What Is A Video Essay? A Comprehensive Guide For Beginners

If you’ve ever wondered what is a video essay, you’re not alone. Video essays are one of the fastest-growing forms of digital content, mixing visuals, narration, music, and editing to explore an idea in ways that written essays cannot. At their core, they use the same principles as a traditional essay, argument, thesis, and evidence, but they do so through video. Whether you’re interested in film, politics, art, or even personal opinion, video essays are an excellent tool for exploring concepts in a way that feels both personal and professional.

The Definition of a Video Essay

The simplest way to think about a video essay is this: it’s an audiovisual essay. Just like a written essay, it has a main argument and relies on evidence to back it up, but instead of words on paper, it uses video footage, narration, images, and editing to make a point. This is why video essays often feel like a mix between a documentary film and a written essay read aloud.

Video essays gained popularity through platforms like YouTube and Vimeo, but they aren’t entirely new. Pioneers like Jean-Luc Godard experimented with combining moving images and essay-style narration long before “video essay” became a common term. Later, scholars like Christian Keathley at Middlebury College began to treat video essays as part of digital liberal arts and film studies, recognizing their value in both research and teaching.

To give you a clearer picture, here are a few defining features of video essays:

• They present a thesis or main argument.
• They use multimedia elements like video editing, voice-over, and music.
• They borrow techniques from filmmaking, documentary, and even fiction.
• They are shared widely on platforms like YouTube and Vimeo, making them accessible to anyone with an internet connection.

In short, video essays combine writing with videography to produce something new: an argument told not just with words, but with moving images, sound, and editing.

Different Types of Video Essays

Video essays don’t all look or sound the same. Depending on the goal, the format changes, and that’s part of what makes them so exciting.

1. Supercuts: These are short videos that stitch together clips from films or TV shows to highlight patterns, repetitions, or themes. For example, a supercut might show every time a character says a specific phrase across a film series.
2. Critical Essays: Similar to traditional critical essays in writing, these break down a film, concept, or cultural trend with narration and video evidence.
3. Film Studies-Based Analysis: Often used in academic settings, these video essays explore topics like cinematography, historical context, or genre analysis. They are closer to scholarship and sometimes even undergo peer review.
4. Long-form Essays: These go in-depth, sometimes running over 30 minutes, and resemble full-length documentary films.

If you’ve seen video essays of the year compiled on platforms like Vimeo or YouTube, you’ve probably noticed how varied they are. Some are entertaining and lighthearted, while others dissect film and media studies topics with precision.

Why Video Essays Are Popular Today

One reason video essays have become so popular is the rise of sharing platforms like YouTube and Vimeo. These spaces allow anyone to upload and distribute their work, whether it’s a quick supercut or a long-form critical essay. Unlike traditional essays that stay within classrooms or libraries, video essays reach a wide audience, connecting digital media with culture and politics in real time.

Another reason is accessibility. Video editing software like Adobe Premiere, iMovie, and even AI tools make it possible for students, teachers, or independent video essayists to produce high-quality content without needing a Hollywood-level studio. The mix of music, images, and voice-over creates a compelling video that grabs attention more effectively than a written essay alone.

Recent academic work also shows the unique benefits of using video essays in education. A study published in the Electronics journal found that interactive videos significantly improve student learning by enhancing conceptual understanding and supporting flexible, self-directed study. Similarly, research conducted at Nanyang Technological University revealed that producing a video essay can actually help students improve their revision strategies when working on a traditional written essay. Together, these findings highlight how video essays are not just a trend in popular media but a serious educational tool that builds both digital and academic skills.

It’s also worth noting that video essays often overlap with documentary film. While essays often aim for concise arguments, documentaries tend to be broader explorations. Still, both rely on narration, editing, and evidence, and both use digital media to push the boundaries of storytelling.

If you’re a student juggling academic work, video essays can even fit neatly into your routine, similar to how a Daily Routine of a Student helps organize tasks. By treating video essay creation as part of your study time, it becomes manageable and enjoyable.

How To Make a Video Essay in 5 Steps

Before jumping into the steps, let’s remind ourselves briefly: a video essay is essentially a written essay brought to life through visuals, narration, and editing. It follows the same rules as any essay: a main argument, evidence, and structure, but presented with video footage and sound. Now, let’s go through the steps in detail below.

Step 1: Pick Your Concept and Main Argument

Every video essay starts with an idea. What do you want to explore? It could be a theme in a film, a question about culture, or an opinion about politics. Decide on a thesis, just like you would in a written essay. If you’re unsure where to start, think about how to frame your topic by asking yourself the right questions. For more guidance, see this helpful piece on How to Write a Research Question.

Step 2: Research and Collect Evidence

Once you have your concept, it’s time to gather supporting evidence. This could include clips from films, short videos, or documentary film footage. You might also pull information from articles, interviews, or historical context. Always keep copyright and fair use guidelines in mind. Using royalty-free music or public domain video footage can save you a lot of trouble.

Step 3: Plan the Structure

Think of this step as building a storyboard. Just like the structure of an essay, your video essay needs an introduction, a body with evidence, and a conclusion. Decide where your voiceover fits and whether you’ll use animation, images, or music to emphasize certain points. This is where format really matters; every video needs a flow that keeps the audience engaged.

Step 4: Edit Your Video Essay

This is where the magic happens. Using editing software such as Adobe Premiere, iMovie, or other AI-powered tools, you’ll bring together video, narration, and music. Pay attention to audio quality; good audio is just as important as strong visuals. During post-production, refine transitions and polish the overall piece until your video essay feels complete.

Step 5: Share Your Work

Once finished, you can share your video essay on platforms like YouTube and Vimeo. Remember to respect copyright rules and fair use guidelines, especially when using music or video clips. Sharing video essays on these platforms not only builds your portfolio but also connects you with communities of video essayists who push the boundaries of videographic scholarship.

The Future of Video Essays

Looking ahead, video essays will likely become an even bigger part of digital media and culture. They already influence film studies, liberal arts education, and political commentary. With AI tools improving video editing and animation, the barriers to entry are dropping, meaning more people can make video essays without writing every detail from scratch.

They’re also increasingly part of academic scholarship. Professors at universities are assigning video essays alongside traditional essays, recognizing their value in teaching research, rhetoric, and digital literacy. Many video essays explore how popular media shapes politics, art, and storytelling, ensuring their role in both education and entertainment continues to grow.

And let’s not forget the personal side. Video essays are also a way to share personal narratives, opinions, or creative takes on culture. They can be as small as a short film or as large as a full documentary film. Whether used for a class assignment or uploaded to platforms like YouTube, every video essay contributes to the evolving conversation around how we use video as a tool for thought.

10 Best Video Essay Examples on YouTube

1. Every Frame A Painting – The Genius of Jackie Chan
   Watch on YouTube
2. Nerdwriter1 – “How Donald Trump Answers a Question”
   Watch on YouTube
3. Lessons from the Screenplay – “Ex Machina, Trusting the Story”
   Watch on YouTube
4. Lindsay Ellis – “The Whole Plate (Transformers Film Series Analysis)”
   Watch on YouTube
5. Every Frame a Painting – “The Sustained Two-Shot”
   Watch the video
6. Tony Zhou & Taylor Ramos – “Tony Zhou and Taylor Ramos on George Romero’s Night …”
   Watch the video on YouTube
7. Folding Ideas – “’Annihilation’ and Its Influences”
   Watch the video on YouTube
8. Folding Ideas – “The Church Play Cinematic Universe”
   Watch the video on YouTube
9. Folding Ideas – “The Theme Park That Wasn’t” (Evermore theme)
   Watch the video on YouTube
10. Nerdwriter1 (Playlist) – “Essays About The Social Sciences”
    Explore the playlist on YouTube

Conclusion

So, what is a video essay? It’s a blend of writing, film, editing, and storytelling that defines a new genre of digital media. Video essays are an excellent tool for expressing opinions, analyzing culture, or even contributing to scholarship in film and media studies. They’re simple enough to make with editing software but powerful enough to shape conversations in politics, art, and education. Whether you’re planning your first storyboard or analyzing video essay examples online, this format is here to stay and will only grow in influence.

Video Essays FAQs