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Content creator, Muhammed Opeyemi, aka Gilmore, has 906, 000 followers on Instagram. He tells TOLULOPE FASUAN about his career and other issues
Can you tell us your family background?
I am a native of Lagos State. I had my secondary school education in Ibadan, Oyo State. I then had my tertiary education at the University of Lagos.
What inspired you to start creating content on TikTok?
I started in 2017 and I will say boredom caused it. I was watching a lot of videos then so subconsciously, I started becoming like the videos I was watching.
Did you have any prior experience in content creation or social media?
No, I just started using Instagram in 2016, and I began posting.
How did you choose your content niche?
I have made different types of content and public interviews. Around 2022, I started watching some guys who made content I could relate to and then I saw that I could tap into it. So, I started making relatable videos too.
What’s your favourite type of content to create?
I enjoy creating content that people can relate with. I also enjoy creating skits that dwell on real life stories.
What is the most challenging part of creating content for you?
Prior to this time, the most challenging part was creating content while in school. Also, limited resources can be a problem, like when you want to create something and the money you have to create is not enough. You have to spend so much creating certain types of content.
How have you been able to effectively increase engagement for your contents?
One just has to keep rebranding and bringing something new every time. I keep giving people that excitement with the element of surprise.
How do you handle criticism or negative feedback?
I don’t think many people criticise me. Some people just want to get their comments seen. However, generally, it’s not that serious.
Do you have any ongoing projects you want to share with us?
Yes. I just finished my YouTube intro which I released on October 10. I am also putting out other YouTube videos.
What are the videos about?
Some people who have watched the YouTube intro are confused. It’s just an introduction video for my YouTube channel. As time goes on, there will be other relatable videos in a longer and better way. It will be backed up with more intention and detail.
How do you come up with the names you use in your skits such as ‘Ogunmepon’?
They are not real characters or real people. Ogunmepon was the nickname of somebody’s principal at Federal Government College back in the day. Then, the guy came to my school and told us that they used to call their principal ‘Ogunmepon’. I just remembered the name one day and I started using it.
What tools or resources do you find most helpful for editing and creating your videos?
Inshot is the most helpful tool for me.
Have you faced any challenges or setbacks while building your TikTok presence?
Yes, I used to create football content back in 2020. Over the years, I have made different types of content. My accounts have been flagged four different times. I have gone through that rise and fall.
How did you pull through that period?
I just focused on the positive sides, and did not dwell on the negative. It has also been by God’s grace.
How do you come up with the contents of daily living that you create?
I do that by experiencing things. Whenever I experience something funny, or something I can do, I just note it.
How do you intend to adapt to the ever changing TikTok trends?
The future of TikTok relies on the sounds available. I feel one should basically hop on trending sounds rather than just pushing out any kind of content.
Can you walk us through your creative process when making a TikTok video?
Sometimes, I don’t make too many plans. I just tell my team what we want to do and we freestyle it. Sometimes, we might have had real life experiences of the contents we intend to shoot, so we just put our own experience into it. It’s not every time we have a script.
How do you handle competition with your fellow TikTokers?
I don’t really take anything online seriously.
How do you unwind?
I don’t think I have any leisure time. But sometimes, I just relax, chill or have a nice time out.
Do you have anything to say to your fans out there?
I just want to tell fans that anything they are going through, they should make sure they move closer to the creator. They should also tap into the creator to show then their purpose on earth.
