NY-based Sonic Union mixer Steve Rosen and Number Six editor Lawrence Young offer hope and comfort to anxious fantasy football players afflicted by the NFL lockout in the comedic new :30 “Draft” for ESPN out of Weiden+Kennedy, New York.
The spot consists of a series of flashback vignettes depicting past times of trouble in the history of a fantasy football league. It opens on two twentysomething guys on a bicycle, pedaling furiously through a suburban neighborhood as they worry aloud about missing the first round. A mock-serious voiceover intones: “From the gas shortage of ’01…” We then cut to a shirtless guy displaying an elaborate full-torso horse and lasso tattoo for his roommate, who offers cautious reassurance, as the voiceover continues, “to the gentlemen’s bet of ’04…” We then cut to a room full of guys in someone’s den, featuring a full karaoke set-up. As one of them emotes a painful falsetto into the microphone, the voiceover continues, “to the karaoke draft of ’06…” The ambient sound rises to reveal that he is singing his draft selection – wide receiver T.J. “Houshmanzadeh” to the tune of Heart’s classic rock tune, “Barracuda.”
As the other friends exchange subtle looks of deadpan embarrassment, the voiceover sums up:”Your fantasy league survived. It’ll survive a little lockout.” The super, “Fantasy Forever” appears as the karaoke drafter strains to hold a wobbly high note. The spot ends with an ESPN Fantasy Football graphic and the call to action, “Lock in your fantasy for free at espn.com.”
Credits
Airdate: Currently airing
Client: ESPN
Product: Sports Promos
Director: Matt Aselton
Production Company: Arts & Sciences
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy/NY
Producer: Temma Shoaf
Art Director: Craig Evans
CD: Brandon Henderson
CD: Stuart Jennings
Copywriter: Scott Mahoney
Exec CD: Ian Reichenthal
Exec CD: Scott Vitrone
HP: Gary Krieg
DP: Toby Irwin
Line Producer: Dina Oberley
Exec Producer: Marc Marrie/Arts & Sciences
Exec Producer: Toni LiPari @ NumberSix
Editor: Lawrence Young/NumberSix
Audio Post: Steve Rosen @ Sonic Union
Smoke Artist: Ed Skupeen @ Number Six
Sound Design: Brian Emrich @ Trinitite
Sound Design: Joseph Fraioli @ JafBox Sound
About SONIC UNION
Sonic Union, New York was a concept born in 2008 between lauded mixers Michael Marinelli and Steve Rosen, and Managing Director Adam Barone. The team set out to create the finest audio shop in New York, while also maintaining a family-like feel in a location that reflected—and supported—client comfort, natural light and the artists’ unwavering love of the craft. Three years later, Sonic Union’s work has won top awards, their employees and clients play together after work, and its architecturally significant space overlooking the trees of Union Square has become a home-away-from-home for everyone who mixes there.
Sonic Union continues to evolve, pulling in on-staff, veteran voiceover casting director, Maria Pappalardo, and expanding its motion graphics and VFX capabilities. Come in and check out the state of our Union… www.sonicunion.com