We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nathan Austin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nathan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

As a comedian I feel like my art form has been misunderstood for years. I believe that my humor falls under the category of dark/dry/and offensive. I remember making YouTube videos the first year YouTube started and having the videos removed because of subject matter. I will admit that the content was very controversial and it was making light of topics such as suicide, abortion, homelessness, and child molestation. Although several of these topics are something that I have experienced in my personal life, it seemed that addressing it in a comedic form was viewed as inappropriate. Especially since I was just starting out and no one knew my true vision or compassion for comedy.
I learned very quickly that you have to pander to your audience. I believe that over time I have learned how to read an audience better and create material for that audience.

Nathan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I grew up in an era without a cell phone or tablet. I had to provide myself with my own entertainment from my own mind. I also was home schooled so I had many hours to entertain myself. I was not allowed to set in front of a television for hours on end. I believe that growing up in an environment where I had to create my own forms of entertainment has carried on throughout my entire life. One of my first memories of a comedy movie is “The Jerk” with Steve Martin. Another movie that I remember watching from a very early age is “Trains, Plains, & Automobiles”, and then there is the classic “Three Amigos” that was also another movie in my early memories. I believe that these helped mold my perception of what I find funny. I also remember watching Monty Python and SNL in the 80’s and 90’s quite a bit.
One of the films I am most proud of that I helped create is called “We’ll Always Have Delaware”. This movie can be found on YouTube and I believe that it shows all the above mentioned influences shinning through brightly. Part of the reason I am so proud of this project is because the entire films dialogue is improv. We had a rough idea of what each scene would be, but no written script. 100% improv all the way through.
I feel that my improv skills is what sets me apart from other artists. At any moment I can improv a scene, a song, anything. It especially helps when working with other artists that share the same type of skill.
I have two YouTube channels that show off this art form. IMP ART is one of the channels and Outdoor Smarts is the other. I am currently working on a third channel with a friend. It is a talk show that is 100% improv between myself and my co-host. We also bring guests from all walks of life onto the show without much direction of what they are about to get into. So far it has been working out beautifully. If you decide to look up my other channels or follow me on social media, you will be able to watch the new channel once it launches. I can be found on FaceBook as Nathan Austin (actor) & Instagram at nathan_austin_1.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, when an idea pops into my brain, I have to do whatever it takes to bring that idea to life and completion. Finishing a project is the most rewarding feeling for me. I love the entire process but being able to look back and be like, “That’s what was in my head, and now everyone can see it”, there is no better reward.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I feel like non-creatives are the reason I have had to struggle my entire life to create. If everyone understood a creative persons mind there would be no one to put barriers in the way. Creative people need non-creative people to give us opposition in order for us to produce worthwhile content.
Since I am technically not on any radar, I have always been looked at as crazy or irrational because of what I do. I grew up in Kentucky and moved to California for a while. While in California I felt so at home because of being around other creative people. I currently live in Kentucky again and surrounded by non-creatives again….but I have learned how to connect with creative people thanks to social media and years of learning the type of people I can co-exist with.
I do not know if there is anything I can enlighten non-creative people about or not. I do not know if I would want to if I could. I need the non-creative to fuel my creativity.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: nathan_austin_1
• Facebook: https:www.facebook.com/nathan.austin.3152?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@nathanaustin4062?si=cunBTjMNrJA_Wb0f

Image Credits

Tabitha DeHeart, Kaden Austin