Duck Sauce: Big Bad Wolf

Keith Schofield is o-u-t-r-a-g-e-o-u-s.  We love his R-rated work more than anything especially his videos that are never going to see the light of traditional airtime. His Diesel SFW XXX has been on the “most viewed video” lists for almost three years now and his work for Justice, Supergrass, Beck and Charlotte Gainsbourg are just a few that have had us pressing replay compulsively.

Schofield is setting the web on fire again by applying his trademark wit and genius technical trickery to Duck Sauce’s Big Bad Wolf produced out of his London base Somesuch & Co. Lyndy Stout catches up with the wizard of viral video edge.

You famously write all of the videos you direct and this time you just might have surpassed your own level of comic surrealism. Where were you and what were you doing when the idea hit you that you’d like to make a video of crotchfaces?

When I first heard the song, the first image that came to mind was men walking around a city swinging massive four-foot cocks. 

I think the raccoon in this Japanese ad too was an inspiration. But of course, I had to figure out how to make that something.

We’re sure your shoots are like no other, but this time you must have had two world renowned DJs on their knees for the greater part of it. How challenging was the shoot?

To clear the air: I had NO idea that A-Trak and Armand wanted to play the crotchfaces until about a week before the shoot. I never would have pitched the video had I known they wanted such a prominent role. I mean, what director would? How many bands would do something like this?

To their credit, they totally went for it. Every scene we did I couldn't believe what we were shooting. But in the end, it's an amazing way to see the band.

What was Duck Sauce’s initial reaction to your script – and how, if you needed to, did you win them over?

I pitched three ideas. The crotchface one I knew was the best, but didn't think they would go for it. So there wasn't much to win them over - they latched onto it and we got it going.

Did you collaborate closely with post people to work out how you could make the film? 

Not really. I came up with the idea of shooting everything in camera and removing the body in post. And so we shot a camera test before we spoke with any post house.

In fact most of your films have elaborate technical tricks – where does your techie understanding come from?

When I graduated college I worked for a bit as an online editor at a post house.

What was the turnaround from sign off to editing?

Two months.

Has your mother seen Big Bad Wolf?

Not yet!

Have there been some technical ideas that you’ve tried which were just way too difficult and you’ve dropped?

On this video, no. Everything we shot ended up in it. On other videos, yeah; but it's usually dropped in the pitch phase rather than after the shoot.