I know these right hurr don't really have anything to do with the flick Just For Kicks. However, they do have to do with sneakers...
First up, a commercial/music video for a French shoe store called Kickers, with a remix of Chormeo's "Fancy Footwork" by CSS. So lets do the math: sweet French commercial + Chromeo + CSS = The jumpoff... (PS: Thanks to TheTapeIsNotSticky.Com for the deliciousness)
Next, we got a track by A-Trak Featuring Lupe Fiasco called "My Sneakers." The track's been out and about for a while, but I still dig...
Just For Kicks tells the incredible tale of the transformation of the ever popular fashion accesory: the sneaker. Along with producer, Alex Stapleton, directors Thibaut De Longeville and Lisa Leone embark on a journey, interviewing celebrities, hip-hop legends, businessmen and sneaker collecters, to explain the history of the sneaker, from its basic use as an athletic tool to its representation of Hip-Hop and B-Boy cool, culminating with its domination in the popular fashion market. Having seen the film, I will gladly say that Just For Kicks is certainly "dope boy fresh."
About the filmmakers: Thibaut De Longeville is the head of 360, a communications firm in Paris, France, responsible for producing creative content for many entertainment giants, such as Nike, MTV and Universal. De Longeville has an eclectic background, with experience in journalism, graphic design and music video directing. Just For Kicks is De Longeville's first feature length documentary. Lisa Leone began her carrer as a celebrity photographer, shooting many artists such as Moby and Spike Lee, but her background lies mainly as a cinematographer, having shot several independent features such as The Motel (2005) and Dirt (2003). Leone worked for Stanley Kubrick as Second Unit Director for the master's final film, Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Just For Kicks marks her feature-length documentary debut.
The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 23, 2005 and played in several smaller festivals, such as the Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival in New York, the New Jersey Film Festival, where it won the Best Documentary award, Hip Hop Mostra held in Sao Palo, Brazil, the San Fransisco Black Film Festival and The Hip Hop Film Festival (HHFF), a festival that tours the country throughout the year.
Originally created and produced as a straight-to-DVD project, executive producer Thierry Daher managed to secure international distribution. Image Entertainment had the rights to distribute in North America, Australia and New Zeland. Spike TV had the rights to air a shorter, 66 minute cut of the film on TV. StudioCanal secured DVD and broadcast rights to French-speaking Europe. The film had a theatrical run in Tokyo, Japan.
Critical reception for the film was lukewarm, at best. Variety critic Dennis Harvey calls the film "slick and stylish" and a "sharp package." However, Giovanni Fazzio from The Japan Times argues that filmmakers are "unaware of the ironies they're throwing up on the screen."
Fan reception, on the ohter hand, was fantastic. On Amazon.com, where people can chime in with their two cents, the film has a 4.5 star overall review. Eric Straus assures those who love sneakers will have "a love affair with this movie." Helen Chan Shum writes "this is a great movie for anyone," and Jon Marrin raves "this is top of the notch and no other film can document this movement as well as it was documented in Just for Kicks."
The DVD of Just For Kicks, released by Image Entertainment, was released on June 6, 2006. The disc includes over two hours of extended interview footage with subjects found in the film, such as hip-hop legend Rev. Run, hip-hop mogul Russel Simmons, Nike Air Jordan Designer Tinker Hatfield and many more. It can be purchased HERE.
Some of the "collateral" can be seen below:
Film Poster:
The film did not have a theatrical trailer, since it was originaly produced as a straight-to-DVD project. Instead, the official website for the film, which can be found HERE, had an array of exclusive clips at your disposal. Here is one of the clips from the website:
RUN-DMC's "My Adidas" story:
A press release for the film/DVD can be reached HERE.
While the lack of a theatrical trailer hurts, the poster and website do a wonderful job of catching the eye of the audience. The poster appeals to fans of sneakers, but with the list of people who participate in the film being so varied, the appeal of the film grows to encompass hip-hop fans, basketball fans and fashion fans as well.
The marketing for the film was ingenious. The film went on a cross-country tour, screening the film and having a party afterwards, with a DJ set, raflles for sneakers and artists customizing visitors sneakers. The film was not only released to major retailers, such as Amazon.com, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble, but it was also sold at various sneaker outlets, such as Champs Sports and Foot Locker, with an attached $10 coupon to use at the store. Even crazier, the producers of Just For Kicks got in toch with Adidas, who agreed to produce a couple dozen "Just For Kicks" kicks! Peep them below:
The marketing team did a bang up job at generating buzz not only for its core audience of sneakers and hip-hop fans (with DJs and personal customizing of sneakers) but fashion fans as well (the customized sneakers, raffle of sneakers and limited edition Just For Kicks shoes). All their plans worked wonders for producers, distributers and the fans.
In the end, Just For Kicks turned from a straight-to-DVD project to sensation in the independent documentary film world. With a subject matter that a variety of people enjoy and inventive marketing tactics, Just For Kicks became a successful darling in the independent film community.
