Telling this story proposed several interesting challenges:

- finding stories that were diverse in location, experience and subject matter
- authenticity was key, but we also needed to incorporate the Raptors and Subway brands, so we needed to connect brand and content seamlessly, while also ensuring some elements were brand agnostic (ie athletic gear on students)
- timing was tight: we had 2.5 months from greenlight to delivery

We proposed several creative solutions:

- the Raptors brand is about energy and heroism. We crafted a series structure that turned our fans into the hero, with hyper-stylized portrait shots at the top of each episode
- each episode showcased the unique stories of our participants while also highlighting the beauty and unique landscapes of where they lived in Canada (shot on location)

- we put together a small video crew that could travel across Canada, ensuring consistency of style, gear and direction
- Producer Caitie worked closely with each subject closely, to create a strong rapport, so the subject was comfortable throughout the process and the crew could have full access to their daily life

- each episode was delivered in a variety of formats for social, along with teasers and cutdowns to create a “digital breadcrumbs” for Subway to hype up the releases

The series launched in November both in-stadium and on social to the Raptors and Subway’s 10 million+ fans and followers. The series was such a success for both clients, that MLSE has engaged Bonfire on several upcoming, large-scale projects - including a 5th episode featuring Toronto superfans and Scottie Barnes!

Credits
Producer: Caitie Drewery  
Director: Zach Derhodge
DOP: Steven Field
Editor: Mark Edwards
Special Thanks: the MLSE team