The Video Essay

Why are video essays so bad? Most of them just waste 10 minutes of your time slowly explaining things that are already obvious.They're all also titled similarly. "How X Changed Y", "Why X is Important", etc.

Also ITT we make up titles for shitty video essays that will inevitably exist at some point

>How To Do Horror: Analyzing IT
>Zach Synder and the Art of Subtlety
>Justice League Had A Bland Color Scheme - And That's A Good Thing

Other urls found in this thread:

youtube.com/watch?v=i-8h4SDp5Dk&t=111s
youtube.com/watch?v=AorwuSlbMKw
youtu
twitter.com/SFWRedditVideos

It's easy normiebait for views, it makes them feel smart for watching it

This is really all there is to it. Reading an actual essay would be a lot more beneficial

>trying to find instructions for how to replace a turn signal relay in an older car
>top 5,000 google results are twenty minute videos
we have to go back

Pretentious people talking about random stuff to make non intelligent people feel acknowledged.

Some are good though.

>mad that there are videos which clearly guide you through something
How much ADHD do you have that you hate detailed how-to videos?

I studied film history and cinematography in college, most of what the video essays are either complete bullshit or a very simple concept that is exaggerated. The worst one is Nerdwriter imo

daily reminder that people who criticize others for watching things "to seem/feel smart" it means they're a pseudo-intellectual blowhard trying to silently position themselves as the authority on what REAL intellectualism is defined by

Every Frame A Painting is pretty good and actually informative, shame they haven't posted anything in a year.

>how to make a protagonist
>edgar wright
top lel

>informative
Maybe for casuals, but if want to get into film, it's the most basic

Kinda like you defining them as pseudo-intellectual blowhards? Epic post, friend

it's clearly not for refined cinephiles like ourselves

i don't take your opinion on an essay seriously if you make a big deal about its title being original.

essays are about hard work, not originality. the more hard work goes into them, the deeper the insights they reveal. you can be seriously shit at coming up with original titles or even interesting sentences and still write a fucking mindblowing essay, because you've done the work.

the belief that saying original or unintuitive things makes you interesting is a disease which plagues undergrads all over the world.

none of this is to say that the video essays you're talking about are particularly well-researched; i don't know if they are. but don't talk shit about how they're 'obvious' or have unoriginal titles, that's superficial as fuck

>Reddit Driver
>Edgar Wreddit
The characters were the worst part of the movie, the only good part was the technical aspects

>the REAL intolerance is my intolerance not being tolerated!

Mad now?

Yeah they're fucking retarded. Whenever I watch one I start to feel stupid for not having thought of all these things on my own but then I realize the video is not just someone speaking naturally, it's an English or Film major spending months on scripting and research for their little youtube video.

this

hmm... did i actually indicate that i'm any more emotionally invested in this than you are? or did you just run out of things to say? truly these possibilities are equally likely

But think of the Patreon money.

I quite liked every frame a painting and lessons from the screenplay, but even they were pretty basic and everything else is just abominably shit. I'd love to find a comfy youtube channel that teaches you about film and how it works but a good one doesn't seem to exist.
Even the plinkett prequel reviews did a better job of explaining some film theory than any channels devoted to it.

That's not really what I'm getting at though. Nerdwriter does the whole 'interesting sentences and word choices' thing and it's fucking awful. I'm just saying, maybe at this point, not title all your shit with "[Seemingly bad thing] but here's why its good!". Not a huge deal, but it's a little cliche.

And why is criticizing an essay for being 'obvious' superficial? The whole point is to explore a subject with some insight. If it doesn't do that, and instead just talks about stuff everyone already knows, it's a waste of time.

If you didn't care you wouldn't replying to him lol
Maybe just shut the fuck up and go back to making your video essays ecks dee

>Why are video essays so bad?
Because most of them are just surface-level analysis made by people who barely understand what they're talking about, and are aimed towards an audience who knows even less. It's the same as any other field, really; people who don't have experience in it, or aren't educated in it usually don't know what they're talking about.

The only channels I've come across that actually make good videos about movies are Georg Rockall-Schmidt and Lindsay Ellis. Both went to film school, both have worked in the film industry, and they both make videos that dod a good job of explaining concepts in interesting ways. A lot of people here don't like Lindsay's politics, but that's mostly overstated (possibly because she structures her essays like academic essays and brings up extreme viewpoints to critique them; her actual arguments and conclusions are never as extreme as people here seem to think), and if you want watch an in-depth video about film theory, she's your best bet. I also kind of like Oliver Harper, but his videos are more like historical documentaries than video essays.

I mean I think it's good information for anybody even remotely interested or deeply invested in film to get hold of, especially little things like the Jackie Chan action episode which would greatly benefit modern directors to watch.

damn dude why are you so mad at my post?

see how dumb that sounds?

What more was there to say
It was pretty funny that you made the case that others are trying to position themselves as authorities on what real intellectualism is in the same sentence you defined them as pseudo-intellectuals
It's not like you refuted that point in anyway, you just made a greentext strawman and called it a day

>How to make epic snappy witty cuts for the Gen-Z audience: Edgar Wright

The Chad Analyst

youtube.com/watch?v=i-8h4SDp5Dk&t=111s
This is my favourite example of this meaningless fucking content
this guy's whole channel is gold as well

>you cant call US pseudo-intellectual only we can call youtubers that!

Another memearrow strawman, is that all you've got?

jesus christ lmao

>if i just keep saying "strawman" i never have to actually address anything!

I don't have ADHD, but I do have a shitty Internet connection on my phone in the garage where I needed to perform this repair and I preferred parsing written instructions rather than moving back and forth and pausing a video, especially on my phone while my hands are dirty working on a car, just to get some instructions which I would rather read all at once and then refer to as needed. You seem like a low-IQ person. Go watch more videos.

Address what?

bazinga

...

...

I think it was a pleasant novelty when Tony was doing it, he had reddit taste but his understanding and passion were legit, his insight was accessible to all. He got shit here for being a SJW but he always kept that shit out of his videos. What made him stand out was his production values, he also understood how to market it perfectly with the youtube business model. Then following his success came dozens and dozens of imitators, using the same format, tone and style, rarely bringing in personality or new ideas. Nerdwriter is probably the most successful now, but he is so insufferable, he has the style, but the most shallow substance, it just comes off as pure fucking reddit shit with the voice intonation like he's so proud of himself everytime he says something completely banal and the clickbait pandering to whatever is trending. Even when Tony made a pleb video and I learned nothing new, I at least enjoyed his sincerity and it reminded me why I enjoyed cinema. I'm glad he stopped doing them, the format became too, well, formulaic, and it's ultimately pretty limited. He had the integrity to stop when he had nothing new to bring instead of keep doing it with low quality for easy patreon shekels. The only other one I've seen that feels legit, on the same level of sincerity and insight (simple, and accessible but without coming off as banal or devoid of merit) is the one doing essays on childish cartoons rather than movies, captain something. It's a subject that interests me less, but he found his niche instead of following the herd and I suspect he also works in the animation industry, like Tony was an actual editor, because there's a common appreciation for the practical, technological craft that you don't see in all the other essays made by students just jerking off, and it's a reason why a good essay comes off as a bit more valuable and knowledgeable and stand out above most.

I rarely say this on Sup Forums but I completely agree with everything you said. Nerdwriter has a decent understanding of how to make the videos but the substance is just not there. That Jackie Chan video Tony made is still really good because it just sounds like someone who really loves Jackie Chan explaining why he's so great. It feels genuine.

what are they thinking - this kid is going to grow up and that just ensures the show will get canceled. Never have a show centered on a little kid - they're not midgets - they gawkily grow up.

youtube.com/watch?v=AorwuSlbMKw

>Rotton Toh-mah-toes

Jesus, I honestly think there are so many British film video essay youtubers because people think they sound smarter with the accent.

Some people are allergic to reading large paragraphs and need pictures and visuals to guide them along with a pretentious calming voiceover

there's a point to originality, especially in this genre. if what you're saying is original and the pieces fit you're literally revealing something to someone. if nothing else it's a great party trick. I have a couple pre-prepared

>Pan's Labyrinth: A metaphor for abortion
>Paranormal Activity and bourgeois guilt
>James Bond and the construction of a postcolonial white identity
>Pain & Gain: The comedy of dystopia

however I do hate these kinds of videos. it isn't that easy to constantly come up with original takes so it soon becomes a game of stating fairly obvious stuff with a bated breath. or pointing out that there's a different flavor of cornetto in three edgar wright movies.

jfc this guy sounds so bland.

>Why are video essays so bad? Most of them just waste 10 minutes of your time slowly explaining things that are already obvious
here's a real translation

>I want to make easy money off youtube, but oops! Some other guys already did that before me. Now I must post how angry I am on a anonymous board about television and film

It's just jealousy. Pure, unfiltered jealousy. It's hilarious.

No, that isn't what that meant. Not surprised you can't read, video-lover. When's the last time you cracked open a book? No, your high school textbooks don't count, buddy.

Tony just regurgitated half his shit from interviews with Jackie. Every Frame a Painting is only slightly better than Nerdwriter, he just jerks off movies and directors that everyone has already discussed and praised to death (Kurosawa, Kubrick, Chan, etc). Some of his videos are laughably bad and worse than Nerdwriter's, like the chair one. He speaks like an authority figure on film who can casually call a bunch of other directors less talented when he himself hasn't done jack shit

>When's the last time you cracked open a book?
not the guy you're talking to, but when's the last time you did? lol

>he just jerks off movies and directors that everyone has already discussed and praised to death

what a shitty reason to criticise someone

>He speaks like an authority figure on film who can casually call a bunch of other directors less talented when he himself hasn't done jack shit

how does he 'speak like an authority figure'

Not the guy you're talking to, but when was the last time YOU did? Lmao, piss off kiddo

I absolutely hate video essays of vintage video game systems when it's created by a teenager. Like I need a fucking explanation about a thing that's easier than a toaster to use. I don't have autism; nobody was meant to memorize the technical specs.

Video essays about movie analysis are the same. The worst is when there is Le Edgy Opinion mentioned. You can literally hear the mirror in their head reflect whatever bullshit somebody else wrote for attention. Basically spouting memes.

Its just cringe-fest if you lived through the time the original was released, and don't remember anyone thinking too hard about media, like people think today (hyper-criticism).

They put out the lowest cost product over and over again. Fuck the people making these videos. That's right you-tubers, I'm coming for you, faggots!

Rob Ager does some decent essays, but he's a rarity.

it's ok, we know you're just trying to distract everyone from the fact that you tried to call someone out for not reading when you dont even read yourself

I'm actually not the guy you were responding to though

I'd suck Nerdwriter's dick d e s u

>that fucked p microphone and horrible edge performance of whatever lens he's shooting with
what a cheapass, he definitely has a sizeable enough following to buy nice things to record with

Pretty sure you already stated that in your post. Lel, that guy seems to not be able to, or if he is able to, inclined to read

So mad, yes sweetie, they're making money off editing videos. Yes sweetie, they're literally reading wikipedia articles, and make money off it. While you get nothing. Absolutely nothing. And that's why, sweetie, is what makes you mad.

Rob Ager, Lessons from the screenplay and Rossatron have their strengths. Tony is a pretentious normie bitch, but the copycats are even worse. But the worst one I ever saw was nerdwriter on inglourious basterds, I still wonder if it was satire

Friendly reminder that sweetieposting is the lowest form of baiting

>Nolan best director

>But the worst one I ever saw was nerdwriter on inglourious basterds

link it my man

>complains about Nerdwriter
>writes complaint on Sup Forums

Sorry ment 'Now you see it' instead of NW

youtu be/IprM5uCT_Ts

It's an awfully long-winded way to get his point across, and the video itself is pretty bad and goes off on some dumb tangents, but I wouldn't say I disagree with the central point.

I thought the movie-theater scene was analogous to how QT thought the audience was going to feel. And given the reaction of the film, I'd say he's right. IB on the surface almost feels like juvenile revenge porn. As if some exploitation film could somehow make up for the atrocities of WW2. It almost feels like its trivializing the Holocaust by setting up moustache-twirling villains to be killed in a big dumb way. Rather than give the war-crimes the attention and care they warrant, it's played for laughs for a low-brow revenge fantasy because people like seeing bad people get hurt.

Frankly though, I never cared for IB. It seems hypocritical for QT to set up a film with a message like that given his career and stylization of violence.