Getting Inside Some “Young American Bodies”

When Joe Swanberg pitched his idea for a series following the (sex) lives of a group of young people in Chicago to Nerve.com, he had no idea just how popular the show would become. Two years and millions of downloads later, "Young American Bodies" has moved to IFC.com, where its third season will debut on Tuesday, May 27.

We recently sat down with Joe Swanberg to ask him a few questions about the series: you'll find his answers, a preview clip from YAB's third season, and an exclusive preview gallery after the jump.

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Fleshbot: What was the inspiration for "Young American Bodies"?
Joe Swanberg: I made a film called KISSING ON THE MOUTH that detailed the relationships of some young people in Chicago. I felt like I had more to learn and more that I was interested in exploring within that framework, so I pitched the show idea to Nerve. I had wanted to make a web series for a few years at that point, and it seemed like a really good fit with what Nerve was already doing.

FB: How did you recruit the cast? Was it difficult finding actors who were comfortable with the nature of the show?
JS: I make the show with my wife, Kris, and we spent a few weeks meeting with people and putting the cast together. Some of them were already friends of ours and most of the other people we met through MySpace. We posted bulletins explaining what we were trying to do and there were a few people who were interested. Once we found the right people, we worked with them to develop the show around their own lives and stories. Now that we have a few seasons online, it's easier to find people to be in the show, because they know what to expect. We are always looking for new cast members, so people should email me if they are interested.

FB: What's been your favorite episode?
JS: At this point we have made 32 episodes and I can no longer pick a favorite. My favorite relationship in the show is between Maggie and Ted. They are such a weird couple, but they somehow make sense. They break up in Season 2, but we brought Ted back for the new season because we all liked his character so much. A New York actor named Karl Jacob plays that part and he cracks all of us up. We bring him to Chicago just to do the show.

FB: Has switching from Nerve to IFC.com changed the direction or content in any way?
JS: Both websites have been really amazing about giving us total creative freedom with the show. It's a risky series to get behind, so it feels very nice to have both of these respected sites helping us find an audience.

FB: After "Young American Bodies," think you'll have any interest in shooting porn? If you did go in that direction, what kind of porn would you make?
JS: I would definitely be interested in shooting a porn, just to see what it's like. I would have to find the right actors to work with. That is the only thing that would make it interesting to me. If I made a porn, it would inevitably be just like my other films, full of conversations, awkward moments, long takes, minimal lighting, etc. Once again, if the right people are out there, please email me.

· Young American Bodies on IFC (ifc.com)
· Young American Bodies (youngamericanbodies.com)