In the late 2000s, YouTube viewers likely encountered the comedic talents of The Lonely Island and BriTANick. The Lonely Island, comprised of Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone, are now recognized as comedy legends from Saturday Night Live. They delivered memorable music videos such as “Lazy Sunday,” “I’m on a Boat,” and “Dick in a Box.”
At the same time, inspired by The Lonely Island, another popular sketch group from NYU called BriTANick emerged, featuring longtime friends Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher. Their fast-paced, absurd sketches included “Boys Night In,” “Academy Award Winning Movie Trailer,” and “Sexy Pool Party.”
Mashable’s Executive Producer Mark Stetson interviewed BriTANick and The Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone about their new film, Over Your Dead Body, a remake of Tommy Wirkola’s Norwegian dark comedy The Trip. McElhaney and Kocher wrote the script, while Taccone directs, resulting in a comedic remake that maintains its closeness to the original while adding their unique twist.
Samara Weaving and Jason Segel star as Lisa and Dan, a married couple tired of each other. What seems like a romantic getaway to Dan’s dad’s cabin turns sinister, as Dan plots to murder Lisa in an “alpine divorce,” making it look like a climbing accident.
Taccone and BriTANick shared their journey from sketch comedians with low-budget production skills to creators of widely recognized comedy videos. According to McElhaney, “Now, everyone can do it. Back then, you had to know someone with a FireWire cord and camera, and you needed to export from Final Cut Pro.”
Taccone remarked on the lowered barriers to entry for content creation, noting that “you can do more for less money” and expressed gratitude for IFC’s financial backing, which allowed for a substantial project.
Over Your Dead Body is now showing in theaters.