On Set: Bafic Shoots Converse x A-COLD-WALL*

15 September 2020

We join creative visionary Bafic on set to get a behind-the-scenes look at the Converse x ACW* campaign and to talk process, collaboration, and creative ideation.

On Set: Bafic Shoots Converse x A-COLD-WALL*

Inspired by Britain's underground street culture and vivid landscapes, Converse taps Samuel Ross of A-COLD-WALL* as their latest collaborator, coming together to unveil a rugged capsule which collides the worlds of basketball, brutalism, and the brutality of nature itself.

Presented in ACW*'s signature house codes, the collection infuses Converse's long-standing sporting legacy and Ross' singular creative vision resulting in an entirely unique drop which includes two sneaker styles and a small range of workwear-inspired apparel. Finding artistic inspiration in rare natural elements and the processes of erosion and fossilisation, Samuel Ross applies his industrial design prowess to create a collaborative collection which is raw, refined, and ready to weather anything.

Enter Bafic: a cross-discipline creative practitioner and highly acclaimed voice in fashion film. A frequent collaborator of brands running the gamut from Gucci and Louis Vuitton to Nike and Off-White, Bafic was tasked to put his own spin on the Converse x A-COLD-WALL* collection; tapping into Ross' creative energy and interpreting it through his own unique lens.

Invited by Converse to go behind-the-scenes and spend the day with Bafic on set, END. explores creativity behind the curtain and talks to the filmmaker about process, creative ideation, and working with ACW*.

What was the initial vision for the Converse x ACW* campaign? What do the beginning stages of your creative process look like?

The initial vision was to make something systemic and clinical because that's what the collaboration feels like to me and I needed to think of a way to frame it. Something that kept on coming up was this theory by Nick Bostrom written in 2003 that we’re living in a simulation. 17 years old but still feels very potent today. The beginning process is me extracting as much information as possible from Converse and ACW* - both literally and trawling the internet reading things.

How much of your work is done in the planning stages versus how much is being adaptable and reactive to the realities of being on set?

It depends on the project at hand. Some projects need lots of preparation and other things require that you’re really loose and fluid on the day.

Where do you look for inspiration for your video work?

Life, books, conversations, films, memes, memes, MEMES! Conversations with friends, everything and everywhere.

As a creative, you have a history of shooting with the tech that you have available to you, utilising camera phones to create films for instance. How does working with industry-leading gear affect your process now?

I’ve shot with phones in the past as the project at hand needed to be seen through the lens of a camera phone. Some things need to be seen through the lens of a cinema camera. My process remains the same.

This shoot for Converse x ACW* seemed to differ to your usual handheld work, appearing to be quite technical at times, requiring precise camera, prop and model placement. Do you have a preference for a particular way of working?

No, I do not have a preference. Style is the death of creativity.

Why did you want to work with Converse and A-COLD-WALL*?

It’s a great marriage. Converse is an iconic brand that has an iconic heritage. ACW* is a contemporary brand that takes things from the past and presents them in a future context.