So you want to make a video essay. That urge to dissect film, critique culture, or analyze politics through the visual medium isn't just a creative itch—it's the entry point to one of the most influential formats in digital content today. But here's the thing about video essays that most tutorials gloss over: they're deceptively complex. They require more than just talking into a camera and hitting publish. This guide cuts through the confusion, giving you the actual steps to create something worth watching—even if you've never edited a frame of video in your life.

Historical Context and Predecessors of Video Essays

Video essays have evolved significantly since their inception, moving from academic papers to multimedia platforms. They share predecessors with film criticism and literary analysis, combining these fields with visual storytelling source. This evolution has made video essays a popular medium for exploring complex ideas in an engaging format.

What Is a Video Essay? Definition and Examples

A video essay is a form of visual storytelling that builds an argument or explores an idea through a combination of narration, visuals, and editing techniques. It functions similarly to a written essay but uses video as its primary medium. Video essays often analyze politics, popular media, or scientific concepts, presenting ideas in an engaging and visually dynamic way.

Unlike traditional essays, video essays require extensive visual support, such as footage (or B-roll), still images, and animations. These elements enhance the argument and maintain audience engagement, making clear and well-edited visuals essential.

Here's how you can get started:

Different Types of Video Essays

Video essays come in various forms, each serving a unique purpose. Critical video essays focus on analyzing specific elements within media, such as cinematography or character development. Historical video essays explore historical events or periods through a critical lens, while experimental video essays push the boundaries of storytelling using unconventional techniques source.

Step 1: Craft a Compelling Video Essay Thesis

Here's how you can get started with making a compelling video essay:

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 Video Essay Audience

Your audience determines the level of complexity and detail in your video essay. If you're creating content for professionals, technical jargon may be appropriate. However, if you're aiming for a broader audience, define key terms and provide background information. The most effective video essays strike a balance—they are insightful to experts while remaining accessible to casual viewers.

Step 3: Organize Your Research for Video Essays

A strong video essay relies on well-supported arguments. In addition to citing articles and books, video essays can incorporate visual evidence such as film scenes, archival footage, and relevant interviews to strengthen their points.

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: Understand Fair Use for Video Essays

Many video essayists use footage from news, TV, and films without licensing it. While we won't give legal advice, it's important to understand fair use guidelines. Fair use allows limited use of copyrighted content for purposes like commentary, criticism, and education, but it isn't a guaranteed defense. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the official fair use criteria.

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: Write Your Video Essay 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: Record Your Video Essay Footage

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.

Two factors matter most in a video essay: good audio and natural delivery. Viewers may tolerate low-budget visuals, but poor audio quality or forced narration can turn them away. Invest in a decent microphone, and if you're on-camera, consider a teleprompter for smoother delivery.

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: Edit Your Video Essay

There are many video editing software options available (Descript is a great one), even for beginners. While this isn't a full editing guide, here are a few essential tips: use clear transitions, maintain consistent audio levels, and ensure your visuals align with your narration.

• 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: Create an Effective 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 and Promote Your Video Essay

Publishing your video essay is just the beginning. Your first attempt won’t be perfect, but putting your work out there, gathering feedback, and applying lessons to your next project is key to improvement. Like any skill, mastering video essays comes with consistency and practice.

FAQs

What are some common types of video essays?

Video essays can be categorized into several types, including critical, historical, and experimental essays. Critical video essays analyze elements within media, historical essays explore events or periods, and experimental essays use unconventional storytelling techniques source.

How are video essays different from documentaries?

Video essays and documentaries both use visual storytelling, but they differ in structure and purpose. Video essays are thesis-driven, supporting an argument with evidence, while documentaries often focus on narrative storytelling without a central thesis source.