By David Jenkin

So your first video, Braaiday, became a viral success – was the response you got anything like what you expected? Did you get the feeling that it was the beginning of something so big?

Gareth: We had absolutely no expectations, other than making something that our friends and maybe a couple of other people would find funny. Looking back from where we are right now compared to then, it still seems surreal that we are still putting out videos that people seem to like. It’s been a lot of fun getting to travel around South Africa and the world, make content, and be silly.

Nic: When we made Braaiday, it was 100% intended as a once-off thing. Only after making something and putting it out there did we realise how fun and easy it was to materialise ideas, so we sort of just kept doing it.

I’m sure you’ve been asked this a lot, but how often do you guys speak to the real Derick Watts? Is he a fan, or does he just sort of tolerate you?

Gareth: He is the nicest guy you could meet; we shot a video with him as well fairly early on (Behind The LOLs). We have a few interactions with him now and again on social media since, and he sometimes passes on messages via people we’ve got to work with. He also is the tallest human being on planet earth, and smells like a mixture of oak and telling the truth.

Nic: We have been in his house, his daughter made us tea. It was something special.

So with regards to the Stop the Knot controversy – did the internet’s reaction surprise you? Any lessons/regrets?

Gareth: Nope and nope.

Nic: What Gareth said.

Do you have any advice to offer South Africans who want to make a success of themselves with online comedy content – any golden rules they should be aware of?

Nic: Just make stuff you think is funny, and keep making it. The more you do something, the better you get at it. Every single video we make, we come out the other side having learnt something new. The more you make, the better you get.

Gareth: Try and do something different, and not the same old slapstick you’ve seen in almost all South African “comedy” TV shows and movies. The internet is a huge place – appeal to as big an audience you can and don’t limit yourself and your content to only South African tastes and humour. Or do. Whatever, I’m not your dad.

Have you noticed any patterns with your most popular videos? What kind of stuff tends to do well?

Gareth: Anything with boobs and cats in it is guaranteed internet gold, right? In reality, it’s more a heady mixture of timeliness, a unique angle and a bit of luck.

Nic: Half a cup of timing, three-quarters relevance and half a teaspoon of unicorn blood taken in a sacrificial ritual with Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up playing in the background.

So what new skills and knowledge have you had to acquire since becoming successful – in what areas have you been challenged?

Nic: The first video I edited was Braaiday, and I have learnt a heck of a lot since. Again, as I mentioned earlier, the more you do, the more you learn. We have learnt how to get better sound, visuals, effects etc. We have started doing some home recordings of music as well.

Gareth: I’d imagine that Nic has learnt to tolerate my grumpiness. We do as much as possible ourselves, along with our champion producer/director of photography Darren Wertheim: filming, editing, sound, animation, effects – we handle it all. It’s been a learning curve with each of those skills, but we improve with each new video we put out. Now and again, we get to work with some awesome folks we trust in certain aspects of production, and I consider them part of our little family, like step-children or somesuch.

Have you ever considered experimenting with VR videos?

Nic: VR videos? You mean “Very Rad” videos? Yes, we have considered making those, haven’t managed to get it right yet.

Gareth: Yes. I think a good VR video would allow the viewer a look inside our day-to-day lives, which would involve them helping Nic look for his car keys, phone and wallet several times a day as well texting me periodically to remind me to stop eating sausage rolls.

For more information, visit their YouTube page. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.  

*Image courtesy of Mark Chittenden