‘Where I’m From’ Locates the Real Brooklyn Through Anthony Jamari Thomas’ Lens
LBB> Tell us a little bit about the AWAKE x Jordan collaboration. What does it mean to work with such an iconic brand and how did you combine it with AWAKE’s identity?
Angelo> It is a childhood dream coming to fruition to have the opportunity to work with the Jordan brand. Being a huge fan of MJ, sneaker and basketball culture as a brand owner, it is on my top three list of dream collaborations. Also to receive the validation from an iconic brand like Jordan—there is no way to quantify it in dollars. We are finally seen.
LBB> We heard that you reached out to Anthony Jamari Thomas directly to work on the campaign. What about his style encapsulates the spirit of the campaign, Brooklyn, and the two brands?
Angelo> I know this term is used a lot but I appreciate his rawness and the spirit that he captures on film. I first took notice of Anthony through his work with Barriers. His style reflects the city, it’s not always pretty at face value but, if you look a little deeper, you will appreciate the purity in the details and message.
LBB> Angelo Baque [AWAKE’s creative director] got in touch directly for this film. What was it like working with him and why do you think your directing style was the right one for this film?
Anthony> A serendipitous run-in which led to a very brief meeting, which blossomed into a few months of development to bring us to where we are now. Angelo is one of the most pointed folks I know, intentional yet collaborative, decisive and fearless - we knew we wanted to make something hard, upbeat but also light-hearted.
Anthony on set.
LBB> Angelo, what kind of brief did you come to Anthony with? What was the most important aspect for Anthony to capture and communicate visually, emotionally?
Angelo> There was no brief, our brief was in conversation. When I collaborate with a video director or photographer it always starts with a conversation. It’s like a first date, if you feel the connection in words there is no mood board that can compare to that. I know after that first conversation if we are speaking the same creative language.
LBB> Anthony, how did you feel after that first conversation with Angelo?
Anthony> Angelo slammed the sneakers (with love) on a desk and said: “We need to come hard and show Brooklyn forreal”. No tropes. No gimmicks. I was def nervous, holding that weight of building something for AWAKE’s first J, but the support was there from the start and the risk taking was given full flight.
LBB> The campaign’s accompanying short film is named ‘Where I’m From’ and the tagline is ‘A love letter to the birthplace of greatness: Brooklyn.’ There are two different Brooklyn’s in people’s imaginations - the generalised-exposed-brickwork-hipster one and the authentic one with a storied history. What’s your vision and experience of Brooklyn and how did this come through in the collaboration and campaign?
Angelo> Coming from Queens it pains me to admit but it doesn’t get any realer than to claim Brooklyn as your birth place. The borough is the literal birthplace of legends in the music, art, fashion, film and sports worlds. For us, we wanted to respect the borough through storytelling, it was of the utmost importance that we tapped into the Brooklyn community. I wanted us to say Brooklyn without having to spell it out. I know for a fact whether you lived in NYC or Tokyo, you felt the vibrations on your phone when watching the film.
Anthony> Brooklyn has that mystique, it’s a real player place. Being born here, I love the people, the stresses and the jams, the beauty of the folks and how we all manage to coalesce. I’ve learned a lot being raised there, absorbing my ills and the strengths that continue to influence my work—the power of a good storyteller, always respecting charisma and valuing the human voice.
LBB> The product shots are integrated effortlessly into the mood of the film. What did you want the film to say and what was your creative process in achieving it?
Anthony> We wanted to weave the product into the storyline in a ‘real’ way, minding how we integrated the merchandise seamlessly, and steering away from forcing the product onto our audience. I also really love the logo flip which feels fresh. Maybe I got a bit carried away but…I think we pulled it off well.
LBB> Colour and black and white shots are interspersed, giving the film a vintage, classic feel. Why did you decide to combine both techniques?
Anthony> In my photographic work, I lean more towards black and white tones, often shooting film and really working the look in post. It was a goal of mine to sneak some of this style in the story and, at the same time, give those plates texture, that a specific touch. I want to give Alex [Bickel, colourist] of Color Collective a specific shout for his willingness to experiment, my instructions were to “fry” the images and he turned it into something poetic. Thank you Jimmy!
LBB> Did you have any references or inspiration in mind for the film’s aesthetic?
Anthony> I took a few cues from 90’s music videos, also the energy and sensibility of Angelo’s previous collections. I listened to a tonne of Biggie working on this project and, funnily enough, a good amount of DJ Clark Kent records. I think that funk and the confidence you feel in the piece was informed by hip-hop, as well as our respective histories in NYC.
LBB> What was the actual shoot like - we’d love to know a bit about how it all came together.
Anthony> The shoot was high energy, from the first shot of the day to the last, it was high octane at every point. We had one central interior location serving as our hub. The BucketFam was also a vibe, I’m very grateful I was able to work with them and now have some young shooters to ball with. I’ll probably lose though!
LBB> What was your favourite part of working on this film?
Anthony> I thoroughly enjoyed the post production period, from tailoring the score, getting the colour just right, and running through several different versions to land on the sweet spot we needed to let it fly. I also enjoyed writing alongside the Awake team and we ran through a couple drafts; this project definitely has some lost tapes.
LBB> Finally, where should someone go if they want a true taste of Brooklyn?
Angelo> This is a trick question because it depends on what your vibe is. I’m going to avoid the food response and go for my place of inspiration, which is Coney Island. Nothing compares to a hot summer July Friday night on the boardwalk with fireworks going off at 9pm; there is doo-wop, salsa, hip-hop or house music blasting with people dancing freely. If you want a taste of Brooklyn, you will see me there this summer posted up with my family.
Anthony> I’m very biased but come to Bed-Stuy. You won’t regret it. The sun just hits different. Take a walk and, if you do, throw on B.I.G’s ‘Everyday Struggle’ or The Stylistics ‘Betcha By Golly’.
