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10 best youtubers for gaming video essays, according to reddit.

From Jacob Geller to Game Maker's Toolkit, there are tons of YouTube channels for video game fans or makers who enjoy in-depth analysis.

Although video games can be mindless fun at times, some of the biggest releases of the later half of this year have included The Last of Us: Part 1 and the upcoming God of War: Ragnarök , titles that serve to highlight video games as an art form to rival traditional media. When it comes to what makes games like these work, YouTube has any gaming enthusiast covered.

From essayists who focus on the storytelling element of video games like Jacob Geller to ones that go in-depth to take apart the mechanical side of creating video games like Game Maker's Toolkit or even GDC, these are the channels that Reddit thinks fans should be checking out.

When most people think of video essays, they tend to think of channels where a single person presents their thoughts on a variety of topics but GDC is a little different. The name stands for Game Developers Conference and the YouTube channel presents clips and full talks from professionals.

Redditor rebilax13 comments that you can "never go wrong with GDC" as you get to "hear from the industry themselves." Whilst analysis from an outsider is always interesting, there's something about hearing developers, artists, and producers talk about their own methods of bringing video games to life that's uniquely insightful.

Writing On Games

Focusing on game design and what makes video game narratives so powerful , Writing on Games presents video game essays and reviews in a sharp and engaging style that has won the channel many fans over the years. That includes Redditor Party_McFly710 who rates them as a top channel when it comes to "general story analysis" for video games.

Whilst the channel isn't afraid to criticize games for their shortcomings, a lot of their videos involve going in-depth and taking apart exactly why highly-rated games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild , Elden Ring , and The Last of Us are so effective. Even better, Writing on Games generally draws attention to small details and game elements that most people would never pick up on.

Matthewmatosis

Well-researched, well-edited, and interesting video essays often take a lot of time to put together, which is why they aren't always easy to find. For those who don't mind infrequent uploads, Matthewmatosis provides just that, presenting videos that very obviously have a ton of thought and time put into them.

Redditor GhettoRussianSpy says they "wholeheartedly recommend" the channel and calls it "thought-provoking." Whereas some channels attempt to make videos about the most relevant game to ensure views, it's obvious that Matthewmatosis simply pursues whatever interests him at that time, presenting a fascinating dissection of Death Stranding nearly a year after Hideo Kojima's divisive title was released.

For retrospectives on awesome older video games , there are few channels that do so as effectively and entertainingly as Raycevick. Redditor Malix82 recommends the channel for "lengthy deconstructions" of exactly how and why a game once "made waves" or came to be perceived the way it is.

With his "... x Years Later" series, which includes "Metro Exodus... 3 Years Later" and "Need for Speed: Most Wanted... 13 Years Later," Raycevick uses the advantage of hindsight to look at games from a different perspective to usual and sometimes even challenge people's perceptions. Along with covering a wide range of games from different periods, Raycevick offers something for everyone.

Noah Caldwell-Gervais

There are plenty of channels that offer extremely long-form and comprehensive video essays on games but very few go to the extremes of Noah Caldwell-Gervais whose "Thorough Look" series has episodes that break the 5-hour mark. It's not just quantity he provides though as, according to Redditor Frittenbudenpapst , "His analysis, critique and description of games is just stellar."

"Whilst his almost-exclusive use of gameplay footage might not appeal to those who like more flashy and visually engaging video essays, it helps him to effectively capture the feel of the games he talks about and that's something his fans appreciate. This is especially true as he often talks about games where the atmosphere is one of the most important elements.

Tongue-in-cheek humor and sharp critiques go hand-in-hand in Whitelight's video essays, which often take on critically-lauded or critically-panned games and offer an interesting take. Whilst it's not a channel for fans who like their video essays to be completely serious, there are good reasons why Redditors like BrandalfFTW consider him one of "the best."

For example, despite taking a more humorous approach to the YouTube format , Whitelight's critiques tend to be fairly balanced, taking into account arguments for and against the games he takes on. Whilst no viewer is likely to agree with all of his opinions, that's a part of the charm of Whitelight's channel.

Though Hbomberguy takes on everything from politics and conspiracy theories to TV shows, some of his most popular and most compelling videos are those where he simply discusses video games. Redditor AMtheVile is one fan who says they "really like" his video game content.

Though his approach to video games can be divisive, often taking extreme stances on beloved video game franchises like The Elder Scrolls and the Fallout series and presenting his views in an over-the-top, impassioned way, the level of effort he puts into making his videos well-researched and visually interesting is something anyone can appreciate.

With the description on YouTube reading simply "Insightful gaming videos," Ahoy manages to perfectly capture why fans love the channel's video essays so much. Although not exclusively about video games, with many historical videos as well, their visually striking and perfectly composed video game essays easily rival that of completely game-focused channels.

That's why Redditor GustavGarlicBread calls them "amazing" at what they do, adding that they have "extremely clean editing, and original music to top it all off." Whilst this means uploads are infrequent, each essay has so much originality that they're more than worth the wait.

Game Maker's Toolkit

Presented by British video game journalist and game developer Mark Brown, Game Maker's Toolkit aims to deliver exactly what the channel name promises which is to help with the viewer's understanding of how games are made. Though this technical approach of drawing attention to how games are crafted is great for budding game developers, it's also fascinating as a fan of games too.

One of those fans is Redditor nas1992 who comments that the channel is their "favorite" when it comes to gaming video essays. Rather than focusing on a specific game in each video, Brown nearly always dedicates each one to a particular, and usually small, aspect of game design, providing a much more technical perspective.

Jacob Geller

Though he does consider specific elements of game design in his gaming video essays, the unique appeal of Jacob Geller's YouTube channel is that they often provide deep and interesting reflections on the thematic story elements of great games. For fans of the story-telling side of video game creation, there are few better than Geller.

Redditor Frosch90 recommends the channel for anyone "into a more intellectual and "artsy" approach to games." Taking in a variety of sources that go far beyond what most YouTube video essays consider, Geller's approach is just as thorough as those on the more technical side of video games which helps make each one a treat to watch.

NEXT: 10 Best YouTube Channels For Film Video Essays, According To Reddit

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The video essay boom

Hour-long YouTube videos are thriving in the TikTok era. Their popularity reflects our desire for more nuanced content online.

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A stock image illustration of a girl sitting on a couch, filming herself.

The video essay’s reintroduction into my adult life was, like many things, a side effect of the pandemic. On days when I couldn’t bring myself to read recreationally, I tried to unwind after work by watching hours and hours of YouTube.

My pseudo-intellectual superego, however, soon became dissatisfied with the brain-numbing monotony of “day in the life” vlogs, old Bon Appétit test kitchen videos, and makeup tutorials. I wanted content that was entertaining, but simultaneously informational, thoughtful, and analytical. In short, I wanted something that gave the impression that I, the passive viewer, was smart. Enter: the video essay.

Video essays have been around for about a decade, if not more, on YouTube. There is some debate over how the form preceded the platform; some film scholars believe the video essay was born out of and remains heavily influenced by essay films , a type of nonfiction filmmaking. Regardless, YouTube has become the undisputed home of the contemporary video essay. Since 2012, when the platform began to prioritize watch-time over views , the genre flourished. These videos became a significant part of the 2010s YouTube landscape, and were popularized by creators across film, politics, and academic subcultures.

Today, there are video essays devoted to virtually any topic you can think of, ranging anywhere from about 10 minutes to upward of an hour. The video essay has been a means to entertain fan theories , explore the lore of a video game or a historical deep dive , explain or critique a social media trend , or like most written essays, expound upon an argument, hypothesis , or curiosity proposed by the creator.

Some of the best-known video essay creators — Lindsay Ellis, Natalie Wynn of ContraPoints, and Abigail Thorn of PhilosophyTube — are often associated with BreadTube , an umbrella term for a group of left-leaning, long-form YouTubers who provide intellectualized commentary on political and cultural topics.

It’s not an exaggeration to claim that I — and many of my fellow Gen Zers — were raised on video essays, academically and intellectually. They were helpful resources for late-night cramming sessions (thanks Crash Course), and responsible for introducing a generation to first-person commentary on all sorts of cultural and political phenomena. Now, the kids who grew up on this content are producing their own.

“Video essays are a form that has lent itself particularly well to pop culture because of its analytical nature,” Madeline Buxton, the culture and trends manager at YouTube, told me. “We are starting to see more creators using video essays to comment on growing trends across social media. They’re serving as sort of real-time internet historians by helping viewers understand not just what is a trend, but the larger cultural context of something.”

any video that starts with "the rise and fall of" I'm clicking on it no matter the topic — zae | industry plant (@ItsZaeOk) February 23, 2022

A lot has been said about the video essay and its ever-shifting parameters . What does seem newly relevant is how the video essay is becoming repackaged, as long-form video creators find a home on platforms besides YouTube. This has played out concurrently with the pandemic-era shift toward short-form video, with Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube respectively launching Reels, Spotlight, and Shorts to compete against TikTok.

TikTok’s sudden, unwavering rise has proven the viability of bite-size content, and the app’s addictive nature has spawned fears about young people’s dwindling attention spans. Yet, the prevailing popularity of video essays, from new and old creators alike, suggests otherwise. Audiences have not been deterred from watching lengthy videos, nor has the short-form pivot significantly affected creators and their output. Emerging video essayists aren’t shying away from length or nuance, even while using TikTok or Reels as a supplement to grow their online following.

One can even argue that we are witnessing the video essay’s golden era . Run times are longer than ever, while more and more creators are producing long-form videos. The growth of “creator economy” crowdfunding tools, especially during the pandemic, has allowed video essayists to take longer breaks between uploads while retaining their production quality.

“I do feel some pressure to make my videos longer because my audience continues to ask for it,” said Tiffany Ferguson, a YouTube creator specializing in media criticism and pop culture commentary. “I’ve seen comments, both on my own videos and those I watch, where fans are like, ‘Yes, you’re feeding us,’ when it comes to longer videos, especially the hour to two-hour ones. In a way, the mentality seems to be: The longer the better.”

In a Medium post last April, the blogger A. Khaled remarked that viewers were “willing to indulge user-generated content that is as long as a multi-million dollar cinematic production by a major Hollywood studio” — a notion that seemed improbable just a few years ago, even to the most popular video essayists. To creators, this hunger for well-edited, long-form video is unprecedented and uniquely suitable for pandemic times.

The internet might’ve changed what we pay attention to, but it hasn’t entirely shortened our attention span, argued Jessica Maddox, an assistant professor of digital media technology at the University of Alabama. “It has made us more selective about the things we want to devote our attention to,” she told me. “People are willing to devote time to content they find interesting.”

Every viewer is different, of course. I find that my attention starts to wane around the 20-minute mark if I’m actively watching and doing nothing else — although I will admit to once spending a non-consecutive four hours on an epic Twin Peaks explainer . Last month, the channel Folding Ideas published a two-hour video essay on “the problem with NFTs,” which has garnered more than 6 million views so far.

Hour-plus-long videos can be hits, depending on the creator, the subject matter, the production quality, and the audience base that the content attracts. There will always be an early drop-off point with some viewers, according to Ferguson, who make it about two to five minutes into a video essay. Those numbers don’t often concern her; she trusts that her devoted subscribers will be interested enough to stick around.

“About half of my viewers watch up to the halfway point, and a smaller group finishes the entire video,” Ferguson said. “It’s just how YouTube is. If your video is longer than two minutes, I think you’re going to see that drop-off regardless if it’s for a video that’s 15 or 60 minutes long.”

Some video essayists have experimented with shorter content as a topic testing ground for longer videos or as a discovery tool to reach new audiences, whether it be on the same platform (like Shorts) or an entirely different one (like TikTok).

“Short-form video can expose people to topics or types of content they’re not super familiar with yet,” Maddox said. “Shorts are almost like a sampling of what you can get with long-form content.” The growth of Shorts, according to Buxton of YouTube, has given rise to this class of “hybrid creators,” who alternate between short- and long-form content. They can also be a starting point for new creators, who are not yet comfortable with scripting a 30-minute video.

Queline Meadows, a student in Ithaca College’s screen cultures program, became interested in how young people were using TikTok to casually talk about film, using editing techniques that borrowed heavily from video essays. She created her own YouTube video essay titled “The Rise of Film TikTok” to analyze the phenomenon, and produces both TikTok micro-essays and lengthy videos.

“I think people have a desire to understand things more deeply,” Meadows told me. “Even with TikTok, I find it hard to unfold an argument or explore multiple angles of a subject. Once people get tired of the hot takes, they want to sit with something that’s more nuanced and in-depth.”

@que1ine link in bio #fyp #filmtok #filmtiktok #videoessay ♬ Swing Lynn - Harmless

It’s common for TikTokers to tease a multi-part video to gain followers. Many have attempted to direct viewers to their YouTube channel and other platforms for longer content. On the contrary, it’s in TikTok’s best interests to retain creators — and therefore viewers — on the app. In late February, TikTok announced plans to extend its maximum video length from three minutes to 10 minutes , more than tripling a video’s run-time possibility. This decision arrived months after TikTok’s move last July to start offering three-minute videos .

As TikTok inches into YouTube-length territory, Spotify, too, has introduced video on its platform, while YouTube has similarly signaled an interest in podcasting . In October, Spotify began introducing “video podcasts,” which allows listeners (or rather, viewers) to watch episodes. Users have the option to toggle between actively watching a podcast or traditionally listening to one.

What’s interesting about the video podcast is how Spotify is positioning it as an interchangeable, if not more intimate, alternative to a pure audio podcast. The video essay, then, appears to occupy a middle ground between podcast and traditional video by making use of these key elements. For creators, the boundaries are no longer so easy to define.

“Some video essay subcultures are more visual than others, while others are less so,” said Ferguson, who was approached by Spotify to upload her YouTube video essays onto the platform last year. “I was already in the process of trying to upload just the audio of my old videos since that’s more convenient for people to listen to and save on their podcast app. My reasoning has always been to make my content more accessible.”

To Ferguson, podcasts are a natural byproduct of the video essay. Many viewers are already consuming lengthy videos as ambient entertainment, as content to passively listen to while doing other tasks. The video essay is not a static format, and its development is heavily shaped by platforms, which play a crucial role in algorithmically determining how such content is received and promoted. Some of these changes are reflective of cultural shifts, too.

Maddox, who researches digital culture and media, has a theory that social media discourse is becoming less reactionary. She described it as a “simmering down” of the hot take, which is often associated with cancel culture . These days, more creators are approaching controversy from a removed, secondhand standpoint; they seem less interested in engendering drama for clicks. “People are still providing their opinions, but in conjunction with deep analysis,” Maddox said. “I think it says a lot about the state of the world and what holds people’s attention.”

no u know what i HATE video essay slander......... they r forever gonna be my fav background noise YES i enjoy the lofi nintendo music and YES i want a 3 hour video explaining the importance of the hair color of someone from a show i've never watched — ☻smiley☻ (@smiley_jpeg) January 19, 2022

That’s the power of the video essay. Its basic premise — whether the video is a mini-explainer or explores a 40-minute hypothesis — requires the creator to, at the very least, do their research. This often leads to personal disclaimers and summaries of alternative opinions or perspectives, which is very different from the more self-centered “reaction videos” and “story time” clickbait side of YouTube.

“The things I’m talking about are bigger than me. I recognize the limitations of my own experience,” Ferguson said. “Once I started talking about intersections of race, gender, sexuality — so many experiences that were different from my own — I couldn’t just share my own narrow, straight, white woman perspective. I have to provide context.”

This doesn’t change the solipsistic nature of the internet, but it is a positive gear shift, at least in the realm of social media discourse, that makes being chronically online a little less soul-crushing. The video essay, in a way, encourages us to engage in good faith with ideas that we might not typically entertain or think of ourselves. Video essays can’t solve the many problems of the internet (or the world, for that matter), but they can certainly make learning about them a little more bearable.

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The Best Video Essay Channels, Ranked

Cinephiles and film buffs owe it to themselves to check out these YouTube channels which brilliantly analyze and explain movies using video essays.

If you’re a die-hard movie fan, you don’t have to be a hardcore collector to know that you can find a lot of your special features free on YouTube – from movie trailers and top-ten lists to reaction videos and cast-and-crew interviews. But the crème de la crème for any budding cinephile is YouTube ’s subculture of video essayists.

The best of these content creators, particularly those focused on dissecting and analyzing film and television, give viewers a lot of food for thought, making them consider things they hadn’t before, even when it comes to movies they have watched 100 times. There is an embarrassment of content out there, but this article seeks to separate the wheat from the chaff – we are recommending only the channels with the best, most refreshing, and most original analysis. If you're a film lover or budding buff, you owe it to yourself to check out these great video essay channels.

What’s So Great About That?

UK creator and pop-culture academic Grace Lee makes video essays examining themes and form in both horror and animated media; she has an affinity for the deeper, more unexpected thoughts evoked by her favorite genres. Whereas many content creators are quippy or sarcastic, Lee’s voiceover narrative approach is one of measured thoughtfulness.

Related: Explained: How Twin Peaks Changed Television

While her output as What's So Great About That? is not as large as some other creators on this list, that is far from a bad thing as Lee seems to focus more on quality than quantity. Each video discusses fairly narrow topics within a given property – examples include the “treachery of language” in the work of David Lynch or the concept of the “unnatural” in the original Evil Dead film.

You might mistake Canadian vlogger Sarah Z (pronounced “Zed”) for your best friend. She sits on the couch with a cup of coffee and speaks directly to you, a monologuist spending hours on end about all of her opinions, from toxic fandoms to true-crime documentaries.

But these monologues are not the boring, meaningless yarns that you might expect. Rather, Sarah’s channel is an ever-deepening trove of incisive and engaging media analysis encased in a shell of light and fluffy entertainment. The whole thing is driven by Sarah’s palpable excitement and enthusiasm for the topics she is covering, and a penchant for long, detailed videos that are extensively researched. Some videos will even stretch far beyond the one-hour mark, including a 90-minute video on geek culture and a full two hours on Dear Evan Hansen .

Another Canadian creator steps up to the plate in the form of Sage Hyden , a fantasy novelist whose essay channel Just Write seems particularly preoccupied with film’s place in the cultural conversation. In particular, Hyden is fascinated with the messages that movies send us, what they are trying to communicate (consciously or subconsciously), and how they shape our perceptions and prejudices.

For topics that can sometimes land on the serious side, Hyden’s tone and writing style are conversational and often funny, and his insights are fairly eye-opening. Topics include Willy Wonka and its relationship to misconceptions about poverty, the importance of the original Mulan film, and the cinematic lineage of the modern murder mystery Knives Out .

If you consider yourself an outsider or find yourself disagreeing with most of your friends on their favorite movies, you might find a mutual kinship with creator Yhara Zayd , whose videos examine film and television through lenses both personal and political. Zayd’s is not the kind of detached analysis you can expect from many YouTubers; rather, though she is very well-researched, she is also full of unapologetic hot takes, and her videos are brimming with the caustic personality of a modern-day Pauline Kael.

Related: These Are the Best Marilyn Monroe Movies

In some ways, Zayd has crafted the perfect synergy between the highly-opinionated critic and the relentless deconstructionist, enthusiastically dissecting and questioning the images and media we regularly consume. She also has a distinct knack for self-awareness, gazing inward as she gazes outward, a quality which separates her content from that of many of her peers. Zayd covers such divergent subjects as the commodification of the great Marilyn Monroe, reflections of housing discrimination in 1980s horror films , and the under-appreciated legacy of Not Another Teen Movie .

For something a little less personal but no less fascinating, it is worth checking out the prolific Susannah McCullough and her channel The Take . McCullough and her extraordinary team make what are probably the best “Explained” videos you’ll be able to find, along with character breakdowns, deconstructions of tropes, and the lessons movies can teach us. They’ve got videos that deconstruct and explain Donnie Darko , The Sopranos , Get Out , and many, many more. They’ve also nerded out with full series on different franchises, including detailed character analyses in shows such as Friends and Breaking Bad .

The writing is smart but accessible, and the arguments are utterly convincing. The videos themselves are breezily edited and full of poppy visuals. The channel also covers many, many genres and types of movies, so you are sure to find something on a movie or TV show you love. The Take offers incisive film analysis in a context that is fun and completely unpretentious.

Maggie Mae Fish

Decadent, performance-driven vlogs like ContraPoints and Philosophy Tube are all the rage these days, and film buffs finally have their own version in the form of Maggie Mae Fish . Ms. Fish is a singular, idiosyncratic voice who pivots wildly from dedicated film scholar to sketch-comedy caricature and back again. She typically sits center-frame in a variety of ornately designed sets, dressed in colorful outfits, while she patiently spoons out detailed, thoughtful analysis over the course of long videos.

For any video-essay enthusiast, Fish is the real deal – wickedly entertaining, subversive, accessible, and always thought-provoking. Her recent two-video series on Twin Peaks is catnip for any fans seeking a new perspective on the show – and an excellent dressing-down of Twin Perfect’s infamous 4.5-hour breakdown. She also deconstructs auteur theory through the works of David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick, and spends two hours discussing Loki ’s debt to Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker .

Lindsay Ellis

When it comes to distinct personalities, no vlogger quite matches the likes of the controversial but brilliant Lindsay Ellis . She is a brand unto herself, with an over-the-top, self-deprecating style that can only be described as a hopped-up, sleep-deprived, but no less informed, Adam Curtis. She is often seen drinking wine in her videos, breaking down popular media like Disney movies, musical adaptations, and The Lord of the Rings franchise.

Ellis is one of the originals of the medium, and her work is so singular that her influence has likely extended to all the other creators who occupy this list. Some of her most brilliant work includes “The Whole Plate,” a nine-video series that completely deconstructs the first Transformers film through the lenses of gender, sexuality, and film studies. Her most iconic work includes 40-minute videos ranting about the film adaptations of Rent and The Phantom of the Opera . Due to recent Internet events, she has stopped making videos on YouTube, but her existing videos are still there for all to see and are absolutely worth checking out.

Every Frame A Painting

Sometimes the most obvious answer is still the best one. Taylor Ramos and Tony Zhou’s gorgeous video series Every Frame A Painting is still the benchmark against which all other video essayists are judged. You’ve probably seen their video on Edgar Wright and visual comedy, or the one on silence in the films of Martin Scorsese. The channel has been defunct for several years now, but the content still feels as fresh and original as it did when it was first published.

The topics covered are narrow and unexpected, but they all work extraordinarily well. The writing is tight and evocative, and Zhou’s voice is unforgettably soothing and inviting. The editing is also crisp and beautiful. Ramos and Zhou have become so renowned for their work that they were even invited to contribute to David Fincher’s Voir , a video essay project for Netflix.

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10 Video Essays That Will Get You Addicted To Video Essays

From deep dives into pretty privilege, to incel culture, to why we love Meryl Streep- here are some of the best gateway video essays.

video-essays

Want more Junkee in your life? Sign up to our newsletter , and follow us on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook so you always know where to find us.

Combining the format of the informative (and at times hilarious) essay with video media, video essays have exploded in popularity in the last few years. With 100s of video essayists on 100s of channels across Vimeo and youtube, getting into video essays can be overwhelming.

As a self-confessed video essay addict, I’ve picked ten great video essays to kick you down the rabbit hole. These are perfect for chucking on instead of aimlessly scrolling, or filling the time on your commute, while also learning a new point of view.

Woke Brands | hbomberguy

Hbomberguy explores the trend of ‘woke’ branding, asking whether a product can actually be progressive.

Incels | Contrapoints

Trans video essayist, Natalie Wynn takes a hypnotizing deep-dive into the dark twisted internet subculture of incels.

Pretty Privilege | Khadija Mbowe

Opera singer and vlogger, Khadija Mbowe discusses how social media has exaggerated the phenomena of people having privilege because they’re perceived as pretty.

How The Pandemic Distorted Time | Vox

Have you been feeling like time isn’t moving the same way since the pandemic? The folks over at Vox explain why.

What Is *Good* Queer Representation in 2020? | melinapendulum

Black Bisexual vlogger, Melina takes a deep-dive into what queer representation on film and television is in 2020 and how it’s changed over the last few decades.

Protest Music of the Bush Era | Lindsay Ellis

Lindsay Ellis has often been credited for popularising the video essay on youtube so her channel is full of excellent content, but this recent one touring the popular protest music of the noughties is an eye-opener.

Data | Philosophy Tube

Somewhere between a video essay and absurdist skit, Data by Philosophy Tube sees host Abigail Thorn act out the ethical considerations and concerns of data mining technology.

Tiger King: The Problem with True Crime | Broey Dachenel

broey deschanel uses Tiger King as a case study to demonstrate the issues at large in the mainstream true crime genre.

Why Do We Love Meryl Streep? | Be Kind Rewind

One of my all-time favourite essayists for her analysis of Hollywood culture, this video seeks to answer the age old question: why is Meryl Streep that good?

Jennifer’s Body & the Horror of Bad Marketing | Yhara Zayd

In this video, Yhara zayd takes you step by gruelling step through how and why cult classic Jennifer’s Body was so badly marketed.

Merryana Salem is a proud Wonnarua and Lebanese–Australian writer, critic, teacher, researcher and podcaster on most social media as  @akajustmerry . If you want, check out her podcast,  GayV Club  where she gushes about LGBT rep in media with her best friend. Either way, she hopes you ate something nice today.

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What it takes for video essayists to breakthrough on YouTube

Lindsay Ellis, Michael Tucker, T1J, Maggie Mae Fish, and Patrick Willems discuss the art of dissecting art

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Share All sharing options for: What it takes for video essayists to breakthrough on YouTube

In the last 10 years, YouTube video essays — on movies, on TV shows, on games, on pop culture, on everyday life — have entered a renaissance. But how do you make a video essay? What does it take to run a YouTube channel that can let a creator’s creativity thrive and serve a demanding audience? How much do algorithms control the pop conversation, and how is someone supposed to break through?

Knowing that dissecting art is an art in itself, Polygon asked some of the top video essayists working on YouTube today to come together in conversation at the 2020 New York Comic Con Metaverse. On Saturday at 9 p.m. EDT/ 6 p.m. PDT, Lindsay Ellis , Michael Tucker ( Lessons from the Screenplay ), Kevin Peterson ( T1J ), and Maggie Mae Fish join moderator, fellow creator, and occasional Polygon contributor Patrick Willems to talk through their career arcs and reflect on what it takes to make a career out of video essays.

Want a taste?

“YouTube really encourages you to fixate on numbers and the algorithm,” Ellis says during the roundtable. “And the way the backend is set up [...] it’s designed to play to your anxiety and it’s designed to, like, make you freak out if your video isn’t doing as well as the last 10. I would like to be emotionally liberated from that because I do think it creatively stifles you. You’re making content based not on what you’re interested in, but what you think will get clicks. I wish I could just be OK with the fact that I’m not going to get a million views a video anymore. That should be OK. I should be allowed to do that.”

Watch the full, 45-minute panel above for even more insight and anecdotes.

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11 best video essays youtube channels to follow.

best video essays youtube reddit

Are you a movie fan looking for engaging content on YouTube? Then check out these best YouTube channels for the latest video essays, film analysis, reviews, and more. Get ready to explore the world of cinema and the amazing stories that come with it. Whether you're a Marvel or DC enthusiast, there's something in store for you. Dive into this list and discover the best YouTube channels for video essays, movie reviews, analysis, and more!

Thomas Flight

Thomas Flight Youtube Channel

Thomas Flight is a YouTube channel focused on discussing movies through video essays. The channel dives deep into the themes, hidden symbolism, and production values of films, giving viewers an appreciation and understanding of the film industry and the stories that are being told on the big screen. Thomas Flight has become a go-to source for viewers looking to further their understanding and appreciation for film. With a blend of commentary, analysis, and fun facts, his videos provide a comprehensive view of the art of filmmaking.

Implicitly Pretentious

Implicitly Pretentious Youtube Channel

Implicitly Pretentious is a YouTube channel featuring a variety of high-quality video essays exploring a variety of topics in great detail. These video essays are presented in an entertaining and thought-provoking way and provide viewers with an engaging way to learn about topics ranging from art, culture, and philosophy to history and popular culture. As the channel's title suggests, Implicitly Pretentious delivers contemplative and sometimes controversial observations with a hint of pretentiousness.

troyoboyo17

troyoboyo17 Youtube Channel

Troyoboyo17 is a YouTube channel created by Troy, a self-proclaimed fanboy and nerd. On the channel, you can find video essays about geek and nerd culture, with lots of rewrites and reworks of classic works. Troy brings a fun and unique perspective to the topics he covers, making his videos worth watching.

Rowan Ellis

Rowan Ellis Youtube Channel

Rowan Ellis ' YouTube channel focuses on topics related to video essays, film criticism, feminism, queer and LGBT topics. She offers insightful analysis and reviews of movies and TV shows, and her work is filled with thought-provoking observations. She also covers a variety of topics, making her channel a great source for those interested in these topics.

HiTop Films

HiTop Films Youtube Channel

HiTop Films is a YouTube channel created by Alex Hunter that focuses on the exploration of movies, comic books (DC Comics and Marvel Comics) and video essays. It is a great resource for fans of all three topics, providing interesting analyses and pieces of short films. HiTop Films offers high-quality content that any movie, comic book, or video essay enthusiast would enjoy.

Kitty Monk Youtube Channel

Kitty Monk is a YouTube channel that produces engaging video essays focusing on the characters and stories of popular cartoons like The Owl House, Star vs the Forces of Evil, Steven Universe, and Disenchantment. Fans of these shows and animation in general will enjoy in-depth character analysis in an entertaining format.

oliSUNvia Youtube Channel

OliSUNvia is a YouTube channel owned by Alice Chapelle, Khadija Mbowe, Tara Mooknee, and Grayson. It focuses on creating video essays and other content related to social commentary and internet analysis to appeal to Gen Z audiences. It also features collaborations with popular YouTubers like Philosophy Tube and others. The channel provides thoughtful, accessible content that encourages viewers to engage with topics related to art, culture, politics, and more.

Movie Overload

Movie Overload Youtube Channel

Movie Overload is a YouTube channel dedicated to exploring film and television. Their videos cover various movie franchises like Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter and Marvel/DC's MCU. One can find video essays, analysis videos and more engaging content about the movies we love, perfect for movie addicts.

Quality Culture

Quality Culture Youtube Channel

The Quality Culture YouTube channel offers a wide range of informative video essays, music, film, TV, and book analysis. It provides deep insight and thought-provoking analysis into various aspects of culture. Quality Culture allows viewers to engage with culture in a new and creative way.

The Leftist Cooks

The Leftist Cooks Youtube Channel

The Leftist Cooks YouTube channel features informative video essays presented by Neil Farrell and critically acclaimed Irish comedians. Additionally, the channel brings you closer to nonbinary and trans YouTubers, as well as offering an engaging explanation of critical theory and liberal topics. Enjoy the unique perspective and humour from Neil Farrell Entertainments!

jacob saul Youtube Channel

Jacob Saul's YouTube channel is a great source for film and video analysis. He produces video essays and short films, which break down popular films and explore the creative vision of filmmakers. His content is educational and entertaining, allowing viewers to gain a deeper appreciation of films and movie-making.

Understanding the Impact of Video Essays on Social Media

Video essays are a relatively new concept on social media. They are an opportunity for users to express their creative ideas and thoughts through a visual medium. They often combine media elements such as music, visuals, voiceover, and narration to present complex topics in an oral format. Due to their creative and engaging potential, video essays have quickly gained popularity on various social media networks.

The impact of video essays on social media is both positive and negative. Positively, video essays allow viewers to creatively express their opinion and engage in meaningful conversations in a way that traditional text-only posts cannot. They help to spark conversations and captivate the attention and interest of viewers, making for an engaging online experience. Additionally, video essays have changed the way topics are debated, discussed, and portrayed on social media.

Conversely, video essays have also caused a few negative impacts. They have brought forth a massive influx of competition with creative and content creation becoming more competitive than ever. Additionally, the shallow nature of some video essays have exposed viewers to low quality, plagiarized content. As a result, social media users may become desensitized to the poor quality of some video essays being circulated. Such negative impacts could lead to a decrease in viewership and engagement, ultimately leading to a decline in quality of the content being created on social media.

Overall, video essays have had a profound influence on social media, bringing with them both positive and negative impacts. It is important to be mindful of the potential impacts that they can have on social media spaces. With this in mind, their engaging nature can still be used as a powerful platform for users to express their creativity and reach out to an audience.

Exploring Different Styles of Video Essays

Video essays are one of the most creative and contemporary forms of communication out there. They provide a robust and innovative way to express one’s views, opinions, and stories. From creative documentaries to thoughtful critiques, video essays serve as a powerful and dynamic tools for visual communication.

Video essays are highly diverse, allowing different styles of exploration and expression. For instance:

  • some video essays are highly analytical, breaking down complex topics into digestible parts.
  • Others are more narrative-driven, weaving a story in an emotionally-charged and captivating format.
  • There are also video essays that use humor to make a point, such as parody or satire.

No matter what, each video essay brings a unique perspective and flavor to the visual communication landscape.

Understanding these different styles of video essays can help you better communicate your ideas, tell stories, and generate creative and engaging content. Whether you're starting your own project or just indulging in other people’s work, exploring the many flavors of video essay styles is an inspiring and stimulating experience. It can also push the boundaries of what’s possible by exposing you to new ideas and techniques. Get started today and discover just how powerful and dynamic video essays can be.

Strategies to Create Engaging Video Essays

Creating engaging video essays can be quite a challenge. After all, videos can take much more effort and time compared to regular written essays. However, with the right strategies, you can easily make sure that your video essays will stand out to your viewers. Here are some strategies to create engaging video essays.

Firstly, consider what kind of essay you’d like to create . Visuals can provide a great emphasis on topics and ideas. Think about how you can use your chosen medium (video) to best express the message that you’d like to communicate. Your video could be a persuasive informational essay or a humorous sketch, or something else entirely. Figure out what works best for the essay and what best fits your message.

Secondly, it's important to focus on production quality . Once your video is complete, viewers should be able to concentrate on your message without being distracted by technical issues. This means making sure that sound and video quality are excellent, the motion edited cleanly, and transitions and effects are used sparingly. If you can, consider investing in quality equipment and software to help you out.

By using these strategies, you can create compelling video essays that will have an impact on your viewers. It might take some extra effort compared to writing regular essays, but it’s worth the effort if you want to stand out. With the right strategies, you can express your ideas more effectively and create engaging video essays that will stay with your viewers for a long time after they’ve seen it.

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Amazon’s new Big Spring Sale is coming March 20-25—here’s everything you need to know to shop deals on spring essentials

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An image of several products shown against a red background. There is text that says "big spring sale" and "shop epic deals March 20-25"

Lee este artículo en español .

Amazon’s first-ever Big Spring Sale kicks off March 20 and runs through March 25, giving customers the chance to shop great deals on seasonally relevant items. You’ll find discounts on warm-weather essentials like spring fashion, outdoor furniture, lawn and garden essentials, cleaning and organizing products, and more. All customers can shop the sale, which includes deals on Amazon devices like Echo and Kindle devices, and Prime members will receive access to exciting, exclusive deals.

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You can shop the deals at amazon.com/bigspringsale starting March 20. Be sure to check back often as we’ll be releasing new deals each day of the six-day event.

Keep reading for everything to know about Amazon’s first Big Spring Sale.

When is Amazon’s Big Spring Sale?

The sale will run from March 20-25.

What kind of deals can I expect to find during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale?

Amazon customers in the U.S. will find deals on seasonal essentials like:

  • Up to 50% off select beauty products
  • Up to 50% off select sports and outdoors equipment
  • Up to 40% off select home products
  • Up to 40% off select spring apparel
  • Up to 40% off select electronics

How can I find the best deals during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale?

Starting March 20, customers will find Big Spring Sale deals at amazon.com/bigspringsale . New deals will drop each day throughout the six-day event, so don’t forget to check back often for new opportunities to save.

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Do I have to be a Prime member to shop the sale?

No, all customers can shop the Big Spring Sale. Prime members will have special access to a suite of exciting, exclusive deals, which can be found at amazon.com/bigspringsale . If you’re not a Prime member yet, you can join now to start getting member benefits like fast, free shipping, entertainment, exclusive savings, and more.

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Will items ordered during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale ship quickly?

Customers can shop confidently during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale knowing we take pride in our delivery speeds. Fast and reliable delivery across a wide selection of products remains the cornerstone of Amazon’s customer offering and an enduring priority for us. We have more than 300 million items available with free Prime shipping and tens of millions of the most popular items available with free Same-Day or One-Day Delivery. Last year, we achieved our fastest-ever global shipping speeds for Prime members , with more than four billion units arriving the same or next day in the U.S.

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How are small businesses involved in the Big Spring Sale?

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Customers can shop small businesses on Amazon every day, including during the Big Spring Sale. Head to our Support Small storefront to find items from small businesses in Amazon’s store, including Black-owned, woman-owned, military family-owned, Hispanic-owned, Asian & Pacific Islander-owned, and LGBTQIA-owned businesses.

How do I sign up for Prime?  

Prime members get exclusive benefits and deals during the Big Spring Sale and all year long. In the U.S., anyone can  join Prime  for $14.99 per month or $139 per year, and enjoy Prime Video, Amazon Music, Prime Gaming, RxPass, Grubhub+, Amazon Photos, Prime exclusive deals,  and more . Additionally, college students can  try Prime Student with a six-month trial , then just pay $7.49 per month, or $69 per year. Qualifying government assistance recipients can  get Prime Access for $6.99 per month.  Learn more about Prime .

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What Elon Musk Said in Testy Interview on Don Lemon’s New Show

The former CNN anchor released a wide-ranging interview with the billionaire about business, politics, online hate speech and more.

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By Derrick Bryson Taylor

It was raw and occasionally tense.

The former television anchor Don Lemon’s wide-ranging, testy interview with Elon Musk was released online on Monday morning, touching upon topics including politics, particularly the billionaire’s recent meeting with former President Donald J. Trump; Mr. Musk’s reported drug use; hate speech on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, which he now owns; and more.

The interview was intended to be the debut episode of a new talk show in a partnership between Mr. Lemon and X, but Mr. Musk called off the deal a day after filming the hour-plus interview at Tesla’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. The first episode of “The Don Lemon Show” was streamed on YouTube and posted to Mr. Lemon’s account on X .

In the interview, Mr. Musk said that earlier this month he was having breakfast at an unnamed friend’s home in Florida when Mr. Trump came by.

When asked what was discussed, Mr. Musk said that Mr. Trump did most of the talking and that the former president did not ask for money or a donation toward his campaign. Mr. Musk also said he would not lend Mr. Trump money to pay his legal bills.

While Mr. Musk said he would not donate to any candidate, he said he would consider endorsing one in the final stretches of the race.

“I don’t know yet, I want to make a considered decision before the election,” he said, and noted that he was leaning away from President Biden. “I’ve made no secret of that,” he added.

If Mr. Musk endorses a candidate, he said, he will make a detailed explanation for his choice.

Elsewhere in the interview, Mr. Musk was adamant that he does not abuse drugs, and spoke about his prescription for ketamine for a “negative chemical state.”

“If you’ve used too much ketamine, you can’t really get work done, and I have a lot of work,” he said. He noted that 16-hour workdays were “normal” for him, and that he rarely took weekends off.

Mr. Musk appeared visibly annoyed by a direct line of questioning about his appearing to endorse an antisemitic conspiracy theory on X.

“I don’t have to answer these questions,” he said. “I don’t have to answer questions from reporters. Don, the only reason I’m doing this interview is because you’re on the X platform and you asked for it. Otherwise, I would not do this interview.”

Mr. Musk also seemed to skirt questions on whether he had a responsibility to moderate hate speech on the platform, and why certain posts had not been removed.

“If something is illegal, we’re going to take it down,” Mr. Musk said. “If it’s not illegal, we’re putting our thumb on the scale and we’re being censors.”

The show arrived Monday morning after a heavy promotional push from Mr. Lemon, who teased the interview in multiple places last week, including “The View,” in the days after Mr. Musk abruptly scrapped X’s partnership with the former CNN host.

Before its release, the men were at odds over how the interview went.

Mr. Lemon said in a statement last week that his questions were respectful and covered many subjects. “We had a good conversation,” Mr. Lemon said. “Clearly he felt differently. His commitment to a global town square where all questions can be asked and all ideas can be shared seems not to include questions of him from people like me.”

Mr. Musk, on the other hand, felt differently. In a post on X, Mr. Musk said Mr. Lemon’s show lacked originality .

“His approach was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media,’ which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying,” Mr. Musk wrote.

While X had initially agreed to financially support Mr. Lemon’s show, Mr. Musk’s decision to cancel the partnership blindsided salespeople at X, and it was the latest self-inflicted business disruption at X in recent months.

In November, Mr. Musk boldly told advertisers not to spend on his platform , using an expletive to dismiss them, and accused them of “blackmail” after he appeared to endorse an antisemitic conspiracy theory on X, which Mr. Lemon resurfaced during Monday’s show. Mr. Musk’s inflammatory comments caused numerous companies to pause their advertising campaigns on X .

Derrick Bryson Taylor is a general assignment reporter. He previously worked at The New York Post’s PageSix.com and Essence magazine. More about Derrick Bryson Taylor

The World of Elon Musk

The billionaire’s portfolio includes the world’s most valuable automaker, an innovative rocket company and plenty of drama..

A Testy Interview:  In the wake of a rough interview with Elon Musk that touched upon Donald Trump, his reported drug use and hate speech on X,  the former television anchor Don Lemon said that his deal for a new talk show on X was called off  just days before it was scheduled to air.

Tesla:  Amid slower car sales and growing competition, investors are growing concerned about the future of the Musk-owned company .

The Musk Foundation: After making billions in tax-deductible donations to his charity, Musk has failed recently to donate the minimum required to justify a tax break  — and what he did give often supported his interests.

OpenAI: Musk, who helped found the A.I. start-up in 2015, has filed a lawsuit  accusing the company and its chief executive  of breaching a contract  by putting profits and commercial interests ahead of the public good.

SpaceX: Musk said that the private rocket company, which he founded in 2002, had switched where it was incorporated to Texas from Delaware , a move that could bolster the Lone Star State’s standing with business .

Neuralink: Neuralink, a company working to develop computer interfaces that can be implanted in human brains, placed its first device in a patient , said Musk, who founded the company.

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COMMENTS

  1. What is the best video essay you've ever seen? : r/videoessay

    yilmazkoker ADMIN MOD What is the best video essay you've ever seen? Miscellaneous Title. From any topic and any creator, what do you consider to be the best video essay? Might be recency bias, but I loved Jacob Galler's Head Transplants and the Non-Existance of the Soul. Share Sort by: Best Open comment sort options Best Add a Comment KingFenrir •

  2. What are some of the best video essays on YouTube (any topic)?

    I love watching video essays about movies and analogue horror so I enjoyed: 'Brave was a Disappointment' by eliquorice (and the other 2 vids on their channel) & 'What are The Walten Files?' by Nexpo. I enjoy oliSUNvia and Mina Le's pop culture explorations too.

  3. The best video essays of 2023

    A History of the World According to Getty Images by Richard Misek This technically debuted last year, making the rounds at film festivals, but it was made available online this past spring, so I'm...

  4. The best video essays of 2022

    The best video essays of 2022 - Polygon What to Watch The best video essays of 2022 10 videos that will entertain you and make you feel smarter. What's not to like? By Daniel...

  5. The video essays that spawned an entire YouTube genre

    Jun 1, 2021, 11:01am EDT Part of The Masterpieces of Streaming Polygon's latest series, The Masterpieces of Streaming, looks at the new batch of classics that have emerged from an evolving era of...

  6. The best video essays of 2020

    Image: Ninja Theory For the last few years, video essays have gained more and more prominence on YouTube. With more and more creators choosing a video essay — or video essay-inspired...

  7. 10 of the Most Niche YouTube Video Essays You Absolutely ...

    Class warfare. Human behavior. The perils of capitalism. One commenter under the video captures it well by writing "oddly informative and vaguely terrifying." Since its launch in 2017, Kevin...

  8. 10 Best YouTube Channels For Film Video Essays, According To Reddit

    10 Best YouTube Channels For Film Video Essays, According To Reddit By Lukas Shayo Published Oct 1, 2022 After watching a movie, one of the best things a fan can do is sit by and watch a video analysis by reviewers like Lindsay Ellis and Possum Reviews.

  9. The best video essays of 2021 to watch on YouTube

    An escape from the most popular to the most captivating By Ransford James and Wil Williams Dec 29, 2021, 2:00pm EST Illustration: Ariel Davis for Polygon As coronavirus cloistered the world, the...

  10. 10 Best YouTubers For Gaming Video Essays, According To Reddit

    Whitelight Tongue-in-cheek humor and sharp critiques go hand-in-hand in Whitelight's video essays, which often take on critically-lauded or critically-panned games and offer an interesting take.

  11. Hour-long YouTube video essays are thriving in the TikTok era

    Some of the best-known video essay creators — Lindsay Ellis, Natalie Wynn of ContraPoints, and Abigail Thorn of PhilosophyTube — are often associated with BreadTube, an umbrella term for a...

  12. The Best Video Essay Channels, Ranked

    Home Features The Best Video Essay Channels, Ranked By Solomon Billinkoff Published Jun 20, 2022 Cinephiles and film buffs owe it to themselves to check out these YouTube channels which...

  13. 10 Video Essays That Will Get You Addicted To Video Essays

    In this video, Yhara zayd takes you step by gruelling step through how and why cult classic Jennifer's Body was so badly marketed. Merryana Salem is a proud Wonnarua and Lebanese-Australian writer, critic, teacher, researcher and podcaster on most social media as @akajustmerry. If you want, check out her podcast, GayV Club where she gushes ...

  14. Top 100 Video Essays Of All Time

    Top 100 Video Essays Of All Time 100 videos 41,014 views Last updated on Jan 3, 2024 Some of my favorite video essays on his website. Most of these are about video games. A little less...

  15. The best video essays of 2018

    This essay is simultaneously and seamlessly many things: an exegesis on a single scene in Andrei Tarkovsky's 1983 film Nostalghia, playing it without any cuts; a look at how video creators work ...

  16. How to make a YouTube video essay that breaks through

    Lindsay Ellis, Michael Tucker, T1J, Maggie Mae Fish, and Patrick Willems discuss the art of dissecting art. By Polygon Staff Oct 10, 2020, 4:30pm EDT. Part of Polygon at NYCC 2020. In the last 10 ...

  17. 11 Best Video Essays Youtube Channels to Follow

    Rowan Ellis. Channel Views: ~18.4m Channel Subscribers: ~243k Channel Videos: ~156. Rowan Ellis ' YouTube channel focuses on topics related to video essays, film criticism, feminism, queer and LGBT topics. She offers insightful analysis and reviews of movies and TV shows, and her work is filled with thought-provoking observations.

  18. Amazon announces Big Spring Sale March 20-25: Best deals & date

    Lee este artículo en español.. Amazon's first-ever Big Spring Sale kicks off March 20 and runs through March 25, giving customers the chance to shop great deals on seasonally relevant items. You'll find discounts on warm-weather essentials like spring fashion, outdoor furniture, lawn and garden essentials, cleaning and organizing products, and more.

  19. What Elon Musk Said in Testy Interview on Don Lemon's New Show

    Mr. Musk, on the other hand, felt differently. In a post on X, Mr. Musk said Mr. Lemon's show lacked originality. "His approach was basically just 'CNN, but on social media,' which doesn ...

  20. Best Lenses ($500-$600) For Talking Head YouTube Videos?

    I just bought FX 30 - my first ever camera, for my YouTube channel. I'm super excited and would love some recommendations for Sigma Lenses (or anything around $500-600) would be the best choice for Talking Head YouTube Videos (indoors / stationary). I'd appreciate any advice or suggestions. Thank you!