‘Night Mind’ Brings Indie Horror Into The Moonlight [New Blood Drops]
Giallo Julian
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By now, I’m sure you realize the immense respect I have for those valiant ghouls dwelling inside the bone-filled crypts that is indie horror. It’s not an easy place to traverse, with many obstacles present in the winding paths and dark corners — scheduling conflicts, low budgets, and occasional zombie outbreaks, just to name a few. Those who deal with such adversities head-on to ensure their dreams become reality are nothing less than incredibly brave, with unwavering commitment to their craft. This is the reason why I’ve dedicated most of my time on this site to spotlighting as many indie creators as I can, so that their hard work has a chance to be appreciated by ravenous fans hungry for fresh horror content.
However, I’m not alone in this endeavor. No, no, far from it. Many others howl the praises of indie horror, offering a platform for such pieces to be shared. For instance, today’s hero of horror, who’s been shouting at his podium about this very subject for nearly eight years now… I know! Impressive, right? If that’s not love, then it’s at least an unhealthy obsession worthy of intervention, or adulation in an independent article (either or). The obsessed in question is one Nick Nocturne, host of the YouTube channel Night Mind!
Let’s start with some history. Just a few years back, less than a decade, nothing crazy this time. I’m talking about 2015, in the height of the “creepypasta narrator craze” that spilled all over YouTube, not dissimilar to a man constantly spewing blood everywhere.
On this, Nocturne said:
“Night Mind began with a moment of recognition… while there was celebration and discussions of writers, narrators, and game designers in the indie horror space, nobody was talking about indie horror filmmakers or those who were making amazing stories that were difficult to classify. Marble Hornets, which had made Slenderman popular enough in the first place to kick off the… craze and directly led to the boom in horror let’s plays… was getting NO love online or critical examination… as art and an achievement to examine… from an analytical point of view.”
That’s one of the highest hurdles in not only indie horror, but the indie scene across the script—lack of recognition. Marketing your work on your own and getting word buzzing on it is no easy feat. That’s why it’s not a bad idea to have some hype men in your corner.
Nocturne continued on Marble Hornet’s initial lack of attention:
“Honestly, it made me mad. Everyone wanted to be a let’s player, a creepypasta writer, or a narrator, and we had tons of those. Nobody wanted to talk about the people in the shadows making amazing subversive work online that deserved just as much recognition as the popular topics and media forms of the day. These creators were original, they dared to do different things, and where were their crowds?… The problem was beyond the lack of recognition for just Marble Hornets; anyone who created something engaging and driven with just a camera, some editing software, and a few friends as tenacious as them was being overlooked.”
Even though some of these concerns have been alleviated with the increased presence of YouTube, TikTok, and streaming sites, it’s still a problem hindering creators by and large.
Nocturne said,
“I realized that the disregard was wrong — and because I was the one who recognized it, and cared as much as I did, the responsibility was mine to do something about it. I didn’t want to be a YouTuber, I didn’t know how to work video programs, I didn’t know how to record audio. Still, I knew I couldn’t live another full year seeing twenty more creepypasta narrators and thirty more horror let’s players pop up, all taking bites at the same apples while people who actually tried to be unique toiled in obscurity.”
That’s the kind of fire we need! Hot-blooded lovers of indie horror spreading the word, viciously tearing through the usual content to show everyone the unusual.
Complementing his channel’s analytical videos, Nocturne also hosts a contest every Halloween aimed at indie filmmakers all around. He calls it the “Candy Bowl”.
He explained,
“The Candy Bowl came about through my exploration of what October on Night Mind was in the first few years. Back then, it was just like a candy bowl on Halloween night: a mix of a bunch of cool little things all thrown together that I’d found or been able to put in a single video. Through 2016 and 2017, I’d develop friendships with growing student filmmakers who made shorts to include as special treats, and I realized that those… were really the true spirit of the thing all along.”
As always, indie creators continue to be the creative backbone of any cinema-based event.
“I also realized I could improve on the idea by throwing the door open entirely to anyone who could compose a short film, not just film students… Halloween should be the greatest possible time testament to what Night Mind is and stands for: that brilliance and creativity is for all of us, not just some of us who got into schools or studios, or had access to high-end equipment.”
Nocturne is absolutely correct! Indie ingenuity exists in anyone willing to tap into it, regardless of creative background. I wholeheartedly believe that to be one of the absolute truths when it comes to art, that anyone can do it if the desire is even the least bit present. All it takes is a spark to make a fire.
“So, starting in 2018, I made Candy Bowl an all-access film festival… and the night was full of viewer-submitted material. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made on the channel; I’ve seen creators come back year after year, getting better in their approaches and execution, and I’ve always been thrilled to see people take the chance to just make something and know they did it and it’s up, it’s out there, it’s being seen.
The Candy Bowl… isn’t even the end of it — I have the Halloween Hangover on November 1st for everything that didn’t quite meet the mark… so even those who didn’t make the cut get their audience and I offer critique, advice, and points of praise for the theme. Only the people who submit something completely off-base for the theme and guidelines don’t get any airtime.”
You hear that, Gorehounds? This is a fantastic opportunity to get your work out there! And Nocturne isn’t quitting anytime soon.
“Candy Bowl is always going to be one of the most important things I do during the year. It’s the scariest night we celebrate, but there’s a lot of inspiration, hope, pride, and all-around warmth when we come together on Halloween night.”
Be sure to tune in, Fright Fiends. When All Hallows’ Eve falls upon us, you can dip into the Candy Bowl right here.
Given his expertise in the field, I asked Nocturne if there were any particular projects to keep an eye on. Just so you have something to keep you busy until Halloween. You know I’ll always look out for you, Blood Babes.
“There are excellent projects happening right now… I recommend… the website-based lost media horror, Welcome Home. Imagine a kid’s TV show like Sesame Street from the 70s, with lots of media left behind, but nobody actually remembers it, and the only website trying to archive it and get answers is haunted by a character who seems to be waking from the dead and growing more influence online as notoriety spreads.”
You can check out Welcome Home right here.
“For anyone who likes the creepypasta era… the webseries Chainmail Chasers will serve them well. The story’s dedicated to a very small group of terminally online kids dealing with one particular creepypasta monster… that is apparently the real deal.”
You can catch up to Chainmail Chasers right here.
“If you’re into video game horror, you’ll love Valle Verde (Green Valley), a series posting the recovered footage from some old VHS tapes that captures an experimental brain-interfacing video game that went… horribly wrong.”
You can watch a playthrough of Valle Verde right here.
Thank you to Nick Nocturne for taking the time to speak with me! It goes without saying that his ideals very much reflect my own, and any indie creator with the commitment and energy (a rare commodity these days) should throw their treats into the Candy Bowl next year. I just know they’ll be absolutely delicious.
Categorized:News
