Mad Trapper | Crazy
July 21, 2025
Concept
Working with Mad Trapper—an up‑and‑coming outdoor brand with a timeless backbone—meant exploring a hundred creative paths and then committing to the one that felt inevitable. For this, we worked hand-in-hand with the brand on the creative.
From the start, I kept circling three core ideas: the untamed outdoors, its innate freedom, and a deliberately simple way of life. Texan to its core, the film treats our hero as a steward of that existence—partially veiled, routines unadorned, silence doing the talking. In a culture quick to dismiss simplicity, we chose to honor those who guard it with quiet resolve… even the so‑called crazy ones. Trends shift; the frontier spirit doesn’t. That’s Mad Trapper.
Tone & Feel
Our visual north star was Jeff Nichols’ Mud—that sun‑baked, lived‑in anamorphic grit that feels both contemporary and like an old western. We chased a similar texture: natural light, imperfect edges, flares that catch just enough dust in the air to remind you this world is real. The aesthetic echoed Mad Trapper’s timelessness—modern gear in service of something that could’ve been shot yesterday or 30 years ago.
We framed wide and low, letting the landscape loom while our hero stayed grounded inside it. The Alexa 35 paired with Cooke Anamorphics gave us a great wide-screen look at our environment and offered warm skin tones.
For different looks: we used a probe lens for those submerged inserts. For moments that needed to stretch time, the FREEFLY Ember S5K delivered crisp slow‑motion without breaking the rough‑hewn vibe. The result is a visual language that moves between rugged and reverent, always anchored by the brand’s enduring character.
Production
Shooting on a Texas river is never simple—water, sun, cottonmouth snakes, and gear don’t naturally get along. We built a plan that respected all of it: equipment protection, crew safety, and speed. At a beautiful ranch in the Texas Hill Country, our five-person crew plus a still photographer wore multiple hats—scouting, casting, prop pulls, and even a bit of river wrangling—so we could keep the footprint lean and the day nimble.
With sunlight racing us from the first call, efficiency became a creative choice. A shot list and a tightly sequenced schedule let us pivot without panic when reflections flared or clouds vanished. We staged backups for everything—dry bags, alternate angles, and “sun-proof” setups—so no moment hinged on a single plan.
Our on‑set photographer wasn’t just grabbing BTS; they were capturing campaign-grade stills in the margins, giving the brand a parallel library of assets. By wrap, everyone was genuinely stoked—we left the river with full of the “we got it” shots, not just “hope we did.”
Post-Production
Edited by Hayden Rhodes, the film went through multiple passes—each cut sharper, leaner, more honest. We killed our darlings without hesitation: beautiful shots hit the floor if they didn’t serve the arc. The final version embraces restraint—keeping our hero concealed until the end—so the reveal lands with weight, not hype.
On sound, Joseph Kennemer took us somewhere deeper. He built a world as textured as the images: river hush and cicadas, wind threading through mesquite, the slap of water against an oar—each motif with its own sonic palette. By the final mix, picture and sound were speaking the same language—quiet, confident, timeless.
Final thoughts: What does it mean to be a mad trapper? To some, it means "you're crazy." To others, it's a way of life... To hell with it, maybe the world has gone crazy after all.
For any inquiries on this production or general reach out, please email addiescott@saladopictures.com
- The Salado Team