Video essays are a fantastic way to learn about a wide range of topics, from art and politics to pop culture and film. Here are ten YouTube channels that are perfect for exploring video essays and can make learning both fun and insightful.
Nerdwriter offers a diverse collection of videos that cover everything from art analysis to the history of everyday objects like the fidget spinner. One standout video provides a deep dive into Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, showcasing the power of language and rhetoric.
Vox is known for its explainer-style videos that tackle topics ranging from politics to pop culture. These videos are great for sparking discussions and exploring how things work, like the technology behind Snapchat filters. With new videos released weekly, there’s always something fresh to watch.
Noisy Images delves into the social, political, and cultural meanings behind contemporary hip-hop songs. The videos use poetic rhythms and stagecraft to uncover deeper messages. However, some content may be mature, so it’s best suited for certain high school settings.
Lindsay Ellis creates video essays that explore complex topics in an accessible way. Her videos often focus on storytelling and structure, providing insights into how narratives are crafted and critiqued. Her analysis of Netflix’s “Bright” is a great example of her engaging style.
Genius focuses on breaking down hip-hop lyrics, offering a unique take on video essays. Students can learn to analyze their favorite songs or poems using similar techniques, making it a creative way to engage with language and meaning.
Although no longer active, Every Frame a Painting offers 30 videos that provide some of the best film analysis on YouTube. These videos are perfect for students interested in understanding the language of film and how movies convey meaning.
Kaptain Kristian explores the world of cartoons and comics, highlighting the influence of pop culture. The channel’s videos often touch on storytelling and big ideas, making them a great complement to creative writing or literary analysis lessons.
CGP Grey is known for its fast-paced videos filled with animations that explain complex topics in an easy-to-understand way. From internet algorithms to the intricacies of the Electoral College, this channel makes learning about complicated subjects engaging and fun.
This channel focuses on the art of screenwriting and how it shapes films. Each video essay offers valuable lessons on writing, making it a great resource for anyone interested in storytelling and the craft of writing.
Though hosted on Vimeo, Kogonada’s video essays are beautifully edited compilations of film clips without narration. These videos are excellent for teaching video and film editing or for appreciating the art of cinema.
Interested in using video essays in your learning journey? Explore more resources and ideas at Common Sense Education.
Choose a topic that interests you, such as a film, song, or historical event. Use the style of your favorite YouTube channel from the article to create a short video essay. Focus on presenting your analysis and insights in an engaging way. Share your video with the class and discuss the different approaches used.
Select a video essay from one of the channels mentioned in the article. Watch it carefully and take notes on the techniques used, such as storytelling, visuals, and rhetoric. Write a short analysis of how these elements contribute to the video’s effectiveness and share your thoughts in a class discussion.
In small groups, choose a video essay from the article and discuss the main concepts it presents. Consider questions like: What new insights did you gain? How did the video change your perspective on the topic? Present your group’s findings to the class.
Watch two video essays from different channels listed in the article. Compare and contrast their styles, focusing on aspects like tone, pacing, and use of visuals. Write a brief essay on how these differences affect the viewer’s understanding and engagement.
Choose one of the video essay creators from the article and research their background, style, and impact. Prepare a presentation for the class that includes clips from their work and an analysis of their contribution to the video essay genre.
**NARRATOR:**
Here are ten YouTube channels perfect for teaching video essays to your middle or high school students.
**Number one, Nerdwriter.**
Eclectic and intriguing, the videos here cover a wide range of topics, from art analysis to the history of the fidget spinner. There’s an especially insightful analysis of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
**MAN:**
Here he uses alliteration—five words starting with the letter S.
**NARRATOR:**
**Number two, Vox.**
**MAN:**
There are basically two types of drivers in the world. There are people who get really upset about all the people driving slowly in the left lane…
**NARRATOR:**
These explainer-style videos are great conversation starters and cover topics from politics to pop culture. Do you know how these Snapchat filters work? Since the channel publishes multiple videos a week, there’s no shortage of choices.
**Number three, Noisy Images.**
From the poetic rhythms of the music to the stagecraft, these videos masterfully uncover the social, political, and cultural meanings in contemporary hip-hop songs.
**MAN:**
They skyrocketed to mainstream status almost overnight.
**NARRATOR:**
But be advised—many videos are mature and only suitable in certain high school contexts.
**Number four, Lindsay Ellis.**
**ELLIS:**
There’s this narrative that’s emerged surrounding Netflix’s “Bright” that audiences loved it and critics hated it.
**NARRATOR:**
Video essays are just one of the things that Lindsay does on her channel, and she’s really great at them. Many of her videos deal with abstract topics, but she presents them in accessible ways. I started with a focus on structure because, flawed though it is, the story is there, and this could have easily been fixed in the screenplay stage.
**NARRATOR:**
**Number five, Genius.**
**MAN:**
# I bomb atomically # Socrates’ philosophies and hypotheses # Can’t define how I be dropping these mockeries #
**NARRATOR:**
With an emphasis on hip-hop lyrics, these aren’t your typical video essays. But students could apply the same type of color-coded breakdown and analysis to their favorite songs or poems.
**Number six, Every Frame a Painting.**
This now-defunct channel has 30 videos with some of the best film analysis on YouTube. If you’re looking to help students analyze the language of film, this is the channel to check out.
**Number seven, Kaptain Kristian.**
Focused mainly on cartoons and comics, this channel helps students see the power of pop culture. Videos that touch on big ideas and storytelling could pair nicely with a creative writing or literary analysis lesson.
**MAN:**
You can do “Cars” in live action or “Inside Out” as a play.
**NARRATOR:**
**Number eight, CGP Grey.**
**MAN:**
On the internet, the algorithms are all around you.
**NARRATOR:**
This long-running channel has videos with a fast-talking style and lots of animation. They explain complex issues in a digestible way and deftly answer common questions like, what happens if the Electoral College is tied?
**Number nine, Lessons From The Screenplay.**
**MAN:**
What impresses me most about “Get Out” is how Jordan Peele uses the specifics of the protagonist to unlock new storytelling techniques.
**NARRATOR:**
While this channel focuses on how screenwriting underpins film, the lessons offered in each video essay are broadly applicable to the craft of writing in general.
**And number ten, Kogonada.**
**MAN:**
The big element, isn’t it, of our medium as a manipulation of time, the perception of time…
**NARRATOR:**
Actually on Vimeo, and not YouTube, these video essays elegantly edit together film clips without any narration. They’re fantastic if you’re teaching video and film editing or a film appreciation class.
Want to learn more about video essays and how to use them in your classroom? Visit us at Common Sense Education.
Video – A recording of moving visual images made digitally or on videotape – The students watched a video of a Shakespeare play to better understand the characters and plot.
Essays – Short pieces of writing on a particular subject, often expressing personal views – For their final project, the students wrote essays analyzing the themes of modern theater productions.
Art – The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form – The art of stage design plays a crucial role in creating the atmosphere of a theatrical performance.
Storytelling – The activity of telling or writing stories – Storytelling is a fundamental aspect of drama, allowing actors to convey complex narratives to the audience.
Analysis – The detailed examination of the elements or structure of something – In their analysis of the play, the students explored the symbolism used by the playwright.
Language – A system of communication used by a particular community or country – The language of the script was rich and poetic, enhancing the emotional impact of the performance.
Culture – The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively – The play provided insight into the culture of 19th-century England, highlighting its social norms and values.
Film – A story or event recorded by a camera as a set of moving images and shown in a cinema or on television – The film adaptation of the novel captured the essence of the original story through its stunning visuals and strong performances.
Writing – The activity or skill of marking coherent words on paper and composing text – The playwright’s writing was both witty and profound, engaging the audience from start to finish.
Hip-hop – A style of popular music of US black and Hispanic origin, featuring rap with an electronic backing – The hip-hop musical brought a modern twist to the classic tale, using rhythm and rhyme to tell the story.
