I think this is an elaborate art project.

This is mainly based off of the 2 "founders" at the end talking about the project. When they go scout for locations and one of the founders starts caressing the top of a thatch hut and the immediate next shot is a piece of paper taped to a tree with the title "Mercle Tree", that's when it clicked that this was a parody.

It's scary that it took me that long to realize.