Finding Main Character Energy [Guest: Derrick]

Derrick, a natural-born storyteller and gaming enthusiast, opens up about his leap into streaming and podcasting, inspired by a friend's nudge and a former partner's belief in the joy his gaming antics could bring to others. Our chat meanders through the quirks of developing a personal brand and the hurdles of corralling a whirlwind of creative ideas into something cohesive—especially after taking a much-needed breather from the spotlight.

Then, buckle up for some real talk that's as heartening as it is practical. Derrick drops some wisdom on the art of balancing content creation with life's demands, underscoring the power of breaks and the value of a support system that's not afraid to call you out. We get down to brass tacks with advice for budding creators, focusing on the intimate wins of quality engagement over the dizzying pursuit of scale. 

Chapters

• 0:07 Content Creator Journey and Lessons
• 12:35 Content Creation Advice From Derek
• 21:34 Supporting the Podcast Through Donations

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

Welcome, welcome back to another episode of uploaded and unfiltered, the podcast in which I your host Jermaine interviews another content creator in regards to their journey and their content creation thus far. Tonight, as always, before I get my special guests on, I'm going to read their bio to give a little background on them, and then we'll get them introduced and start this awesome conversation. Calling all Geeks, gamers and Pop Culture enthusiasts join me for a wild ride through the worlds of MMORPGs, fps, horror and racing games. We'll delve into the depths of anime, dissect the latest Marvel movies and geek out over comics and tech. This stream is your portal to endless entertainment and good vibes, and with that, I'd like to introduce my guests for the evening, the one, the only, the only who goes by the name of Derek.

Speaker 2: 1:02

Yo, what's good, what's good with you hey man yo welcome to the podcast.

Speaker 1: 1:09

How's your night going?

Speaker 2: 1:11

It's going pretty good so far.

Speaker 1: 1:13

I bet yourself it's going great, man. Like today was one of those days where I I'm going to brag a little bit, but I got to do exactly what I wanted. Today, like I can't complain. Like I got to hang out with the girls, I got to hang out with my wife, I wasn't stressed, so today was a great day. Am I even going to complain?

Speaker 2: 1:29

That family time is what's what it's all about, man.

Speaker 1: 1:32

Oh, my God.

Speaker 2: 1:32

Yes.

Speaker 1: 1:34

Yo, I appreciate it, but you know it just ain't about me. This. I'm here every week. Derek. Origin story baby. What is the origin story of? I? Am that, derek? What got you started in creating content?

Speaker 2: 1:46

What got me started was pretty much a close friend of ours boss who, versus AKA, final boss, aka monkey boy, aka, is out there Okay.

Speaker 1: 1:59

Yeah, okay.

Speaker 2: 2:01

He pretty much got me started into it. He pretty much was like hey, you know we're going to, I'm going to do this streaming thing, but I want you to jump on board. I was kind of against it for a little bit. After a while, him, myself and three other guys all decided to do a podcast and we kind of did like a streaming base or deal. It was more like video in podcast. At the same time, okay, and that kind of shoved me in the right direction. After that, a former partner of mine she kind of was like you know what you need to? You need to push this a little bit further. You go into it. I see how much fun you have with the video games, so why not do it in front of people and enjoy yourself with friends? Yeah, so that's that's where it started out at. And here I am. I think what? Three years this past January, three years in distribution. So it's still going strong.

Speaker 1: 2:55

All right, boss, we get another one. God damn it. I feel like every episode is man's names. Fuck that guy. No, just playing, I just can't. I'm just kidding. I love boss, I love boss, that's my guy. Yo, that's dope, all right. So I'm going to ask, cause you know, I've been asking everybody. Maybe it is a crazy story behind it. I don't know. How did what'd you come, how'd you come up with the name man, like I know your name is Derek. I know that you like explain the thought process behind choosing your name.

Speaker 2: 3:22

The funny thing about it is it's like everybody Derek's a common name if you really think about it. Yes, and Everybody's like oh yeah, I know this guy Derek, I know this guy Derek in the set the other, and I was like you know what? I'm just gonna be that guy. So I was like I'm, I'm that Derek. That that's pretty much what it's gonna be about.

Speaker 2: 3:42

That makes sense yeah very much and when I told people the name that I chose, because At the beginning it had like numbers in it and then again boss being the person that he is, he was like yo, drop the numbers and just you know, stick with something simple, that's something that people can actually find you at. So I'm that Derek stuck in. It's been that way ever since that's, though.

Speaker 1: 4:06

Also. That's crazy. Did that still existed and you were able to pick that up, right? Yeah, the other Derrick's out there are slipping. What the fuck is wrong with you?

Speaker 2: 4:16

Exactly. I'm the original. It's just like. It's like Jet Lee's the one. I don't you need to know me.

Speaker 1: 4:25

Exactly, yo, that's funny. I just was thinking about Jet Lee, like what happened did I do? Is he? He hasn't made a movie in a while.

Speaker 2: 4:32

He's got cancer man.

Speaker 1: 4:33

Holy crap, did not know that. Wow, okay, well that I learned something today. That's crazy. Appreciate that, derek. You could have told me that off file catch you could like oh, I didn't know what happened. It told me later. We're like, anyways, huh, anyways, current mindset Yo, hey, derek, how is?

Speaker 2: 4:59

It, it's been all over the place, to be quite honest, and just recently I've put myself on a hiatus. I'm still currently on my hiatus. I should be coming off here within the next week or so, but it's it's pretty much. But, like I said, it's been all over the place. I've been trying to get all my ideas in One singular notion versus them being all over the place, and today was really a true testament to that. I did a pretty much a test stream and Tryed out new sounds, new redemptions, did some some camera work and some lighting and okay with great advice from you know, the host himself.

Speaker 2: 5:38

But oh, yeah, yeah. But yeah, like I'm, I'm really excited to see what this is gonna turn into as time goes on. I'm one of those people who likes to see the fruit of his work actually unfold in front of them. Yes, Evolve as time goes on. As a streamer myself, I'm still trying to Evolve and try to put myself out there more. Currently, my medium is through streaming. I did have a podcast at one point in time that I did like almost every other week, and I'm thinking about picking that back up. But honestly, I'm shooting more towards like tic-tac content, yeah, pulling clips from events with friends or just doing solo acts. So my, my current mindset is is trying to be as focused as possible while still having fun at the same time.

Speaker 1: 6:32

Hell yeah, that's what I like to hear. Like I hear I like did you say okay, I know I've been doing this for three years, I'm starting to come into my own, figure out what I want to do? And Not only are you like locking in on your streaming and upgrading that, but you're like alright, I'm gonna start making tic-tacs, because I feel like that's the next progression. Like as a content creator, as a streamer, like We'll get your face out there. You gotta put it everywhere very much. Yes, I like to hear a good. I need more dairy content in my life. I've been on tic-tac a lot and you've been pulling up there, though Like I've been watching your reaction video.

Speaker 2: 7:08

So it's there Some of the stuff that people be putting out there and like it can't just be off guard. So when I do actually get to see that content, it's like, alright, I gotta do it fresh it, this kid open, that's rehearsed and that's the best type of content. It's gotta be fresh. Yeah, it can't be rehearsed, it's gotta come right off the cuff, because that's that's what makes the best content.

Speaker 1: 7:32

Yeah, for sure I agree. All right, derek, we're just moving right along. Let's jump into this next section lessons learn. And this is where I asked my guests what lessons have you learned? That you could have only learned because you started creating content.

Speaker 2: 7:48

Don't follow in your friends footsteps. Everyone has their own set path and you can't walk in theirs. If you do, then you're going to stumble and fall harder than they will, because you may not have the particular resources that they have to prop them back up. And I say this because I said it in one of my pop-up streams way before I told people I'm I'm an envious person and I don't know where it comes from. It might be the competitiveness in my DNA, but when I see my friends do well, I start to get a little jealous and I'm like you know what? I Want to take this route, but I know I can't, because I know that I've got something that's already worked out for me. Right, I just got to walk into it. So there's that. But on top of that, have fun with it.

Speaker 2: 8:42

Don't don't turn your love of what you like to do Into a job that you're going to despise later on down the road, agree? Because the moment you do that, it's no longer fun. You're always grinding, you're always pushing yourself to the point of either burnout or exhaustion, and it's just not fun anymore. People will start to see that through your work, because what I did at the very beginning was. I came in and I was thinking like, oh, I'm gonna be the next. You know, I'm gonna be the next boss, I'm gonna be the next Crip, I'm gonna be the next I Chris. It was like I can't be these people. These people already have their you know their paths laid out for them. They're going to walk their own map. Let me walk mine and figure out where I'm supposed to be at in this, you know, vast area of content creation. Right, and I tell that to anybody you know, don't, don't ever follow in your friends footsteps, because you're was gonna stay in. You're always gonna stand in their shadow and you're not gonna shine if you're gonna.

Speaker 2: 9:50

If you want to make a name for yourself, then be a part of Something that's greater, but separate at the same time and and just push like. So that's, that's a lesson learned. On top of that, another thing massive take care of your mental. Take care of your mental 100%. I don't care what anybody says oh, I'm fine, oh, I'm good, I could deal with this. No, you can't. You cannot do this on a day-to-day basis and not take care of your mental. If you don't take care of your mental, you are going to be miserable. Take a break, it is okay.

Speaker 2: 10:34

Yes like Crip and you've been in the position before because I've known you take. You've taken a hiatus.

Speaker 1: 10:41

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 2: 10:42

And when you came back I could already tell you were a hundred percent, you were on right exactly, and that's the thing that you maybe use.

Speaker 1: 10:51

The content creator Don't realize your community and people watching your content can feel when you need to take a break, because it just the vibe fills off like you're not in the bag that you usually are, and so when you take that break Maybe a week, maybe I think I took, like I took all of December off, this last time at least from streaming. What the fuck?

Speaker 2: 11:15

You got a thumbs up.

Speaker 1: 11:18

All right, so I'm streaming on a Mac and I forgot that I have that. Uh, anyways, I Took that month off and, like you said, when you come back You're energized, your focus, and everybody can tell me like, alright, this man needed to take a break. And now he's back to where he I've used, it being all right, cool, he's good to go.

Speaker 2: 11:38

So agree, and the the hiatus that I took, it was on several. It was on several levels. Number one I was in a really bad place mentally. Number two, I was dealing with a lot of family drama. Number three, I was dealing with, you know, personal aspects and life all around, and that stuff weighs heavy on you.

Speaker 2: 12:01

Like, yeah, people say you know you could become toxic, when you don't even realize that you're toxic. And there were people around me who started to realize that I became a little toxic for their liking and they were like yo, we need you to sit down, take a break, yeah, and just, you know, breathe, let it all out, get what you need to work out out. So, therefore, when you come back to us, we know that you're in a good place and I feel like that was the greatest advice that they ever gave me and I try to. I try to, you know, look at the people who I look up to. Like, like I said, you, boss, chris, there's other content creators that I look very much up to and I see that you guys do take hiatus is you do put yourselves with your families and in stuff like that, and I'm like you know what I need to do that as far as a practice is concerned.

Speaker 1: 13:00

Yes, sir, yes yo, to piggyback on Derek's lessons learned, the point that you made. You have a Support system that pointed out to you to like, hey, you being kind of a dick right now, maybe you should like chill a bit, relax, take a break, and people need that, like I need that you. Everyone needs that person, those, those groups of people, family member, whoever it may be to tell you like, hey, you are tripping right now, you need to take a break. All right, so that's dope. I'm glad that you were able to get that. I'm glad you got that support system around you, because that again, it's hard to see that shit when you're in it, like you're just like I'm just going through shit's normal, like, yeah, but you kind of a dick. I don't know if you knew that.

Speaker 2: 13:48

Exactly. It's like oh wait a minute, I didn't mean to, but yeah, here, here's a candy bar, just exactly.

Speaker 1: 13:56

My bad. All right, derek. This is the part of the podcast I feel like, no matter how long your content creation career is, however long you've been doing it, there's always a piece of advice that you can provide with somebody that they've never heard before, and if only coming from somebody that May not be like them, like this, is a unique piece of information that's coming through your eyes, as you've seen. So I'm gonna ask you, because I like to siphon information out of my friends what piece of advice would you give to a content creator? Who who wants to make content? What would you advice me?

Speaker 2: 14:33

Oh Easy, and I wish somebody would have told me this from the very beginning. Therefore, I would have been better at it.

Speaker 2: 14:41

Mm-hmm but start small. It doesn't matter what it is that you're trying to do, who you're trying to reach or when you're trying to place it. Start small, and the reason for that is because if you start small, there's less for you to actually have to pay attention to. You can actually Hit the direct people that you're wanting to hit. First, try and know what works and what doesn't, versus, you know, going all out and glitz and glam and trying to, you know, surprise everybody. Oh, I've got this flashy camera. They're not here for that, they're here for you. They're not here for the tech. They're not here for the, you know, the fancy sounds, stuff like that. They're here for the person that's in front of the camera, the one that's pushing all the buttons. So start small and Make sure to, you know, pick up the pieces along the way. If you find something that works for you, add it to a bigger puzzle, because in the long run, that's that one small piece that you started out with will create the entire picture for you.

Speaker 1: 15:43

Yes, what? I don't my bad, I get excited when I hear really good advice, especially shit. This like swimming around my head and that piece of advice is Perfect, even for me, like this podcast is not where I wanted to be, but in order for it to start, I had to start small and Now we're like 33 episodes deep and I feel good about it because I started the shit. Thank you, derek.

Speaker 2: 16:16

He seriously like like that was, that was something that was advice that was given to me by my, my dad and my granddad, two people that I do hold in very high regards. My dad's one of those people where he he knows me the best. I pretty much. I've been around him, for god. I'm 35. He Knows when I'm struggling with a problem and he's like right, don't try to come at it with a big hammer, don't, don't try it with a sledgehammer, start with a nice little, you know, a nice little mallet.

Speaker 2: 16:56

Yeah get your little, get your little chisel and just nick away at it little by little, and he, he's. He's given me that. And then my grandfather he's just a man wiser, beyond his years, and he doesn't even realize it. But he told me, you know, you can't always. I'm trying to phrase it the way that he phrased it, but I'm messing up for sure.

Speaker 1: 17:20

He doesn't listen to this.

Speaker 2: 17:21

I don't think he's not that event yet. Yeah, but don't try to make the horse run. Let them do it on their own and you just follow in there and follow in that aspect.

Speaker 2: 17:38

Okay he was like, like and I know I probably messed it up, but he was like you know, when a baby horse is born, when a foul was born, the first thing that they do they have to learn how to stand. Mm-hmm. Once they know, learn how to stand, they learn how to walk. Once they learn how to walk, they learn how to run and then jump and then gallop.

Speaker 1: 17:58

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 2: 17:59

He was like it's the same thing with any process that you do. When you first start out, you're not gonna be the greatest at it. Right, learn how to stand first. Once you know how to stand, then walk and then move up to the next step. It was like it could take you weeks, months, years, but as long as you get those down, pack your own point.

Speaker 1: 18:20

Yeah, I agree, and add a little sauce to that. If it does take years, I think the thing that keeps you pushing through it is enjoying the process. Like enjoy the process of Getting your stream together, enjoy this process of thinking of an idea, executing on an idea and having it actually play out in the real world. You got to figure out which piece that you enjoy and, like hold on to that, because that's what's gonna keep you pushing forward until you ultimately hit, whatever the goal is, that you said very much.

Speaker 2: 18:51

So and I mean I'm like I said, I've been doing this for three years and I'm still learning how to To walk essentially. So I mean it's gonna take me a bit, I might be a little bit behind on some of the things that I want, but I know that I'm gonna get to it eventually and when I do I'm gonna start running and from there it's oh buddy.

Speaker 1: 19:16

That's what I love to hear Dairy. Well, before we get you to that running position, we definitely want to have the people know where they can catch your contact at right now. So what do you want to point to people at? Where can they find some dairy content?

Speaker 2: 19:33

Oh man, honestly, you can catch me on tiktok. I am known as the oddball commander on tiktok, so you can look me up there, or you can also. You can also catch me on twitchtv For slash. I'm that, derek.

Speaker 1: 19:48

Simply easy and it doesn't have any numbers after it. None of that. I am that, derek crazy. Shut up the boss. You for that visionary piece of information. Again, derek, thank you for bringing your story and your your voice to this podcast.

Speaker 2: 20:07

I always appreciate it no problem, man. Thank you for having me. It's a great pleasure.

Speaker 1: 20:12

No, no, as always, thank you. With that, I'm going to go ahead and shut down the podcast for this evening. Appreciate y'all for listening. If you made it this far, as always, text your mental, keep creating content and I will talk to y'all in the next one. Peace. Thank you for listening this deep into the podcast. I truly do appreciate it.

Speaker 1: 20:43

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Speaker 1: 21:34

Also, check out the website uploaded and unfilteredcom If you want to check out every guest that's been on the podcast, as well as links to their content as well. Last but not least, if you want to financially support the podcast, you can do so at BuyMeACoffeecom. Slash uploaded and unfiltered. Set up a donation site there. All money that goes there will be directly poured back to the podcast to help for hosting and things of that nature. Again, thank you for listening. I think this has been a project that I have dreamed about building, and it is here and we're doing it, and I am nothing but excited for its future. Until then, I'll see you on the next one.