronts McInnes about his troubling views on women and race in the film, accusing him of leveraging neo-fascist ideologies for financial gain.

      Also Read: How Sugar Studios’ Jijo Reed Went From Punk to the Penthouse

      “That’s what makes it so captivating,” Reed comments on Huang’s unique interview technique. “He’s directing the audience through this narrative, and he’s upfront about it.”

      In a statement upon the documentary's release, Vice, which has recently revived its print edition, dismissed it as “old news and no longer relevant,” adding that the company has "strategically reconfigured to address the challenges and culture of a new media landscape."

      Sugar Studios’ Jijo Reed on Creativity and Vice Is Broke

      Sugar Studios’ New Ninth-Floor Lounge. Courtesy of Sugar Studios.

      Reed believes that for films to resonate, filmmakers require a supportive work environment—an ethos that has shaped Sugar Studios since he launched the company in 2012 with just a laptop and hard drive.

      “Generally, the design and environments of post-production houses have not been conducive to the creative process, in my view,” he states. “I strongly oppose the idea that post-production is merely a utilitarian part of filmmaking.

      “This segment of filmmaking is highly creative,” he adds. “Numerous essential decisions occur during editorial, color correction, and sound design—elements that truly animate a film. While I won’t claim it equals what happens on set with direction and filming, it certainly deserves to be in the same discussion.”

      Reed highlights that editors and post-production supervisors often devise creative solutions that can not only rectify issues with raw footage but also enhance the overall project.

      “This is especially true for documentaries and unscripted content since editors must also be story producers,” he explains. “Typically, when editing a documentary, many interviews might still be pending; additional interviews can emerge during the editing process. And it’s important to remember that documentaries evolve based on the subjects’ responses.”

      The Wiltern and Pellissier Building, home of Sugar Studios. Courtesy of Sugar Studios.

      It’s common for clients of Sugar Studios to shoot scenes for their films in the multi-level creative space that Reed and his wife, Sugar Studios COO Nicole Wainstein, have developed over the past 13 years.

      Huang was no exception, interviewing former Vice writer Lesley Arfin