Max Malkin of PRETTYBIRD directed and shot this Nike spot from Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore., which introduces us to an 86-year-old nun who’s a triathlete training for yet another grueling Ironman competition. Sister Madonna Buder is the epitome of drive and determination, truly young at heart, of mind and body.
“Unlimited Youth” broke during the Summer Olympics. Tongue-in-cheek voiceover narration was provided by actor Oscar Isaac.
Client Nike Agency Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore. Alberto Ponte, Ryan O’Rourke, global creative directors; Dan Viens, interactive director; Adam Tetreault, copywriter; Sara Phillips, art director; Matt Hunnicutt, global executive producer; Ross Plummer, sr. producer; Mauricio Granado, producer; Amy Berriochoa, Jennifer Spillers, art production; Alicia Kuna, studio design manager; Rehanah Spence, Edgar Morales, studio designer. Production PRETTYBIRD Max Malkin, director/DP; Ali Brown, Suzanne Hargrove, exec producers; Tracy Hauser, head of production; Matt Wersinger, line producer; Rob Pearson, production designer. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Damion Clayton, editor; Mike Spagnolli, assistant editor; Dina Ciccotello, post producer; Helena Lee, executive post producer. VFX Mill LA PHil Crowe, John Leonti, creative director; James Allen, 2D lead artist; John Shirley, Brad Scott, Alex Candish, 2D artists; Andy Wheater, Jie Zhou, Michael Lori, 3D artists; Anastasia von Rahl, VFX producer; Rustie Burris, VFX coordinator; Enca Kaul, VFX exec producer. Postproduction The Mill LA Adam Scott, colorist; Diana Valera, producer; Thatcher Peterson, exec producer. Licensed Music “Drums Are My Beat”; Sandy Nelson, musical artist. Sound Design Barking Owl Michael Anastasi, sound designer; Kelly Bayett, creative director; Ashley Benton, producer. Audio Post Lime Studios Loren Silber, mixer; Mike Nieto, audio assistant; Susie Boyajan, exec producer.
Blinkink director Jack Brown created this stop motion film to tell a handmade story for Tekla’s holiday campaign.
Established in Copenhagen in 2017, Tekla was born from a desire to bring modernity and freedom of expression to the homeware category. As a brand, it rejects rapid trend cycles by designing for longevity, with an uncompromising focus on quality and responsible production. Brown’s use of stop-motion animation, using only Tekla fabrics, places both the brand’s story and its values front and center.
The film takes us on the journey of a teddy bear exploring the enchanted interiors of the Tekla Copenhagen store. The vibe feels dreamlike and the addition of stop motion adds a tenderness to the film. Inspired by the stories of Hans Christian Andersen, the campaign features iconic figures and nods to his fairytales; the towering mattresses of The Princess and the Pea, the magical umbrella of The Sandman, and the floating luggage of The Flying Trunk.
Brown said, “What an amazing little project this was, and for such a great brand. Tekla was such a cool client to work with. I suggested making the whole ad out of their fabrics and within 24 hours, there were boxes of beautiful fabrics being delivered for us to cut to pieces. Everything you see is about the size of an A4 sheet of paper and all hand cut, stitched and animated by a very small team of very talented people. Anita Bruvere was the lead builder and animator and did such an amazing job of turning all these tiny pieces of fabric into a magical world.”
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