Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey releases on Netflix and it's a great holiday film for all families to enjoy. To get a behind-the-scene peek into the making of Jingle Jangle, I joined a virtual roundtable interview with David Talbert (director) & Lyn Sisson-Talbert (producer). It was such a treat.

Note: I was invited as media to the movie screening and film makers roundtable. However any personal views expressed are always 100% my own.

Here is what they shared about Netflix's Jingle Jangle.

Since this is a holiday themed film, my first question is how they decided what "holiday themes" to keep for the film, while letting go of others.

Picking Jingle Jangle Holiday Themes

David Talbert: For me, it's not as much a holiday movie as much as a movie that takes place during the holidays. The holidays are always portrayed as the happiest times, but it's also times that has the most pain it in too. We remember people that was once here, that are no longer here. Or you remember that toy that you didn't get.

The tradition is really family, is the biggest thing to take away from this for me. The tradition of being able to restore the family. For 22 years with my wife, we've had wonderful family traditions, just she and I.

Then when my son came, she brought traditions from what she did as a child. I brought all the traditions of what I experienced as a child. I think holidays are really family and connecting. I think that's what the film shows.

Lyn Sisson-Talbert: We wanted to create a tradition, as well because this is the type of film that you get together with your family and watch. To be able to have something like this, our goal was to have that classic holiday piece that you can sit down with your friends and family, year after year and watch.

Inspiration for Jingle Jangle

David Talbert: It was a poem I wrote and that was kind of the spirit of the film. Really it's a film about love, humanity, family and finding your mojo again. So that's what inspired me. Love is the inspiration for most of the work that I create.

Importance of Including STEM Elements

David Talbert: I think it's important to show not only the performing arts elements of song and dance, but to really show that all kids are not only magical, but also mathematic, scientific and innovative.

I think to inspire young girls and boys all around the world to kinda of break out of what would be stereotypical, what would be expected. There's really no ceiling.

Look at the generation that going to be watching this. They're going to say that there's nothing that I can't accomplish. I think it's just important to put those kind of image out into the world.

Lyn Sisson-Talbert: We want kids to find they're "square root of possible". We want them to figure out, what is their formula to make things successful. And that's the theme throughout.

We had to push through to make this film happen and we want them to find, that "square root of possible".

I'm a bit of a nerd and geek when it comes to that stuff. So we loved wrapping it around such a lush story and a beautiful setting, to where kids will be like "I want to do that too, I like math also, this looks fun and good".

Anyway to encourage them to like homework, to like math, we're going to try to find a way.

Adding Elements from Different Films

David Talbert: For me growing up watching films, my favorite was Willy Wanka and The Chocolate Factory, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Original Dr. Dolittle, The Wiz, all these were my films growing up.

Anything you watch as a kid, they inspire you, they influence you. And I just wanted to have something for this generation. I wanted all people of colors and background to be represented in worlds of wonder.

Lyn Sisson-Talbert: I loved Annie growing up. The curly red hair. Mary Poppins was a favorite also. I just loved being in that imaginary world with songs that you could sing in the mirror to yourself. All things that we loved to do as a kid.

But as David said it was really important to show a world of all colors. Especially something that our son can see himself in, and feel like he can be magical. So that was the real thing, how do we bring this world together today?

The take away message from Jingle Jangle

David Talbert: Jeronicus journey is a faith journey. It's trying to believe in yourself. It's not about religion but it's about trying to reconnect with what's in you.

A lot of things as adults, I wrote that character as me, cause a lot of times you go through life and you lose that faith and you stop believe in things. But things have worked all along, they've just been waiting for you to believe in them.

I think that's a message for everyone, I think a message adults. Children will get that as they get older, but I think it's a message for everyone. Which is spiritual, which is moral but I think everyone can wrap their minds around it.

Lyn Sisson-Talbert: Also, we want to take away forgiveness. And helping those who's light has maybe nee dimmed. Help them make it shine bright again. You want your kids to be good kids and you want to raise good and kind people.

I think that's really important. We need a little more kindness in the world today. So that was a big take a way for us.

A musical adventure and a visual spectacle for the ages, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is a wholly fresh and spirited family holiday event.

Set in the gloriously vibrant town of Cobbleton, the film follows legendary toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker) whose fanciful inventions burst with whimsy and wonder.

But when his trusted apprentice (Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key) steals his most prized creation, it’s up to his equally bright and inventive granddaughter (newcomer Madalen Mills) — and a long-forgotten invention — to heal old wounds and reawaken the magic within.

From the imagination of writer-director David E. Talbert and featuring original songs by John Legend, Philip Lawrence, Davy Nathan, and "This Day" performed by Usher and Kiana Ledé, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey reminds us of the strength of family and the power of possibility.

Cast: Forest Whitaker, Madalen Mills, Keegan-Michael Key, Sharon Rose, Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose, Kieron Dyer, Justin Cornwell, Lisa Davina Phillip, Hugh Bonneville

Netflix Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey | Everything is Possible | Official Trailer |



Written and Directed by David E. Talbert
Produced by Lyn Sisson-Talbert, p.g.a., David E. Talbert, p.g.a., Kristin Burr, p.g.a., John Legend, Mike Jackson, David McIlvain

To learn more, visit - www.netflix.com/title/80232043