- Scriptwriting
What is a Video Essay? The Art of the Video Analysis Essay
I n the era of the internet and Youtube, the video essay has become an increasingly popular means of expressing ideas and concepts. However, there is a bit of an enigma behind the construction of the video essay largely due to the vagueness of the term.
What defines a video analysis essay? What is a video essay supposed to be about? In this article, we’ll take a look at the foundation of these videos and the various ways writers and editors use them creatively. Let’s dive in.
Watch: Our Best Film Video Essays of the Year
Subscribe for more filmmaking videos like this.
What is a video essay?
First, let’s define video essay.
There is narrative film, documentary film, short films, and then there is the video essay. What is its role within the realm of visual media? Let’s begin with the video essay definition.
VIDEO ESSAY DEFINITION
A video essay is a video that analyzes a specific topic, theme, person or thesis. Because video essays are a rather new form, they can be difficult to define, but recognizable nonetheless. To put it simply, they are essays in video form that aim to persuade, educate, or critique.
These essays have become increasingly popular within the era of Youtube and with many creatives writing video essays on topics such as politics, music, film, and pop culture.
What is a video essay used for?
- To persuade an audience of a thesis
- To educate on a specific subject
- To analyze and/or critique
What is a video essay based on?
Establish a thesis.
Video analysis essays lack distinguished boundaries since there are countless topics a video essayist can tackle. Most essays, however, begin with a thesis.
How Christopher Nolan Elevates the Movie Montage • Video Analysis Essays
Good essays often have a point to make. This point, or thesis, should be at the heart of every video analysis essay and is what binds the video together.
Related Posts
- Stanley Kubrick Directing Style Explained →
- A Filmmaker’s Guide to Nolan’s Directing Style →
- How to Write a Voice Over Montage in a Script →
interviews in video essay
Utilize interviews.
A key determinant for the structure of an essay is the source of the ideas. A common source for this are interviews from experts in the field. These interviews can be cut and rearranged to support a thesis.
Roger Deakins on "Learning to Light" • Video Analysis Essays
Utilizing first hand interviews is a great way to utilize ethos into the rhetoric of a video. However, it can be limiting since you are given a limited amount to work with. Voice over scripts, however, can give you the room to say anything.
How to create the best video essays on Youtube
Write voice over scripts.
Voice over (VO) scripts allow video essayists to write out exactly what they want to say. This is one of the most common ways to structure a video analysis essay since it gives more freedom to the writer. It is also a great technique to use when taking on large topics.
In this video, it would have been difficult to explain every type of camera lens by cutting sound bites from interviews of filmmakers. A voice over script, on the other hand, allowed us to communicate information directly when and where we wanted to.
Ultimate Guide to Camera Lenses • Video essay examples
Some of the most famous video essayists like Every Frame a Painting and Nerdwriter1 utilize voice over to capitalize on their strength in writing video analysis essays. However, if you’re more of an editor than a writer, the next type of essay will be more up your alley.
Video analysis essay without a script
Edit a supercut.
Rather than leaning on interview sound bites or voice over, the supercut video depends more on editing. You might be thinking “What is a video essay without writing?” The beauty of the video essay is that the writing can be done throughout the editing. Supercuts create arguments or themes visually through specific sequences.
Another one of the great video essay channels, Screen Junkies, put together a supercut of the last decade in cinema. The video could be called a portrait of the last decade in cinema.
2010 - 2019: A Decade In Film • Best videos on Youtube
This video is rather general as it visually establishes the theme of art during a general time period. Other essays can be much more specific.
Critical essays
Video essays are a uniquely effective means of creating an argument. This is especially true in critical essays. This type of video critiques the facets of a specific topic.
In this video, by one of the best video essay channels, Every Frame a Painting, the topic of the film score is analyzed and critiqued — specifically temp film score.
Every Frame a Painting Marvel Symphonic Universe • Essay examples
Of course, not all essays critique the work of artists. Persuasion of an opinion is only one way to use the video form. Another popular use is to educate.
- The Different Types of Camera Lenses →
- Write and Create Professionally Formatted Screenplays →
- How to Create Unforgettable Film Moments with Music →
Video analysis essay
Visual analysis.
One of the biggest advantages that video analysis essays have over traditional, written essays is the use of visuals. The use of visuals has allowed video essayists to display the subject or work that they are analyzing. It has also allowed them to be more specific with what they are analyzing. Writing video essays entails structuring both words and visuals.
Take this video on There Will Be Blood for example. In a traditional, written essay, the writer would have had to first explain what occurs in the film then make their analysis and repeat.
This can be extremely inefficient and redundant. By analyzing the scene through a video, the points and lessons are much more clear and efficient.
There Will Be Blood • Subscribe on YouTube
Through these video analysis essays, the scene of a film becomes support for a claim rather than the topic of the essay.
Dissect an artist
Essays that focus on analysis do not always focus on a work of art. Oftentimes, they focus on the artist themself. In this type of essay, a thesis is typically made about an artist’s style or approach. The work of that artist is then used to support this thesis.
Nerdwriter1, one of the best video essays on Youtube, creates this type to analyze filmmakers, actors, photographers or in this case, iconic painters.
Caravaggio: Master Of Light • Best video essays on YouTube
In the world of film, the artist video analysis essay tends to cover auteur filmmakers. Auteur filmmakers tend to have distinct styles and repetitive techniques that many filmmakers learn from and use in their own work.
Stanley Kubrick is perhaps the most notable example. In this video, we analyze Kubrick’s best films and the techniques he uses that make so many of us drawn to his films.
Why We're Obsessed with Stanley Kubrick Movies • Video essay examples
Critical essays and analytical essays choose to focus on a piece of work or an artist. Essays that aim to educate, however, draw on various sources to teach technique and the purpose behind those techniques.
What is a video essay written about?
Historical analysis.
Another popular type of essay is historical analysis. Video analysis essays are a great medium to analyze the history of a specific topic. They are an opportunity for essayists to share their research as well as their opinion on history.
Our video on aspect ratio , for example, analyzes how aspect ratios began in cinema and how they continue to evolve. We also make and support the claim that the 2:1 aspect ratio is becoming increasingly popular among filmmakers.
Why More Directors are Switching to 18:9 • Video analysis essay
Analyzing the work of great artists inherently yields a lesson to be learned. Some essays teach more directly.
- Types of Camera Movements in Film Explained →
- What is Aspect Ratio? A Formula for Framing Success →
- Visualize your scenes with intuitive online shotlist software →
Writing video essays about technique
Teach technique.
Educational essays designed to teach are typically more direct. They tend to be more valuable for those looking to create art rather than solely analyze it.
In this video, we explain every type of camera movement and the storytelling value of each. Educational essays must be based on research, evidence, and facts rather than opinion.
Ultimate Guide to Camera Movement • Best video essays on YouTube
As you can see, there are many reasons why the video essay has become an increasingly popular means of communicating information. Its ability to use both sound and picture makes it efficient and effective. It also draws on the language of filmmaking to express ideas through editing. But it also gives writers the creative freedom they love.
Writing video essays is a new art form that many channels have set high standards for. What is a video essay supposed to be about? That’s up to you.
Organize Post Production Workflow
The quality of an essay largely depends on the quality of the edit. If editing is not your strong suit, check out our next article. We dive into tips and techniques that will help you organize your Post-Production workflow to edit like a pro.
Up Next: Post Production →
Showcase your vision with elegant shot lists and storyboards..
Create robust and customizable shot lists. Upload images to make storyboards and slideshows.
Learn More ➜
- Pricing & Plans
- Featured On
- StudioBinder Partners
- Ultimate Guide to Call Sheets
- How to Break Down a Script (with FREE Script Breakdown Sheet)
- The Only Shot List Template You Need — with Free Download
- Managing Your Film Budget Cashflow & PO Log (Free Template)
- A Better Film Crew List Template Booking Sheet
- Best Storyboard Softwares (with free Storyboard Templates)
- Movie Magic Scheduling
- Gorilla Software
- Storyboard That
A visual medium requires visual methods. Master the art of visual storytelling with our FREE video series on directing and filmmaking techniques.
We’re in a golden age of TV writing and development. More and more people are flocking to the small screen to find daily entertainment. So how can you break put from the pack and get your idea onto the small screen? We’re here to help.
- Making It: From Pre-Production to Screen
- Kanban Methodology Explained — A Guide to the Principles
- What is a Kanban Board — Types & Processes Explained
- What Is a Shooting Schedule — And Why You Need One
- Top 10 Best Free Storyboarding Software | Ultimate Guide
- The Daily Production Report Explained (with FREE production report template)
- 100 Facebook
- 0 Pinterest
How to make a video essay: A guide for beginners
What type of content do you primarily create?
Video essays are an incredibly popular genre on YouTube, and many new creators are eager to have their views heard on topics in culture and politics. But making a video essay involves a lot more than just sitting in front of a camera and pressing record. This guide is intended for beginners who don’t quite know where to start.
What is a video essay?
A video essay’s primary defining feature is that it sets out to make an argument. It is, to put it simply, like an essay you wrote in school. Video essays often cover politics, popular media, or science.
But unlike the essays you wrote in school, video essays need extensive visual accompaniment, whether that’s footage (or B-roll ), still images, or animation.
Here’s how you can get started:
Step 1: Craft a thesis
Good video essays will have a central thesis explored throughout the piece. If you can’t summarize your thesis in a sentence (sometimes two), you’ve still got work to do. The best theses immediately leave the viewer wanting to know more. Test it on friends: If you state your thesis to friends and get reactions of curiosity or excitement you’re on to something.
Consider one of my favorite video essays, whose thesis is right in the title: "Why Snowpiercer is a sequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."
Sometimes, a thesis is a little more subtle, but nonetheless important. In Yhara Zayd’s video on horror movies, she argues that horror has always been a genre for social criticism.
The rest of your video isn’t just proving that thesis, though that’s important. You'll want to explore the twists and turns of the idea. What questions does your thesis raise? What are the big doubts about your thesis, and how do you address them? How can we zoom out from your thesis and ask even bigger questions?
Step 2: Determine your audience
Your audience will dictate what level of complexity and detail you should cover in your video. If you’re an engineering channel, maybe you want to appeal to working engineers who understand the jargon of the profession. But if you’d like a broader audience, you’ll need to take the time to define terms and give background information. The best video essays usually appeal to both—their topics are unique enough to be interesting to people with prior knowledge of the topic, while accessible enough to be understood to a casual viewer.
Step 3: Organize your research early
Your video essay should have lots of supporting evidence. Aside from the usual list of articles and books, video essays can also use visual evidence.
If you’re commenting on media, that means hyper-specific shots and lines of dialogue. If you’re commenting on history, that means old news clips. Filmed interviews are a great resource regardless of the topic.
Whenever I'm trying to cover a show, I’ll watch the show (sometimes twice), take extensive notes, pause to write out lines of dialogue, and mark where specific moments supported various themes, motifs, or ideas.
I've always regretted telling myself I’d remember a specific line or shot because I'd find myself spending an hour to hunt it down later in the process.
Whether you’re commenting on news footage, video games, or film and TV, I cannot stress enough how much extensive notetaking will improve your video essay later in the process.
The same advice goes for any books or news articles you might cite: annotate extensively and cite them in your piece.
Step 4: Familiarize yourself with "fair use"
Many video essays source footage from the news, TV, and film without licensing them. I'm not here to give advice on the legality of that, but I do think any video essayist should familiarize themselves with fair use .
Fair use is a set of criteria that a creator can use to defend their use of copyrighted work. It's not a license to freely use copyrighted work if you think you fit those standards; it’s a series of tests a judge should weigh in court.
Usually, it doesn’t come to that. Most copyright issues go through YouTube’s copyright claim system , which you should also read up on. A film studio may claim your content, or block it altogether, for using their copyrighted material. YouTube allows you to appeal these claims , but if both parties won’t give up, the question can only be settled by a judge (in the US, at least).
Step 5: Start your script
Be sure to use a two-column script, rather than just writing out everything as if it were a traditional essay.
In one column, you’re writing what you’re saying, or what the footage is saying. In the other, write what you plan to show. Your notes here should be specific enough to help you later in the editing process. You may want to add a third column for notes, or sources to cite later.
Writing a video essay follows some different rules than what your English teacher might have expected. Most video essays use a conversational style, and include words, phrases, and grammar that would never fly with the written word. Sometimes that includes filler words, like starting a sentence with “so” or putting an “um” for effect. Just don’t overdo it.
Other writing rules still apply. Be concise, use active verbs, and otherwise just make sure you sound like a human.
Step 6: Film (or record)
You don’t need a $10,000 filming setup to make good video essays. Plenty of people start with just a microphone, completely avoiding the camera altogether in what's known as a faceless YouTube video .
The two most important things to recommend: get good sound, and be natural. People can tolerate a lot of visual sins, but usually won’t put up with bad audio quality. Similarly, you don’t need to have the charisma of a talk show host, but people have no tolerance for on-screen performances that seem forced or fake.
That is all to say, get a decent microphone and be yourself. If you’re on-screen, buy a cheap teleprompter setup for your phone or camera.
Step 7: Start editing
There are many options for video editing software out there (and Descript is a great one), even for people with limited video editing experience. This article isn’t long enough to be an editing guide , but a few quick tips for a true novice:
- Don’t linger on any one visual for too long. Instead, mix up the visual interest of your video.
- Emphasize important concepts with text on screen.
- Take the time to learn a little about color grading .
- Clean up any noticeable background noise .
Step 8: Figure out your title and thumbnail
This may be the last step of this article, but it should often begin while you’re brainstorming. Your title and thumbnail should generate intrigue without giving it all away. Video essays often lean on titles with “How” and “Why.” Lessons from the Screenplay is a good example:
But video essays can also make provocative statements that make the viewer curious about how you’ll back it up. Consider Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell’s “ Smoking is Awesome ,” which I promise is not pro-tobacco.
Step 9: Publish
Finally, it's time to put your video out into the world and see how it fares. Your first video essay won't be perfect. It's important to put your work in public, take in feedback, and move on to your next project. Like all things, skill comes with time.
Related articles
Featured articles:
Podcast grants 101: How to get funding for your show
Podcasts cost money, and podcast grants can help. Discover the various grants available and essential tips for a successful application.
Descript tutorial for beginners: 6 steps to get started
Hit the ground running with this Descript tutorial. Import, edit, and publish your audio or video project with the intuitive text-based editor.
30 faceless YouTube channel ideas for anonymous engagement
Discover 30 faceless YouTube channel ideas to drive engagement and make money without showing your face.
How much do YouTubers make? See real-world examples
There's no single answer to how much YouTubers make. But whatever your channel size, this article will give you a good idea of what to expect.
How to start a podcast on Spotify: 7 easy steps
Find everything you need to launch a successful podcast on Spotify, from setup to publishing.
For Business
How to create an internal company podcast to keep employees connected
Learn how to boost company culture and improve communication with an internal podcast in this step-by-step guide.
Articles you might find interesting
How to make Instagram Reels as a beginner: Pro tips & best practices
Learn how to make Instagram Reels like a pro with expert tips and best practices. Create engaging short videos and boost your follower growth.
Best podcast audio interfaces: Advice from a 25-year pro
A digital audio interface is a link between your podcast microphone and your audio recorder, translating analog audio, like your spoken voice, into a digital language.
How to write an SEO YouTube description that encourages clicks
In this article, you’ll learn how to approach SEO research, as well as how to write a YouTube description that will draw users in and keep them consuming your content.
Why you should be promoting your podcast on LinkedIn — and how to do it right
You’re probably overlooking one of the most powerful promotional tools there is: LinkedIn. By playing by the platform's rules, you can create a loyal following of podcast listeners.
12 free ways to get more YouTube views
Growing your viewership isn’t rocket science. We’re not saying you’ll instantly go viral, but if you do these 12 things, you’re guaranteed to at least get more YouTube views — without investing money into YouTube ads.
Product Updates
How Imputations Work: The Research Behind Overdub
Anyone in audio or video production has experienced the frustration of reviewing tape and finding just the right sound bite for a story… if only the speaker hadn’t flubbed some words or forgotten to mention something crucial at the right time. Sometimes the only choice is to go through the effort of re-recording or leaving out the almost-perfect sound bite altogether.
Join millions of creators who already have a head start.
Get free recording and editing tips, and resources delivered to your inbox.
Related articles:
Share this article
IMAGES