Hobby goes to the chocolate factory in spot for Verkade

“The child inside all of us knows that a cookie factory must be a magical place,” says Renfors. “The fact we were actually IN the real factory with real employees set a lot of the tone. Because it isn’t actually magic; it’s not a fairytale. It’s craftsmanship and hard work - that was the fun of the idea.”

Shot in one (long) day, the production was given extraordinary access to the historic building, allowing them to capture the reality of biscuit making with total authenticity. “Normally you cheat to create scenes like this, but we were able to keep it totally real, unlike your standard food commercials”, says Renfors. “There is something enchanting about these enormous baking machines and the people running them. A 19th century cookie factory still making biscuits conjures a sense of childhood wonder for me. That is magical enough!”

To hit home the contrast between fairytale and reality, Renfors encouraged the cast to embrace their wonderfully dry Dutch sense of humour. “The cast really captured that down-to-earth, unimpressed view of this supposed fairytale setting”.

The film premiered at the factory itself with a special screening for the employees. Renfors recorded a film to thank them for making the experience so magical. He says, “they were the pros and we were the happy visitors, humbled by the humongous physical baking machinery, all of us with childhood smiles on our faces. And beard nets!”