PLANET NOX #03: Keepin' it Real

This has been a big year for Nox. Out of 7 releases so far, I’m super proud of 5 of them, and I’m excited about the new one which will drop in a few weeks. The overall process has been optimized by orders of magnitude. It's pretty crazy actually just how fast the technical side has gotten compared to this time last year.

The biggest consideration going forward is almost entirely managing my own personal energy, and bottling that into inspired projects. Ya know, over time you really pick up on the little rules for existing online; Advertising the successes, hiding the struggles, or presenting them in a dramatized, clear-cut narrative fashion.  You see what hits, and what doesn’t, and you adapt. There's a trend I think, where aspirational content slowly becomes a perverse form of escapist aspirational-themed entertainment. The creator becomes a little promise of who you can be just by tuning in. The nice feelings without the substance.

So maybe the purpose of these monthly updates is a little antidote to the poison. Just a small window to my reality and an attempt to keep it real. The struggles, some advice, the nuts and bolts, without the bombast, so that if Nox does one day take over the internet, you saw exactly how all the shit went down.

Who knows, maybe in 6 months I’ll think what the hell was I doing, making these lengthy brain dumps. So yeah, gimme ya feedback.

Above: Actual photo of me contemplating if these posts are too fuckin long.

Can you describe a bit more of the early process?

Audio is the backbone of each video. I don’t start a video until I know how it’s going to sound, its general rhythm and mood. For me, vibe isn’t the most important aspect, but it’s the most difficult. So I figure its best to start there, and then work backwards.

I keep a couple hundred tracks on my phone which are sourced from various production libraries that I listen to regularly on walks and runs. If I have a track with a vibe I want, and I haven’t fleshed out the idea in my head already, I’ll go through all my digital notes and try to find a script or thread of an idea that will match. Then I make long running lists of ideas, references, wordplays, key visuals, and see which of them can combine in interesting ways. If it’s a particularly polarising topic I try to gather as many sentiments and arguments for and against, then try to think of an interesting way to express it. This part can be a minefield, because there’s always the temptation to over simplify an issue for the sake of good story. And conversely, no video can be made without condensing some aspects and leaving others off the table. Having good feedback from trusted peers is really crucial here.

During all of this, I have the music tracks in my DAW, and I just half-ass a recording of each line to the timeline. The focus is only on script and timing. Like an animatic, everything should be disposable. I think its also important to treat sound FX not as window dressing, but as critical story beats in themselves.

When I feel like I have a fully fleshed radio play, I start on the animatic, which will tell me if I need more air in parts to let the visuals linger. After some back and forth, and with the animatic completed, I then do all the final vocal takes.

What mistakes have you made in your online career?

Committing to ambitious projects that I wouldn’t finish. Unattainable dream projects can lull you in to a cycle of fantasy and disappointment. It’s super important to finish projects, but also, sometimes you gotta know when to cut a project loose and focus on something more attainable.

Thinking that a single perfect project is gonna make it all happen. This was my Overwatch Noir video, which just wasn’t worth the time investment. It was what re-oriented me to thinking about my career as a flow of content, rather than investing so much into large, high stakes projects.

Smashing Coffee and pulling all nighters. To this day, I still think there’s something compelling about working through the night. But it’s terrible for having an actual life.

How do you get that vocal effect?

I use Polyverse Manipulator for the main effect, and split it into 2 channels: One very deep granulised vocal, and another that’s closer to my regular voice but pitched down slightly. I use a condenser mic and get super close to make the effect like he’s right in your ear.

You ever thought about starting a Discord

Yes, but I want to do it properly. A lot of creator discord’s I see around don’t have a lot of activity, so I wanna make sure it has a really solid purpose. It’s in the plan, but it’ll take some time.

Gotta question you’d like to ask? Hit me up, maybe I can answer.

Above: Uncle Terry's birthday long weekend (July, 1994)

Above: Fleshing some style ideas for animated Nox content.

Above: Concept art for abandoned Dragon Ball Z Seinfeld parody

Above: Abandoned design for the anime sequence in my latest vid

Doing:

• Mostly just been working and gym
• Cooked this awesome Tomato Soup recipe. (Check it out, it's one of my favourites)
• Went to the zoo
• Gearing up to move in a few weeks (For real this time)
• Made Rum Balls
  

Listening to:

• IAMX 
• Tom Waits 
• Koolsax
• Alla Pugacheva
  

Reading:

• Nothin this month
  

Playing:

• Metroid Dread
• Donkey Kong Country series
  

Watching:

• All Quiet on the Western Front (Best film I’ve seen in a long time)
  

Remembered That:

• Leg Days suck but make you feel great
• Meditation is dope

#02: A Little More Behind the Scenes
#01: The Patreon Launch