Tales From the Void - Behind the Scenes Podcast - Episode 07
Nov 6, 2024
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This week, Travis Brown, author of "Something Walks Whistling" and experienced horror writer, shares insights into his passion for the genre. He discusses how the r/nosleep subreddit was a launching pad for his tales. Travis recalls his childhood inspirations and the eerie allure of urban legends that fuel his creativity. He reflects on the emotional experience of seeing his work adapted for screen, touching on the impact of impending fatherhood on his writing. The conversation also explores parental fears and the importance of fair compensation for horror creators.
Travis Brown's journey into horror writing was fueled by childhood storytelling experiences and the supportive community of the NoSleep subreddit.
The importance of advocating for writers' rights is highlighted as Travis learned to negotiate fair compensation for his adapted works.
Deep dives
The Journey to Horror Writing
Travis Brown's interest in horror began at a young age, influenced by creepy children's books and late-night horror movies he watched in secret. His childhood experiences included storytelling with friends during sleepovers, which helped inspire his creative process. This background led him to pursue writing more seriously, especially after discovering the NoSleep subreddit, where many writers share their horror stories. The unique community environment of NoSleep encouraged him to write and share his works, even amid the competitiveness and high-quality content found within the platform.
Navigating the Business of Horror
Travis emphasizes the importance of understanding the commercial aspects of sharing written work online, particularly as he began receiving requests for adaptations of his stories. Initially, he freely allowed narrators and content creators to use his work, but soon realized that many of these platforms monetize the content without compensating the original writers. After connecting with fellow NoSleep writers, he learned to advocate for his intellectual property rights, urging that writers should be recognized and compensated for their creative contributions. This awareness has helped him create not just a source of artistic expression but also a potential side income by negotiating fair terms for his work.
Creating and Adapting 'Whistle in the Woods'
In discussing his story 'Something Walks Whistling Past My House Every Night at 303,' Travis reveals that the inspiration stemmed from nostalgic childhood memories of summer nights spent with friends sharing ghost stories. The story's title, while initially a marketing choice, became a key element that resonated with readers. Upon seeing the screen adaptation entitled 'Whistle in the Woods,' he expressed satisfaction with how the production team captured the essence of his narrative while recognizing necessary artistic liberties. Travis's perspective as a soon-to-be father also adds a layer of complexity to his writing, as he muses about how parenthood will shape his approach to depicting children in horror narratives.
This Behind the Scenes Podcast is your chance to go behind the curtain to learn more about the people who have created the new horror anthology streaming series: Tales From The Void. Hosted by David Cummings from The NoSleep Podcast and one of the executive producers of Tales From The Void. He'll be speaking with the various writers and directors who brought these sleepless tales to the screen.
All episodes of Tales From The Void are now available to stream on Screambox in the US & Super Channel in Canada.
On this episode, we meet Travis Brown. His story "Something Walks Whistling" was adapted for the Tales From the Void episode called, "Whistle in the Woods". We discuss how writing and horror stories became a passion of his and how the r/nosleep subreddit became the proving ground for so many of his popular stories. We also delve into the screen adaptation of his most popular story and how it felt to see it come to life on the screen.
Click here to learn more about Tales From the Void Click here to learn more about Travis Brown