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Category: Swede (8)

March 12, 2008

A Dog Playing a Pig Playing a Dog

Yes, you read that headline right. Remember Babe, the film about a pig with the talents of a sheep dog? Now we have a swede--amateur remakes of famous films--of that classic film featuring a dog in the pig's role, and people in the sheep role. No, this isn't kinky, I swear. But don't watch it late at night:

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February 21, 2008

Sweding interview III: Back to the Future trilogy

Behold: the third part in a series of Watch This Now interviews with “swede” creators. (See our previous posts on "sweding" and "Be Kind Rewind" here, here, here, and here).

Check out this hilarious Back to the Future trilogy video. (Warning: some not appropriate for work language)

B2F.jpg


After the jump, we talk to Ghraddar Ryan Jamil, the director of the six-minute video. Jamil, the founder of Counter Clockwork Films in Austin, reveals some behind-the-scene information:
-How he had to get the crew to suppress their professional filmmaking knowledge to keep the homemade feel.
-How to make a flux capacitor with a few LED lights, tubing and red tape.
-Finding purple underwear is pretty difficult. Convincing an actor to wear the pair on camera is even more so.
-Pimp Doc Brown does not like dying.

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February 20, 2008

Sweding interview II: Total Recall

This is the second part in a series of Watch This Now interviews with “swede” creators who were inspired by the upcoming movie "Be Kind Rewind."
(See our previous posts on the subject here, here, here, and here).

Today, we’re chatting with Tony Medrano, the bearded 24-year-old graphic designer who plays Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in a goofy adaptation of “Total Recall.”

After the jump, Medrano talks about pulling the video together in 48 hours with a budget of less than $60, how the special effects were pulled off, and how they didn’t need a script because an actor had previously memorized all the one-liners.

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February 19, 2008

Sweding interview: Lord of the Rings

This is the first part of a series of interviews Watch This Now has conducted with the creators of some pretty excellent “sweding’ movies. (See our previous posts on the subject here, here, here, and here).

Watch This Now chats with Daniel Loyd, the guy behind the camera for Lord of the Rings: Swede. The clip’s been clicked more than 17,000 times and is featured at the 'Be Kind Rewind' official Web site next to “swedes” from the movie.

Here’s a taste of the really, really long interview—which you can continue reading after the video below.

That was the fun challenge in many ways "How the heck are we going to do that?!" and then finding a way to do it. If we all cracked up, then we knew we had it. For example, the original idea for the Balrog was to use an action figure of an actual Balrog and set it on fire, then use action figures of Gandalf/Balrog falling. That was nixed because we couldn't find a Balrog cheaply ($200 for that thing!) and production time (we really had only 1 weekend to do it. Families, etc). Action figures were also going to be used for the 'helicopter' shots from the real LOTR where the party is moving through various locations. Crystal cat litter for snow, etc. I actually have two figures I need to take back to target for the refund! The arrows killing Boromir were PVC tubing, spray-painted black, strung on fishing line. One side attached to a stick, the other to safety pins on the inner shirt of Boromir. We all stood outside of frame and threw the arrows down the lines one after the other (multiple takes there.) It was hilarious to see some of them bounce.


Some of the things the 31-year-old Los Angeles resident and freelance video producer talks about putting the film together, Tolkien fans, and how “sweding” is like a cover song or a thank you note to the original creators.

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"The Karate Kid": The Swede

There's something about "The Karate Kid" that brings back fond memories for my generation. (Sweep the leg!) That might be why there are so many "swedes" of it online. This one's my favorite because it recognizes the importance of the montage training scenes that the other videos neglect. Also, the ending, which isn't exactly faithful to the real movie, but is totally worth waiting six minutes for.

Check back every day until "Be Kind Rewind" opens on Friday for more "sweded" videos and Q&As with their creators.

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"Lord of the Rings" in two minutes

Hello readers of the Pl@ay article on "sweding" (a term coined in "Be Kind Rewind"). If you haven't read the article yet, go, go, go.

Here's a "Lord of the Rings" remake from England that tries to cram nine hours of film into two minutes of video.

from Chris Hardwick, a student at the University of Hertfordshire:


There are quite a few amusing stories that I could tell from behind the scenes! One highlight was when we asked the rest of our class to appear in the battle scenes in the film. This involved improvising so many costumes for orcs/elves for ten other people (involving bin bags and cardboard), standing outside the main building on our university campus and hitting eachother with cardboard weapons. It didn't help that it was a windy day so Nathan's (who plays Gandalf) white dressing gown kept being blown up infront of the camera! We got so many strange looks from other people that day who obviously didn't know what we were doing.

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"Jurassic Park": The Swede

Dinosaurs "sweded." It all makes sense if you read the article in the Features section today. (alright, it probably still won't). Watch this video if a) you love "Jurassic Park" and b) you've got at least 5 minutes of free time.

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How 'swede' it is

Have you checked out the article in our Pl@y section about "sweding"-- the act of recreating something you love with yourself in it? (It's all about the heart, kid).

We will be rolling out "sweded" videos all morning long and also be publishing interviews with the films' creators over the next few days. You'll be able to watch "Lord of the Rings," "Jurassic Park" and "Karate Kid" in your cubicle (albeit shortened versions done by people who are probably sitting in cubicles right now themselves).

Here's "Lord of the Rings: Swede"

Watch part two here.

And come back tomorrow for a long Q&A with the creator, who will provide trivia about how the video was made.

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About This Blog

The Internet has spawned a universe of renegade video: an outpouring of parody, celebrity, sci-fi, bloopers, undiscovered talent and weirdness that defies category. We're in an age where homemade clips flare into worldwide phenomena.

We like this stuff. We think about it. And we show you our favorites.

JON BURSTEIN
Burstein watches anything on television and spends too much time looking for stupid viral videos, according to his wife... < More >
KATHY BUSHOUSE
Someday, if she's lucky, Bushouse will get to appear on VH1's "The World Series of Pop Culture" and finally use her ability... < More >
BRIAN HAAS
A crime reporter at the Sun Sentinel, he’s a dork among dorks with interests in video games, Lost, Heroes and science... < More >
JUSTIN L. ABROTSKY
The self-proclaimed "World's Greatest Online News Producer," he watched far too much television in the 1990s... < More >
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