Hoop Mountain Dubai (HMD) is a basketball academy dedicated to the youth, catering to kids aged 5-18. Their mission goes beyond teaching the essential skills required to excel in basketball; they are committed to actively inspiring positive change and nurturing the potential of their young athletes.
Through mentoring, and a focus on discipline, they aim to foster growth both on and off the court. Their approach emphasizes not just athletic prowess, but also the importance of community building activities, instilling values that will benefit their students throughout their lives.
I had the pleasure of witnessing this all first hand when I worked with them.
Videography
This is the final episode of an eight-part YouTube series I produced for Hoop Mountain Dubai, this is their first Youtube series ever made and I'm glad that Ryan Yates one of the head coaches trusted me with the job. My time with HMD marked one of the most pivotal moments of my creative career. The experience required me to continually adapt to rapid situations, something I thrive on when surrounded by the right people. It pushed me to overcome my own misconceptions about my work and proved that I am capable of achievements I once thought were beyond me.
I particularly enjoyed working on this series because I had control over the entire process. I learned extensively about filming and had the opportunity to experiment with various techniques.
Towards the end of the series, I was crafting detailed game plans, knowing exactly what I needed to capture to piece together a seamlessly flowing story for viewers to enjoy.
Additionally, views noticeably increased on Hoop Mountain Dubai's Instagram reels when I began creating them, with numbers hitting the tens of thousands. I believe this success was due to a particular style I adopted and the choice of content. While most reels I created garnered views in the 2,000 to 10,000 range, some went on to be viewed over 40,000 times.
I owe thanks to both Coach King and Ryan Yates for giving me the opportunity to reach new heights. Their mentality in training young athletes extends to their employees, often with the same positive impact.
Reel created for HMD
graphic & merchandise Design
In addition to being responsible for videography and photography, I utilised my graphic design skills to create HMD's inaugural clothing collection. Designing merchandise has always been a passion of mine—I have designed clothing for tours and contributed to graphic designs for various fashion brand collections.
When it came to designing for HMD, I was ready to go. I started by creating a number of concepts and compiling them into a catalogue. The entire catalogue contained enough design concepts for 2-3 collections. Unfortunately, most of these designs never saw the light of day, but I am proud that at least one of them did.
I'm proud to say that we essentially sold out; the merchandise accompanied us everywhere we went. During every training session, we sold at least one garment, and at HMD events, I set up displays where parents and their children came to buy.
I was responsible for keeping track of inventory, and it brought me joy to see stock numbers dwindling day by day.
The theme for this collection was "It takes a village to raise a child," which perfectly encapsulates HMD's ethos. I wasted no time in coming up with ideas to represent this visually.
The centrepiece of this collection was the T-shirt featuring a graphic of interconnected hands encircling the globe, forming the shape of a basketball. In the foreground, a baby is being raised into the air by an adult. The words "It Takes a Village" are prominently displayed across the centre, tying the piece together.
Advert to promote the Collection.
Ryan in the ITAV white tee.
Experimental video
Flyer's designed to promote the Family Collection
Thank you cards that were placed within the packaging
1/3 Uniform Designs for HMD's branch in Qatar
I created tech packs for each clothing design, providing breakdowns of graphic placement. These were then sent to manufacturers alongside folders containing the corresponding graphics.