London, August 7th, 2023: Raheem Sterling, a football player for Chelsea and England, and Carly Cussen, a legendary director of music videos, have now established their own creative production company called Playmaker Films.
Playmaker Films was founded out of the energy and excitement that characterized the projects Sterling and Cussen collaborated on. Sterling and Cussen have a history of working together to produce entertaining and high-quality video products for businesses.
Playmaker Films will focus on creating branded content, commercials, and music videos to give brands and their customers the impact and emotional resonance of top-notch entertainment.
The agency’s primary strategy will be “entertainment first,” which was inspired by Cussen and Sterling’s work over the last 20 years in front of and behind the camera.
The launch occurs at a time when Sterling is beginning to make a name for himself outside of football, developing into a fashion star while collaborating with companies like Bottega Veneta and Burberry, as well as emerging as a strong and effective social change campaigner. In addition to providing chances for young people around the UK through his Raheem Sterling Foundation, he was named an MBE in 2021 for his contributions to racial equality.
Cussen, a co-founder of Sterling, has been in the business for 15 years and has directed music videos for big-name artists including Ed Sheeran, Keke Palmer, Little Mix, and Lil’ Baby. Additionally, she has collaborated with well-known companies like Disney, Pretty Little Things, and Samsung. She has also won numerous accolades for her excellent work on the OnePlus, including a Gold Lovie in the ‘Weird and Wonderful’ category.
Raheem Sterling offered commentary on the debut. “I spend a lot of time on sets at brand video shoots as part of my day work. I grew increasingly curious in what was happening behind the camera over time. I began to enquire about various processes after working with Carly on a number of projects for companies like Gillette and Samsung. She was a no-brainer when it came to launching my own production firm.
“We have some fantastic projects planned, like the Clarks ‘Back to School’ campaign, which was a lot of fun to develop and film, with some incredible brands and talent. I am eager for the world to witness what we have planned.
“I knew Raheem was a natural performer on the field, but I didn’t know he also had the talent in front of the camera,” Carly Cussen continued. I adored working with him, and as he began to appear behind the scenes, too, I realized he had a bright future in front of the camera.
“Playmaker Films is a true team effort between Raheem and I, as well as the incredible folks that sometimes aren’t mentioned in the press. There is a lot of excitement surrounding the location, what we are attempting to do, and the next initiatives. I eagerly await the start.
Royston Reeves, a former Head of Strategy at JOE Media, and Kem Ekundayo, an international producer with experience working with top influencers and musicians like Anne-Marie, KSI, and Popcaan, will lead Playmaker Film’s in-house capabilities, which will include specialized strategy, creative, and production functions.