Nicknamed “The Bullet,” thanks to his speed and natural ability on the pitch, 15-year-old Kiyan Prince was a football prodigy. The boy played for the Queens Park Rangers (QPR) Under-16s and was the most promising talent in the QPR academy. Sadly, Kiyan tragically lost his life when he tried to protect a friend outside the school gates at the London Academy in Edgware, being stabbed in the chest by the aggressor.
Exactly 15 years later, on the anniversary of his death, commemorated May 18, Kiyan returns virtually in an initiative to raise awareness about knife crime. Honoring the boy’s legacy by officially re-signing him as a QPR player, Kiyan is being brought back to virtual life in a game in which he would have met success had he not been killed. He lives as a player in EA SPORTS FIFA 21 video game, playing for his former club, QPR. The boy would have been 30 years old today, so he will carry this number on his jersey, reflecting his age had he survived. In addition, Kiyan will also be a collectible player, as Match Attax issued a Kiyan Prince playing card whilst major brands, such as adidas and JD Sports, will sponsor him.
Titled “Long Live the Prince,” the campaign is developed by ENGINE Creative on a pro-bono basis, with all proceeds going directly to Kiyan Prince Foundation, the charity that his father, Dr. Mark Prince OBE, founded in 2008 in memory of his son. “I want my son to be remembered not for the tragedy of his death but for the triumph of his achievements. Through this campaign, the world finally gets to glimpse Kiyan’s incredible potential fulfilled. And hopefully, we can inspire other kids to be the best version of themselves too,” says Dr. Mark.
To create a scientifically accurate image of the 30-year-old Kiyan, ENGINE partnered with award-winning creative studio Framestore. With input from the boy’s family and help from a leading expert on human aging, Professor Hassan Ugail at the University of Bradford, the team developed Kiyan’s look. His image was then developed by Framestore and photoreal artist Chris Scalf to create the likenesses of the Kiyan seen in the campaign. Using advanced AI technology and partnering with ELC, Framestore managed to bring the likeness to life in film.
EA SPORTS FIFA developers worked closely with the boy’s family, friends, former teammates, and coaches, to create the player Kiyan and integrate him into the game. Using images from his teen years to age his appearance and developing his on-pitch features and style of play, Dr. Prince’s son has been developed as a superstar and has been added to the QPR team roster available in FIFA 21.
Billy Faithfull, Chief Creative Officer at ENGINE, said: “This isn’t a story about death, it’s a story about life. An ambitious, hardworking, talented boy and the man he could have become. The kind of man he can inspire boys to be. The younger and more marginalized an audience is, the harder they are to reach, so our starting point was to think about how to connect Kiyan’s powerful story with kids who are virtually immune to traditional knife-crime advertising. Getting to them through gaming, influence networks, and sponsorship felt like a unique and effective medium to speak to them and help The Kiyan Prince Foundation continue its vital work.”
James Salmon, Marketing Director, EA SPORTS FIFA Brand, added: “By adding Kiyan in-game this year, we not only want to celebrate what an incredibly talented footballer he was and should have been, but also continue to offer EA SPORTS FIFA as a platform to raise awareness of the Kiyan Prince Foundation.”
The campaign is accompanied by a short film, which was created to engage vulnerable children across social and earned media. The money raised through the campaign will help the NGO make its message heard in schools across the country and create a permanent base for its charity’s activities.
Credits:
Client: Kiyan Prince Foundation
Agency: ENGINE Creative
Chief Creative Director: Billy Faithful
Creative Director: David Dearlove, Richard Nott, Orlando Warner
Executive Producer: Katie Farmer
Agency Producer: Seb Roskell
Photographer: David Clerihew – Icon
Director/ Production Co: Engine Film – David Dearlove
Film Producer: Debbie Impett
Assistant Producer: Jakub Pieta
Editor: Engine film: Sam Hopkins
Account Manager: Leo Birch,
Client managing director: Ed Norrington
Business Director: Matt Kiernan
Content Strategist: Leo Birch
Post Production: Framestore
EP & Supervisor: Karl Woolley
Lead Creative Technologist: Johannes Saams
Lead Character Artist: Chris Scalf
CG Supervisor, Electric Lens Co: Matt Hermans
Lead Designer, Framestore Design: David Lochhead
Post Production: Nineteentwenty
2D Lead: Robert Lilley
Senior Producer: Paul Branch
Producer: Claire Cullen
Asst Producer: Robyn Borrageiro
Grade: Nineteen Twenty – Kai Van Beers
Sound Design & Music: String and Tins: Joe Wilkinson & Jim Stewart
Audio Producer: Laura-Leigh Smith
DoP: Oliver Schofield / Steve Montgomery