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2 votes
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Cosmo Sheldrake - Egg and Soldiers (2019)
4 votes -
Aurora - Full Performance (Live on KEXP) (2019)
4 votes -
Metric - Synthetica + Dark Saturday + Cascades + Now Or Never Now (Live on KEXP) (2019)
5 votes -
Mac DeMarco (Live on KEXP)
5 votes -
Hozier - Almost (Sweet Music) | Live at The Current
5 votes -
TEMPOREX - Nice Boys (2016)
4 votes -
Everything Everything - MY KZ, UR BF (2010)
4 votes -
Electric Youth - The Life (2019)
4 votes -
HOMESHAKE - Serious (2017)
4 votes -
Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band - Picasso (2017)
2 votes -
Paolo Nutini - Scream (Funk My Life Up) (2014)
5 votes -
Yukika (유키카) - Neon (네온) (2019)
5 votes -
Stephen Paul Taylor - Everybody Knows Shit's Fucked (2014)
3 votes -
ALEX & Tokyo Rose - AKUMA II (2019)
8 votes -
Yunomi - Jellyfish (feat. Roller Girl) (2018)
11 votes -
What makes a video essay good?
Youtube channels like CGP Grey, Kurzgesagt, Vsauce and Nerdwriter are all incredibly popular. They bring up interesting topics, explain them fairly well, and have high production quality. But to...
Youtube channels like CGP Grey, Kurzgesagt, Vsauce and Nerdwriter are all incredibly popular. They bring up interesting topics, explain them fairly well, and have high production quality. But to me, something is missing. I'm not sure how to formulate my criticism, since it has nothing to do with the quality of their videos.
It feels like the mentioned channels lack depth. They give off an uncomfortable "pop-science" vibe. Pop-science isn't wrong, I have nothing against it. But they feel too "poppy". They provide sources, but the commentary is directed to people who don't read. They don't dare to use precise words, in case the audience won't understand them. I get the feeling that they make their videos for the lowest common denominator: persons who doesn't read, persons who can't google and persons who want to make no effort to actually learn.
I'd feel bad to only mention bad examples, so here is a list of high-effort video-creators with (in my eyes) good content:
Lindsay Ellis: Long-form film reviews that actually go into the details.
Every Frame a Painting: Very high-quality analyses of film directors and their styles.
3Blue1Brown: Beautifully animated math visualizations explaining multiple areas of mathematics.
Captain Disillusion: Critically debunking and deconstructing fake videos.
Historia Civilis: In-depth historical videos about Rome.
Bliss Foster: A hidden gem, with only 1000 subscribers, analysing runway shows.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on what makes a good video essay. I'd also really like some suggestions for more creators to follow.
26 votes -
Bear's Den - Broken Parable (2016)
4 votes -
Ariana Grande - bad idea (2019)
4 votes -
CHVRCHES - Leave a Trace (2015)
6 votes -
Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha, Norman Cook Mix (Tjinder Singh) (2012)
3 votes -
Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major (2012)
4 votes -
Dominic Fike - Don't Forget About Me, Demos
5 votes -
Los Campesinos! - Miserabilia
4 votes -
Eiffel 65 - Back In Time (2001)
6 votes -
Segodnyanochyu - Sigariety I Kofie (Cigarettes And Coffee) (2008)
5 votes -
The disco invention that changed pop music: The twelve-inch single
8 votes -
Taylor Dayne - Tell It to My Heart (1987)
5 votes -
Clouseau - Oker (Ochre) (1995)
5 votes -
Faber - Alles Gute (All The Best) (2015)
4 votes -
Pop science
5 votes -
Lil Dicky - Earth
12 votes -
Kacey Musgraves - High Horse
4 votes -
Diane Coffee - Spring Breathes / Not That Easy / Mayflower / Green (2015)
3 votes -
Eat like Andy Warhol
4 votes -
John Cruz - Prayer for a friend (2010)
5 votes -
Dermot Kennedy - Lost (2019)
4 votes -
The Hoosiers - Goodbye Mr A (2007)
5 votes -
Clouseau - Daar Gaat Ze (There She Goes)
6 votes -
Melody's Echo Chamber - Quand Vas Tu Rentrer ? (2012)
5 votes -
Reol - 激白 (Confession) [Live at MADE IN FACTION Tokyo] (2019)
6 votes -
The Band CAMINO - Less Than I Do (2018)
3 votes -
Weezer: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert (2019)
4 votes -
Cosmo Sheldrake - Wriggle (2019)
7 votes -
Mort Garson – Mother Earth's Plantasia (1976)
8 votes -
Night Train Macintosh - Mes en Vork (2019)
4 votes -
Mac DeMarco - Nobody (2019)
4 votes -
Aurora - The Seed (2019)
8 votes -
Faded Paper Figures - San Narciso (2012)
3 votes -
Aline Frazão - Manazinha (2018)
3 votes