How to Make a Video Essay (with 5 Inspiring Examples)

  • Serra Ardem

How to Make a Video Essay (with 5 Inspiring Examples)

In the world of digital media, video essays are a canvas where creativity meets critical thinking. From pre-production planning to post-production editing, these videos require a careful balance of visual elements, narrative structure, and technical skills to effectively communicate your ideas.

In this blog, we will:

  • Explore different types of video essays
  • Guide you on how to make a video essay step-by-step
  • List 10 best practices for creating compelling video essays
  • Share 5 great video essay examples for further inspiration

Let’s get started.

What is a video essay?

A video essay is essentially a written essay brought to life through the use of video footage, narration, music, and other multimedia elements. As a form of creative nonfiction, it blends the depth of written essays with the power of visual storytelling.

Best video essays are:

  • Personal and reflective; often explore the author’s personal experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
  • Multifaceted and creative; combine various forms of media to keep viewers engaged.
  • Argumentative or analytical; present a thesis and support it with evidence, or break down and analyze a particular subject.
  • Thought-provoking; aim to stimulate viewers’ critical thinking and intellectual curiosity.

A content creator working on video editing software.

Before we delve into the steps on how to make a video essay, let’s take a look at its different types:

How to Make a Video Essay Step-by-Step

Whether you’re exploring a personal story or making a strong argument about a current issue, video essays offer a powerful format for self-expression and analysis. Here is how to make a video essay in 3 stages:

Pre-production

  • Choose your topic and define your thesis statement. Select a topic that interests you and that you understand well. Then develop a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines the main argument or claim of your essay. For example, if you’re creating a personal college application video, your thesis might focus on how a specific experience shaped your worldview or contributed to your personal growth.
  • Gather research materials. Conduct thorough research to gather information that supports your thesis. Make sure to organize your sources so you can reference them accurately during the production and editing phases.
  • Develop an outline and craft a script. Break down your outline into introduction, body, and conclusion. List the main points you will cover in each section. This will ensure that your essay flows logically and smoothly. Then write a script that expands on your outline.
  • Create a storyboard. You don’t have to be a professional artist; just sketch out a basic visual plan of how your video will unfold. Map out the key scenes, shots, and visual elements that correspond to your outline. Include captions and notes to describe each shot.
  • Prepare your equipment and software. Gather the video equipment for your video production, such as camera, microphone, tripod, and lighting. If you’re going to use AI tools, familiarize yourself with the software and test it with sample footage to ensure it works as expected.

Person writing on paper on brown wooden table.

  • Set up your equipment. Position your camera, lighting, and microphone according to your script. Make sure that the camera is stable, the microphone is properly set up for clear audio, and the lighting is adjusted to enhance visibility and create the desired mood.
  • Record or generate your video. Follow your script and storyboard to shoot the necessary footage. Pay specific attention to framing, focus, and audio quality during recording.

If you’re using an AI video generator, provide the tool with your script, and select the desired style or aesthetic for your video. The AI will then process your input and generate the video essay. You may need to provide additional details or make adjustments during the generation process.

10 AI Video Generators for Beginners (with Best Practices)

10 AI Video Generators for Beginners (with Best Practices)

Post-production.

  • Edit your footage. Import it into your chosen video editing software. (Popular options include Adobe Premiere Pro , Final Cut Pro , and DaVinci Resolve .) Arrange clips according to your script and storyboard, trim unnecessary parts, and correct any visual or audio errors for a polished final look. In case of AI video generators, review the generated content carefully and utilize the tool’s editing features as you need.
  • Incorporate music, sound effects, and text overlays. Make sure that auditory elements complement the mood and do not overshadow narration. Integrate text overlays to introduce sections, highlight key points, or provide additional context. All these elements must be seamlessly integrated and add value to your video essay.
  • Add subtitles and a transcript . Subtitles will make your video essay accessible to a broader audience and facilitate comprehension for those who prefer or require visual text. Always check if captions are synchronized with the audio and accurately represent the spoken content. Meanwhile, generate a transcript of the video to provide a textual version of the content, which can also aid in SEO and accessibility.
  • Do a final review and make necessary adjustments. Watch your video essay in its entirety to ensure that all elements are cohesive and effective. Consider seeking feedback from others to confirm that your video conveys your message clearly.
  • Export and upload your video essay. Choose the appropriate format and resolution for your intended platform. When uploading your video, write a compelling title and add an eye-catching thumbnail to attract viewers. Include relevant keywords and tags to increase discoverability.

Illustration of video editing software and features, representing the post-production stage of how to make a video essay

10 Best Practices for Making Video Essays

In addition to the instructions mentioned above, these 10 best practices on how to make a video essay can make your content even more impactful:

  • Rehearse your script. Practice makes perfect, so rehearse your timing, intonation, and pacing to reduce the likelihood of errors and improve overall presentation.
  • Have a strong opening and closing. Start the video essay with an intriguing introduction to grab your audience’s attention, and end with a strong conclusion to reinforce your main points and leave a lasting impression.
  • Avoid rambling or going off on targets. Stay focused on your main points and do not include unnecessary elaboration or unrelated anecdotes, as every segment must contribute to your thesis.
  • Incorporate data or statistics. Present them in a clear and understandable way, utilizing visuals like charts or graphs to make it more relatable for viewers.
  • Use B-roll footage, graphics, and animations to enrich your main content. These elements can help you illustrate complex ideas, reinforce your arguments, and make your video essay more memorable.
  • Provide high-quality audio. Minimize background noise during recording, and adjust audio levels and eliminate any distracting sounds during post-production.
  • Prioritize accessibility. Include subtitles and closed captions to aid deaf and hard of hearing viewers while maintaining high contrast between text and background for better readability.
  • Encourage audience interaction. Add calls-to-action (CTAs) for viewers to comment, like, share, or subscribe, and ask them to share their opinions and experiences related to the topic.
  • Track and optimize. Regularly check view counts, watch times, and engagement rates to understand how well your content is performing and analyze the data to refine your approach.
  • Experiment and have fun. Try different approaches, such as using various editing styles or narrative techniques, and stay open-minded along your creative journey.

Add AI Subtitles to Your Video Essay

This will not only improve the accessibility of your video essay but also boost its SEO performance and multiply your viewership.

5 Powerful Video Essay Examples

Featuring an example from each category, these 5 videos can inspire you with various approaches on how to make a video essay.

Personal Video Essay

This college application video is a great example of a personal video essay. With a clear structure, it demonstrates why the person is a good candidate and utilizes editing features smoothly. The effective use of graphics, background music, subtitles, and transitions all contribute to the success of the video.

Argumentative Video Essay

This argumentative video essay named “How Discounts Keep You Poor” shows the importance of well-done research for this kind of content. The main argument is supported by solid reasons and examples, which are highlighted with eye-catching text overlays. The call to action at the end of the video invites viewers to share their own thoughts on the subject and subscribe to the channel.

Analysis Video Essay

Titled “Why Do Movies Feel So Different Now?” , this analysis video essay focuses on how movies have evolved since modernism. Based on movements like postmodernism and metamodernism, the content is organized into chapters to create a logical flow. A professional voiceover accompanies high-quality footage from movies, all creating a final harmonious piece.

How to Add Chapters to Youtube Videos

How to Add Chapters to Youtube Videos

Experimental video essay.

Going beyond traditional video game reviews, this experimental video essay explores gaming as a perfectionist . It adopts unique audiovisual techniques to blend in-depth analysis with unconventional storytelling. The clever use of humor and game footage also adds an experimental flair to the typical video essay format.

Hybrid Video Essay

This hybrid video essay titled “drowning in entertainment: the age of distraction” combines personal, argumentative, analysis, and even experimental formats to delve deep into how we interact with information today. It uses attention-grabbing B-roll footage, still images, and text overlays to enhance the narrative. The talking head sections further personalize the content, allowing the creator to build a direct and engaging connection with the audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a video essay, how do you get ideas for a video essay, what to wear for a video essay, how to make a video essay for youtube, how to make a video essay for class.

Featuring actionable tips, this blog covered the steps on how to make a video essay and listed 10 best practices for making this kind of content even more polished and memorable. It also shared 5 inspiring video essay examples in different types.

Here are our 3 golden rules for creating an impactful video essay:

  • Define and stick to your thesis statement. This will be the core of your video essay and help you stay focused during the production phase.
  • Have a strong beginning and end. Both should be carefully crafted to hook your audience from the start and provide a satisfying conclusion that ties everything together.
  • Utilize various multimedia elements. Incorporate video footage, images, text overlays, and music to express complex ideas and maintain viewer interest.

Follow the tips in this blog to refine your video essay creation process, and feel free to experiment with different formats along the way.

Serra Ardem

About Serra Ardem

Serra Ardem is a freelance writer and editor based in Istanbul. For the last 8 years, she has been collaborating with brands and businesses to tell their unique story and develop their verbal identity.

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digital video essay

How to make a video essay: A guide for beginners

digital video essay

What type of content do you primarily create?

digital video essay

Video essays are an incredibly popular genre on YouTube, and many new creators are eager to have their views heard on topics in culture and politics. But making a video essay involves a lot more than just sitting in front of a camera and pressing record. This guide is intended for beginners who don’t quite know where to start. 

What is a video essay?

A video essay’s primary defining feature is that it sets out to make an argument. It is, to put it simply, like an essay you wrote in school. Video essays often cover politics, popular media, or science.

But unlike the essays you wrote in school, video essays need extensive visual accompaniment, whether that’s footage (or B-roll ), still images, or animation.

Here’s how you can get started:

Step 1: Craft a thesis

Good video essays will have a central thesis explored throughout the piece. If you can’t summarize your thesis in a sentence (sometimes two), you’ve still got work to do. The best theses immediately leave the viewer wanting to know more. Test it on friends: If you state your thesis to friends and get reactions of curiosity or excitement you’re on to something.

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 audience  

Your audience will dictate what level of complexity and detail you should cover in your video. If you’re an engineering channel, maybe you want to appeal to working engineers who understand the jargon of the profession. But if you’d like a broader audience, you’ll need to take the time to define terms and give background information. The best video essays usually appeal to both—their topics are unique enough to be interesting to people with prior knowledge of the topic, while accessible enough to be understood to a casual viewer.

Step 3: Organize your research early

Your video essay should have lots of supporting evidence. Aside from the usual list of articles and books, video essays can also use visual evidence.

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: Familiarize yourself with "fair use"

Many video essays source footage from the news, TV, and film without licensing them. I'm not here to give advice on the legality of that, but I do think any video essayist should familiarize themselves with fair use .

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: Start your 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: Film (or record)

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 .

The two most important things to recommend: get good sound, and be natural. People can tolerate a lot of visual sins, but usually won’t put up with bad audio quality. Similarly, you don’t need to have the charisma of a talk show host, but people have no tolerance for on-screen performances that seem forced or fake.

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: Start editing

There are many options for video editing software out there (and Descript is a great one), even for people with limited video editing experience. This article isn’t long enough to be an editing guide , but a few quick tips for a true novice:

  • 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: Figure out your 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

Finally, it's time to put your video out into the world and see how it fares. Your first video essay won't be perfect. It's important to put your work in public, take in feedback, and move on to your next project. Like all things, skill comes with time.

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How to do a Video Essay: The Video Essay Process

  • Plan, Prepare & Create

Storyboarding

  • Finding, Filming & Editing
  • References & Credits
  • The Video Essay Process

This section will give an introductory overview of the stages required to create a video essay.  Video essayers advice is to start simple and work through each stage of the video production process. Visit the Resources page of this guide for more.

Identify what is your argument? What is it that you want to communicate to the viewer? Write this down in a few sentences, refer and modify it as required.

Watch Video Essays

Watch a selection of video essays, read blogs and web pages from video essayers and decide what type of video essay you would like to create. Start simple.

A storyboard is a detailed outline (similar to an outline in a written essay) that helps you to organise and visualise the video essay as to what is on the screen, text, media, message and transitions between shots.

Storyboards assist in determining the length, message and meaning of the video essay and help save time with editing and post production processes.

  • Free Storyboard Templates

Collect & Edit

Collect video material as downloads, ripping DVDs, screen grabs, mobile phone footage and create voice-overs. Use research skills to find information and statements to support your argument. Maintain a standard of quality and manage your videos by naming conventions and storage.

Use editing software and experiment with available functionality to enhance and support your argument. Add a voice-over, sound effects, music and other aspects of multimodality. Be sure to include references and credits to all sources used in creating the video essay.

Revisit elements of your video essay and modify as required.

Visit the Resources page of this guide for more.

  • Where to find video and how to capture it
  • Video Editing Basics - iMovie
  • Software Guides

References & Credits

References to cite sources used in the Video Essay. Referencing is a formal, systematic way of acknowledging sources that you have used in your video essay. It is imperative that you reference all sources used (including videos, stills, music, sfx) and apply the correct formatting so that references cited can be easily traced. The referencing style used at ECU is the APA style, 6th ed. 2010. Refer to the ECU Referencing Library Guide for accurate citation in APA style.

Production credits Individuals: acknowledgement of individuals and their role in the production. Purpose: A statement for internal use, e.g. “This video was produced for [course name] at [institution’s name] in [semester, year]”

  • Referencing Library Guide
  • << Previous: What is a Video Essay?
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  • What is a Video Essay?
  • Modes, MultiModality & Multiliteracies
  • A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies
  • Modes Of Multimodality
  • Video Essay Journals
  • Video Essay Channels
  • Weblinks to Video Essay Resources
  • Weblinks to Creative Commons Resources
  • Titles in the Library
  • Referencing & Copyright
  • Marking Rubric
  • Last Updated: Aug 28, 2023 2:57 PM
  • URL: https://ecu.au.libguides.com/video-essay

Edith Cowan University acknowledges and respects the Noongar people, who are the traditional custodians of the land upon which its campuses stand and its programs operate. In particular ECU pays its respects to the Elders, past and present, of the Noongar people, and embrace their culture, wisdom and knowledge.

WGS Prof. George The World of Zines, Zine Making and Self-Publishing

  • Defining Zines Plus Zine Histories and Futures
  • Find Zines at Pace or Online
  • Making a Paper Zine
  • Making a "Born-Digital" Zine
  • About Creative Commons
  • Print or Publish your Zines
  • Add Your Zine to Pace Collections
  • Find a Distro (Distributor) to Sell Your Zine
  • Help with your Zines
  • The Video Essay

Additional Resources

Academic Journals

  • in[Transition] : The first open access, peer-reviewed journal on videographic criticism
  • AUDIOVISUALCY: Videographic Film and Moving Image Studies : An online forum for video essays or works of audovisual screen studies that have an analytical, critical, reflexive or scholarly purpose; fully attribute all sources used; are made according to Fair Use principles; are non-commercial in nature.

Video Essay Channels

  • Every Frame a Painting  
  • Indietrix Film Reviews
  • 100 Years of Cinema  
  • Channel Criswell  
  • Lindsay Ellis

Library Guides

  • Tufts University Library: Multimedia Production
  • Edith Cowan University Library: The Video Essay
  • Pace University Library: Film Criticism

So you want to make a video essay...

What is a video essay ?

Christian Keathley, a Professor of Film & Media Culture at Middlebury College & co-founder of in[Transition], defines video essays as

“short critical essays on a given film or filmmaker, typically read in voice-over by the author and supplemented with carefully chosen and organized film clips”

Video essays have found incresased popularity in recent years on digital content sharing platforms like YouTube & Vimeo. Despite their scholarly-focused and argument-driven nature, video essays have since been associated with (and mistaken for) other popular forms of commentary (e.g. movie commentaries, reaction videos, online fan-edits, etc.) shared on the same platforms. The two do have similarities in their accessibility and utilize the same set of creative tools and texhniques. However, the video essay in its academic form does follow certain conventions (a written critical component from the author, scholarly research, and peer review), as opposed to popular commentaries. 

Video essays as a medium are an important audivisual form of scholarship, particularly in terms of expression, creation, and accessibility. Traditional essays may not always lend themselves to the fullest expression of film and how we interpret/analyze visual images. As students of film and media studies, it is important to both understand the medium from a critical point of view, as well as from a creative point of view. 

The Video Essay: How-To

  • Planning & Preparation
  • Gathering Materials & Filming
  • Editing & Sharing
  • Understanding File Formats

So you've been assigned a video essay for class, or you want to make one on your own...

Where do you start? Like any other form of traditional essay, you will begin by Developing A Topic , whether it's a persuasive argument, a narrative story, or a research question. If you’re telling a story, think about good elements of narrative. If you’re making an argument in your video essay, think about the elements of making an effective argument. If you're drafting a research question, make sure to be specific and answer the following: who?, what?, where?, when?, why?, and how?

For more information about developing a topic or researcj question, please check out the following resources: 

  • Pace Library Guide: The Research Process, Step-By-Step
  • Pace Library Guide: Getting Started with Research

Once you have a well-developed topic and/or research question, then you can Create an Outline and Write a Script for your video essay. Utilizing your background research, evidence from whichever piece(s) of media you are analyzing/discussing, and your own arguments/interpretations of that media, you can build an outline and write a basic script to refer to when filmming and/or recording your video essay. This script will especially be important if you plan to record a voiceover. 

For more information about how to write a script/create an outline, please check out the following resources: 

  • Excelsior Online Writing Lab: Video Essays
  • How To Make A Video Essay: Writing   by  Indietrix Film Reviews

Now, you've got your script and you're ready to start gathering materials (scenes, images, audio, etc.) to edit into your video essay.  The best place to capture images is always  from a high-resolution DVD, Blue-ray, or video file. 

There are a couple of different places you can acquire these files. Of course, you can always invest in your own copies of the physical media. This is the best (and most ethical ) way to get high quality images, video, and footage.

Should you wish to do a screen capture, you can use platforms like Camtasia or Clip Converter to record images or footage directly from your screen. These aren't always the most ethical means to record footage, so if you choose to do so, be sure to consult Fair Use Guidelines before doing so. For this process, you will also likely need a DVD Drive, whether external or internal. Having one that can read DVDs and Blu-rays is a plus! Resoruces for how to do these technical processes are included below. 

Before you actually aquire any footage or media for your video essay, it's important to weigh the ethical considerations (i.e. Fair Use & Copyright Law) no matter what the media is or your intention to use it. 

Resources: 

  • How To Make A Video Essay: Footage and Voiceover   from  Indietrix Film Reviews  
  • How To Make Video Essays:  This video is especially helpful in terms of the technology of filming and recording voiceovers for video essays, less so the other aspects of video essay production. 
  • Camtasia: Screen Capture & Recording Tutorials

As for finding stock photos or images to use that are in the Public Domain , check out this well-curated list of public domain image libraries, websites, and archives at the Tufts University Library Multimedia Production Resource Guide . 

Use editing software and experiment with available functionality to enhance and support your argument. Add a voice-over, sound effects, music and other aspects of multimodality. Be sure to include references and credits to all sources used in creating the video essay. 

There are many different kinds of publications and media platforms through which to share your completed video essay. For the widest distribution, most choose to share on  YouTube . However, this may not necessarily be the most scholarly platform to utilize for your scholarly pursuits.  Vimeo  is a good choice, as many scholarly video essays published for academic journals, such as  MAI: Feminism & Visual Culture  and  in[Transition]   are hosted there. 

For more information on editing video essays, please check out the following resources: 

  • How to Make a Video Essay: Editing by  Indietrix Film Reviews
  • Vimeo: Editing Basics

When creating, saving, uploading, and sharing video essays, it's important to have a basic understanding of digitail file formats, for videos, audio, and images.  Linked below are some resources (websites, videos, & infographics) to help you learn how to navigate each file format and learn their best uses. 

Books: 

  • Portable Moving Images: A Media History of Storage  Formats  by Ricardo Cedeño Montaña
  • Images on the Move: Materiality - Networks -  Formats   Editor: Olga Moskatova

Blog Posts: 

  • Understanding Video File Formats, Codecs and Containers by Andy Owen at TechSmith
  • Video Formats – Meaning, types and everything you should know   by  Akeem Okunola at InEvent
  • Image file formats: When to Use Each File Type   by Samual Lundquist at 99Designs

Other Resources: 

  • Introduction to Digital Format Preservation, The Library of Congress

digital video essay

Image Credit: WonderShare, "Top 9 Video Formats You May Want to Know In 2023." 

Featured Video Essays

Below is a list of well-researched and well-crafted video essays on a variety of topics

  • Dos Hermanos: Uncanny Femininity, Grief, and Childhood in Carillo's Animations by Krista Calvo
  • Revenge of a Cool Girl by Agnieszka Piotrowska  

I Feel, Therefore I Can Be Free from Nzingha Kendall on Vimeo .

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Home Resources Free Guides Video Essays Guide Introduction to Video Essays

VIDEO ESSAYS GUIDE

Introductory guide to video essays, introduction to video essays, studying and researching film through film, “if it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed” – stanley kubrick, "...why can filmmaking, film curation, and film criticism not co-exist” – lindiwe dovey.

Drawing on the inspiring work of pioneering educators and researchers engaging with this creative method, this guide aims to offer a research-led introduction for students, teachers and researchers approaching the video essay for the first time.

From 2014, with the foundation of [in]Transition, the first online, open access, peer-reviewed journal of videographic film and moving image studies, an increasing number of academic journals have been welcoming video essays. However, the written word remains the dominant language to disseminate scholarly work, with shared conventions in terms of register, structure and length. In contrast, a glimpse at the range of published video essays evidences the diversity of approaches. While this may be a great opportunity for innovation and creativity, it also presents challenges. How to make video essays? What are their pedagogical benefits, as compared to written papers? What are the technological expectations? How to design assessment briefs to ensure they are equivalent to written papers? Is such equivalence relevant? If the approaches are so varied, what are the criteria of evaluation? What are the copyright issues, if any, when reusing creative work for the purpose of making an argument, audiovisually? And, more importantly, where to start?

Video essays are scholarly videos that invite researchers and class members to explore the audiovisual and multimedia language to make an academic argument. When applied to film research and pedagogy, the video essay is thus a recursive text. That is, the object of study, film, is mediated, or rather, performed, through the film medium. This is a kind of academic piece that encourages creativity, but more importantly, action. As such, video essays have a transformative dimension. When used in the classroom, for instance, as creative assessment methods, they foster a collaborative environment where teachers and students - that is, class members - are co-producers of knowledge, informed by different positionalities. Video essays can thus contribute to a kind of education that Paulo Friere (2018[1978]: 80-81) referred to as the “problem-posing education”, as “the practice of freedom”. This contrasts with the “banking” or “digestive” education as the practice of domination, where students are mere passive recipients of the knowledge transferred from tutors. As universities seek to decolonise the curriculum, video essays seem as pertinent as ever to foster active, creative and critical modes of learning, based on thinking through making. However, the experimental potential in video essays also leads to a certain degree of uncertainty to all class members and eager researchers who would like to venture into this creative arena of knowledge production. Creative educators and researchers are collectively seeking an academic space for video essays, legitimising their production, and suggesting ways of engaging with this kind of recursive language.

As Christian Keathley notes, “the essential question faced in the production of scholarly video is not technical, but conceptual” (2012). That is, video essays, like any other scholarly work, are concerned with the contribution to knowledge. But, how to achieve this? In this guide, we first look at the existing guidelines for the production and evaluation across the different journals, finding some coherence across them. We then suggest some ways of making them, dividing the process in three phases: preproduction, production and postproduction, in alignment with the filmmaking process. These guidelines do not aim to be prescriptive by any means. Rather, they seek to assist the video-making process . Due to our emphasis on the academic value of video essays, we further offer an overview to copyright considerations to take into account for its lawful, ethical and rigorous publication . We also include several journals and dissemination spaces. Finally, we share a case study of the application of the video essay as a creative assessment method at SOAS, University of London.

How to make video essays. Dr Shane O’Sullivan, Senior Lecturer in Filmmaking at Kingston University and Curator of Archives for Education .

Finding Coherence Across Journals

How to make video essay guides, copyright considerations, dissemination.

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  1. How to Make a Video Essay (with 5 Inspiring Examples)

    In the world of digital media, video essays are a canvas where creativity meets critical thinking. From pre-production planning to post-production editing, these videos require a careful balance of visual elements, narrative structure, and technical skills to effectively communicate your ideas.

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  3. Video essay - Wikipedia

    A video essay is an essay presented in the format of a video recording or short film rather than a conventional piece of writing; the form often overlaps with other forms of video entertainment on online platforms such as YouTube.

  4. How to make a video essay: A guide for beginners - Descript

    How to make a video essay: A guide for beginners. Learn how to craft compelling video essays. This beginner's guide covers everything from thesis creation to editing and publishing. Alec Opperman.

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    The video essay is a short documentary film that's the equivalent of a research paper. This website explores the use of video essays as pedagogical, teaching tools. As well, it can be used as a guide to create low-budget personal video essays and stories.

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  7. How to Create a Video Essay for Your College Application

    With a video essay, you can naturally highlight your personality while providing the decision-makers with a glimpse into your world. You have the power to present yourself in your best light— literally —in a more personal medium than the regular written word.

  8. LibGuides: How to do a Video Essay: The Video Essay Process

    This section will give an introductory overview of the stages required to create a video essay. Video essayers advice is to start simple and work through each stage of the video production process. Visit the Resources page of this guide for more. Planning.

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    Video essays have found incresased popularity in recent years on digital content sharing platforms like YouTube & Vimeo.

  10. Introduction to Video Essays · Learning on Screen

    Video essays are scholarly videos that invite researchers and class members to explore the audiovisual and multimedia language to make an academic argument. When applied to film research and pedagogy, the video essay is thus a recursive text.