Ahead of the hugely anticipated world heavyweight fight between Oleksandar Usyk and Anthony Joshua in Jeddah later this month, Whisper has produced and delivered a dramatic film to promote the event.
The defending WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight Champion, Usyk will look to retain his title against former two-time heavyweight Champion and Olympic Gold Medallist Joshua on Saturday 20 August in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in the re-match titled Rage on the Red Sea.
The promo tells the story of each fighter’s preparations, both in their homelands and then Jeddah. Its conclusion is set in the city’s Al-Balad district located in its historic old town and features both fighters coming face-to-face with over 300 local men and women looking on.
The film has been produced by Whisper’s branded entertainment team for Skill Challenge Entertainment and was shot over several locations in the UK and Jeddah.
For this project, the team wanted to capture the epic intensity of the year's biggest fight, as well as the unique backdrop that Jeddah provides. Working with industry leading director Dominic O'Riordan, whose CV includes creating commercial films for the likes of adidas, BAFTA, Nike and Visa, the promo brings to life the anticipation and excitement of the fight.
Working alongside local creative and production agencies, Whisper led a production crew of over 60, using Sony Venice cameras with Panavision B series anamorphic lenses to ensure a cinematic style.
"It was an amazing experience to work with Whisper and Skill Challenge Entertainment to create this film," said Director Dominic O’Riordan. “When I read the initial script, I was excited that we would see AJ and Usyk actually coming together for a face-off in the final scene. This is very rare in a boxing promo as you normally shoot the combatants separately. So, the chance to capture that moment in a very cinematic landscape was a really exciting opportunity.”
Jemma Goba, Head of Branded and Digital for Whisper added: “It’s an exciting time for the branded entertainment team at Whisper. We have had the chance to work on some amazing projects already this year and collaborate with incredibly talented people and it was fantastic to be able to bring together such a brilliant team for this film. We really aimed to capture both the drama and anticipation of the fight, alongside the historic and beautiful city of Jeddah, and I’m very proud of what we achieved.”
Led by Jemma Goba as Head of Branded and Digital, Whisper is expanding the breadth of the company’s commercial remit, using its impactful story-telling experience to create strong and creative content for brand campaigns, television commercials and rights-holders.
Whisper’s award-winning team already work with clients such as UBS, Red Bull, Barclays, Peloton, Manchester City and World Rugby, with whom it produced Whistle Watch which won Best Original Content at the 2021 Sport Broadcast Awards.
