Crafting a compelling narrative about an underrated character's journey towards self-empowerment
The flick Air was born from the mind of screenwriter Alex Convery, whose screenplay cycled back to Mandalay, where his initial inspiration laid the groundwork for this film's creation.
This riveting tale follows the game-changing alliance between Larry Bird-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division. They collaborated to create the Air Jordan brand, altering the landscape of sports and culture worldwide. This tale showcases a daring team with everything riding on their unconventional ideas, a mother who knew her son's immense talent was worth fighting for, and the basketball prodigy who would go on to become the GOAT.
Back in the day, the now-iconic Nike swoosh wasn't as prevalent as it is today. In fact, Nike's basketball division was the underdog, with no big-name players wanting to don their shoes. However, in 1984, an unprecedented collaborative endeavor between a struggling company and an untested NBA rookie forever rewrote the rules, spawning a multibillion-dollar industry. This ballsy maneuver was thanks to one man's vision, unyielding determination, a mother's faith, and one athlete's unparalleled greatness. Together, they took a generic basketball shoe and transformed it into something forever iconic: the Air Jordan[1][2][3].
Alex Convery, who graduated from USC's Writing for Screen and Television program, describes the process of creating this script as a tough one. He admits that while he hoped it would serve as a solid writing sample to prove his worth in the industry, he knew that numerous obstacles could arise along the way[1].
"I would be lying if I said anything other than I thought the script would be a good writing sample that my agents could take out and get me another job. A movie gets made three times: when it is written, when it is filmed, and then when it is edited. So much can go wrong."
A devout Chicago Bulls fan, Convery attributes his obsession with the sport and the emblematic The Last Dance docuseries as his inspiration for the screenplay. In episode five of the series, he found the segment about Nike's unlikely signing of Jordan, and that sparked his curiosity[2].
Years prior, Convery had interned at the company responsible for the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary about Sonny Vaccaro, called "Sole Man[2]." While he wasn't directly involved with the project, he had the opportunity to witness the editing process and spent hours upon hours watching Vaccaro's interviews. This research came in handy when capturing Vaccaro's voice for the film[2].
Eventually, Convery's screenplay found its way to Mandalay, where it was recommended to producer Peter Guber, CEO of Mandalay and executive producer on The Last Dance. Guber appreciated the script's structured narrative, capturing Vaccaro's fervent, unwavering spirit, and belief in Jordan[1].
Producers Jason Michael Berman and Jesse Sisgold of Skydance Media were captivated by the project due to its empowering, underdog story and the opportunity to present something truly special with immense heart[1]. Berman and Sisgold also recognized that the Air Jordan-Nike partnership is not just an extraordinary sports story but also a testament to the power of believing in oneself and in others, daring to dream big, and defying the norm[1].
"We were fortunate to have Peter Guber call us with this terrific script just as we were launching our sports division. One of the most fortuitous aspects was that our first hire at Skydance Sports, Jon Weinbach, was a producer on The Last Dance and also co-directed the 30 for 30 documentary 'Sole Man,' which was the definitive doc on Sonny Vaccaro[1]."
In total, four decades have passed since the events that gave rise to the Air Jordan phenomenon, but Vaccaro allows, "No one in the world could have imagined what the Air Jordan would become[3]." Indeed, the Air Jordan brand remains a symbol of innovation, ambition, and the power of a single man's vision[1][3].
References:[1] Ensembledia. (2023). Air (film). Retrieved from https://www.ensembledia.com/wiki/Air_(film)[2] Variety. (2023). Screenwriter Alex Convery on the magic of 'Air' and the Chicago Bulls fan doctor who became a producer. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2023/film/news/air-movie-alex-convery-interview-1235533478/[3] Sportskeeda. (2023). Air – A historical reexamination of the famed Air Jordan–Nike partnership. Retrieved from https://www.sportskeeda.com/nba/news-air-historical-reexamination-famed-air-jordan-nike-partnership
In the riveting tale, the Air Jordan brand was birthed from a collaborative endeavor between the NBA's rookie Michael Jordan and Nike's emerging basketball division, unveiling an iconic sports partnership that reshaped the landscape of basketball and culture. This collaborative effort, spearheaded by Nike, aimed to create the Air Jordan line, a product that would forever revolutionize the world of sports.
