As a seasoned gamer who has dabbled in the world of game design, I can certainly appreciate the challenge Jason Sherwood faced when constructing the world for Sabrina Carpenter‘s Netflix Christmas special. The project seemed like a blend of my favorite genres – old-school holiday variety shows and modern pop music, all packaged into an engaging gaming experience.
Crafting a Netflix Christmas special with the feel of a classic holiday variety show, tailored to today’s popular music diva, isn’t an effortless job. However, Jason Sherwood felt confident that he was the ideal candidate for this task.
Sherwood initially learned that Sabrina Carpenter was intending to produce a holiday variety special in July, which was only a few weeks before filming began in August, as he remembers it. “It was a four-week project,” he explains to The Hollywood Reporter during a Zoom call, “It was an all-out, fast-paced production.
From the moment the designer learned about the singer’s unique Christmas special titled “A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter”, it was apparent that he was an ideal candidate for the project due to his diverse background in theater, music, and television. Sherwood emphasizes that he grasped the singer’s vision for the special swiftly.
As a fervent admirer of “A Nonsense Christmas,” I’m excited to share some insights about its creation! This delightful production takes its title from a melody on the artist’s 2023 holiday EP, “Fruitcake.” Working closely with Carpenter and the team, Sherwood was instrumental in designing two primary sets.
It’s quite evident that you aim to broaden your scope, and this endeavor is straightforward because the central figure of it, whom you are tailoring this for, possesses a distinct personality. Furthermore, the audience has a well-defined connection with this persona,” he elaborates. “In the instance of this [A Nonsense Christmas], it was effortless to perceive immediately what excited Sabrina. She is an articulate individual with a crystal-clear vision for what she desires a project to embody.
Sherwood explains that unlike many other projects, the team developed the entire show without first deciding on the playlist or choosing which guests would appear as special features. Instead, they had to create a versatile and flexible visual style that could easily adapt to different scenarios. Eventually, they settled on a design featuring a holiday home setting and a fantasy stage for the performances.
The design of the vacation rental was influenced by 90s sitcoms like “Friends”. As Sherwood explains, she aimed for it to have an authentic retro feel, reminiscent of classic sitcoms. She wanted to infuse a touch of “Friends” into it and fill it with a lot of holiday ambiance. The artistic setup also included aspects of old-style Hollywood glamour – a multi-tiered stage and a majestic staircase – to complement the unique atmosphere of the production.
Sherwood mentions they exchanged their ideas back and forth by utilizing an old-fashioned television set,” Sherwood says. “At times, one would be in the living room while the conversation seemed to take place on the TV screen, transporting us into an imaginary world within it.
In “An Unconventional Holiday Spectacle”, you’ll find multiple duets – a common element in traditional holiday shows – performed by artists like Tyla, Shania Twain, and Kali Uchis. Sherwood mentions that the team managed to create unique performances tailored for each guest artist. The performance that everyone is eagerly waiting for, as well as the production designer’s favorite, is the duet between Carpenter and pop star Chappell Roan. They delivered a cover of Wham!’s popular holiday song “Last Christmas.
Sherwood shares that as a group, we brainstormed an unusual concept: hosting a karaoke session, but with a twist. I suggested, ‘Why don’t we instead rearrange the house to give the impression of an eighties prom combined with Christmas celebrations and a typical house party, all while the parents are absent.’ Sherwood and his team agreed and ended up transforming the previously neat house into a chaotic scene.
Scattered bottles, cups, and popcorn littered the floor, with two individuals descending the stairs in their party attire, barefoot. They picked up the vintage microphones connected to the antique TV and sang as if it were the final act of a celebration,” he explains. Sherwood highlights that the Roan scene offered an opportunity for the team to flip the design concept on its head.
Sherwood mentions they’re presenting an endearing, slightly mischievous interaction between these two rising cultural sensations. It’s a spontaneous, impromptu exchange that feels quite pleasant and heartwarming,” (paraphrased).
Sherwood appears to enjoy The Special for enabling him to immerse himself in his passion for classic Hollywood and variety shows. He explains, “I’ve always admired [variety specials], and the reason I’m drawn to them is because they whisk you away.” He continues, “I aim to take people on a journey and invite them into something that feels like an escape from reality and into a delightful sanctuary – a miniature treasure chest of ours. That’s essentially what I want them to remember when they leave.
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2024-12-22 09:54