On gets off the track and onto the ice
A new film for sports brand On about athlete Akwasi Frimpong brings the pages of a graphic novel to life through the eyes of the children it aims to inspire.
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Credits
View on- Agency Client Direct
- Production Company Hungry Man
- Director Richard Bullock
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Credits
View on- Agency Client Direct
- Production Company Hungry Man
- Director Richard Bullock
- Production Company Creative Creatures
- Production Company Gatehouse Commercials
- Executive Producer Matt Buels
- Producer Hannah Stone
- Post Production/Music/Sound Heckler
- Animation Machines of Loving Grace
- Producer Jack Beardsley
- DP Theodore Tennant
- DP Devin Toselli
- Editor Andrew Holmes
- Producer Coralie Tapper
- Executive Producer Will Alexander
- Colorist Fergus Rotherham
- Audio Mixer Dave Robertson
- Composer Dustin Lau
- Executive Producer Bonnie Law
- Animation Brett McManus
- Illustrator Dean Mortensen
- Executive Producer Feliciano Robayna
- Producer Gessica Giulini
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Credits
powered by- Agency Client Direct
- Production Company Hungry Man
- Director Richard Bullock
- Production Company Creative Creatures
- Production Company Gatehouse Commercials
- Executive Producer Matt Buels
- Producer Hannah Stone
- Post Production/Music/Sound Heckler
- Animation Machines of Loving Grace
- Producer Jack Beardsley
- DP Theodore Tennant
- DP Devin Toselli
- Editor Andrew Holmes
- Producer Coralie Tapper
- Executive Producer Will Alexander
- Colorist Fergus Rotherham
- Audio Mixer Dave Robertson
- Composer Dustin Lau
- Executive Producer Bonnie Law
- Animation Brett McManus
- Illustrator Dean Mortensen
- Executive Producer Feliciano Robayna
- Producer Gessica Giulini
Following the remarkable story of Ghanaian Akwasi Frimpong, a speedy young African boy who, at the age of eight, moves to the Netherlands, this film is a triumph of style and content.
Based around a graphic novel rather than a script, Black Ice is a unique combination of live-action footage fused with graphic design and animation. The 10-minute film depicts Frimpong’s humble origins and arduous journey which forged his resilient spirit and ultimately transformed him into a symbol of modern Africa.
The film, which was written and directed by Richard Bullock and produced by Hungry Man and Swiss sportswear company On, tracks Frimpong from being a fast-running child in Africa, to a fast-running adolescent in Europe. Then, after injury strikes, the story moves to the US where Frimpong decides that his athletic future lies in winter sports and, ultimately, the skeleton bob.
After speaking with Frimpong, Bullock decided to approach the story in a completely different way. “Instead of a script or storyboard, I wrote down his story in the form of a graphic novel," he says. "I handed that to Dean Mortensen, my illustrator, who was tasked with bringing it to life." The book was animated by Brett McManus for the film and became a character in the film, forcing the filmmakers to think differently about all aspects of the production.
“Black Ice comprises a highly original storytelling technique that is the sum of its live-action and drawn elements that are rarely seen in a filmed production of this nature,” says Feliciano Robayna, Executive Producer and Head of Sports Marketing at On. “For a long time Akwasi’s dream was simply to make it to the Olympics. Despite all the setbacks, he soon saw the power of his achievements and what they could mean for Africa. He was no longer competing only for himself or a country, but for an entire continent.”
“My philosophy as a writer and director, particularly in the field of sports brands, has been to avoid portraying the athletes as superheroes," adds Bullock. "I’ve done a lot of work grounding athletes as real people. But Akwasi’s story lent itself so directly to the notion of a superhero I eventually gave in and went for it. The key difference between him and superheroes is he is actually real. His super power is resilience.”
Heartbreakingly, there is no place at this year’s winter games for Akwasi, who is unable to participate due to contracting Covid-19 over Christmas, with three qualifying races left. This meant he was unable to accumulate enough points to climb into the top 60 world ranking (he was ranked 63rd at the time of his positive test) that would have given him a 2022 Games berth. Yet, where others might take this as a sign to give up, conversations have already started as to whether he should try for the 2026 Olympics.
“Everyone who worked on Black Ice got inspired by Akwasi and his resilience and optimism," Bullock concludes. "I think we all took something positive away from the experience, and I loved making this film.”
