In time for Valentine’s Day, for this week’s creator conversation, I spoke with the film team behind Okie Show Show’s latest comedy sketch, Breaking Up with Facebook.
Tell me a bit about yourself and your role with Breaking Up With Facebook.
BRIAN: I’m Brian Gililland, the creative director of Okie Show Show. I host the podcast and oversee all of the content we create. Nic Szabo is the head of the sketch production team though, so with all of our sketches, I get to be just one more voice in the room. I was the writer/director of this one. Each of us within the writer’s room had input in the final script through joke punch ups and general notes.
CJ LANCE: I’m a stand-up comedian, and a writer for Okie Show Show. For the project, Breaking Up With Facebook, I was a producer and actor. I gave a couple of punch-up lines for the script, and had a small acting role as Travis, the guy who does the poking and owns a jet ski.
NICHOLAS: Brian brought me on board a couple years ago. I run the writer’s room for our sketches, as well as writing and directing some of them. I helped shape the idea of the short as Brian wrote it. (I didn’t do shit on this one.)
What’s your synopsis for the short film?
BRIAN: Ben has decided it’s time to end his relationship with Facebook.
CJ LANCE: This film is a personified relationship with Facebook. It’s hilarious, and quite accurate.
NICHOLAS: Facebook can be hard to leave already… now imagine if it was a person. (Fuck Facebook.)
Why do you think people should watch it?
BRIAN: It’s not just super funny, it’s also kind of a fun take on what I feel like is a real issue we’re facing with our individual relationships with social media. It’s become a massive part of our lives, and with that comes unnecessary comparisons with other people’s successes and failures, unnecessary outrage that just feeds on more outrage, and it doesn’t have to be that way. But at the end of the day, I’m really proud of how great the sketch looks, sounds, and feels. Everyone involved really brought their A game to it. It looks like a real rom-com!
CJ LANCE: I think anyone who has ever had a Facebook account can relate to this film.
NICHOLAS: It’s funny and relatable. (and fuck Facebook)
Where was the movie filmed?
BRIAN: We shot in the lobby of OKC Improv in the Plaza District.
What was the greatest challenge you overcame in this production?
BRIAN: This sketch has a ton of practical gags with props and people sliding into frame and then disappearing. Since it’s all one big scene, we had to shoot it in sections and choreograph the gags with the help of our art department. If you watch close, you may be able to see our actress playing Facebook subtlety reach and grab the next prop. It was a really fun challenge to figure all of that out, and I think the use of real gags as opposed to VFX popping in and out from post-production wizardry adds a fun visual element to the whole sketch.
CJ LANCE: The large window in the background provided a little too much light at times.
NICHOLAS: Making it look like a quality film even though it’s a silly sketch. (Diarrhea)
Any behind-the-scenes stories you wish to share or things you learned from making this project?
BRIAN: Harrison Wolohon from Metro Tech really was a massive help for resources and equipment. We got to bring in several students and put them in different crew positions so they could have real world experience with very low risk. When you’re trying to break into the film industry, sometimes finding that legitimate work experience is super challenging because either the budget makes hiring inexperienced workers a risky thing to do, or the project isn’t run in a professional way and then never sees the light of day. Its really cool to see a student be challenged, but guided by an industry pro. And it’s all for fun! We also run a very creatively inclusive set, so everyone gets to have input. It just helps make the jokes land that much better.
CJ LANCE: Neil struggled with his angry monologue, and kept saying, “weird creepy mind hive.” It took a great number of takes for him to finally get it right.
NICHOLAS: Neil saying mind hive over and over (So much diarrhea.)
What was the worst break-up you had?
BRIAN: I’d say my own breakup with Facebook and our on-again, off-again relationship has been pretty darn tumultuous. I broke up with her for a few months, then she snuck back into my life. I think I’m gonna have to friend-zone her.
CJ LANCE: I’ve honestly never had a bad break up (in my opinion).
NICHOLAS: I had a girlfriend in second grade who moved away without telling me. She moved back in the 4th grade and didn’t remember me. Was all downhill from there.
Anything else you want to say or let people know?
BRIAN: The more support we have, the more projects like this one we get the chance to make. If folks want to support us, share the sketch, listen to our podcast, and become a patron at www.patreon.com/okieshowshow. Then check out www.okieshowshow.com to see all the other fun stuff we’ve been up to!
CJ LANCE: Go watch all of Okie Show Show’s sketches on YouTube!
