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Spec Commercial

WHOOP

Find Your People

Industry

Tech, Fitness

Film Style

60-Second Spot

Brand

WHOOP (Spec)

Director

Jason Knade

Community Makes Everything Better

A :60 scripted WHOOP spec built around an aspect of the product we hadn’t seen emphasized in their advertising—the team experience. As users ourselves, we’ve always appreciated how well WHOOP captures the intensity and discipline of individual performance, but we saw an opportunity to explore what happens when that performance becomes shared. The piece begins with athletes training alone across different disciplines—weightlifting, dance, boxing, climbing—each fully in their own world. Then there is a shift: friends join in, the energy evolves, and the focus moves from isolation to connection.

The idea was to retain the scale and cinematic feel typically associated with elite performance while grounding it in something more human. The WHOOP platform provides a way to track and share data through its team features, but what interested us was the emotional layer beneath that—the motivation that comes from seeing other people show up, push themselves, and bring you along with them. That shift carries through to the final moments, where the same group transitions out of training and into something more social, reinforcing the idea that the connection doesn’t stop when the workout does.

“As we considered a variety of products to build spec work around, WHOOP stood out as a brand that is well aligned with Charter’s approach to storytelling. Their product and platform is driven by deep conviction—such as the belief that growth can be achieved better together, exemplified in their Communities feature. It’s fulfilling to develop creative work around beliefs and values we align with.”

Drew English, Founder & CEO at Charter

Director’s Note

Many of the athletes in this piece were people I had worked with before, so there was already a shared rhythm on set. That familiarity matters—it allows us to move quickly, operate with shared trust, and leave more open to instinct in the moment.

We wanted the film to hold a range of physical languages: the raw power of boxing and lifting, the expressiveness of dance, and the precision and control of climbing. Each brings a different relationship to effort, discipline, and physical expression.

There was also a clear intention to root the work in Chicago. Every athlete in the film is based here, and we filmed across local gyms and studios throughout the city, grounding the work in the community it comes from.

At its core, my vision was to create a high-energy athletic spot rooted in human experience and connection. Regardless of the subject, that’s where I tend to live as a director.

Virtual as a Tool

After principal photography, we added a small set of insert shots featuring athletes using the WHOOP app. Rather than return to three separate locations, we worked with our sister company—Forge Virtual Studios—to complete the shots efficiently in a controlled virtual setup.

Using existing footage of the environments, we rebuilt the spaces and captured all of the app interactions in under an hour. It allowed us to complete the sequence without disrupting momentum or expanding the scale of the production.

A camera crew sets up a RED cinema camera on a weight sled at a gym to film athletes working out

Producer’s Note

When thinking about tech's power to cultivate real-world communities, it was really important that our cast and locations reflected diverse communities and spaces throughout Chicagoland. Jackie and her clients at One Way Boxing Club brought not only a high level of performance but also a dedication to their craft, which translates to a beautiful combination of on-screen grace and strength. The team at Brooklyn Boulders was incredibly welcoming: many of our shots wouldn't have been possible without the support of their climbing staff and community. And even with a quintessential Chicago-skyline-industrial-loft-space, our dancers made it their own.

"Working on set with Jason and the crew was a blast! The whole team was professional, respectful, and passionate about creating something exciting together. I was blown away by the footage and I was totally impressed by the end result. I’m grateful to have worked on such a special project!"

Grace Czechowicz - Featured Athlete