Write a short summary of what happens in the film

“Real Nice” is a one-of-a-kind music collaboration between three of Australia’s hottest young artists - TKay Maidza, Young Franco, and Nerve; each with a connection to football. Born out of our creative platform “Here Come the Future”, the music video tells the story of two of the A-League’s most exciting emerging players: Jada Whyman: talented First Nations Goalkeeper whose dream is to inspire indigenous youth. Marco Tilio: a dynamic striker, in spite of being one of the shortest players in the league, has become one of its best. A platform for football focused creative collaboration, the film features some of Australia’s best up-and-coming artists, illustrators and animators. Cameos tap into fan and football culture with a guest appearance from the much-loved commentator Simon Hill. It’s a piece of culture intended to connect the next generation to the A-Leagues, inspiring them to play their own way - on and off the

Cultural / Context information for the jury

The A-Leagues are the highest level of professional association football in Australia, having been established in 2004. Despite possessing a passionate fandom, A-Leagues attendances have declined year-on-year since 2014 and viewership each year since 2018. As a professional league it generates the least dollars per fan of all Australia’s major codes, lagging behind larger, ‘traditionally Australian’ sports like the AFL, NRL and Cricket. ‘Real Nice’ is part of a wider movement to reinvigorate and reinvent the A-Leagues as a brand reflective of Australia’s next generation. By leveraging football’s unique connection with youth culture - in music, fashion, gaming, and beyond - the A-Leagues is seizing a headstart on attracting Australia’s young taste-makers and trend-setters; future watchers, buyers and participants that will power the game for years to come.

Explain how the work innovatively used the film medium.

In Australia, youth audiences hate free-to-air tv but are more in love with video content than ever. We knew film would be a powerful way to connect with new fans BUT broadcast would fail to reach them. Rather than another 30sec ad, we looked to the genre of music video to create a three minute piece of culture that would last beyond any media buy. Instead of a rigid script, we utilised film as a canvas for creative collaboration. Beyond musicians, Serwah Attafuah, digital artist, Tom Stone, animator, Sam Whiteside, lighting artist, and Masterbucks, a gamer all came to the party. This collaboration was an innovation in itself, utilising technology platforms to shoot and edit the track and video remotely while in lockdown. The film became a springboard for participation and conversation on digital platforms - performances by influencers like, The Xhan and Kusini Yengi, sparking co-creation on tik tok.