LONDON, UK — What if we played like pressure didn’t exist? That’s the question at the heart of a new adidas campaign directed by award-winning director Jess Kohl. Jess directed young athletes in a series of three online social films with the tagline #YouGotThis. The campaign centers around seeing what can happen when we remove the pressure and make games that are solely about having fun. Each film shows young players and athletes experiencing sport in a new way by surprising them with twists on traditional sporting environments.
Basketball hero Anthony Edwards stars in The 20 Foot Hoop, shot on location in Minneapolis, USA. Anthony strikes up an easy rapport with a young team of American basketball players who give him an insight into the pressures they face on the basketball court. The tension eases when he scores in a 20 foot hoop.
The Football Triangle foregrounds three girl’s football teams headed up by an inspiring woman coach, Catarina Macario, with the help and motivation of guest star footballers Mia Fishel, Gabriel Martinelli and Andreas Pereira. Filmed on location at Wasps FC Rugby club, the film features three girls teams; the Kinetic FC under 16’s, Barking Abbey under 16’s and Tottenham under 16’s.
In the football-focused film The Football Triangle, the footballers are shown in their dressing room pre- match, discussing their nerves about playing in front of a crowd, and how the pressure gets to them. “Football like you’ve never experienced before: three goals three teams” is at the heart of the campaign, played out on a very unconventional pitch with triangular markings. 5V5V5: three teams of five compete against each other on the unusual pitch, designed by The Midnight Club creatives Luke & Vanya.
Jess’ films focused on Basketball and Football can be viewed on YouTube now, and the third and final film in the series, The Giant Court, centers around Tennis, with a release date of March 04.
Anthony Edwards Takes On The 20 Foot Hoop:
Martinelli, Macario, Fishel and Pereira Take on The Football Triangle:
Director and photographer Jess Kohl was born in London and graduated from Central Saint Martins and then completed a Masters in cinematography. Her films and photography have been featured in many renowned publications including Dazed, Another Magazine, British Journal of Photography, Nowness, The Face, Vogue and i-D, and she has directed commercial work for global brands including Google, Carhartt and WhatsApp, and made a name for herself as a unique director of inspirational campaigns for sports-centered brands including Nike, Speedo and On Running.
Jess Kohl’s filmmaking and visual storytelling often focuses on underrepresented voices, which she seeks to amplify through nuanced and poignant storytelling through a distinctive cinematic lens. Her interest in documenting celebrating the fringes of society has seen her turn her creative lens towards marginalized groups around the world including Punks in the Philippines and transgender communities in Central India.
Credits:
adidas – Backyard Games
Directed by Jess Kohl
adidas
Senior Marketing Manager: Erik Troedsson
Senior Manager Brand Comms: Margo Camus
Senior Producer: Laura Leland
Producer: Dawn Martin
Agency – The Midnight Club
Creative Director: Vanya Beloborodov
Creative Director: Luke Bartley
Senior Producer: Alex Anderson
Senior Account Director: Sophie Farmery
Brand Strategy Director: Kitty Pemberton-Platt
Production Company – PRETTYBIRD UK
Co-Founder UK / Exec Producer: Juliette Larthe
Head of Production: Fiona Bamford-Phillips
Producer: Ted Thornton
Production Manager: Enrique Soares da Silva
Production Assistant: Lottie Lindsay-Beavan
Director of Photography: Matthew Ballard
PRETTYBIRD UK PR: Lee Sharrock
Martinelli, Macario, Fishel and Pereira take on THE FOOTBALL TRIANGLE
Featuring Chloe Scales, Evie Carvell, Maya Bethelmie, Leila Awan, Millie D’Arth, Tori St Rose, Ruby Gilman, Ataliya Dargie-Anderson, Catherine Laurent Balogun, Lily Levy, Tomasina Mason, Kaela Grant, Deborah Baafi, Sabrina Dias, Cerun Temur, Ciara Matthews, Destynelle Mai, Idana Buami, Naomi Ruth Bennet and Onika Pascal
Production Manager: Sorcha O’Sullivan
Production Runner: Collette Burke
Location Manager: Mark Cushman
1st Assistant Director: Dan Precious
2nd Assistant Director: Gabriel O’Donohoe
Runner: Callum Fletcher
Runner: Teo Allen-Corsbie
Runner: Anna Kovalevkska
Focus Puller: Mark Gee
Clapper Loader: Jenny John Chaun
B- Cam Operator: Charlie Knight
B- Cam Focus Puller: Mike Linforth
B- Cam Clapper Loader: Steph Hornby
Drone Operator: Neil Cain
Drone Camera Operator: James Markwick
Steadicam: RIck Woolard
DIT: Quentin Brown
Video Playback: Nick Barber
Grip: Bobby Brown
Grip Trainee: Isaac Hegarty
Trojan Driver: Karl Jones
Sound Recordist: Jermaine Monero
Gaffer: Elliot Beach
Electrician: Paul Rowe
Electrician: Caspar Jones
Electrician: Tom Northam
Electrician: Mykola Bukavskyi
Electrician: Ben Skyrme
Rigger: Aaron Rackham
Stylist: Hannah Hopkins
Wardrobe Assistant: Frankie Noller
Wardrobe Assistant: Alana Newton
Hair & Makeup Artist: Marina Belfon-Rose
Hair & Makeup Assistant: Tia Louise Clement
Art Director: Louis Simonon
Assistant Art DIrector: Tomomoi Kishimoto-Eley
Art Assistant: Joe Youens
Vinyl Technician: Matthew McCrae
Vinyl Technician: Charlie Wright
Sports Choreographer: Darren “Tyson” White Medic: Lorna Tunmore
Security: James Dimmock
Security: Zac Waheed
Specialised Security: Alex Rutherford
Specialised Security: Shaun Ward
Specialised Security: Dean Jones
BTS: Tyler Matthias
Anthony Edwards Takes on THE 20 FOOT HOOP
Featuring: Ronald Lee, Devontez David, Ole Skrien, Constantine Osuji, Ruhan Jordan, Alan Jou, Jonah Mogeni, Joel Mogeni, Malachi Boadi, Kayden Wells, Tobi Oluwole, Ezekiel Bosire
Service Production by Paige Dorian
Productions Executive Producer: Paige Dorian
Producer: Mitch Yapko
Production Supervisor: Aubree Reda
Production Manager: Nick Tuttle
Location Manager: Stuart Skrien
1st AD: Mike Hart
2nd AD: Tyler Carlson
A Cam 1st AC: Spencer Nelson
A Cam 2nd AC: Hannah Germaine
B Cam Op: Colin THreinen
B Cam 1st AC: Brian Seurth
B Cam 2nd AC: Erin LaMeir
Camera PA: Robert Whiteside
DIT: Kyle Krause
Gaffer: Layton Umpleby
Best Boy Electrician: Matt Mueege
Electrician: Jeff Villars
Electrician: Sam Mayhew
Electrician: Alan Taverna
Key Grip: David Pope
Best Boy Grip: Joe Gallop
Grip Truck: Joe Slagerman
Grip: Craig Alreck
Grip: Mario Howard
Production Designer: Jen Paredes
Set Dec: Cooper Sheehan
Set Dec: Walker Friend
Sec Dec: Jake Hartnett
Set Dec: Faisal Alahmad
Hair & Makeup Artist: Brenda Torre
Hair & Makeup Assistant: Laura Hart
Hair & Makeup Assistant: Heather Gustafson
Stylist: Hannah Hopkins
Wardrobe Assistant: Anthony Osagie
Wardrobe Assistant: Maeve Handley
VTR: Kyle Franke
Sound Mixer: Jared Elkin
Boom Op: Adam Biel
BTS Photo: Dallas Currie
BTS Video: Rozack Zowe
PA-Shuttle: Bjorn Pederson
PA-Shuttle: Lisa Iverson
PA-Camera Van: Connor Nelson
PA: Marty Weber
PA: Andrei Konieczny
Medic: Patrick Keller
Coach: Jontae Joonkaew
DJ: Jade Jenius
Casting by Antonette Trussoni
