Revisiting History For Espn, World Cup
Director Lance Acord of bicoastal Park Pictures recreates a historic moment at the infamous Robben Island Prison Camp in a new :30/:45 “Robben Island,” for ESPN and FIFA World Cup out of Wieden + Kennedy, Worldwide. With affecting imagery and score, the spot focuses on the formation of a soccer league by South African political prisoners during apartheid.
“Robben Island” opens on a sleeping prisoner. A hypnotic score then begins, accompanied by images of the prison grounds, guards and several prisoners preparing for soccer. A voiceover states, “A defining moment in South Africa’s history wasn’t an uprising or a coup, it was the formation of a soccer league by political prisoners during apartheid. Prisoners who’d lost their freedom, but found hope in a game they loved.” We see a prison guard throw a ball out for the inmate team and a passionate game ensue. Several prisoners watch, including a man resembling Nelson Mandela. The voiceover continues alongside U2’s epic track ‘Where the Streets Have No Name,’ “The same men who’d go on to govern the new South Africa, and then repay the game by inviting the world to come and play it with them. The 2010 FIFA World Cup on ESPN.” The ESPN and FIFA logos and tag, “One game changes everything” close out the spot.
W+K’s team included creative director Stuart Jennings, writer Nick Sonderup and producer Nick Setounski.
Production services house was Film Planet, Worldwide. Editors were Russell Icke and Mark Langley of The Whitehouse, bicoastal, Chicago and London. Effects house was Carbon VFX, New York.
Sharp, Demas Work On Standard Time
Partner/CEO Michael Sharp and partner/chief creative officer Amy Demas have teamed to launch Standard Time, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based advertising and design agency, which is turning out work for such clients as CVS/pharmacy, Williams-Sonoma, DC Shoes, Monster Energy and fashion label Seneca Rising. The new ad shop specializes in retail. Sharp and Demas have a track record together, having collaborated on the Target account while at Peterson Milla Hooks, Minneapolis.
Sharp began his agency career at TBWAChiatDay, N.Y., helping to manage the Nextel and Cadbury accounts. Immediately prior to Standard Time, Demas was a senior creative at Limited Brands, NYC, working on brand image strategy for Victoria’s Secret.
People In The News Editor Yuko Koseki has signed with Company X, New York, for exclusive representation. Her editing experience spans commercials, music videos, TV shows and documentaries. At Company X, she reunites with editor Barney Miller–the two long-time friends and creative cohorts previously worked together at Ohio Edit in NYC. At Ohio Edit, Koseki established herself as a noted editor of fashion and beauty spots, while making her creative imprint with campaigns for an array of brands including L’Oreal, Exxon Mobil, Burger King, Sprint, Lubriderm, Rogaine, Almay, Lancôme, Gucci, Movado, and Playtex….Santa Monica-based chrome has hired editor Michael Hackett who sports 15-plus years of spot editorial experience, VFX expertise and a background in photography. Hackett has collaborated with such directors as Olivier Gondry, Janusz Kaminski, Joe Pytka, Jesse Dylan, Pam Thomas, Ray Dillman, and Nick Piper. Prior to chrome, Hackett did tours of duty at several L.A. shops, including Filmcore LA, Brass Knuckles, Avenue Edit, Crush Editorial, and t-minus 30….
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More