Remi Adefarasin OBE BSC creates a believable world of festive fantasy for musical extravaganza Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story.

Keen to immerse himself in a variety of genres, from historical drama Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) through to family comedy Fighting with my Family (2019), cinematographer Remi Adefarasin OBE BSC was thrilled to explore the unique world inhabited by Netflix fantasy musical Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey.

"It's a real world, but one we don't yet recognise," he says. "I loved the story of family reconciliation and the songs that come straight from the narrative."

Jingle Jangle centres around Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whitaker), the despondent former toymaker whose passion for invention was destroyed by his apprentice Gustafson's (Keegan-Michael Key) betrayal. Jeronicus' granddaughter Journey (Madalen Mills) strives to retrieve her grandfather's prized invention and restore his hope.

According to Adefarasin, writer-director David E. Talbert's clear vision and extensive knowledge of film language ensured the production was fully cinematic. The cinematographer believes reliance on other films for inspiration can cloud directors' inventiveness and individuality, but certain productions like the fun and invention of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang were shining examples of musical magic. Adefarasin also admires how Oliver's beautiful sets and photography create a credible world.

Production designer Gavin Bocquet's plans and illustrations of the world the narrative would play out in overflowed with imagination, colour and magic. As Bocquet's bank of 3D printers output models, Adefarasin explored how to make the dreams look believable and how to light and photograph promptly on set.

Bocquet's team created a virtual reality set-up, allowing Adefarasin and Talbert to previsualise the Jingle Jangle world using a VR headset, explore the sets and make changes without construction costs. "It also informed us when we'd be off set so we could get a large enough Translight backdrop," says Adefarasin.

All the vast production's departments, the town's set and Gustafson's world were constructed at Arborfield Studios in Wokingham. A snowball fight scene was filmed at Elm Hill in Norwich and Gustafson's factory was shot at Crossness Pumping Station in London. Low finish set replicas let choreographers Ashley Wallen and Jenny Griffin rehearse moves to the complex musical numbers on a separate stage.

The sets and costumes already burst with vibrancy, so it was unnecessary for Adefarasin to add much additional colour other than some orange, blue, magenta, and cyan variance to adjust each scene's look.

Talbert always envisaged the film's vibrant festive spectacle would light up the screen. Adefarasin explains the choice of camera package to achieve this vision: "My love of ARRI cameras made the Alexa LF an obvious choice with its wonderful tonality, versatility, and dependability. The Signature Primes' uniformity made them a sensible choice. Like the Alexa, they have a great quality without being ultra-crisp and unreal looking."

Collaborating with Adefarasin were camera operators Simon Finney; 1^st ACs Tim Battersby and Rene and Ben Adefarasin; dolly grip Josh Close; and key grip John Arnold, with whom the DP has often collaborated.

Gaffer Ian Barwick helped Adafarasin create an "unusual yet familiar" world and organised banks of LED heads and tungsten mood lights, keeping the heat low as shooting took place in summer. The inventive lighting crew devised a rig to pan past actors on a Kuka robotic arm as though swirling through a tunnel.

Apart from some tungsten heads for beams and shape, the core lighting package comprised ARRI SkyPanels: 210 SkyPanel S60s on the stage with space light skirts; 110 S60s with snap bags; and 16 of the larger SkyPanel S360s. "We could quickly change looks from morning to midday or night as each panel was identified on a grid," says the DP. "Lighting this film was a joy and Ian achieved the impossible with panache."