HUMAN PLAYGROUND
THE STORY.
Why do we play? The idea of play as an essential feature of human life is perhaps more often lived than reflected upon. Play, in its various forms, takes up a huge proportion of our life. We play as children, we gamble as adults, and at all times we take risks. All of these aspects of play pertain to what it means to be human. The six-part documentary series Human Playground highlights stories from around the world, delving into the many fascinating ways humans experience play. It follows some of the most intriguing, extreme, and primal ways that humans express themselves through the language of play.
Human Playground, a Netflix Originals series narrated by Idris Elba, is not just about sports; it’s about people all over the world expressing who they are. The series focuses on six overlapping themes: ancient rituals, rites of passage, business, pain, perfection, and devotion. Meet Donga stick fighters in Ethiopia, Tarahumara runners in Mexico, big wave surfers in Nazaré, and many other athletes in unusual plays. They poignantly convey how old traditions are kept alive and new ones are carved out, how rites of passage, ritual, and celebration are all part of the culture of play. It offers a glimpse into the world’s most inspiring playgrounds, the people behind the sports, and the extremes they’re willing to go to.
THE PRODUCTION.
From inception to release, Human Playground took about 7 years to make. Some of the stories were shot during the peak of the global pandemic, making it difficult at times to get access or to travel at all. The series eventually was released in all 192 countries worldwide through streaming platform Netflix and their Chinese partner streamer Youku. Simultaneously, creator of the series Hannelore Vandenbussche also released a photobook covering additional stories and perspectives of play.
My role
As a director I researched and directed 6 stories within multiple episodes, in close collaboration with showrunner Tomas Kaan. My stories were shot in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mexico, Italy, the USA and in the Netherlands. In addition, as a Supervising Story Producer I helped develop the narrative of each of the episodes during the shooting and edit phase and helped in writing voice-over texts.
Release
September 2023
Length
6 x 40 minutes
Shooting location
24 locations worldwide
Years of production
2017 - 2023
Streamers
Netflix (worldwide), Youku (China)
Production house
Scenery
More info on
www.humanplayground.com
When we immerse ourselves in play, we partake in something essential to human life, using mind and body to overcome our own limitations, while also discovering the limits of our potential. The more we engage in play, the more we excel, and so the more we come to know about ourselves.
THE STILLS.
