ROLE: Creative Direction, Video Production, Casting, Photography Assets, SNS Copywriting, Logo Design
DELIVERABLE: Video, SNS Asset
DATE: MAY 2023
To spotlight the NBA in Japan, where basketball has been growing in popularity yearly, NBA started a collaboration with poweredby.tokyo: a monopo group company and cultural marketing platform. Over the course of a year, poweredby.tokyo was responsible for the creative direction, planning and production of a 14-episodic series: "NBA Beat," as well as SNS video assets and the series logo.
CLIENT BRIEF
- Create video content that showcases the NBA's influence on Japanese street culture.
- Increase awareness of the NBA brand among people who do not watch basketball games.
- Increase the number of people who know about and support the NBA League.
OUR PROPOSAL
- Plan and produce "NBA Beat," a 14-episodic video series.
- Cast talents within the five pillars: Fashion, Art, Music, Gaming, and Manga.
- Design and production of assets for SNS, cut-down videos of one minute or less for each episode, and the series logo.
Celebrating NBA culture that transcends sports and individual values
The “NBA Beat” video series consists of 14 episodes, celebrating individuality, creativity, and passion as seen through the eyes of diverse individuals of various professions including artists, entrepreneurs, musicians and community organizers based in Japan. Each person has their own personal attachment to NBA and basketball culture and uses it as a major source of inspiration and sustenance in their work.
The video series aims to showcase the appeal of the NBA from different perspectives by encouraging each interviewee to speak freely about the role of basketball culture in their daily lives. It seeks to take the viewer beyond the realm of "basketball as a sport" and deepen their understanding of the history and growing street culture of the NBA with the objective of turning casual fans into lifelong superfans.
Casting unique individuals connecting basketball and the streets of Japan
To bring the "NBA Beat" series to life, poweredby.tokyo leveraged its extensive network to cast a diverse and talented group of individuals. The cast includes a freestyle basketball performer, ZiNEZ, illustration artist Dai Tamura, "SpaceBall Mag" editor Bang Lee, artist kZm, women’s basketball team "GODDESS BASKETBALL CLUB," and many others representing modern Japanese street culture.
Focusing on casting and story structure, our team was able to bridge the gap between domestic and international viewers, cultivating a deeper appreciation for Japanese basketball culture among NBA fans worldwide. To ensure seamless collaboration with the client in the U.S., we made sure to document and communicate every step of the project with utmost care and attention.
Credits
Client: NBA
Our role: Creative Direction, Video Production, Casting, Photography Assets, SNS Copywriting, Logo Design
Executive Producer: Chace Fedor (poweredby.tokyo)
Creative Director: Steve Gaudin
Creative Producer: Hibiki Kato (poweredby.tokyo)
Producer: David Dicembre (DMBZ)
Sound: Nico Amblard, Steve LeFever
Logo Design: Nock
Ep 1
Director & Editor & Music Composer: Jeremy Rubier (DMBZ)
Sound Engineer: Steven Lefever
Photographer: Steve Gaudin
Casting: Hibiki Kato (poweredby.tokyo)
Project Manager: Manami Kuriyama (DMBZ)
Talent: Zinez Kamikaze, BUG!?, Kengo Maeda
Ep 2
Director, Editor & Sound Design & Music Composer: Jeremy Rubier (DMBZ)
Photographer: Steve Gaudin
Casting: Hibiki Kato (poweredby.tokyo)
Project Manager: Manami Kuriyama (DMBZ)
Talent: Dai Tamura
Ep 3
Director, Editor & Sound Design & Music Composer: Jeremy Rubier (DMBZ)
Photographer: Steve Gaudin
Project Manager & Casting: Manami Kuriyama (DMBZ)
Talent: Bang Lee
Ep 4
Director, Editor & Colour: Issam Kechouri
Sound Record & Sound Design: Nicolas Amblard
Photographer: Steve Gaudin
Project Manager & Casting: Manami Kuriyama (DMBZ)
Talent: Ryo Wakazuki, Meg Wakazuki, Chris Muwe
Ep 5
Director: Artem Ski (DMBZ)
DoP: Brandon Strack
Editor: Alexis Wuillaume
Photographer: Steve Gaudin
Casting: Hibiki Kato (poweredby.tokyo)
Project Manager: Manami Kuriyama
Talent: MQ
Ep 6
Director and Editor: Artem Ski (DMBZ)
DoP: Brandon Strack
Casting: Hibiki Kato (poweredby.tokyo)
Project Manager: Manami Kuriyama (DMBZ)
Photographer: Jun Ishibashi
Music: kZm
Talent: kZm
Ep 7
Director, Editor & Sound Design & Music Composer: Jeremy Rubier (DMBZ)
Project Manager & Casting: Manami Kuriyama (DMBZ)
Talent: Nobu
Ep 8
Director, Editor & Colour: Issam Kechouri
Sound Record & Sound Design: Nicolas Amblard
Photographer: Steve Gaudin
Casting: Hibiki Kato (poweredby.tokyo)
Project Manager: Manami Kuriyama (DMBZ)
Talent: JUNJUN
Ep 9
Director, Editor & Colour: Issam Kechouri
Sound Record & Sound Design: Nicolas Amblard
Project Manager & Casting: Manami Kuriyama (DMBZ)
Photographer: Jeremy Renault
Talent: Yusuke Oishi
Ep 10
Director, Editor & Sound Design: Jeremy Rubier (DMBZ)
Photographer: Steve Gaudin
Project Manager & Casting: Manami Kuriyama (DMBZ)
Music Composer: Jeremy Rubier (DMBZ)
Talent: Tana
Ep 11
Director/DoP: Jeremy Rubier (DMBZ)
Editor: Alexis Wuillaume (DMBZ)
Photographer: Steve Gaudin
Producer & Casting: Utana Kishino (poweredby.tokyo)
Project Manager: Shion Kimura
Talent: Goddess Basketball Club
Ep 12
Director/DoP: Will Kyaw (DMBZ)
Editor: Alexis Wuillaume (DMBZ)
Photographer: Steve Gaudin
Producer & Casting: Hibiki Kato (poweredby.tokyo)
Project Manager: Utana Kishino (poweredby.tokyo)
Talent: Chris Sasaki
Ep 13
Director/DoP: Will Kyaw (DMBZ)
B Cam & Editor: Alexis Wuillaume (DMBZ)
Producer: David Dicembre (DMBZ)
Photographer: Steve Gaudin
Producer & Casting: Hibiki Kato (poweredby.tokyo)
Project Manager: Utana Kishino (poweredby.tokyo)
Sound Recording: Steven LeFever
Talent: Mattsun and Shaq (Shirōto NBA)
Ep 14
Director/DoP & Editor: Issam Kechouri
Sound Record & Design: Nico Amblard
Motion Designer: Romain Amphyon
VFX Artist: Said Chaou
Photographer: Steve Gaudin
Producer & Casting: Utana Kishino, Hibiki Kato (poweredby.tokyo)
Talent: Keito Gaku
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