Giving new meaning to the term singles play, “The Tennis Date,” a deliciously seductive short film directed by Eva Michon of Merman, introduces sellaV, a new line of high-end tennis skirts created by designer and artist Kaylie Schiff. The film’s frisky storyline follows the exploits of a tennis player, played by actress Charlet Duboc, who searches for love through tennis matches. Volley after volley she tests the mettle and poise of a series of opponents with probing topspins and backhanders. The heroine narrates her hunt with a wry, sometimes cold-blooded voiceover providing stinging commentary on her would-be suitors. In the age of dating apps, “The Tennis Date” offers a romantic alternative, as the heroine glibly observes, “that dance on the court, it’s sexy, also brutal, tender, sweet.”
“The Tennis Date” was conceived and written by Schiff in collaboration with Michon, who captures the action in lyrical slow-mo set to the voluptuous score of the 1882 composition “Les Paniteurs (The Skater’s Waltz)” by Emile Waldteufel. The film promotes and features sellaV’s line of tailored skirts, which are designed to be worn both on and off the court. Schiff developed the sellaV line of tennis apparel in tribute to her mother, who taught her how to play the game, in more ways than one.
“This is not a typical commercial,” said Michon. “It is meant to get people excited about this new brand, deliver a sense of the character of the brand, but also not give everything away. There is mystery, playfulness, and of course, sex appeal.”
“The story is based on real-life,” admitted Schiff. “I love tennis. I was raised on it, and I actually did go on tennis dates for a period, because I couldn’t relate to the modern dating scene. So that was the inspiration. Also, truth be told, the film is a teaser for a TV series project I’ve been developing based on the same idea. So stay tuned.”
“The Tennis Date” premiered on sellaVclub’s website.
CreditsClient sellaV Kaylie Schiff, writer. Production Company Merman Eva Michon, director; Kevin Phillips, DP; Turner, wardrobe stylist; Ksenia Reshetnikova, hair & makeup; Charles Bergquist, Phantom tech. Editorial Common Good Mikka Quinsac, editor. Sound Design Martin Dekehyan, sound designer. Title Design Colin Bergh, title design. Color Grade Artjail Clint Homouth, colorist. Music “Les Paniteurs” Op. 183 By Emile Waldteufel, 1882. Cast Charlet Duboc, Mickey Schiff, Brad Oberhofer, Ethan Dawes, Anders Wahlquist; Matthew Frost, Free Winfrey, Arnaud Uyttenhove, Jonny Mandabach, Theo Martins, Nick Thorburn, Danny Gabai, Jeff Magid, Willo Perron, Olivier Babin, Gordon Winarick, Mcabe Gregg, Eyal Booker.
Director Gia Coppola Teams With Mejuri For “A New York Minute”; 1st Episode Takes Us To The Grocery Store
Mejuri, known for turning fine jewelry into an everyday luxury, has partnered with director Gia Coppola (The Last Show Girl, Palo Alto) and The Directors Bureau in Los Angeles, for the first time reimagining the brand’s story as episodic content. In a series of microfilms, co-created by Coppola and premiering following New York Fashion Week, Mejuri eschewed a typical celebrity campaign and cast us as voyeurs to a group of aspiring young women--real people, not actors--at the crossroads of their adult lives against the backdrop of New York City.
Titled “A New York Minute,” the series features five real-life friends, who include one perfectly imperfect heroine named Emma. The women celebrate ordinary moments and interactions which reveal, sometimes retrospectively, the extraordinary within the mundane. Adjacent to the brand’s own community, the 30-something year old cast includes Laura Love (Emma), Rebecca Ressler, Natalie Vall-Freed and Rozzi Crane. Mejuri’s jewelry makes an appearance as the best supporting actor.
“When I met with Gia and The Directors Bureau team, there was instant creative and personal chemistry and a natural alignment on the desire to push and blur the lines between marketing, storytelling, and the construct of what a ‘campaign’ could be,” said Jacob Jordan, chief brand officer, Mejuri. “Gia was able to push that idea into something that truly feels new and artful, with a realism and relatability that almost feels jarring. Gia was such a perfect collaborator and partner, someone I had complete trust in to be a catalyst for Mejuri’s values of celebrating women as their truest selves. I can’t wait for us to continue to tell the next chapters of this story.”
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