Luke Kelly-Clyne
Most Recently: This Week In Web Videos: "Your Dad's Friends"
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This Week In Web Videos: "Your Dad's Friends"
Lena Dunham knows it’s tough to be young and creative and struggling to find a purpose in life, and she’s not alone. Not by a long shot. Aaron Eisenberg, Alex Forstenhausler, and Austin Breslow, creators of Your Dad’s Friends, have come along with another shrewd look at a talented generation making a career out of being unemployed. (As I write this article, two of my jobless 24-year-old friends are firing off emails into the Craigslist tv/film/video/radio abyss and discussing their favorite bits of The Sopranos first season — all of which they watched today.)
We city-dwelling creatives, children of parents who were too tolerant, products of colleges that were too supportive, plebes in urban kingdoms whose executive rulers are too busy for us, vacillate between “reach out again in a month or so” brushoff email panic and “maybe I’ll just write a funny web series” self-discovery optimism. Eking through the uncertain corridors of our twenties, we wonder: WHEN’S GONNA BE OUR TIME?! But do we ever stop to think that it might actually be right now? As long as Obamacare stays in effect, moms and pops keep us on the old wireless family plan, and we continue to “dance like no one’s watching,” it might not be that crazy to think so. Either way, the likes of Dunham and Eisenberg give us all some much-needed hope.
Your Dad’s Friends follows unemployed recent grad Ben Hurwitz (Eisenberg) as he pursues leads for longshot entertainment jobs teed up by his well-meaning father. It’s a Seinfeldian spin on real-life tropes familiar to emerging adults trying to make it in fields that don’t want them. Goofier than Girls, Your Dad’s Friends is undeniably similar in its accessibility for the self-effacing millennial set and while installments run a bit long, Eisenberg’s honest portrayal of conversational nuance makes them much more watchable than most two-minute series I’ve come across. READ MORE
This Week In Web Videos: PoolJumpers
Ever wonder what’s the best parody video on the Internet? Well wonder no more. Unless you disagree with me and don’t think this is the best one out there. Then, I guess you can continue to wonder. Either way, do yourself a favor and watch PoolJumpers.
Parody videos are the holy grail of web sketch, because, if done right, their zeitgeisty relatability helps them spread fast and hard. Since it’s 2010 premiere, The Birthday Boys’ classic PoolJumpers is the benchmark for what works…really…really well. We know it’s a little old, but the fact that it hasn’t been profiled in this column pains us and, let’s get real, funny is goddamn funny, no matter what the calendar says. READ MORE
This Week In Web Videos: "The Roadie with Danny McBride"
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
A lazy idiot’s motto? Perhaps. But in the cruel world of mass market comedy, where we celebrate the laziest of the idiots, sometimes old faithful is better than cutting edge. This is especially true for celebrities with established brands and followings, celebrities like, well, Danny McBride, Jack Black, and Kyle Gass. (Maybe Dane Cook? Come on…maybe?). No matter what your comedic sensibilities, it’s hard to deny “The Roadie with Danny McBride” packs a special sort of power in its anticipatory appeal, its “I already know and love these guys” punch.
Assuming you haven’t started watching already (you definitely should have; what I have to say isn’t all that important compared to this video), here are three reasons to check out this week’s pick. Read them if you dare… READ MORE
This Week In Web Videos: "Howard Gets an Interview"
When I received an email plugging a web series about a guy interviewing for jobs in corporate America, I felt a pang of disappointment. Someone had “stolen” my idea. I clicked the link hoping it wouldn’t be funny and I’d be vindicated as a comic genius, still able produce my own Webby-winning take. Unfortunately for my ego, Howard Gets an Interview is more than enough to fill the situational interview web series space. And I mean that in the best possible way.
Written by Jonathan F. Cohen and starring Timothy Hornor as Howard, the “series” is, at this point, one episode long and, thus, more of a sketch. Still, it’s production value, nuanced performances, and tight storyline warrant mention as a show to follow. Cohen and Co. just need to pop out some more installments to prove the pilot magic can be replicated.
Now, off to work on my next great web series idea: Star Wars. Hoping it hasn’t been done already. Before I go, here are three reasons to check out this week’s pick. READ MORE
This Week In Web Videos: "Beer Goggles"
A sketch about beer goggles? Not the most original joke. “Oh,” I thought “it’s probably some ironic play on the old trope about being too drunk to see people’s true qualities. Something not at all about inebriation. Something awesome.”
And I was wrong. It wasn’t ironic. Nope. It was pretty much just a straight-up take on the alcohol-induced phenomenon we all know and dread. Still, I found myself…laughing.
The short, written by Lauren Cook and Anna Breslaw, directed by Oren Brimer (The Daily Show), and starring veteran funnyman Kurt Braunohler alongside Scott Eckert, Anna Breslaw, and Lauren Cook, demonstrates that good acting and writing matters a hell of a lot more than an original idea. Just look at Girls (a show about four friends living in New York and talking about it) or Swingers (a movie about two guys living in Los Angeles and talking about it). READ MORE
This Week In Web Videos: Ted and Gracie
We all love stuff that’s cool and weird and offbeat, don’t we? I’ll answer for you here — yes. Of course we do. Like any aficionados, we enjoy that which is cutting edge, beyond the norm, even alienating to those not “in-the-know”. We used to feel this way about deadpan mockumentaries and snickered at those in our midst who asked “is this for real?” Ha! We were so much smarter and cooler than them. But no longer. Now, everyone gets “awkward.” To be made uncomfortable is to be made to laugh. From web to screen, the pieces that seem to garner the most attention seem to be the ones that are most effective in making our skin crawl. Lately, I’ve been wondering if the awkward comedy boom is close to bubbling. Then, a show like Ted & Gracie comes along and changes the whole goddamn game.
Few things are more offbeat than a comedic series about being engaged to a serial killer and that, folks, is what we’ve got here. Written, co-directed by and starring Jenna Friedman as Gracie, Ted and Gracie is a mockumentary about a couple whose marriage prep process is being profiled by a New York Times-like fake newspaper, The Newark Times, as part of a Weddings Section video supplement. Opposite the sweet, naïve Gracie is Ted (Ben Kronberg) — a hipster incarnation of Ted Bundy (plus some of the Kaczynski beard) with serious sociopathic tendencies, and a whole lot of love for his bride-to-be. READ MORE
This Week In Web Videos: "Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice Post Show Recap"
Historically speaking, I’m not a fan of web videos centering around celebrity impersonations because they’re often short on content. Especially if the impression is really strong. Performers figure they can skate by on the old “hey, that really does sound just like…” recognition and, in almost every case, they can’t. The shtick gets old. So viewers are left with a mediocre piece that has a kick-ass first quarter and then sorta…falls off. Not the case with Mike O’Gorman’s “Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice Post Show Recap” and I’m glad he’s proved me wrong.
O’Gorman (actor, writer, and co-creator of “Tiny Apartment,” the very first web series we reviewed in this column) is known for his dynamite celeb imitations, so it’s no shock that he does a great Trump. It’s also not enough to warrant an article praising his efforts. No, folks, what makes this series worth watching is the writing and the deadpan format that almost makes you believe you’re actually tuning into some megalomaniacal post-show publicity stunt put on by the Donald himself. READ MORE
This Week In Web Videos: "How to Make a Situation About You"
I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again. Sometimes, in web series, simple is better. UCBComedy's “How to Make a Situation About You” confirms that hilarity can come out of smart, small ideas. The key to making short pieces successful? Clarity of message.
It’s easier to write a five-minute-per-episode, arc-heavy web opus than it is a sub two-minute idea good enough to have staying power. To be quick and memorable and quality demands a hyper focus on the single salient element of a funny idea, the nugget that cuts through all the fluff to the core of the most illustrative beats. Few attempt simple because it’s risky. It forces creators to stake a claim, to go out on a limb without the security of b-stories or cavalcades of off-game Hail Mary jokes that provide a buffer if the underlying thread doesn’t hit the way writers hoped it would. This week’s web series has none of that nonsense. READ MORE
This Week in Web Videos: "I Hate Being Single (IHBS)"
Rob Michael Hugel’s a brave man and his new web series, I Hate Being Single (IHBS), proves it.
Creating any visual media intended for a wide audience can be torturous. Self doubt plagues even the most confident among us and questions as to whether anyone will “get it” inflame some special, awful insecurity sector of our brains. There’s so much at stake. So much thought, so much writing, so many location scouts, and permits, and actors who are only available Tuesday from 4-5:30 and cameras that are low on battery and “Oh oh oh, we need a China ball. Where’s the goddamn China ball?!”
Because creating and producing is rough, artists want a “payoff.” So they tend to go for the salable gimmick, the most pitchable pitch. Nowhere is this more the case than in the world of web series where every project is vying for clicks in a race toward a larger primetime TV venue and a boardroom full of network execs looking for something “different.” READ MORE
This Week in Web Videos: "The Honest Bachelor"
A sketch about a popular primetime dating show, featuring David Spade? Meh. That was my initial reaction. “Meh.” In fact, someone emailed me this video on Monday and I just ignored it. Couldn’t be bothered to watch. Why would I waste my time? I’d seen it all before. Some Just Shoot Me sass mixed in with a little Grown Ups past-prime sadness, all topped with a sprinkling of really safe jabs about Bachelor contestants being “desperate whores,” and so on. Ultimately a trusted source convinced me to give it a shot and though my snap judgments weren’t inaccurate, their being true didn’t make this not funny. In fact, it’s good for all the reasons I thought it wouldn’t be.
As a comedy nerd, I’ve been conditioned to always look for the not-so-obvious joke, the one that really makes audiences think. I’ve also become a big fan of situations that are ultra-original, sometimes verging on post-humor in their off-beatness. This means I generally don’t like celebrity impersonation sketches (“Celebrity Jeopardy” notwithstanding) or very straight, cut and dry TV show parodies. But I think I used to. READ MORE
This Week in Web Videos: Baby Big Body
So, “This Week’s Web Series You Need To Watch” took a little break to rejigger its focus and maintain its freshness. Maybe you noticed and were sad and wondered what you did to make us go away. Maybe you were busy doing other stuff and are just too nice to tell us you didn’t care all that much. Either way, we’re back…sort of. Going forward, in an effort to showcase as much quality material as possible, we’re focusing on covering not only web series, but also really special standalone web videos, like this week’s selection: Baby Big Body. Let us know what you think of the new direction and, as always, thanks for reading!
Sketches are tricky for the same reason they’re attractive. Quick, high impact, (usually) low cost manifestations of one-off ideas, they seem like a nice alternative to more involved web series productions. They’re a way for writers and actors to show the world they’re funny in a flash, without many of the “gotta keep it up” pressures that come with making a full-blown series.
The flip side is: sketches leave no room for error. There’s no arc that makes episode #3 funnier after seeing episode #2, no points awarded for cinematographically adventurous intros. With sketches, it’s “Make me laugh. Hard. Now.” Creators have fifteen seconds to capture a viewer that will, creators hope, click some combination of “like”, “share” or “tweet”. For the most seasoned web video producers, the stakes are high, the competition is rife, and the view count payoff usually isn’t commensurate with the effort put in. READ MORE
This Week's Web Series You Need To Watch: The Real Housewives of South Boston
Very few web parodies inspire actual TV shows. In fact, I can’t think of one that has. Until now. Yes, that’s right. The Real Housewives of South Boston is so freaking good that reality TV factory TLC is reportedly in pre-production for a South Boston based addition to their suite of ratings-busting real-life programming. Okay, to be honest, I don’t know if the choice was a direct result of this web series but, after watching, I can’t imagine how it wouldn’t be.
Real Housewives’ general premise isn’t all that new — mockumentary, reality spoof, people acting outrageous, yada yada. The Internet is littered with similar iterations of tired premises brought on by a dangerous elixir of writers’ panic and Bravo binges. On logline alone, this series wouldn’t be out of the ordinary. So why is it?
Acting. Writing. Production. The answer’s not new and it’s not exciting, so I’m sorry about that. What it is, is representative of the crucial elements of any successful project. We all love new, fresh things, but even proven ideas that seem like they’ve been through the mill a couple times can be really impactful if done well. The talent with which the “done” project is assembled makes it feel fresh. Just look at the “Shit ____ Say” meme. A lot of what’s been put out is terrible but some, even this late in the game, is pretty damn funny. READ MORE
This Week's Web Series You Need To Watch: The Untitled Webseries That Morgan Evans Is Doing
Morgan Evans says of his new web series: “It is weird, it is sad, it is funny and it was expensive.” I can’t speak to the budget (though I’m assuming it cost at least the entire $10,133 raised on Kickstarter), but it’s certainly weird, sad, and funny. That’s why it’s this week’s selection.
As you may have guessed, I spend a fair amount of time trolling for and watching Internet videos. I take it seriously and believe web series are a big part of entertainment’s future. But lately I’ve been worried. I’ve found myself languishing in my exploration. Though I’m sure there’s still lots of quality product out there that I haven’t seen, most of what I’m coming across is unimpressive. Unextraordinary. Funny, sort of, but done. Not deserving of a series. Maybe there’s a shortage of good new stuff. More likely, my tastes are catching up with my expectations for the medium. I’m looking for funny and creative more than ever before. The Untitled Webseries That Morgan Evans Is Doing is a perfect example. READ MORE
This Week's Web Series You Need To Watch: Paul Solomon: Chronicles of Love
There are very few songs that could open the LA Shorts Film Festival and be worth listening to for their non-comedic artistic merit. The Lonely Island's infectious contributions could easily clear the first hurdle, but could anyone ever digest Jizz In My Pants or I’m On A Boat as anything more than a joke song? Even without the cartoonish visuals, probably not. Paul Solomon: Chronicles of Love is unique because it’s visually comedic (hence the LA Shorts Fest props) and auditorily kind of legitimately good.
Samberg and Co.’s brand of parody is great because it’s really accessible and in your face. Broadly familiar genre melodies immediately betray tone and since Adam, Jorma, and Akiva aren’t true songbirds, their impact is achieved mostly through lots of punchlines. That technique’s different from the more ethereal humor employed here. Lonely Island writes sketch comedy set to music. Paul Solomon’s David DiLoreto (Paul) writes real, could-be-on-your-parents’-car-radio songs about funny situations. Both approaches are noteworthy. The latter is seldom explored. READ MORE
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