An early March spot from Nike, ‘From the Grounds Up’, tells a moving soccer story about Hackney Wick FC and founder Bobby Kasanga journey from gangster criminal to community hero.
It is the launch film in a new Nike series profiling people from all over the world who are changing their communities and the world through football and sport.
Back in 2015 Kasanga, who played for his county as a child but became involved in gangs and spent eight years in jail, founded the club after his release as a means of tackling gang violence through football.
His mission was to inspire the young people on his childhood estate to channel their energy into the sport.
Kasanga himself fronts the four-minute ad, which also features several of the club’s players and fans, it focuses on the positive impact Hackney Wick FC has had on the community.
Kasanga, who has spearheaded the growth of the club grow from a single men’s team to 24 teams for men, women and children in under five years, commented “I wanted to keep the kids off the streets, keep them occupied and give them a path.”
The online video and supporting social content also drives viewers to the Nike website to read more from the people of Hackney Wick FC (https://www.nike.com/gb/a/hackney-wick-fc).
“It’s like one big family, and you go off and we travel to away games together. I love it. Absolutely love it. Last season we played the FA Cup away, and we took 50 people down there. It was a great day. We lost, but it was still a great day.’ Pete ‘The Wickerman’ (Supporter).
“The way Bobby has impacted Hackney alone is massive. He’s helped me get a job and helped a lot of other players with a lot of other opportunities to really do the best for ourselves.” Jayden (Coach & Player)
“Hackney Wick needs a team like this. There was children just hanging around the streets; there was a lot of fighting, no structure to the community. It’s brought the borough together.” Kelly (Volunteer)
Director Jess Kohl explained that the process of shooting the spot from start to finish took several months.
“As it’s a very sensitive story, we wanted to give it the time it needed to develop. We met with Bobby as an initial part of the process, as I listened to him speak, I thought about how to communicate his story in an original and engaging way,” said Kohl.
“He told us about the pep talks he gives his teams before games, and I asked him to talk to us as if we were his team. As soon as he started I knew this was how I wanted to approach the campaign – seeing him talking to the next generation felt like an emotive way to communicate his story, and allowed us to show the different personalities involved in Hackney Wick FC through the simple set up of a pep talk.”
This is the first episode in an evolving series we which will roll out in the coming weeks: future episodes will focus on Paris Alesia FC and Melbourne’s Fitzroy Lions.
The campaign was created by agency Prettybird and Girls In Film (a network and platform for new generation of female filmmakers worldwide).
It was helmed by Jess Kohl and other members of the team included Producer Nikola Vasakova, Executive producer Juliette Larthe, DOP Steve Annis, Steadicam Operator James Burgess, Focus Puller Eira Wyn Jones, 2nd AC Kairo Jones, Cam Trainee Joe Medlock, Gaffer Alex Gibbon, Grip Aaron Porter, Sound Bridgitte Bradshaw, DIT Ashley Hicks, Runners Ben Cole and Sophie Nejad, plus Photographer Blue Laybourne, Driver Anthony Bugge, Editor Gary Forrester, Online Editor Kit Harwood and Grade Simon Bourne.
The music was by Roger Goula, with additional cinematography by Thomas Hole, with camera assistant Jerome James King, DIT Ellie Bright, sound by Chi Limpiroj and Driver Josh Govett.
Comment:
This spot seemingly sets out to prove the cliché that ‘Football has the power to unite people’: something demonstrated not just in this campaign, but proven time and again in cities and communities all over the world.
But, like at Hackney Wick FC, it doesn’t happen overnight.
Links:
Nike Football
https://www.youtube.com/user/NikeFootball
https://www.instagram.com/nikefootball/
Nike
https://www.youtube.com/user/nike
https://www.instagram.com/nike/
Prettybird
Girls In Film (Network and platform for new generation of female filmmakers worldwide.)
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