video
/vĭd′ē-ō″/
noun
- A sequence of images processed electronically into an analog or digital format and displayed on a screen with sufficient rapidity as to create the illusion of motion and continuity.
- A signal carrying such images.
- A movie recorded electronically, usually including a soundtrack. a video of a birthday party.
technique of recording, copying and broadcasting of moving visual images
Video Meaning
[META] What is your definition of a video essay?
Video essays, for me, leverage a couple of different things. They have thesis statements, even if they tend to be at the end of the video or somewhere in the middle. They feature research and evidence, and attribute that evidence to proper sources. It provides some kind of analysis for a situation, a piece of media, concept, or something that I haven't thought of. Finally, it uses film or video techniques as a kind of 'film grammar' which is a concept I've stolen from Dan Olsen's video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSnktB2N2sQ
Additionally, Hank Green, in the comments, posted this, which I'll include in its entirety because it speaks to the use of jump cuts in vlogs and video essays and what they do:
So here's one thing about jump cuts, they're more than just an aesthetic convention, they're a necessary tool. If you're going to make a 5 minute video, unless you have a teleprompter and a LOT of skill / talent for reading off of one well, you're going to need cuts. And hanging a lantern on that cut by changing shot size or body position says "Look, I know, there's a cut, I'm not trying to fool you" in a way that is pretty necessary.
Of course, how the jump cut functions has changed a lot over the years, mostly by getting tighter (at least in my stuff.)
But it's very interesting (as others have mentioned) to see the blend of sketch and vlog that people like David Dobrik are innovating right now. That blend between fiction and reality where you're not actually 100% sure which bits are Dobrik's life and which bits are sketches or even dramatic fiction is very interesting. It's been very hard to figure out how to tell stories in online video, what we did with Lizzie Bennet, bringing the story 100% into the vlog, worked, but it was a baby step. I'm very interested to watch this new style evolve into what will probably become the actual way that fiction and the hyper-real finally meet. My guess is, whatever figures that out is going to be extremely successful and powerful and influential.
Liam Stanley expands on some of this in another comment you should read.
One last note: The "vlog" is not necessarily a genre anymore, but more of a tool that can be used in many genres, whether that's commentary, education, comedy, or reality. Every genre is going to use it differently because it will work differently and fit better with the format. I would be very surprised if jump cuts go away, I think they're too necessary and too ingrained, but other than that, there's no way I'm going to predict 10 years into the future of YouTube.
- Hank
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Videos
I’ve probably watched ATD music vid 10 times by now and I’m havin a hard time making anything of it. I can see it’s about death to a vague extent but I’m interested in your guys’ opinions!
Hey gang!
Video essays are wildly difficult to define, so I am curious how this community (both creators and viewers) understand what makes a video essay.
What separates a video essay from a review, or an explainer video? What makes a video essay? What makes a great video essay?
In particular, for creators, what parameters do you use to define whether a topic is worthy of a video essay?
Naturally, none of these are discrete categories, and the video essay is the descendant of all of them. I'm curious as to what each of you think about as you craft your essays, or evaluate someone else's.
Video essays, for me, leverage a couple of different things. They have thesis statements, even if they tend to be at the end of the video or somewhere in the middle. They feature research and evidence, and attribute that evidence to proper sources. It provides some kind of analysis for a situation, a piece of media, concept, or something that I haven't thought of. Finally, it uses film or video techniques as a kind of 'film grammar' which is a concept I've stolen from Dan Olsen's video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSnktB2N2sQ
Additionally, Hank Green, in the comments, posted this, which I'll include in its entirety because it speaks to the use of jump cuts in vlogs and video essays and what they do:
So here's one thing about jump cuts, they're more than just an aesthetic convention, they're a necessary tool. If you're going to make a 5 minute video, unless you have a teleprompter and a LOT of skill / talent for reading off of one well, you're going to need cuts. And hanging a lantern on that cut by changing shot size or body position says "Look, I know, there's a cut, I'm not trying to fool you" in a way that is pretty necessary.
Of course, how the jump cut functions has changed a lot over the years, mostly by getting tighter (at least in my stuff.)
But it's very interesting (as others have mentioned) to see the blend of sketch and vlog that people like David Dobrik are innovating right now. That blend between fiction and reality where you're not actually 100% sure which bits are Dobrik's life and which bits are sketches or even dramatic fiction is very interesting. It's been very hard to figure out how to tell stories in online video, what we did with Lizzie Bennet, bringing the story 100% into the vlog, worked, but it was a baby step. I'm very interested to watch this new style evolve into what will probably become the actual way that fiction and the hyper-real finally meet. My guess is, whatever figures that out is going to be extremely successful and powerful and influential.
Liam Stanley expands on some of this in another comment you should read.
One last note: The "vlog" is not necessarily a genre anymore, but more of a tool that can be used in many genres, whether that's commentary, education, comedy, or reality. Every genre is going to use it differently because it will work differently and fit better with the format. I would be very surprised if jump cuts go away, I think they're too necessary and too ingrained, but other than that, there's no way I'm going to predict 10 years into the future of YouTube.
- Hank
My interpretation is: Much like a written essay, its a method of conveying an argument (subjective or not) on a certain topic, using source material and other resources to support the argument in an attempt to convince the viewer of their argument