FKA twigs Directed Facebook's Olympics Ad About Skateboarding

FKA twigs—musician, dancer and star of notable marketing efforts for Apple and WeTransfer, among others—goes behind the camera to direct a short film for Facebook, one of four ads from the social networking giant that will run during NBC’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics.

Developed with Droga5, the campaign focuses on skateboarding, which makes its Olympic debut this year.

Promoting the Facebook App, “Longboard Family” presents vibrant scenes of freestyle skate-dancing on the streets of Seoul, Barcelona and Los Angeles. (It’s a neat fit for twigs—who knows a thing or two about putting bodies in motion.)

Arriving as the Games and Facebook both navigate bumps in the road, the work casts the company as a facilitator of human connection, spanning the globe to tell stories of folks who embrace boarding as a way of life (though no Olympians appear).

“Skateboarding is a grassroots sport and culture, centered around connection and community,” says Facebook VP of global marketing Andrew Stirk. “This work celebrates the authentic stories of skaters using our platforms to find each other, broaden the culture, and push the sport forward.”

Elsewhere in the campaign, acclaimed commercial filmmaker Juan Cabral helms “Once Upon a Time Everywhere,” which makes impressive use of surreal slow-motion photography to tout Facebook’s Oculus VR headsets:

Yann Demange shot “No Comply,” examining a trademark trick immortalized across Instagram:

“Skate Nation Ghana,” from a directing collective led by Daniel Wolfe, spotlights Facebook’s reach as a social driver and agent for change. In the mini-doc, we meet Ghanian boarder Joshua Odamtten, whose passion for the sport—fed by Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and other FB offerings—knows no bounds:

“The skateboarding debut at the Olympics this summer felt like the perfect moment to tell stories about how the sport has evolved to become more inclusive,” says Droga5 co-creative lead Felix Richter. From a brand perspective, the ads seek “to illustrate the role Facebook’s suite of apps have played–helping people find each other in sports and beyond–to build great things,” he says.

CREDITS

Facebook “We Change The Game When We Find Each Other”

Agency Droga5 NY
Creative Chairman David Droga
Co-Chief Creative Officer Felix Richter
Co-Chief Creative Officer Tim Gordon
Group Creative Director Thom Glover
Creative Director Paul Meates
Creative Director Tobias Carlson
Creative Director Jonas Wittenmark
Senior Copywriter Nico Baumann
Senior Art Director Inna Kofman
Art Director Macaihah Broussard
Copywriter Nate Richards
Art Director Sarah Karabibergian
Copywriter Benjamin Hinamanu
Executive Design Director Rich Greco
Design Director Daniel Pulito
Designer Kenisha Rullan
Designer Adrian Koenigsberg
Junior Designer Calen Chung
Executive Producer, Film Mike Hasinoff
Senior Producer, Film (Facebook company) Leah Donnenberg
Associate Producer, Film (Facebook company) Imani Dixon
Senior Producer, Film (Instagram) Mateo Suarez
Producer, Film (Instagram) Stephanie Hill
Senior Producer, Film (Oculus) Dustin Grant
Producer, Film (Oculus) William Herrick
Senior Producer, Film (Facebook App) Benjy Greenberg
Producer, Film (Facebook App, Instagram) Sasha Pace
Associate Producer, Film Bianca Ocampo
Associate Producer, Film Lauren Bautista
Senior Music Supervisor Mike Ladman
Music Supervisor Sarah Tembeckjian
Music Supervisor Brandy Ricker
Interactive Production Director Tasha Cronin
Senior Producer, Interactive Ian Graetzer
Senior Business Affairs Manager Paul Van Dorpe
Celebrity Talent Relations Lead & Sr. BA Manager Whitney Vose
Senior Traffic Manager Wendy Kaplan
Talent Manager May Chee
Chief Brand Strategy Officer Harry Román-Torres
Group Strategy Director Diana Gonzalez
Strategy Director Emily Pfitzinger
Senior Strategist Britt Lynch
Strategist Isaiah Brown
Group Communications Strategy Director Elizabeth Hartley
Communications Strategy Director Patrick Fahey
Senior Communications Strategist Chris Wiegand
Junior Communications Strategist Jared Randle
Chief Knowledge Officer Andy Littlewood
Senior Data Strategist Daria Koren
Senior Data Strategist Rosa Zhang
Data Strategist Sean La’Bro0y
Group Account Director Jess Kingsberry
Group Account Director Caitlin Patrick
Account Director Gabrielle Barbuto
Account Director Marissa Guerra
Account Supervisor Hayley Howell
Account Supervisor Roxy Alberts
Account Supervisor Guillermo Betancourt
Associate Manager Anna Ferrel
Associate Manager Vanessa Foinquinos
Project Manager Christine DiStasio

Facebook :: Skate Nation Ghana

Client Facebook
CMO Alex Schultz
VP Global Company Marketing Andrew Stirk
VP Marketing Insights Rick Malins
Head of Creative, Facebook company Tom Markham
Brand Marketing Director Jasmine Summerset-Karcie
Brand Marketing Manager Ambra Duncan
Brand Strategist Josh Cleveland
Director, Strategic Media Planning Radhika Narang
Strategic Media Planning Jessica Lewis
Strategic Media Planning Nick Mejia
Marketing Research Manager Lizi Cruz
Marketing Researcher Sean Krimmel
Brand Marketing Manager, Facebook App Reid Prichard
Integrated Consumer Marketing Manager, Instagram Lauren Starr
Brand Marketing Lead, WhatsApp Bosco Zubiaga Delclaux
Integrated Marketing Manager, Messenger Ramon Luis Rodriguez
Production Strategist, Creative X Julian Katz
Consumer Communications Bjorn Trowery
Attorney Richard Ronald

Facebook / Facebook App :: Longboard Family

Client Facebook / Facebook App
CMO Alex Schultz
VP Global Company Marketing Andrew Stirk
VP Marketing Insights Rick Malins
Head of Creative, Facebook company Tom Markham
Creative Director Garrett Jones
Brand Marketing Director Jasmine Summerset-Karcie
Brand Marketing Manager Ambra Duncan
Consumer Marketing Lead, Facebook App Emily Raman
Brand Marketing Manager, Facebook App Reid Prichard
Brand Strategist Josh Cleveland
Brand Marketing Manager Kaitlin Giannetti
Director, Strategic Media Planning Radhika Narang
Strategic Media Planning Jessica Lewis
Strategic Media Planning Nick Mejia
Marketing Research Manager Lizi Cruz
Marketing Researcher Sean Krimmel
Production Strategist, Creative X Julian Katz
Consumer Communications Manager Bjorn Trowery
Attorney Richard Ronald

Facebook / Instagram :: No Comply

Client Facebook / Instagram
CMO Alex Schultz
VP Global Company Marketing Andrew Stirk
VP Marketing Insights Rick Malins
Head of Creative, Facebook company Tom Markham
Head of Creative, Instagram Sue Anderson
Creative Director, Instagram Chris Parson
Brand Marketing Director Jasmine Summerset-Karcie
Brand Marketing Manager Ambra Duncan
Brand Marketing Manager Gregory Paige
Integrated Consumer Marketing Manager, Instagram Lauren Starr
Brand Strategist Josh Cleveland
Director, Strategic Media Planning Radhika Narang
Strategic Media Planning Jessica Lewis
Strategic Media Planning Nick Mejia
Marketing Research Manager Lizi Cruz
Marketing Researcher Sean Krimmel
Production Strategist, Creative X Julian Katz
Consumer Communications Bjorn Trowery
Attorney Richard Ronald

Facebook / Oculus :: Once Upon A Time Everywhere

Client Facebook
CMO Alex Schultz
VP Global Company Marketing Andrew Stirk
VP Marketing Insights Rick Malins
Head of Creative, Facebook company Tom Markham
Chief Creative Officer, Facebook Reality Labs Josh Higgins
Brand Marketing Director Jasmine Summerset-Karcie
Brand Marketing Manager Ambra Duncan
Brand Strategist Josh Cleveland
Brand Strategy Manager Victoria Ekwenuke
Production Strategist, Creative X Julian Katz
Producer, Facebook Reality Labs Brian Coate
Director, Brand Strategy Kerry Antos
Head of Integrated Marketing, Facebook Reality Labs Chelsey Susin Kantor
Director, Strategic Media Planning Radhika Narang
Strategic Media Planning Jessica Lewis
Strategic Media Planning Nick Mejia
Consumer Communications Bjorn Trowery
Paralegal Richard Daniels

Facebook :: Pass the Board

CMO Alex Schultz
VP Global Company Marketing Andrew Stirk
VP Marketing Insights Rick Malins
Head of Creative, Facebook company Tom Markham
Head of Creative, WhatsApp Rodrigo Moran
Head of Design Zach Stubenvoll
Creative Director, Facebook company Mariano Cassisi
Creative Director, Instagram Chris Parson
Creative Director, Facebook app Garrett Jones
Art Director Bryan Evans
Copywriter Shloimy Notik
Art Director Montell Pera
Copywriter Don Wilhelm
Creative Director, Design Maria Wan
Designer Toga Cox
Designer Jordan Honnête
Motion Designer Jerod Wanner
Director of Program Management Jenn Cook
Marketing Program Manager, Sarah Albertelli
Marketing Program Manager Mary Lahey
Production Strategist, Creative X Julian Katz
Executive Producer, Creative X Mustafa Imam
Producer, Creative X Amy Yvonne Yu
Producer, Creative X Kat Friis
Producer, Creative X Lucy Alt Clark
Business Affairs Manager Lauren Judelson
Business Affairs Chloe Kwok
Business Affairs Emily Kahn
Brand Marketing Director Jasmine Summerset-Karcie
Brand Marketing Manager Ambra Duncan
Social Marketing Manager Nicole Ada
Brand Strategist Josh Cleveland
Strategic Media Planning Jessica Lewis
Strategic Media Planning Nick Mejia
Marketing Research Manager Lizi Cruz
Marketing Researcher Sean Krimmel
Continued below with production partners

INC

Production Company Love Song
Director Bafic, Elliott Power, Justyna Obasi
Executive Producer Daniel Wolfe
Director of Photography Deepa Keshvala, Robbie Ryan
Managing Partner Kelly Bayett
Executive Producer Emily Skinner
Controller Justin Bayett
Producer Jewel Estephanos
1st Assistant Director Kenneth Taylor
Stylist Bee Diamondhead
Producer Designer Tony Prince Tomety
Art Work Daniel Anum Jasper

Service Company Monkey Films (South Africa)
Executive Producer Clare van Zyl
Producer Phillip Killingbeck

Service Company Sun Up To Sun Down Africa (Ghana)
Producer Yaw Amponsah Apenteng

Editorial Cut & Run
Editor Paul Watts, Scot Crane
Assistant Editor Eli Beck-Gifford
Executive Producer Marcia Wigley

Research & Clearances Nickerson Research

Post Production, Color Framestore London
Colorist Simon Bourne
Senior Color Producer Chris Anthony

Post Production, VFX The Mill London
Creative Director Dan Williams
Executive Producer Clare Melia
Producer Matt Squires
2D Lead Artist Carl Norton
Finish Artist Adam Maynard, David Wishart, James Pratt, Matthew (Wispy) Clarke
AFX Artist Kwok Lam, Chris Shone
Roto Supervisor Mayur Amrutkar
Paint Supervisor Makarand Patel

Title Design Daniel Anum Jasper

Music Supervision Curation Music
Managing Partner Sunny Kapoor

Music
Ebo Taylor – “Heaven”
Marijata – “Break Through”
Bryte – “Mama Dey Party”
O’Kenneth – “Agyeiwaa” (featuring Reggie x City Boy)

Sound Design Barking Owl
Sound Designer Gus Koven
Managing Partner Kelly Bayett
Executive Producer Ashley Benton

Sound Mix Wave Studios
Mixer Ed Downham, Aaron Reynolds, Isaac Matus
Executive Producer Vicky Ferraro
Producer Eleni Giannopoulos, Beth Tomblin

Facebook APP

Production Company Object & Animal
Director FKA twigs
Director of Photography Stuart Winecoff
Director of Photography (Seoul) Corey C. Waters
Camera Operator Myron Mance
Executive Producer Morgan Clement, Emi Stewart
Line Producer Stine Moisen (LA), Alex Chamberlain (Barcelona & Seoul)
Choreographer Mike Tyus, Joy Isabella Brown
Wardrobe Stylist Karolyn Pho
Director’s Assistant Tristan Breed

Editorial Rock Paper Scissors
Editor Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
Assistant Editor Alex Liu
Executive Producer Eve Kornblum
Producer Lisa Barnable

Research & Clearances Nickerson Research

Post Production, Color Company 3
Senior Colorist Joseph Bicknell
Producer Anna Kelman

Post Production, VFX MPC London
Creative Director Alex Lovejoy
Senior VFX Producer Ryan Hancocks
VFX Supervisor Ed Taylor
VFX Artist Justin Braun, Nick Slade, Paul Hunt, Zeki DorOndun, Amy Smith, Barry Chapman, Emma Tyler, Mithun Alex

Music
Brent Faiyaz – “Dead Man Walking”
Strings Arrangement Robin Hannibal

Title Design Sawdust
Designer Rob Gonzalez, Jonathan Quainton

Sound Design & Mix Ballad
Sound Designer & Mixer Philip Nicolai Flindt, Adrian Aurelius
Executive Producer Gregers Maersk Moeller

IG

Production Company Reset Content
Director Yann Demange
Director of Photography Jess Hall
Camera Operator Myron Mance
Executive Producer Jen Beitler, Deannie O’Neil
Producer Veronica Madrigal

2nd Unit Production Company Twenty First City (Tokyo)
Director of Photography Ben Parrot
Executive Producer Georgina Pope

Editorial Work Editorial
Editor Rich Orrick
Assistant Editor Chris O’Brien, Maria Cunningham
Executive Producer Erica Thompson
Head of Production Alejandra Alarcon
Producer Samara Kelly

Research & Clearances Nickerson Research

Post Production Blacksmith
Executive Producer Charlotte Arnold
Producer Sophie Mitchell
Colorist Mikey Pehanich
Color Assist Sam Howells
VFX Supervisor Tom Bussell
Lead 3D Artist Olivier Varteressian
Lead Compositor Daniel Morris
Compositor Robert Bruce, Yebin Ahn
Designer Pierce Gibson

Title Design Sawdust
Designer Rob Gonzalez, Jonathan Quainton

Music
Laake – “Come”

Sound Design & Mix Lime Studios
Sound Designer & Mixer Rohan Young
Assistant Engineer Jeremy Nichols
Executive Producer Susie Boyajan
Producer Samantha Sotomura

OCULUS

Production Company MJZ
Director Juan Cabral
Director of Photography Shabier Kirchner
Executive Producer Emma Wilcockson
Producer James Blom

Editorial Work Editorial
Editor Neil Smith
Assistant Editor Joseph Tuzzolino
Executive Producer Erica Thompson
Head of Production Alejandra Alarcon
Producer Malia Rose & Chandler Raub

Post Production, Color MPC London
Senior Colorist Jean-Clement Soret
Head of Colour Grading Production – London & Europe Ellora Chowdhury

Post Production, VFX Blacksmith
Executive Producer Charlotte Arnold
Producer Ashley Goodwin
VFX Shoot Supervisor Iwan Zwarts, Ben Kwok
Lead Compositor Ben Kwok
Compositors Hannah Wilk, Molly Intersimone, Thomas Panayiotou, Yebin Ahn, Tim Regan

Title Design Sawdust
Designer Rob Gonzalez, Jonathan Quainton

Music
Blood Orange – “Hadron Collider”
Blood Orange – “Nappy Wonder”
Blood Orange – “Charcoal Baby”

Sound Design & Mix 750mph
Sound Designer & Mixer Sam Ashwell
Executive Producer Jessica Ringshall
Producer Kristen Troy