There’s no denying that the world’s most infamous fairytales have been told again, and again…and again. Whether it’s via film or TV, a ride at Disneyworld, or the latest state of the art toy, we know these fairytales through and through. So why do we continue to revisit them?
Combining old with new
Hollywood is littered with adaptions of classic fairytales, with an abundance new films telling old stories every year. There is undoubtably a huge demand for these remakes, both inside the industry and from audiences. Producers can utilise the backbone of these well known stories to take advantage of an existing bridge with the audience – something completely brand new and original isn’t able to rely on curiosity that comes from fans that already exist. But we are in the industry of entertainment, we can’t keep pushing out the same old stale versions of something that has been told time and time again. We have to update it with new angles and ideas to move with the times.
Our film Saving Sleeping Beauty, which is a coproduction with our partners at Magic Frame Animation, puts a unique spin on a “remake”. We wanted to combine the very best aspects of two beloved classic fairytales, to create a reimagined and unique yet familiar universe, that both resonates with and surprises audiences.Â
Drawing inspiration from the universally renowned stories of Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretel, we wanted the film to encapsulate the magic of the fairytale, and include the beloved characters from these favourites, whilst updating with our own modern twist.Â
Creating new universes – with a familiar feel
Saving Sleeping Beauty takes place in a new imagined universe, in which Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretel interact in an important secret mission. In a race against the clock, the characters must work together to save a princess from her enchanted slumber. But when they cross paths with a sorcery-wielding Prince who is after the same prize, Gretel finds herself battling the most powerful force she’s ever experienced… true love.
Revisiting these classic fairytales such as these engages an already loyal audience – and a large one at that, because these tales have been around for so many decades. And they are familiar with an adored story. Enjoyed across generations, fairytales in their nature tap into the audiences who know the stories well, as well as invite in in a younger demographic who enjoy a modern take on classic tales.
There have been hundreds of live-action and animated adaptions of classic fairytales, from the latest Beauty & the Beast, to The Little Mermaid and the recently announced live-action adaption of Snow White, all of which re-tell these stories to a modern audience. But for our version, we were really interested in the concept of combining elements of different fairytales, and in this, creating our own unique yet familiar universe. Of course, this has been seen before. Some of the most famous scenes and quotes from Shrek for example, are those which parody different elements of traditional fairytales and offer a fresh perspective.Â
Blending the classics
Merging elements of Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretel allowed us the creative freedom to explore new themes and messaging, in a unique universe in which Sleeping Beauty and new versions of Hansel and Gretel – now secret agents – interacted for the very first time. Building a universe where beloved characters could come together offered endless potential for character development and imaginative backdrops, as well as the opportunity to retell a story with modern values that reflect a variety of cultures.
With any modern adaption or remake, there are aspects of the narrative that need to be altered to align with today’s audience. With inspiration from two well-known and age-old tales, we had the opportunity to create new storylines for the characters, that developed the context for each of them and allowed us to build on our own idea for the film. We have taken the classic “prince saves princess” narrative and modified the story to include our own re-imagined version of them both. In our film, secret agents Hansel and Gretel work together to save a princess from her enchanted slumber. But they cross paths with a sorcery-wielding Prince who is after the same prize.Â
Moving away from traditional stereotypes
Original fairytales reflect societal norms from their era, including gender and racial stereotypes which no longer align with the world we live in, and the one we want to portray onscreen. Though remakes and adaptions revisit original stories, writers and producers must take the opportunity to reflect our modern values and represent a diverse reality.Â
We felt it was vital to include new characters in this film as well as the recognisable ones, that derive from a variety of different backgrounds. In Saving Sleeping Beauty, we have revisited some of the most well-known characters from world-favourite fairytales and stories, and explored their diverse backgrounds, adding another dimension to the film. For example, our film also explores the characters of Santa, Ali Baba, and the Forty Thieves and Witches of Oz, in a new, creative setting.Â
Expanding on these original stories allowed us to reinvent these characters so that they also belong in this modern adaptation.
Happily ever after…?
From the nostalgia of cherished tales to the delight of discovering new elements, this approach to fairytales not only leverages the appeal of timeless stories but also provides a creative canvas for exploring new themes and cultures. The blending of these stories opens doors to imaginative storytelling, which we look forward to sharing with the world in Saving Sleeping Beauty.
Sefi Carmel, CEO of Creation Entertainment Media
Sefi Carmel is an award-winning London based composer, sound designer, producer and mixer. He has been creating soundtracks for films, TV, commercials and games for over a decade.
His diverse credits range from work on A list Hollywood feature films with the likes of Ridley Scott, John Woo, Chris Columbus and Kevin Reynolds; to mixing, remixing and mastering tracks for David Bowie, Phil Collins, Bruno Mars, Michael Bublé, Massive Attack, BB king and many more.
He has enjoyed success creating scores and soundtracks for Disney, Universal, Buena Vista Miramax, Scott Free, BBC, MTV, ITV, National Geographic, Discovery, Sky, Five, Channel 4, BskyB’s cross platform gaming channels and many more.
Advertising clients include top agencies such as Publicist and M&C Saatchi, and top brands such as Mercedes, BMW, Samsung, and many more.
For more than a decade, Sefi has been mixing all the audio for Steam Motion and Sound. Steam is a high-end creative agency with offices in London, New York, and Sydney. Sefi has mixed hundreds of cinema and TV commercials and trailers for Steam, working for A list clients such as Cameron Macintosh, Warner Bros, Decca, Universal, Vodafone and many more.
His soundtracks are an exciting hybrid of epic, cinematic orchestral and cutting-edge electronic music, using superb live musicians coupled with larger-than-life sound design, mixed in earth shattering 5.1 surround, to create that big cinema experience.
