It’s Not That Deep: Why Video Essays Don’t Hit The Same Anymore

2 days ago 3

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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

As anyone who knows me would guess—and my roommate would confirm—I watch video essays all the time. Whether I’m getting ready to go out or I’m winding down for the night, there is always some form of analytical chatter coming from my phone. If you are someone who doesn’t watch YouTube, you might be confused. You might not even know what a video essay is, and you wouldn’t be the only one. Although video essays have risen in popularity, the defining characteristics of the genre have become increasingly muddied. My definition of a video essay is a long-form video that uses the conventions of an analytical essay. Rather than limiting itself to summarizing a topic, a video essay must make an argumentative claim or a thesis.

Searching “video essay” on YouTube today would result in an endless scroll of content. However, video essays as we know them now are a relatively recent invention. When YouTube was in its early stages, comedic content performed the best. Most YouTube videos at the time had lower production quality and involved scripted sketches/skits. Because social media was uncharted territory, people did not recognize the potential to build careers online. YouTube was instead viewed as a purely creative pastime rather than a business for creators. Creativity online was at an all-time high. However, early creators received little compensation for their work. Another important distinction is that YouTubers at the time were referred to as “creators” as opposed to their present-day “influencer” counterparts. The transition from creators to influencers resulted from changes to YouTube’s platform. Over time, YouTube introduced opportunities for creators to monetize their videos, and more brands began recognizing YouTube for its sponsorship potential. These partnerships began to legitimize social media as a career, drawing even more people to start their own channels.

Video essays gained traction on YouTube because they created an intersection between comedy and analysis. As explained in a 2022 video by Shanspeare, people were drawn to video essays because they made learning both accessible and fun. High-level analysis and information that was previously confined to academic spaces were shared with the masses. Not only did video essays present academic information, but they did so in a way that was comprehensible to non-academic audiences. People who might never have afforded the opportunity to pursue academia found an intellectual outlet where they could learn without judgment.

However, all good things must come to an end. This online academic renaissance caused oversaturation in the YouTube genre. Because YouTube rewarded creators for uploading longer videos, people uploaded videos motivated by money rather than creative energy. The popularity of video essays inspired these creators to label deep dive videos as video essays. Just as there is a distinction in traditional essays between summarizing and analyzing, a similar distinction should exist between video essays and deep dives. Deep dives are typically long-form videos dedicated to providing a comprehensive summary of a topic. The “Chronically Online Girl Explains” series is a great example of deep dive videos. Although Nicole Rafiee adds humor and commentary to her subjects, she does not make any particular statement with her videos. I find these videos refreshing because they are an opportunity to turn off my brain and enjoy learning about a random part of the internet that I have never explored.

On the other hand, some YouTubers take advantage of monetization opportunities and lengthen their videos just for the sake of lengthening their videos. For example, one of my coworkers recently asked me if I was familiar with Quinton Reviews. I remembered the creator from his Nickelodeon deep dives. When I told them I hadn’t seen his content in a while, they told me to look up his video on the Beverly Hillbillies. The project in question was forty-two hours long. In my opinion, this demonstrates that video length and monetization are far more important to YouTubers today than good old clarity and conciseness. As for the creators who do care about producing quality content, YouTube’s options for monetization and sponsorships might not be enough to compensate for the time spent creating video essays longer than thirty minutes (and shorter than forty-two hours). Therefore, many creators have gravitated towards posting regularly on other paid platforms such as Patreon, Nebula, and Substack. As a result, they have more time to develop well-researched content for their main pages with the quality their audiences deserve.

At this point, maybe you are as exhausted as I am. I’m tired of seeing countless so-called video essays that say a whole lot of nothing. The amount of content online has been exacerbated by the introduction of short-form media. Every video, regardless of the platform, is competing with TikTok for our limited attention spans. As someone who has always hated the phrase “it’s not that deep,” I think I get it now. The same platforms that used to feel intellectually stimulating feel exhausting at this point. It honestly might feel better to turn off my brain than to listen to all the noise.

On the other hand, I don’t want to fall into this trap. Creativity online has not disappeared; it just looks a little different than it did ten years ago. Short-form content has created new opportunities for creativity and humor. TikTok forces creators to be concise and intentional about their language, which is something the internet has lacked for some time now. Short-form platforms have also allowed video editors and animators to share their work with larger audiences. Adding music that would have been copyright-restricted on YouTube has bridged the gap between music lovers and video enjoyers. Lastly, of course, there are video essayists who will always have my heart. I not only encourage everyone to watch their videos, but I also hope their creativity inspires something in you. Go make art, go write, go think. Allow yourself to feel in a digital age that does not want you to think.

A list of some video essayists I love right now: