adidas Run Your Crew

Ready. Set. Go, go, go! This job for adidas through Andpeople, was as fast-paced as it was fun. The MMMob photographed the Run Your Crew race by streetlight, and with quick slinging camera skills.

The Brief

adidas South Africa hosted Run Your Crew in Jozi. This niche event was especially for urban runners, inviting local and international running crews to do a circuit through the city’s CBD. The event wasn’t exactly competitive, but more about the community of running. And at the finish line, an epic street party would be waiting for the sweaty bunch, complete with bars, food stands and live music. The MMMob was brought in by adidas’ agency AndPeople, to photograph the good, fit fun before, during and after the race. From there, it needed to be edited and sent onto their digital team, for social media distribution.

The MMMob Approach

This fast shooting, and even faster social media syndication, is what MMM is known for, and we knew exactly how to execute this task. First, a Photographer who knew how to capture action was needed. Desmond Louw, a sports sharpshooter was the man for the job. His wingman, MMMob Boss Thoban who multi-tasked as Creative Director, Field Producer and Client Liaison.

The two-man crew needed a steed which could keep up with the speed, and so they requested a flatbed bakkie, which they could setup on. The plan was to keep a steady 5-10 metres between the camera, and the race leaders.

On race day, groups were geared in costumes, and before the gun was fired at sunset, stretching was done en masse. As night swept over the city streets, the runners wove their way through the route, and MMM captured all the action from the back of the bakkie. Desmond had two cameras strapped across his body, gunslinger style. Thoban manned a boom with a flash attached to the end of it, lighting up shots with the swing of this ingenious hack. The safety harnesses requested, weren’t provided, so bungee cords were used instead, and along the way things got hairy when Desmond lost his footing on a sudden turn over a bridge. Thoban grabbed him by his belt, and Desmond got to shoot another day. Phew.

MMM had a Photo Editor setup at the finish line. All through the race, the Editor was being fed a constant stream of raw content, via a scooter which shuttled between the bakkie and the pop-up studio. Once the first fitness junkies crossed the finish, Des took over the edit, going between the desk and the dancefloor of the Street Party, to shoot lifestyle content.