New School sophomores Yasmina Karrakchou and Megan Paetzhold love the Internet and puns. When they decided to start an Internet comedy series, they agreed on one title: Indie-Cisive.
“Megan and I talked in class one day about making a web series,” Karrakchou said. “Then we just sat in a diner and wrote it.”
The series, which premiered on April 14 on YouTube, centers around a New York-based film student and video blogger named Riley (played by James Webster), and his group of friends. His friends include Jane Austyn (Brianna Lynch), a literary studies major with a very coincidental name, Casey (Luke Clerkin), a culinary student who makes a “pretty good Hot Pocket,” Devyn (Mary Rockcastle), a feminist performance artist, Beck (Mark Woodward), a culinary school dropout who mooches off his roommates, and Vivienne (Isabella Alesci), an aspiring method actress. Each character is based on the actor or actress playing the role.
“It’s us making fun of us making fun of us,” Rockcastle said.
The show’s characters seem self-aware of their role in the Internet landscape. The episodes begin with Riley hosting a YouTube-esque vlog. And many scenes feature “I Spy” moments, in which viewers are encouraged to spot items like self-designed tote bags and posters in backgrounds. One tote reads “Patriarchy,” with a drawing of a Bop-It reading: “Smash it! Crush it! Kick it where it hurts!” A poster for the 2004 film “Shaun of the Dead” also appears throughout the series. Behind the poster lies a set of tally marks representing the amount of times Riley has seen the film; that number currently stands at 94 and will increase as the series continues.
No matter how many trials and changes the characters endure, Paetzhold will remain glad that her idea for an online comedy series has become reality.
“I’m just really hoping we can give people a quick laugh and maybe a few ‘aww’ moments if they tune in,” she said.
Charlotte is majoring in Journalism + Design at Eugene Lang College and graduated high school in Bamberg, Germany. Her father is a soldier so she grew up moving around a lot. Outside of her interest in journalism, she is an aspiring novelist & screenplay writer who dabbles in acting. Charlotte loves reading, writing, road trips, red wine, videogames, music, sketch comedy and tennis.
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