New York/San Francisco-based content creation studio BODEGA’s Emmy Award-winning executive creative director Haley Geffen and Northern Lights editor Alan Chimenti once again team up with NBC Sports VP Creative Director/Director Tripp Dixon to take primetime’s number one show to the streets of Anywhere USA in an all-new open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football (SNF). The open features Carrie Underwood performing the SNF theme song, “Oh, Sunday Night,” and takes viewers on a trip through some of the most iconic streets of NYC, Atlanta, Denver and Pittsburgh, building up the excitement for Football’s biggest night. The energetic open features top NFL players including Antonio Brown, Derek Carr, Khalil Mack, Dont’a Hightower, Julio Jones, Travis Kelce, Von Miller, Patrick Peterson, Jason Pierre Paul and Dak Prescott and NBC Sports’ Cris Collinsworth, Al Michaels and Michele Tafoya. This is the sixth year that BODEGA has collaborated with NBC Sports on the opening, with ECD Haley Geffen earning a Sports Emmy for the 2013 open.
In the open, Underwood strides through the streets, guiding viewers through the cities as players, sportscasters and fans gather in excitement, rallying a crowd for a kinetic kickoff show. As the crowd continues to build, the players join Underwood on stage to amp up the energy for primetime’s top show for six consecutive seasons, with fans cheering for the show at an outdoor stage.
This was the first time that the open has been shot outdoors, filmed on Universal Studios’ backlot in Hollywood, delivering a refreshed energy and vitality to get fans excited for the 2017 SNF season. The creative team utilized the urban landscape of the New York Street sets, transforming the set into the various additional cities through distinct characteristics and landmarks in post-production by Method Studios LA.
The palpable energy in the open is largely a result of the unique casting process for extras. Dixon and Geffen led the creative team in casting real fans from local fan clubs.
“The real fans brought an unmistakable energy to the set, which was felt by the entire crew and all of the players,” notes Geffen. “It also gave Carrie an opportunity to do what she does best, which is bringing everyone together, and no one does it better.”
Adds NBC Sports VP Creative Director/Director Tripp Dixon, “One of the great things about this project is the opportunity to work with highly collaborative people. Haley Geffen and the production team at BODEGA were a vital part of the equation.”
Credits:
Client: NBC Sports
NBC Sports
Executive Producer: Fred Gaudelli
SVP Creative: Mark Levy
VP Creative Director/Director: Tripp Dixon
Senior Associate Director: Charlie Vanacore
Senior Director On Air Graphics: Wade Echer
Bodega
Executive Creative Director: Haley Geffen
Executive Producers: Kristopher Walter, Mark Littman, David Gioiella
Line Producer: Russell Katzman
Director of Photography: Chuck Ozeas
Production Designer: Evan Rohde
Lighting Designer: Benoit Richard
Northern Lights
Editor: Alan Chimenti
Executive Producer: Robin Hall
Producer: Terry-Anne Alexander
Assitant Editor: Jessy Abid
Crash Color:
Lead Colorist: Brian Carlucci
Method VFX
Executive Producer: Stephanie Gilgar
Senior Producer: Pip Malone
VFX Supervisor: Vernon Wilbert
Coordinator: Justin Monnier
CG Supervisor: Nate Shaw
Flame Lead: Toma Bowen
Senior Designer: Norris Houk
About BODEGA
BODEGA is a content creation studio based in New York and San Francisco.
We create commercials, brand content, show opens, promos, films and digital media for any platform.
Our integrated approach encourages collaboration at every step, from creative development through production, animation, post-production and final delivery.
Together, with our in-house partners Northern Lights (editorial), SuperExploder (sound) and Mr. Wonderful (VFX/design), we offer the resources of established, award-winning companies under one roof.