Behind the Lens: How We Captured Ty Jerome’s Day Off in Cleveland

Written By Matt Donchess

Branded athlete storytelling done right—start to finish.

Overview

In a digital landscape flooded with short-form hype and influencer fluff, authenticity still cuts through. So when Whistle Sports and DAZN approached us with an opportunity to shoot an episode of their Days Off series featuring Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome, we knew what we wanted to deliver:

A branded film that actually felt like a film.
Not “content.” Not filler. But a real story.

This is how we built one of our strongest athlete-driven pieces to date—under real-world constraints, with no on-set creative oversight, and all the expectations of platform performance baked in.

The Challenge

Most athlete shoots are run-and-gun.
You get a window, a handler, and maybe a loose brief.

What we walked into was exactly that:

  • A modest budget

  • A single-day shoot window

  • No on-site direction from the client

  • A high-profile athlete with limited availability

  • Six deliverables spanning multiple formats

Oh—and we were asked to run full creative, treatment, production, and post.

The Approach

We started where every Monolith project starts:
With structure, taste, and respect for the subject.

Creative Treatment & Location Development

We identified Il Rione, a Cleveland institution, as the anchor.
Not only did it offer visual texture—it gave Ty something to do that felt natural, tactile, and grounded.

Pizza dough, community, and small talk—that’s your story right there.

3-Cam Coverage, Natural Light, Real Audio

With no second takes or time to over-stage, we set up a mobile, cinematic rig:

  • Sony FX6, FX3, and a third cam to float

  • Lav + boom coverage

  • Natural light + lightweight grip

  • Handheld, honest, intentional shots

Post-Production & Cutdown Strategy

We edited the 8-minute hero film with pacing in mind—not just storytelling, but retention.
Then we sliced it into 6 short-form vertical cutdowns optimized for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts.

Each cutdown was paced to platform while keeping Ty’s tone intact.
One in particular—“Team Superlatives”—quickly outperformed average vertical engagement benchmarks for Whistle Sports.

The Result

We turned a one-day shoot into a multi-platform, multi-format campaign.
And we did it without creative guardrails, endless revision loops, or overspending the brief.

Delivered:

  • 1 Mid-form hero film (8 min)

  • 6 Vertical cutdowns (TikTok / Reels / Shorts)

  • Full production crew, sound, direction, edit, color

  • Platform-optimized exports across formats

Why It Matters

This wasn’t just a day with an athlete—it was proof of what we do best.

At Monolith, we treat every story with cinematic discipline, whether it’s for broadcast, social, or branded content. We know how to operate in high-stakes, unsupervised settings and still deliver on voice, tone, and technical quality.

It’s not about being scrappy. It’s about being intentional.
This is what branded athlete content should look like.

Looking to Build Athlete-Driven Video?

We specialize in cinematic brand storytelling—from pro athletes to founders, from short-form social to mid-form docs.

Let’s talk about how we can elevate your next shoot.

Watch the full video below:

Matt Donchess
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