New Derrick Comedy Video: Don't Jerk Off To This

There's something heartening about Derrick Comedy's solidarity as they engage in promoting their feature-length debut, Mystery Team. When all the elements are taken together, the whole enterprise seems like a triumph of the web: Derrick's online roots and Youtube success; the blogger/festival circuit buzz about the film; the use of the Demand It campaign to bring the movie to specific cities; and the video at hand that was recently posted on their Youtube page, "Don't Jerk Off to This."

Not content with merely conventional forms of advertising, the guys have released a fairly hilarious video with a simple concept: What happens when you tell three guys staying at a vacation home not to jerk off to a photo of a bowl of fruit? While I won't give anything away, I can say that it has all the hallmarks of a Derrick Comedy sketch, from its bizarre premise to its "WTF?" ending.

The Youtube video has embedded links promoting the film's opening in New York City this Friday (12/4), and a quick way to buy tickets. It's viral marketing at its best: Give consumers something entertaining with no explicit sell within the content itself. Of course, if people don't like the video, the whole plan could backfire, but given Derrick's massive following that outcome seems unlikely. In the end, whether or not Mystery Teamsucceeds, I believe that the way Derrick Comedy is promoting it will help to define the concept of grassroots support for indie films going forward.

If you want Mystery Team in your town, head on over to their site and Demand It. You can watch the video "Don't Jerk Off to This" below, but it's probably NSFW: