ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Writer/Director David E. Talbert joins host Jenny Curtis and guest co-host Nik Walker to discuss his spectacular new holiday film, JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY.
0:30 - Nik Walker’s introduction, discussion of HAMILTON, his podcasts THE CHAOS TWINS & LITTLE JUSTICE, the experience of playwriting, and who he is as an artist.
4:37 - David E Talbert joins the conversation
5:22 - Nik and Jenny’s impressions of JINGLE JANGLE
6:04 - The initial idea of JINGLE JANGLE being thought of for theater and how it became a film.
7:22 - David’s son’s seeing himself in JINGLE JANGLE, representation, and creating a universal story.
9:45 - The movies that inspired the innovation aspect of the film
10:20 - Creating beautiful songs that move the plot with Philip Lawrence and John Legend
12:33 - The 11 o’clock hour song, ‘Make It Work’ and how that number broke the form.
15:55 - Deciding to cast Phylicia Rashad
16:48 - Meeting Forest Whitaker at a vegan restaurant to discuss the film and casting him as someone he could trust to be a strong #1 on the call-sheet
18:33 - The professionalism of Madalen Mills and her ability to light up the camera.
19:58 - The amazing experience of Forest Whitaker singing live on set.
21:24 - Keegan-Michael Key nailing his challenging song.
22:30 - Discovery on set, costuming and detailing in the design.
24:13 - Inspiration pulled from HUGO.
24:59 - Nik’s impression of the imagery in Journey’s song and David’s decision to put her (safely) on the roof.
27:29 - The choreography in the film
28:27 - the animation for Ricky Martin’s role
28:45 - Doing pre-records of the song and being able to break the rules by not knowing them
29:47 - Changing the first song a week before shooting.
30:40 - Adding to the shoot while filming.
32:26 - What the concept was when JINGLE JANGLE was going to be a piece of theater and bringing it back to the stage in the future.
35:25 - Being ‘The Christmas Movie’ guy by accident
36:31 - Remembering the dichotomy of the holidays
38:47 - David’s connection to Jeronicus Jangle and his parallels to JINGLE JANGLE
40:39 - The creation of Ms. Johnston’s background trio.
43:30 - A life in storytelling
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Hosted and Produced by: Jenny Curtis
Guest Co-Host: Nik Walker
Edited by: J Whiting
Executive Producer: Stuart Halperin
Theme Music by: Celleste and Eric Dick
A CurtCo Media Production
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