PHOTO SERIES + PROMO | Photographer + Art Director
Photo Series
Talent: New York Knicks
Agency: MSG Network
Photographer: Elena Parasco
Photo Assistant: Sophie Barkham
Online Premiere: NY Knicks.com + Social Channels
Promo Film
Knicks MSG: James Douglas
Art Director + Feature: Elena Parasco
Producer: Adam Barton @ Resonant Pictures
DP: Mitch Blummer
Talent: Hoop York City
Stylist: Jesse James
Editor: Sam Mink
Online Premiere: NY Knicks.com
SPORT TRADING CARDS | Photographer | Creative Director
Project: Trade Your Hero For Mine
For the first time in history, a limited edition series of sport trading cards printed in both English and Spanish, made entirely by women, down to the typeface.
Photographer: Elena Parasco
Sports Team: Selección Femenil Mexicana de Hockey sobre Hielo (CDMX)
Lead Designer: Ana Thompson
Printing House: Pacific Plus
Casting: Akrav Agency
Production: Alonso Mejia, Contenido Neto Producciones (CDMX)
Magazine Feature + USA Card Distribution: Victory Journal
Press: i-D, Bleacher Report, i-D Mexico
2018 JULY ISSUE OF VICTORY JOURNAL
A personal project featured in the 2018 issue of Victory Journal, the limited edition trading card series and documentary film, titled TRADE YOUR HERO FOR MINE, features the inspiring story of Mexico’s first National Women’s Ice Hockey team.
The limited edition trading cards is shot by, designed by, subjects, and features typefaces created by: women. All proceeds from sale of cards go to funding the team’s ice rink time for the 2022 Olympic Games.
The project aims to liberate and directly challenge a millennium of male-dominated visual sport language by placing women under a fresh and carefully considered lens. Aiming to generate a new discourse around powerful female athletic stories within competitive sport culture.
In a country where ice rinks are expensive and rare, this team beat the Men’s National Hockey team in a huge upset, defied all odds in winning the 2017 World Championship (II B), dealt with adversity in continuing their training after the devastating earthquakes, and made history by being Mexico's first female team to advance to the second round of the Winter Olympic tryouts. Selección Femenil Mexicana de Hockey is now the highest ranked National female sports team in Mexico.
And yet their hometown and country barely know they exist.
Trade Your Hero For Mine is a project that intentionally utilizes the female gaze, spans two languages, and leverages the broad audience of online distribution, to promote diverse and inspiring female sport stories.
Asking audiences to challenge our current barometer for what we consider an athletic hero. In doing so, creating a new guard of powerful yet accessible, female role models.
Printed stories to talk about.
Physical stories to share.
______________________________________
TRADE YOUR HERO FOR MINE is a limited edition trading card series that tells the story of Mexico’s National Women’s Ice Hockey Team. In a country where ice rinks are expensive and rare, this team beat the Men’s National Hockey team in a huge upset, defied all odds in winning the 2017 World Championship (II B), dealt with adversity in continuing their training after the devastating earthquakes, and made history by being Mexico's first female team to advance to the second round of the Winter Olympic tryouts. Selección Femenil Mexicana de Hockey is now the highest ranked National female sports team in Mexico.
Revealing relatable and badass anecdotes of being a female athlete in Mexico, the growing sisterhood of the team, and the undeniable influence of their country's spirit.
TRADE YOUR HERO FOR MINE brings sport trading cards into a modern, female-led vernacular. Composing a new guard of printed athletic role models that places the story of powerful female heroes into our front pocket.
The short film, which premiered with i-D Magazine and Bleacher Report, acts as a video portrait on the team, where the larger story on the team unfolds in each trading card, in the player’s own voice.
CARD FEATURES
- Spot UV: “Sé Una Chingona” (“Be A Badass Girl”) on both English and Spanish versions
- Spot UV: CDMX, the Team’s Hometown
- 11 Player Cards that reveal the story of how the team, through the voice of each player directly
- Gold Foil Scratch Off, revealing 35mm team photo
- Reflective Gold Art Card, flanked by embossed text “Sí Se Puede” (“Yes, You can do it”) and “Make the Impossible Possible,” acting as a mirror to the viewer so for a fleeting moment the card-holder too can be part of the team.
CREDITS
______________________________________
Trading Cards:
Photographer: Elena Parasco
Designer: Ana Thompson
Team: Selección Nacional Femenil de Hockey sobre Hielo
Casting: Akrav Agency (Sarah Benjamin NYC; Tania Nieblati CDMX)
Production: Alonso Mejia, Contenido Neto Producciones (CDMX)
AD: Anna Ritsch
Wardrobe Stylist: Jocelyn Carona
Hair + Make-Up: Adrian González
PA: Astrid Cortés
Translations: Edgar Duran D'Gyves
Post: Urban / CVLT Studio
BTS Photography: Anna Ritsch
______________________________________
Editorial Shoot:
Casting: Akrav Agency
Fashion Director: Gia Seo
Creative Consultant: Dana Brej
Prop Stylist: Oak Laokwansathitaya
Talent: Alvina Bokhari, Izzy Benyamin, Sean Pantea, Ximena Balmori, Tanima Mehrota, Jamari Leacock, Alecia Rodriguez
______________________________________
Special Thanks:
Thea Maxine
Victory Journal
Olivia Cohen
Cyntia Leo
Paul Chang
Dexter Navy
Sarah Benjamin
Dana Brej
Jonathan Ostos Yaber
Ana Thompson
Nick Wiesner
Ryo Yamamoto + Urban / CVLT Studio
Bobb Barito
Bruno Garcia
______________________________________
CREATIVE DIRECTION | Les Mills “Limitless” Campaign
Director: Steve Baker
Producer: Peter Clews
Producer: Nikita Kearsley
Producer: Michael Glaser
Agency: Matte Projects, Elena Parasco
Creative Director: Dan Fantl
Script: Mark Easterbrook , Matte Projects, Elena Parasco
VFX: Creature Post
Colorist: Peter Ritchie
Editor: Dan Kircher
Editor: Rupert Williams
SoundFX: Defacto Sound
DOP: Drew McGeorge
1st Ac/Focus Puller: Dusty Millar
Gaffer: Grace Spence
Key Grip: Jay Munro
Stylist/Make Up: Daisy Uffindel
BRANDED EXPERIENTIAL + CONTENT | Creative Director
Talent: A$AP Rocky
Brand: Guess
Collection: GUE$$ x AWGE
Agency: SWG
Experiential: NYFW (2016) Collection Launch, Live Performance + Immersive Experience
Press: New York Times, i-D Mag, Vogue, W Mag, WWD
Creative Directed the 1990's video arcade-inspired branded experiential for the launch of A$AP Rocky's collaboration with Guess Originals.
The interactive pop-up included an immersive 3-hour soundscape, 1990 arcade games, original AWGE art, campaign imagery, video games and product-seeded prize booth. Reinterpreted Lunchables, Hot Pockets, and Hennessey Slushies and Pop Rockys were also included in the immersive experience. DJ sets by the Cozy Boyz.
The installation closed with live performances by the A$AP Mob inside the parents basement-inspired house party during NYFW, 2016.
INTERACTIVE EXPERIENTIAL | CREATIVE DIRECTOR + CONTENT DIRECTOR
Project: An interdisciplinary and interactive art happening re-contextualizing classical art forms for the millennial generation. The project included 360-degree video projection mapping that interacted in real time with live performances by three Soloists from the New York City Ballet.
Free and open to the public, happyokay was an international collaboration between the creative collectives LAST HOUR (NYC) and House of Makers (Amsterdam).
The light design, soundscape, and live performance by Juilliard timed with the immersive performance, where dancers performed on an equal level with the audience. Creating a democratized, immersive, multi-media experience where classical art forms and contemporary art converge.
Talent: New York City Ballet (Performance), Juilliard (Live Performance), Dutch National Ballet (Choreography, Light Design)
Choreographer: Peter Leung (Dutch National Ballet)
Classical Music Director: Taylor Ward
Sound Design: Otium
Attendance: 400
Real-Time Live-Stream Audience: 5,000 Viewers (17 different countries)
Final Film Views: 300K Impressions
Projection Mapping + Digital Experience: Mike Donaghey (Scratch Empire), Elena Parasco
Spoken Word + Creative Direction: Sterre van Rossem
Collaborators: Livestream Public, Fall on Your Sword, Dutch National Ballet
Press: NYT T Magazine, Neuehouse, Complex, Paddle8, Dance Spirit, Bushwick Daily
SPORTS + ATHLETIC CLUB | Creative Director
CEO + Founder: William Walter
Creative Director: Elena Parasco
Branding: Gretel NYC
Architectural Design: Gabe Calatrava
Launch Date: NYC, 2020
In 2018 I had the extreme pleasure of creative directing The Field House, a contemporary sporting club for the modern athlete.
Re-appropriating antiquated club rules through multidisciplinary programming and a focus on membership inclusivity, the space will establish unwavering dedication to community, athleticism, artistic expression and wellness. Incorporating a range of programming initiatives that aim to bring indoor athletics to wider demographics.
Racquet ball, squash, swimming and half court basketball, the club will act as a social club as it does an athletic club.
VIDEO CONTENT | Creative Development
Client: Rock the Vote
Campaign: "#TURNDOWNFORWHAT" Rock The Vote PSA
Agency: SWG (NY)
Director: Brody Baker
Production Company: 1985, Kaitlyn Parks
Director of Photography: Ivan Abel
Editor: Trish Fuller (Whitehouse Post)
Press: New York Times, ADWEEK, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, i-D, Fast Company, The Huffington Post, Complex
Featured Talent: Lil Jon, Lena Dunham, Whoopi Goldberg, Natasha Lyonne, Fred Armisen, E.J. Johnson, Darren Criss, Sophia Bush, Ireland Baldwin, Devendra Banhart, Ioanna Gika and Gabriel Valenciano.
VIDEO CONTENT | Creative Director
Director: Brody Baker, Josh Hartnett
Artist: Dicey Hollow - Silver and Sand
Online Premiere: noisey (VICE)
Producer: Kaitlyn Parks (1985)
Editor: Trish Fuller (Whitehouse Post)
VIDEO CONTENT | Creative Dev, Art Dep
Director: Ben Smith
Agency: The Mill
DP: Ivan Abel
Executive Producers: Zu Al-Kadiri, Ian Bearce
Editor: Ryan McKenna
Post Production: The Mill (NY)
Assisted The Mill Executive Creative Director and Film Director, Ben Smith, in creative development and art direction for the Sci-Fi film, Product Recall (2016).
