As a writer and long-time fan of The Simpsons, I was thrilled to be part of this heartwarming Christmas tale. It was like being a kid again, opening presents on Christmas morning, but instead of toys, it was the joy of seeing my words come to life in Springfield. The tight deadline added an extra layer of excitement and pressure, making it feel like we were rushing to complete our homework before Santa Claus came.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve encountered some challenging personal situations. My father and sister passed away, leaving me with a heavy heart. Moreover, the uncertainties brought about by the Hollywood strikes added to my professional struggles.
When I found myself in challenging times, I sought solace by immersing myself in the captivating performances of Derren Brown, the renowned English mentalist and illusionist. His videos often feature him playing harmless pranks on unsuspecting individuals, not with malicious intent but to delve into the intricacies of human behavior. To me, there was an undeniable poignancy in these performances, a reflection of the sheer beauty that lies within the human spirit.
After the strikes concluded, “The Simpsons” was swiftly moved to a fast-track production schedule for its inaugural original episode on Disney+. This Christmas-themed special made its debut on December 17, coinciding with the 35th anniversary of the initial half-hour “Simpsons” show, titled “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” which first aired on that date in 1989.
She admitted that we were six months behind schedule, a situation that typically would have prompted her to skip an episode for that year due to her personal struggles. However, given our predicament, everyone had to chip in and contribute. This is when she came up with the idea for ‘O C’mon All Ye Faithful,’ which was partially influenced by Brown. She wanted it to be a piece that offered comfort and uplifted spirits in some way.
In the episode, Brown visits Springfield, hoping to revive some Christmas spirit. He focuses on Homer Simpson, known for his poor gift-giving skills, and hypnotizes him as an experiment to change his mindset. Eventually, Homer thinks he’s Santa Claus, which charms Springfield residents.
However, this is just an introduction to the more profound tale that unfolds halfway through the episode. At this point, Ned Flanders experiences a spiritual dilemma. Eventually, a blend of wisdom from Brown, Professor Frink, and some enchantment helps him regain his faith.
EbMaster discussed the recent episode with Omine, sharing her experiences working with guest stars Brown, Pentatonix, and Patti LaBelle. She also touched upon the unexpected maturity shown by Homer towards Ralph Wiggum, who joined him as an elf, and the lucky coincidence that concluded the episode.
Why was it Prof. Frink, the scientific expert, who managed to restore Ned Flanders’ faith?
Pondering the situation, it seemed logical to restore Ned’s faith by the episode’s end. Yet, the challenge lay in doing so without making it overly simplistic. The temptation was strong to resort to cheating, given that we had portrayed God as a character who could have easily appeared and declared his existence. Instead, the question became: how might one rekindle Ned’s faith using only resources that a real person would typically employ in their search for a higher power?
I was listening to KCRW, and there was this woman who had spoken about going on a super deep dive with one of those experimental submarines, where she had gone below the abyssal zone and the hadal zone, and just seeing these creatures that logically should not exist. She talked about how it was this moving experience, because it did kind of make her realize that anything can happen. I liked the idea that Frink would be the one that would be, surprisingly, not completely dismissive of the idea of God.
Frink is open to the idea of God, and I didn’t expect that.
The quote he attributed to Einstein, in response to questions about his religious beliefs, was, “I perceive God in the symmetrical beauty of nature.
As I joined Frink and Ned aboard their submersible, I couldn’t help but be reminded, naturally, of the tragic incident involving the Ocean Gate, a submersible much like ours, which disintegrated during an attempt to explore the Titanic site. Was that perhaps on your mind as well?
It turns out the entire concept, including Frink’s seemingly irresponsible behavior, was merely a prank. Originally, I intended for the climax to reveal it as part of a Darren Brown experiment, but a friend who recently passed away found the idea of Ned using the yoke particularly touching. When I told him it was all a ruse, he was moved and said it saddened him deeply. So, I decided to keep some element of mystery and enchantment in the story.
Did Derren eventually accept that there was a hint of magic involved with the bow tie given by Homer? How did Derren Brown respond when the role was proposed to him?
Typically, when we build something around an individual, it’s customary to consult them first. However, I penned everything, structured the narrative, and drafted the script. We then forwarded it to him, keeping my fingers crossed. If he declined, I thought we might create a character resembling him instead. To my relief, he responded promptly and agreed.
Did he live up to expectations?
Instead of stating “He absolutely did,” you could say “He indeed went ahead with it.” As for the rest of the sentence,
He is such a huge part of this episode, were you worried whether or not he could deliver?
Initially, I had a fair amount of confidence that he would excel given his flair for performance, as there’s an element of acting involved in his magic act. However, I was genuinely impressed by how well he performed. His timing was spot-on and amusing, and when the moment called for it, he managed to be endearing. There were numerous instances where I found myself thinking, “That’s impressive.
Was there any guidance from him on phrases like, “Here’s how I’d put it” or explanations about his methodology like, “This is how I work”?
He didn’t do it, but I watched enough to get quite close. He’s such a laid-back guy, and took it all in stride since there were moments that poked fun at him. During the scenes where he hypnotized Homer, he struggled a bit with delivering his line because he just couldn’t stop laughing at the thought!
Regarding Homer, we encounter a more mature version than we’ve seen in a while. After he recovers, he seems quite sensible. It was somewhat refreshing to witness this side of him. Could you please describe Homer in this particular episode?
I’m particularly careful about Homer. For instance, when you first see him sitting in the men’s section with Maggie trying on glasses for him, my instinct was to ensure he didn’t appear bored. Instead, I wanted him to seem engaged and interested in her activities. My intention was to convey that Homer doesn’t dislike Christmas or gift-giving because it’s inconvenient, but rather because he feels inadequate at selecting suitable gifts, fearing that his choices might disappoint others.
In my reimagining, when our character assumes the role of Santa Claus, I envision him embodying a tranquil and wise persona, similar to the Peter Seller’s character in ‘Being There.’ This portrayal would suggest an inner peace and a touch of genius attributed to him. Towards the story’s climax, we delve into the concept that hypnosis is essentially a powerful suggestion, and someone convinces him he knows exactly what perfect gifts are for everyone. Although Homer interprets this as becoming Santa, his newfound ability allows him to provide people with their heart’s desires. When he regains consciousness, there’s an underlying yearning in him to believe in that state once more. I dislike instances when Homer behaves like a mindless eater and an uncontrollable rage, as these traits make him appear more like a gluttonous id. However, I do believe that deep down, he harbors a genuine desire to be a decent person.
The way he interacts with Ralph is really touching.
Over the course of many years, it’s been quite intriguing to imagine how Homer and Ralph might interact. Now, finally getting to explore this unique duo is truly a delight. Writing their relationship feels as effortless as breathing, given the depth of history and character development these Simpsons characters possess.
It’s perfect, because who’s the one character in in Springfield who Homer has an edge on? Ralph.
They share an endearing, naive charm that works well together. The notion of the town finding faith in Homer, even if temporary, was delightfully amusing to me.
How did you land on Pentatonix and Patti LaBelle to provide the music?
As a child, my mother had a strong affection for Mahalia Jackson, so our Christmas album was invariably the one by Mahalia Jackson, and ‘Silent Night’ was a favorite. We required a singer capable of conveying such soulfulness when singing lyrics that, though not exactly sacrilegious, evoked feelings as if God were absent. For someone like Ned, this thought was his most frightening and saddest fear.
I’d anticipated an outstanding performance given it was Patti LaBelle. Her singing left us in tears, more moved than I had imagined. The experience wasn’t just once but multiple times, and each rendition was unique. Post-recording, we were all buzzing about the goosebumps we got. It surpassed any dream we had of how fantastic it could be.
Later on, Pentatonix created their unique arrangement in collaboration with their producer, who happens to be part of Bleeding Fingers Music, a team that includes Kara Talve, Russell Emanuel, and Jake Schaefer. As we watched them perform, we were left astonished by their precision. They showed an incredible eagerness and enthusiasm for the show. In fact, they even requested to perform the fly-through, which is the opening credits sequence where ‘The Simpsons’ name appears. Their performance was nothing short of exceptional.
Typically, the production process of ‘The Simpsons’ takes quite a while. But in your case, you had to meet a tight deadline. Just how much time pressure did you experience during this project?
To debut our production on Disney+ for the first time, all work needed to be completed by October 17th, allowing two months for translation and dubbing into various languages. We had previously agreed to produce a special double Christmas episode, which meant less rewriting was required. However, due to time and budget constraints, we had to carefully select what aspects of the production we could work on. Fortunately, we were meticulous about the storyboards and animatics in the early stages to ensure they were accurate. Once the color was added back, we immediately moved onto editing, scoring, and mixing – a hectic October indeed.
As a movie reviewer, I must admit that the seamless collaboration on this production was nothing short of remarkable. Given our top-notch teamwork, each member effortlessly stepped up to contribute their part. Our mixers are simply exceptional, and the music, skillfully crafted by talented individuals like Kara, was composed in a matter of days. frankly, it’s astounding how such high-quality work can be produced in such a short span of time.
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2024-12-24 04:17