Tailes From the Crypt Keeper Part 2
Welcome back and I’m going to spend most of this post on Nigel Watson and more questions to him. He’s got first hand experience running a YouTube channel and he has a lot of savvy answers, so if you haven’t read my last blog, you want to check it out too.
Let’s get back to the mini-interview with more questions for Nigel.
4) You make use of AI for your channel. Tell me about AI and how you see it evolving.
Nigel: AI is a powerful tool that can be used in many ways. Many people mistakenly think it’s just about pressing a button to get everything done automatically. I admit that at an early stage I used that “lazy” method (and I’ve since unlisted those videos), but I quickly learned that it doesn’t produce quality content or a sense of personal achievement. I felt the need to create something truly my own, so I began manually refining images with Photoshop and meticulously editing them to sync perfectly with my voice-over. Alternatively, AI can serve as an incredible assistant—helping with tasks like drawing or filming. Recently, I shifted from audiobooks to cinematic content, instructing AI to generate specific shots with defined camera angles, actions, and settings. Even though this process often requires dozens of retries and hours of editing, it has allowed me to produce movies on my own. I see Ai as a way to democratize content creation as everyone can have their own little indie studio at home.
5) Because of your narration efforts, who are some of your favorite authors / story tellers and why?
(I’m always curious as to what authors inspire people to start writing, narrating their fav stories and so on—so was it a favorite story that made you want to start narrating stories or something else?)
Nigel: My passion for Lovecraft is obvious. I love reading and rereading works by Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, and I believe that both authors are so contemporary in spirit that younger generations might be missing out. This is one reason I transitioned from audiobooks to cinematic content, as I think the TikTok Generation would approach those classics if we make them digestible to them. Right now, I’m creating short horror movies and music videos as a way to improve my skills, with the hope of eventually making these masterpieces more accessible—even to a generation that might struggle to consume content like “At the Mountains of Madness.”
6) What is it about the darker stories that you like and why?
Nigel: My love for reading began with an Italian comic book called “Dylan Dog,” which I discovered at the age of 8. The comic, with its 80s horror style, gore, hints of nudity, and compelling stories, was love at first sight. I even got into trouble at school because my teacher thought my interest in such grim themes was problematic—but those were the 80s… A time when some believed playing D&D led to satanic rituals and murders. Although I recognize the comic was aimed at a more mature audience, I’ve always appreciated that its stories defy the typical fairy tale narrative with a happy ending. This unique taste has often labeled me an “outcast” or a “weird nerd,” but I take pride in being a “child of the dark” (any reference to Mono Inc’s song is purely coincidental).
7) What else do you do for enjoyment?
Nigel: I have a deep passion for football (soccer, as some call it) and used to play and coach teams. I’m also an avid board gamer. Although my full-time job and channel commitments leave me with less time for these hobbies, my love for them remains as strong as ever.
Good answers indeed. We’ll have one more round of questions but here again are Nigel’s links:
www.youtube.com/@TailesfromtheCryptkeeper
https://www.tiktok.com/@tailesfromthecryptkeeper
Twitter: @NigelWatsonTFTC
And here are links to the trailer and the 2nd story Nigel graciously put together for me:
IT Walks
I am extremely impressed with what Nigel put together in a short amount of time (at least to my mind–I’ve no doubt as to the work he put into it!) I am forever grateful for these narrations!
Craig