Nike China's animated love letter to Kobe Bryant recalls the NBA legend's Oscar-winning short film

Black and white tale expresses the impact that the late Lakers giant had on the sport in the country

Published On
Sep 08, 2020

Editor's Pick

A new animated tribute to Kobe Bryant from Nike China pays homage to the late NBA star's Oscar-winning film "Dear Basketball."

The emotive film begins with a splotch of blank ink that morphs into an image of Bryant, and the narration echoes "Dear Basketball," but instead addresses the "letter" to Bryant himself, explaining how the star inspired a generation of players in China. 

 

The spot was directed by Francois Rousselet of Division + The Pandemic Story for Wieden + Kennedy Shanghai. To create the animation, Mathematic VFX used ink splotches that transform into characters, props and environments, in order to reflect Chinese tradition. Designers rotoscoped line animation over footage shot in camera, tracing Bryant’s face and background environments to give the spot a hand-crafted flair, and added shadows and details that mirrored the original footage. You can see more on how it was done in the behind-the scenes film seen here. 

Credits

Date
Sep 08, 2020
Client :
Nike (China)
Agency :
Nike
Agency :
Wieden & Kennedy-Shanghai
VP Marketing Greater China :
Steve Tsoi
Senior Creative Director :
Simon Lee
Brand Communications Senior Director :
Che Lin
Nike GC Creative Strategy Director :
Michael Chien
Assistant Creative Strategist :
Yuling Yao
Senior Art Director :
Lei Zhang
Senior Copywriter :
Nokkia Wang
Copy Manager :
Jimmy Chen
Executive Creative Director :
Ian Toombs
Executive Creative Director :
Vivian Yong
Creative Director :
Jeff Fang
Creative Director :
Matt Meszaros
Senior Creative :
Josh King
Senior Creative :
Michael Mcguire
Art Director :
Zhong How
Copywriter :
Gem Xu
Executive Producer :
Bernice Wong
Senior Producer :
Fang Yuan
Head of Planning :
Renee Zhang
Senior Planner :
Jennings Liu
Head of Account :
Elvis Li
Account Director :
Chuck Xu
Account Manager :
Yuting Zhang
Account Executive :
Larry Zhong
Business Affairs :
Jessica Deng
Business Affairs :
Kathy Zhan
Head of Designer :
Fish Ho
Designer :
John Yao
Production :
Division
Executive Producer :
Jules De Chateleux
Executive Producer :
Ay Wei Wong
Director :
Francois Rousselet
Producer :
Areta Mak
Line Producer :
Ser Ping Lee
Production Manager :
Zhang Ye
1st Assistant Director :
Jo Chan
Stylist :
Avivi Wang
Asst. Stylist :
Ling Li
Art Director :
Hsiao Shu Chang
Assistant Art Director :
Kuan Li Huang
DOP :
Li Dong Jun
Focus Puller :
Wang Jun Hui
Gaffer :
Wang Jin Dong
Grip :
Eric Xi
Casting :
Xu Chen Jie
Casting :
Sun Yi Tong
Casting :
Ariel
Directed by :
Francois Rousselet
Producer :
Jules De Chateleux
Line Producer :
Lola Burelle
Illustrator :
Yue Wu
Ink artist :
Stephane Levallois
Ink assistant :
Arthur Sevestre
DOP :
Amine Berrada
1st AC :
Martin Robiquet
Photo Assistant :
Gabin Roux
Location Manager :
Michael Richez
Key Grip :
François Dupuis
Gaffer :
Romain Mosti
Post Production :
Trim Editing
Producer :
Noreen Khan
Editor :
Vid Price
Post Production :
Mathematic
Executive Producer :
Guillaume Marien
Executive Creative Producer :
Rebecca Rice
Illustrator :
Yue Wu
Background Illustrator / Ink Choreographer :
Stephane Levallois
Line Producer :
Nadège Moreau
Line Producer :
Sebastián Eyherabide
Project Supervisor :
Emeric Samier
Lead Animator :
Bishoy Gendi
Animator :
Hozen Britto
Animator :
Peter Lowey
Animator :
Reg Isaac
Animator :
Chiara Sgatti
Animator :
Pierre Rütz
Animator :
Xavi Siria
Animator :
Joe Cheng
Animator :
Marianne Le Moigne
Animator :
Adeline Jactat
Animator :
Rémi Bastie
Animator :
Chloé Hamon
Animator :
Boris Belghiti
Animator :
Clara Estable
Animator :
Clemence Drion
Animator :
David Bradshaw
Lead Compositing :
Daniel Rodrigues
Compositing Artist :
Emeric Samier
Compositing Artist :
Bertrand Avril
Compositing Artist :
Arnaud Laplace
Compositing Artist :
Vincent Ewald
Compositing Artist :
Julien Michel
Compositing Artist :
David Pelletier
Compositing Artist :
Astrid Tessier
Lead Flame Artist :
Clément Germain
Flame Artist :
Hugo Aymerich
Flame Artist :
Greg Langlois
Post Producer :
Rachel Zhao
Post Producer :
Sasha Pace
Shooting Supervisor :
Barry Greaves
Colorist :
Ricky Gausis
Colorist :
Nikola Stefanovic
Online Artist :
Eason Wu
Producer :
Min Fei Xu
Online Artist :
Ying Qi Liu
Audio House :
Lime
Executive Producer :
Susie Boyajan
Sound Design :
Rohan Young
Mixing :
Joel Waters
Asst. Mix Engineer :
Collin Thomas
Audio House :
HUSH
Executive Producer :
Bonie Wu
Sound Engineer :
Eson Wang

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