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

Scott, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

When I was just starting out making YouTube videos, I didn’t have money for even basic gear like microphone stands or camera tripods. My best friend Josh used his own money and DIY skills to build these incredibly janky rigs out of PVC pipe and duct tape just so we could start making videos that looked and sounded halfway decent. This wasn’t professional gear by any measure, but his generosity with his time and talent left an impression on me. These days, I have a decent collection of gear, but if there’s a creator friend of mine who needs something, I will never hesitate to give them a spare microphone, light, or camera. I got by on the generosity of others, and I love being able to pass it on.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started making YouTube videos in 2013 on the channel NerdSync, discussing goofy trivia about comic book characters and iconic storylines. My channel didn’t start really growing until the following year when I started diving into how comics and superheroes can teach about real-world history, science, philosophy, culture, and art. Since then, I’ve continued to discuss how fictional worlds can have an impact on us. I’m proud to say my YouTube channel has grown as I’ve grown as a person. It’s rewarding to see how far I’ve come, from silly pieces of Batman trivia to lengthy video essays where I can open up emotionally and be vulnerable with my audience about how Thor’s anxiety reflects my own. I’m forever grateful that I have the platform to create a positive and inclusive space for my viewers to analyze their favorite nerdy media with a critical lens.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Without question, the most rewarding part about being an artist is realizing how much art can say without needing to spell it all out for the audience. You have a story to tell or a message to get across, but how do you do it through your art? It’s like a riddle or math problem you assign yourself, and it’s incredibly fulfilling when you figure it out; when you find that final piece of the puzzle that makes everything click into place. Even still, not everyone will get it. Art speaks to everyone in different ways at different times. But in that moment when you’re crafting your piece and it all comes together for you, there’s nothing more rewarding than the feeling that you’ve effectively captured a piece of yourself in your work.

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

I think there’s a misconception that creative people only work when inspiration strikes. In reality, it’s just like any other work. You show up every day and put in the effort. The biggest difference for me is how long a project takes. My wife has an office job and her week to week is pretty consistent and doesn’t vary too much in her responsibilities. What she does this Monday is very similar to what she’ll be doing next Monday. For creatives, however, one project might take weeks or months that don’t appear consistent at all. When I make videos, one week can be spent researching. The next week or two can be spent writing a script. A few days in the middle of the next week might be spent filming. Then I’ll edit it all together for another week or two. What I do this Monday will not even be close to what I’ll be doing next Monday. I think that inconsistency make creatives look erratic, especially when non-creatives don’t or can’t see the bigger whole of the project. We’re always working, even if it looks different than regularly-scheduled work.

Contact Info:

• Website: NerdSync.tv
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottniswander
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottniswander
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NerdSyncProductions
• Other: https://tiktok.com/@scottniswander