example essay videos

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

• Serra Ardem

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.

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.

• 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)

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.

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

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.

This can vary depending on the complexity of the topic, the target audience, and the platform on which the video essay is shared. Typically, video essays last from a few minutes to over an hour. It’s important to keep the length aligned with the content’s depth and engage the viewers without overwhelming them.

How do you get ideas for a video essay?

For personal video essays, consider experiences that have shaped your perspective or lifestyle. For argumentative and analytical video essays, pressing social issues or cultural trends are excellent sources of inspiration. Meanwhile, hypothetical scenarios (e.g., future possibilities) or artistic interpretations can fuel ideas for hybrid and experimental video essays.

What to wear for a video essay?

Students shooting an application video essay can opt for business casual attire.  YouTubers and content creators might choose outfits that align with their personal brand and content style. Business professionals can wear a collared shirt or blouse to convey a polished and professional look. Each outfit choice should reflect the context of the video and enhance the overall presentation.

How to make a video essay for YouTube?

You can follow the steps above to make a video essay for YouTube. For this specific platform, it is especially important to use relevant keywords and design an eye-catching thumbnail to draw viewers in. Take advantage of YouTube’s end screens or cards to promote related video essays.

How to make a video essay for class?

When making a video essay for your class, make sure you understand the topic, length, and any other guidelines correctly. Organize your thoughts in a logical sequence, plan the footage you’ll use to support your points, and rehearse your script beforehand. Ensure audio and visual quality while recording and editing the video, and don’t forget to have fun!

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.

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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Complete Guide How to Write a Video Essay: Steps and Tips

• by Joseph Kenas
• September 11, 2024
• Writing Tips

Making a video essay has become an increasingly popular way of presenting ideas and concepts in the age of the internet and YouTube.

Video essays are an engaging way to express ideas, arguments, or critiques using both visual and auditory elements.

In this guide, we present a step-by-step guide on how to write a video essay and tips on how to make it.

While it is easy to write a normal essay, the structure of the video essay is a bit of a mystery, owing to the newness of the term.

However, in this article, we will define what is a video essay, how to write a video essay, and how to present a video essay well in class.

What is a Video Essay?

A video essay is a video that delves into a certain subject, concept, person, or thesis. Video essays are difficult to characterize because they are a relatively new form, yet they are recognized regardless. Simply, video essays are visual compilations that try to persuade, educate, or criticize.

These days, there are many creatives making video essays on topics like politics, music, movies, and pop culture.

With these, essays have become increasingly popular in the era of video media such as YouTube, Vimeo, and others.

Video essays, like photo and traditional essays, tell a story or make a point.

The distinction is that video essays provide information through visuals.

When creating a video essay, you can incorporate video, images, text, music, and/or narration to make it dynamic and successful.

When you consider it, many music videos are video essays. 

Since making videos for YouTube and other video sites has grown so popular, many professors are now assigning video essays instead of regular essays to their students. So the question is, how do you write a video essay script?

How to Write a Video Essay Script

Unscripted videos cost time, and effort, and are unpleasant to watch. The first thing you should do before making a video is write a script, even if it’s only a few lines long. Don’t be intimidated by the prospect of writing a script. All you need is a starting point.

A video script is important for anyone who wants to film a video with more confidence and clarity. They all contain comparable forms of information, such as who is speaking, what is said, where, and other important details.

While there are no precise criteria that a video essay must follow, it appears that most renowned video essayists are adhering to some steps as the form gets more popular and acknowledged online. 

1. Write a Thesis

Because a video essayist can handle a wide range of themes, video analysis essays lack defined bounds. The majority of essays, on the other hand, begin with a thesis.

A thesis is a statement, claim, theme, or concept that the rest of the essay is built around. A thesis might be broad, including a variety of art forms. Other theses can be quite detailed.

A good essay will almost always have a point to express. Every video analysis essay should have a central idea, or thesis, that ties the film together.

2. Write a Summary

Starting with a brief allows you and your team to document the answers to the most pressing project concerns. It ensures that everyone participating in the video production is on the same page.

This will avoid problems of mixing ideas or getting stuck when you are almost completing the project.

3. Choose appropriate Writing Tools

When it comes to writing your script, use any tool you’re familiar with, such as pen and paper. Also, find a writing atmosphere that is relaxing for you, where you can concentrate and be creative.

Consider what you don’t have to express out loud when you’re writing. Visual elements will be used to communicate a large portion of your content.

4. Use a Template

When you don’t have to reinvent the process every time you sit down, you get speed and consistency.

It’s using your cumulative knowledge of what works and doing it over and over again. Don’t start with a blank page when I sit down to create a script- try to use an already made template. 

5. Be Conversational

You want scripts that use language that is specific and targeted. Always avoid buzzwords, cliches, and generalizations. You want your audience to comprehend you clearly without rolling their eyes.

6. Be Narrative

Make careful to use a strong story structure when you’re trying to explain anything clearly. Ensure your script has a beginning, middle, and end, no matter how short it is. This will provide a familiar path for the viewers of your video script.

7. Edit Your Script

Make each word work for a certain position on the page when you choose your words.

They must serve a purpose.

After you’ve completed your first draft, go over your script and review it.

Then begin editing, reordering, and trimming. Remove as much as possible.

Consider cutting it if it isn’t helping you achieve your goal.

 8. Read your Script Loudly

Before recording or going on in your process, it’s recommended to read your script aloud at least once. Even if you won’t be the one reading it, this is a good method to ensure that your message is clear.

It’s a good idea to be away from people so you may practice in peace. Words that flow well on paper don’t always flow well when spoken aloud.

You might need to make some adjustments based on how tough certain phrases are to pronounce- it’s a lot easier to change it now than when recording.

9. Get Feedback

Sometimes it is very difficult to point out your mistakes in any piece of writing. Therefore, if you want a perfect video essay script, it is advisable to seek feedback from people who are not involved in the project.

Keep in mind that many will try to tear your work apart and make you feel incompetent. However, it can also be an opportunity to make your video better.

The best way to gather feedback is to assemble a group of people and read your script to them. Watch their facial reaction and jot your own comments as you read. Make sure not to defend your decisions.

Only listen to comments and ask questions to clarify.

After gathering feedback, decide on what points to include in your video essay. Also, you can ask someone else to read it to you so that you can listen to its follow.

A video essay can be a good mode to present all types of essays, especially compare and contrast essays as you can visually contrast the two subjects of your content.

How to make a Good Video from an Essay Script

You can make a good video from your script if you ask yourself the following questions;

• What is the video’s purpose? What is the purpose of the video in the first place?
• Who is this video’s intended audience?
• What is the subject of our video? (The more precise you can be, the better.) 
• What are the most important points to remember from the video?- What should viewers take away from it?

If the context had multiple characters, present their dialogues well in the essay to bring originality. If there is a need to involve another person, feel free to incorporate them.

How to Present a Video Essay Well in Class

• Write down keywords or main ideas in a notecard; do not write details- writing main ideas will help you remember your points when presenting. This helps you scan through your notecard for information.
• Practice- in presentations it is easy to tell who has practiced and who hasn’t. For your video essay to grab your class and professor’s attention, practice is the key.
• Practice in front of your friends and family asking for feedback and try to improve.
• Smile at your audience- this is one of the most important points when presenting anything in front of an audience.
• A smiley face draws the attention of the audience making them smile in return thus giving you confidence.
• Walk to your seat with a smile- try not to be disappointed even if you are not applauded. Be confident that you have aced your video presentation.

Other video presentation tips include;

• Making eye contact
• Have a good posture
• Do not argue with the audience 
• Look at everyone around the room, not just one audience or one spot
• Remember to use your hand and facial expressions to make a point.

Joseph is a freelance journalist and a part-time writer with a particular interest in the gig economy. He writes about schooling, college life, and changing trends in education. When not writing, Joseph is hiking or playing chess.

How to make a video essay: A guide for beginners

What type of content do you primarily create?

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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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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The Ultimate Video Essay Checklist ✓

Have you been set a video essay for English and don't know where to start? You're not alone. In this post, we give you the tools to impress with your next video essay.

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Vce english units 3 & 4.

So, you’ve been set a video essay as an assessment task. But what does that mean, exactly?

In this post, we’re going to give you the ultimate video essay checklist complete with examples, step-by-step processes, and links to really useful online tools and resources to help you ace your next video essay.

The Ultimate Video Essay Checklist ✓

You need to check off the following 10 items to produce a head-turning video essay:

• 1. Have you brainstormed, researched, and planned?
• 2. Have you planned your evidence and examples?
• 3. Have you planned the structure of your video essay?
• 4. Have you written the first draft of your video essay script?
• 5. Have you sourced your video/audio clips and images?
• 6. Have you edited the first draft of your script?
• 7. Have you written the second draft of your script?
• 8. Have you rehearsed your script and made any final edits?
• 9. Have you recorded your video and audio?
• 10. Have you edited your video together?

In this post, we’ll give you detailed advice for each question above. But before we work through this video editing checklist, we need to make sure you understand what a video essay is by answering some common questions.

Do you know what a video essay is?

A video essay is a video, or in some instances a multimedia text, that presents an argument or discursively explores an idea or thing.  Unlike written essays, video essays combine written and oral arguments with film, sound, and images.

Video essays are a relatively new genre of visual essay. They are usually about 4 or 5 minutes long and either give a broad introduction to a subject or focus one specific idea.

In video essays, authors narrate a video which advances their argument. This is laid on top of a series of visuals – still image, video clips, video of the creator – so that all these components combine together to advance the argument.

As a form of information, video essays are engaging and accessible. They tend to avoid jargon and unnecessary meta-language as they are produced for a wide viewership.

Why would I need to make a video essay?

The new 2019 English Syllabus introduced a mandatory assessment – the multimodal presentation.

Multimodal presentations require students to give an oral presentation that also includes a visual element – such as a PowerPoint presentation or other set of slides, or a poster.

Video essay assessments mean that students need to bring several different skill sets together:

• Textual analysis
• Critical thinking
• Writing and speech-writing
• Technological literacy.

In addition, one of the best tools for learning is to educate others. if you want to check your knowledge on a subject or idea, you should try and teach others. A video essay is a means of doing this.

Before you start trying to produce your own video essay, you should take a look at some examples of other high-quality essays.

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Where can I find examples of video essays?

Video essays have become an increasingly popular way of communicating information about a topic.

YouTube is full of video essay channels. Some are long, others are quite short. Because your school task will only be a few minutes, we’ll focus on the shorter ones.

Here’s a short list of good video essay channels with a brief description of what they produce videos about:

• Every Frame a Painting :  This was a great series that explored different aspects of film. It was produced by Taylor Ramos and Tony Zhou and ran from April 2014 to September 2016.
• Vox’s Earworm : Produced by Vox Media, this is a series of insightful and engaging video essays by Estelle Caswell that explores the history of popular songs and genres.
• Vox Media : Vox is news and culture website that has ventured into video essays with channels like Earworm. They have a huge array of videos on an extensive number of topics. All are high quality.
• Just Write : A channel of video essays about literature and film by Sage Hyden. His videos are always engaging and well-produced. This one on Cyberpunk is an absolute doozy .
• TedEd : A spin-off of the Ted Talk phenomenon, TedEd are educational video essays that inform about a variety of subjects. Matrix’s English Academic Head, Peta Greenfield, wrote and narrated these two on The Ancient Roman Vestal Virgins and the historical legacy of Augustus .

There are many more channels that you can find covering everything from baking and knitting to political economy and video games.

Before you start putting your essay together, you should watch a wide selection of video essays on topics that you are interested in or are relevant to your studies. This will allow you to see how they are structured and paced.

Now you know what you’re trying to produce, you need to think about the tools you’ll need.

What sort of tools and equipment will I need for a video essay?

Video essays will obviously require more tools than a pen and paper. Let’s have a look at the equipment and software tools and apps you’ll need to make one.

First, here’s a list of equipment you will need or will find useful to make a video essay.

Essential equipment

• Laptop or desktop computer : A computer of some variety for editing videos, recording video on a webcam, recording audio
• Webcam : A web camera if you don’t have one built into your laptop or desktop computer
• Mobile phone – A smartphone of some description that can record video and audio if you don’t have a camera on a laptop or desktop computer

Other equipment (if you have it at home)

• Microphone : For higher quality audio that doesn’t echo, sound faint, or produce static
• Digital camera : If you want to have improved video quality and there’s a digital camera like a digital SLR (single-lens reflex camera) at home, this will allow you to set up shots with more stability and better lighting
• Tripod : A stand for holding your phone or camera steady. If you want to stop the image shaking, you’ll want a tripod

Now we need to look at the software available for you to use. You will need some kind of video editor, the rest are suggestions to add pizzaz to your video.

Essential software tools and apps

• Openshot -An app for windows
• iMovie – A free app for Apple users
• Filmorago  – A free Android app
• Canva’s Video Editor – An online video editing suite
• Creatoon  – A basic cutout animation tool
• Powtoon – An easy-to-use online cartoon and video editing suite. it comes with built-in animations.
• Adobe Rush or Premier Pro – A high-end set of video editing tools. it’s expensive and possibly isn’t worth it unless you regularly edit videos or need access to other Adobe products like PhotoShop
• Prezi – An animated presentation app. Think dynamic PowerPoints.
• PowerPoint – The classic presentation slide software
• Adobe PhotoShop – High-end image editing and paint software
• Adobe Illustrator – Vector graphic design software
• MS Paint – A very basic paint program, the internet standard for making memes

The Video Essay Checklist ✓

• 4. Have you written a first draft of your video essay script?
• 7. Have you written a second draft of your script?

As you can see, there are three stages to this process: planning, drafting, and production. When you are producing something like a video essay that has many moving parts it is really important that you take the time to plan things in full and draft things thoroughly.

You don’t want to be re-editing or rerecording audio when you are time poor and stressed!

So, now you know what you need to do. Let’s show you how to do it!

✓ 1. Have you brainstormed, researched, and planned?

The first step of any large project is to plan it. Producing a video essay requires a fair bit of planning. Here’s what you need to think about:

• The topic of your video essay
• The argument for your video essay
• The content you will discuss in your video essay
• The visual elements of your video
• Any audio elements you may include in your video

As you can see, a video essay might sound different and fun – and it is – but it is also a fair bit of work.

Before you do anything else, you need to decide on what you will discuss in response to your Assessment Notification. To help you understand how to approach this, let’s take a quick look at a sample notification:

If you were responding to the sample notification above, you’d want to unpack this statement:

Exploring the anomalies, paradoxes, and inconsistencies of human behaviour represented in texts allow responders to question their understanding of the world.

You will need to consider which “anomalies, paradoxes, and inconsistencies of human behaviour” are best reflected in your text.

To do this, you will need to have a thorough understanding of your text and the Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences rubric statements. If you haven’t already, you should check out Part 1 of our English Advanced Study Guide – Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences .

Once you know what topic you are going to discuss, you’ll need to decide what your argument will be. To do this, you’ll need to think about whether you agree or disagree with the provided statement.

You’ll need to support this with the content of your video essay.

You’ll need to plan out what you want to include in the video essay. This will include what ideas or points you will need to make to support your argument.

You’ll only have 3-5 minutes for your video. This means you’ll want to focus one or two points that support your overall thesis.

Visual elements

You’ll need to think about what visual elements you can use to make your points and make your video engaging for your viewers.

This might include:

• The different shots of you talking to the camera (if you choose to use them at all, some video essays never show their creators)
• Relevant still images from the text(s) you discuss and other images
• Video clips of the text you are studying, or adaptations of the text
• Video clips that are relevant to your subject matter

Audio elements

Your video essay needn’t be restricted to you narrating your speech over the video. You can add depth and excitement to your video essay by utilising appropriate audio features.

These could include:

• Music and background music
• Audio clips from films, documentaries, interviews, etc
• Sound-effects

✓ 2. Have you planned your evidence and examples?

Before you can write your draft script, you need to organise the examples and other pieces of evidence that you may need.

This should be relatively straightforward once you’ve analysed your texts.

How many examples should I use?

Well, that depends on the length of your speech.

You want to aim to deliver your speech at around 130 words per minute. So, If you have a four-minute speech, you want to aim for 520 words.

That’s not much, is it?

You probably only want to discuss four examples, at most . That gives you 100 words to unpack and analyse each of the examples and connect them to the main idea of your video.

How do I pick the right examples?

As you have very little time, you want to aim for detail and specificity. This means that you want to have good examples that pack in a lot of meaning.

You need two ask yourself two questions when you’re deciding on which examples to include:

• Does this example support my thesis? – Because of the short run-time of the video, it’s important that all of your examples and arguments support your core idea.
• Is this example using a higher order technique?  – You can only include a handful of examples, so you want to make sure they present a compelling argument. You don’t want to be hanging an important argument on an example of alliteration is there is a consistent motif or unusual metaphor being used to convey the same idea.

Remember, the important thing with short presentations is to make a consistent argument about your thesis and unpack a few examples in detail to support it. If you keep this in mind, it will help you select the right examples to use.

✓ 3. Have you planned the structure of your video essay?

Before you write a script, you need to plan out what you will talk about and when. It will help you to create a storyboard .

What’s a storyboard?

A storyboard is a visualisation of the order of scenes that you will present on film. When you plan an essay, you note down what your argument will be, what order you will use to discuss your themes, and you plan out your examples.

A storyboard does the same thing for a visual text. Designing a storyboard will help you visualise the order of the shots that you need to make a convincing and well-structured essay.

Here’s a sample storyboard for a video essay on  Nineteen Eighty-Four and Terry Gilliam’s film  Brazil :

How do I plan my storyboard?

You plan a storyboard the same way you plan an essay:

• Introduction – Plan a couple of shots where you introduce yourself, your thesis, and your texts.
• Body – You want to have one shot that introduces your specific idea. Then you need to have a shot that presents an example and unpacks it. You may want static slides or you may want an example from a film. The sample storyboard above uses a combination of shots.
• Conclusion – You need a couple of shots to summarise your argument. You’ll also need a slide which presents a bibliography citing where you got your examples and any audio or video clips from.

You can draw a storyboard by hand. If you want the flexibility of dragging things around and re-organising things in case you need to restructure it, you could use a flowchart program like Lucidchart  (this is what we used to create the simple storyboard above).

✓ 4. Have you written the first draft of your video essay script?

Once you’ve planned things out, you’re in a position to draft your script.

There are a lot of similarities between writing a speech and a video essay script:

• You need to pace things for listening (about 130 words a minute)
• Ensure you employ repetition to ensure your viewers really get the point of the message you are conveying
• Focus on a few key ideas
• You need to sound enthusiastic and engaging, so write things that you agree with and don’t be afraid to include humour.

You also need to take into account any audio or video clips and text slides that you present. It is important that you plan to pause your speech when you show clips or present pieces of text. The silence will help your audience take on board and process the information you’ve given them.

If you’re unsure how to write a speech or are looking for some specific tips, check out our blog article How to Ace Oral Presentations  and part 10 of the Beginner’s Guide to Acing HSC English: How to Prepare a Multimodal Presentation .

Once you have drafted a script, you’re in a position to compile all the clips and images you’ll need for the video.

✓ 5. Have you sourced your video/audio clips and images?

When you create a video essay, it is important that you include visual elements to help support your argument.

Here’s what you should consider including in your video essay:

• Video clips : These can be sourced from DVD and Blu-Rays or from YouTube with tools freely available on the internet
• Audio clips : You may want to sample the audio from a song or podcast
• Images : You can screenshot stills from DVDs, there are many sites like Pixabay and Unsplash where you can find stock photos. if you need to create your own slides of text or flowcharts, you can use some of the tools listed here, earlier in this article .

Once you’ve sourced or created all of the visual and audio tools that you may need, you’re ready to produce the second draft of the script.

✓ 6. Have you edited the first draft of your script?

Drafting and editing are habits you must establish in Year 12. Or even better, earlier! Editing and drafting will give you the opportunity to refine the works that you have already produced.

The best way to edit a script is to read it aloud!

1. Set up a recording device – use your phone or laptop – and record yourself reading the script.

2. Make notes or annotate any parts of your script where you stumble over words or the sentences sound weird. This is possibly your ear picking up on grammatical mistakes or unidiomatic sentences.

3. Listen to the recording and read along with yourself narrating the script. Pay attention for sentences that sound incorrect and parts of your argument where you don’t develop your ideas or gloss over important information. It is also important that you don’t get sidetracked and include information that your audience doesn’t need. Remember, just because you find it really interesting, doesn’t mean that it is relevant to your audience.

4. Match your draft to your earlier story-board . It’s okay to change up the order of things, but if you edit the structure of the script, update your storyboard, too.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do my sentences sound correct?
• Are my sentences a good length?
• Is my argument logical?
• Am I leaving out important information?
• Have I given only relevant information?

Once you’ve edited the script, you’re ready to write the second draft of your script.

✓ 7. Have you written the second draft of your script?

Make sure that you write the second draft from scratch. It’s really tempting to take the original document and replace some sentences and drag other ones around. But that isn’t going to allow you to make big changes.

Writing the 2nd draft in a blank document or handwriting it out in full gives you the opportunity to make large changes – you will be more willing to cut out parts that don’t work or rewrite them rather than trying to make parts of an argument that don’t work, work.

To write a second draft effectively:

• Read through all of the annotations in your first draft
• On a blank sheet of paper, rewrite your draft section by section
• For each section, ask yourself how can I implement these changes to make it better for the viewer?

✓ 8. Have you rehearsed your script and made any final edits?

Editing is an ongoing process. It can often take many iterations to get a script right. Rehearsing your script a few times is a good way to continue polishing your script.

Rather than rehearsing a script in front of a mirror or to an empty room, do it in front of an audience and record it. You can record the video or just the audio. It doesn’t need to be a high-quality recording. Just something that you can use to evaluate what works and what doesn’t work in your script.

After you’ve rehearsed your script in front of an audience, ask them for some feedback:

• Does my argument make sense?
• Have I supported my argument?
• What could I have made clearer?
• What didn’t I need to include?
• Did I speak clearly? Was I speaking too fast or too slow?

Finally, ask them if they can summarise your argument. This will tell you how well you have presented your ideas to an audience. Make sure you write down this feedback.

Now, listen to your recording and read through your again, like when you edited the first draft. This time, also consult the feedback notes you received from your rehearsal audiences. Make sure you mark up the parts of the script that your audience felt could be improved.

Use these annotations to write your final script.

Give your final script a rehearsal or two. Make sure that it comes in at the correct length. Check it against your storyboard again and update the storyboard if you need to.

You’re now ready to record your audio and/or video.

✓ 9. Have you recorded your video and audio?

If you’re recording an audio track, you’ll want to make sure that:

• No background noise . You’re recording in a quiet space with no – or at least very minimal – ambient noise. Background noise can very easily be distracting or drown out your voice.
• The volume is correct . That you’re speaking at the correct volume. If you’re speaking too loud, your voice will distort. If it is too quiet, your viewers won’t be able to hear you properly.
• You won’t be interrupted . You don’t want to be interrupted or disturbed and have to start again. You don’t want to start sounding frustrated or anxious in your subsequent takes.
• Record one take  – you don’t want to be aligning several chunks of audio with all of the visual elements. If you are including video of you speaking, you may find it easier to record one long take and then cut it down. The more sections of audio you have, the more difficult the editing process.

If you’re recording video, you will want to check the following:

• Lighting:  You want to ensure that the lighting in the room is correct. You don’t want it too dark – your audience won’t see you properly. Or too light, as it will make the video look washed out.
• Camera position:  You want to make sure your camera is stable and is aimed as you need it. It will be a good idea to make a few test shots. If you’re recording on a mobile, remember to set it for landscape and not portrait.
• Camera angle:  Try to have the camera aimed level. Unless you are trying for a specific stylistic effect, it can be distracting to have a video shot at low or high angles. Audiences like to be able to look directly at a video of somebody addressing the camera. Think about how current affairs and news shows position the viewer in relation to the presenter.

Make sure you set aside plenty of time to record audio and video. It will likely take much longer than you have planned. You must be prepared to troubleshoot things as they occur.

✓ 10. Have you edited your video together?

The final step is where you bring all of the elements together. Producing a video may well prove to be a little bit finicky as you edit things down to the correct length. You will need to work precisely to the second as you pair up the audio with the visual elements.

The simplest approach is as follows:

• Listen to your audio recording
• Match up your narration on the audio with elements of your storyboard
• Note these down on your storyboard . This will be your reference for editing.
• Use your chosen editing software to match up the appropriate images, clips, or recorded footage with your audio-track.
• Watch it through to ensure everything matches up correctly before you submit it.

Now you’re ready to submit!

Written by Matrix English Team

© Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au, 2023. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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