BriTANicK is turning from sketches to features

About this episode

Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher discuss their transition from sketch comedy to feature films and their experiences at SXSW 2026.

Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher, the comedy duo known as BriTANicK, brought two feature films to SXSW 2026: 'Pizza Movie,' which they wrote and directed, and 'Over Your Dead Body,' which they adapted for Jorma Taccone to direct. They reflect on their sketch comedy roots and whether anything they'd done before approached narrative filmmaking, plus how they regard sketches within the broader realm of cinema. The pair also share how their festival weekend turned out, juggling two premieres and a live comedy show. Our conversation explores how their dynamic as performers translates behind the camera, and the mechanics of escalation in 'Pizza Movie,' a film that constantly heightens the stakes. They discuss whether that comes from instinct or structure, and how they think about audience experience now that it's heading to Hulu after theatrical screenings. We turn to 'Over Your Dead Body,' examining what writing for someone else to direct feels like versus helming their own work, and how they approached "Americanizing" a 2021 Norwegian film while navigating what to touch and what to leave alone. Having been candid about their creative differences over the years, they consider whether…

People in this episode

Host: Áron Czapek

Guests: Brian McElhaney, Nick Kocher

Topics covered

• comedy
• filmmaking
• sketch comedy
• narrative
• film festivals
• collaboration

Keywords

• BriTANicK
• Pizza Movie
• Over Your Dead Body
• SXSW
• comedy duo
• narrative filmmaking
• audience experience
• collaboration

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BriTANicK, Hulu, SXSW

Books & works: Pizza Movie, Over Your Dead Body, 2021 Norwegian film

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