A video made on a whim by a group of freshmen procrastinating for a midterm has turned into an instant hit.
Described as "a Western happening at Penn in the winter," by Engineering freshman and co-producer Sakil Chundydyal, the video chronicles a snowball fight turned dance-off between fellow Engineering freshmen Chia Heng Wu and Tal Raviv.
According to Raviv, the approximately 90-second-long video features "every bad movie making cliche out there and [is as] corny as we could make it."
The comedic short elicited amused reactions from viewers.
"Most people are just like, 'What the hell?' Because [the video] is just such bullshit," Chundydyal said.
To promote the video, its makers sent out a link of the video over e-mail to their friends.
"Everybody I've sent it to has liked it. It makes our day to hear people liking the film," Wu noted. "We did this out of out fun -- we didn't expect anything."
As their friends and friends' friends started watching the video, it became more and more popular.
Raviv estimated that at least 500 people have already seen it -- including University President Amy Gutmann, who watched the video after Raviv e-mailed her the link.
She responded, "It's very funny and clever," he said.
Raviv noted that his professors and TAs have also enjoyed the video.
"This is the best laugh I've had in while," said Hill House Dean Amy Pollock of the video.
Students, too, have enjoyed the unique concept.
The video is a "really creative piece of work," Freshman Class Vice President Isaac Dayan said.
Raviv explained that he started taking footage of snow to put off studying for a midterm.
The Florida native also "wanted to have somebody take a picture of [him] in the snow" to show his family and friends back home. One thing led to another, and he and other Hill House freshmen became involved with the video.
Three hours later the masterpiece was complete.
Chundydyal attributed the production of the video to the fact that "Tal is always coming up with weird ideas."
The video has been entered into the College House Film Festival as Hill House's submission and will be shown at the Bridge: Cinema de Lux movie theater later this semester.
Raviv said he has also sent the video to some national humor Web sites, but he is still awaiting their approval.
The film's creators say that they hope to make sequels.
The video is available at http://snowball.cjb.net.
