Conspiracies, costume changes, and three-hour deep dives into Twilight: inside the wild west of YouTube video essays

Mixing dense political ideas with allusions to The Sound of Music and BoJack Horseman, these films have become a thrilling DIY artform – one entirely conceived, written, filmed and performed by their starsThirty eight million people and counting have watched Hbomberguy’s near four-hour video Plagiarism and You(Tube), in which the YouTuber – real name Harry Brewis – forensically dissects intellectual theft across the platform in a work of investigative journalism worthy of a Pulitzer. To put that into perspective, 32 million people in the UK tuned in to watch Princess Diana’s funeral broadcast live on the BBC. If you’re not familiar with the work, video essays may just be the biggest cultural phenomenon you’ve never heard of.Early versions of video essays – thoughtful deep dives that filter cultural analysis through the distinct personality of the creator – emerged in the early 2000s, but it was the converging currents of the “online left” and the creativity that flourished under lockdowns that saw the number of creators rise and the format swell in popularity. For the past eight years, the British Film Institute has put out a yearly ranking of video essays of the year. BBC auteur Adam Curtis has said if he were starting out again, he would become a YouTuber, calling it “the last wild west” of online creativity. Continue reading...

Comments

Culture

‘Harrowing’ drama earns record 23-minute standing ovation at Venice Film Festival

Metro

Comments

Similar News

The Open Secret Behind the Shadowy Conspiracies in Deus Ex

And Just Like That’s ‘terrible’ finale sparks fan conspiracy theory

Bryce Courtenay, conspiracies and campfire cooking: the best Australian books out in August

Culture

‘Harrowing’ drama earns record 23-minute standing ovation at Venice Film Festival

Wuthering Heights fans livid at ’50 Shades of Brontë’ after raunchy trailer drop

‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ opens to record 24-minute standing ovation at Venice film festival

Downton Abbey bids farewell with The Grand Finale premiere in London

Channing Tatum’s failed Thor audition left him with invaluable acting advice

Sam Fender’s arena tour gives huge cash boost to UK’s grassroot venues

Downton Abbey producer hints grand finale film may not spell end for franchise

Morrissey puts his business interests in The Smiths up for sale and takes swipe at ex-bandmates

Sam Fender’s tour raised £100,000 to boost grassroots music venues

Madonna biopic still a ‘work in progress’ says lead star

Patrick Hemingway, last surviving child of literary giant Ernest Hemingway, dies at 97

Alex Warren’s hit song Ordinary named the UK’s Official Song of the Summer 2025

Michelle Dockery reveals she is pregnant with first child at Downton premiere

‘The Tinder Predator took thousands from me – here’s how I exposed his lies’

Lady Gaga begs fans’ forgiveness after calling off concert as it was due to start

The Paper review – Tim Key dials up the cringe factor and goes full David Brent in Office US spin-off

From chip paper to clickbait: The Paper’s portrayal of an industry on its knees is painful to watch as a journalist

Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman movie in hot water over ‘dangerous’ EpiPen scene

New on Netflix in September, including cult series return after three years

Netflix is about to remove a large number of films and TV shows

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale review – a fine time, if proof that this franchise simply must end

Fans slam first teaser for controversial Wuthering Heights adaptation: ‘Visually pretty but hollow’

South Park jabs at Trump’s ‘relationship with Satan’ with shocking twist in latest episode

Restored Big Ben tower up for architecture award

Red, White, and Bruised

Sophie Turner tapped to lead Amazon Prime Video’s Tomb Raider as Lara Croft

Michelle Dockery reveals she is pregnant with first child at Downton premiere

BBC viewers switch off Davina McCall’s new show labelled ‘MAFS rip-off’

Search for painting looted by Nazis may have found more stolen art

Author Ocean Vuong shares what his mother taught him about storytelling

Patrick Hemingway, Ernest’s Devoted Second Son, Is Dead at 97

I never thought the BBC would sink as low as Stranded on Honeymoon Island

Hollywood legend disagrees with Sydney Sweeney playing her: ‘I have to speak out’

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale review – a fine time, if proof that this franchise simply must end

Stranded on Honeymoon Island on BBC One review: we paid taxpayer’s money for this?

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale review — a sparkling nostalgia lobotomy

Sabrina Carpenter’s racy album cover was only option after men kept ‘yanking’ her hair

The Sex Pistols forced to scrap entire tour after major injury

A spine-tingling discovery: This dinosaur had spiked body armor

Smithsonian Responds to Trump’s Demand for a Review of Its Exhibits

No one can replace Melvyn Bragg on In Our Time

‘Ludicrous’ In the Hand of Dante reminds me of Megalopolis

Amazon Prime finally confirms Game Of Thrones legend is new Lara Croft

Wednesday fans are fuming after finally watching Lady Gaga in season 2

SNL announces 5 new cast members, including one from 'Please Don't Destroy'

‘Linda Linda Linda’: These Girls Just Want to Have Fun

James Gunn announces next Superman movie and release date

Paris Jackson rejects Colman Domingo’s claim she ‘supports’ Michael Jackson biopic

Bob Geldof wanted to be Fianna Fail’s presidential candidate, says Martin

'Ketamine Queen' pleads guilty to supplying fatal dose that killed Friends star Matthew Perry

'Ketamine Queen' pleads guilty in Matthew Perry overdose case

'Butterfly' is a frustrating spy thriller with a few too many twists

An Off Broadway Homecoming for Tarell Alvin McCraney and André Holland

Louvre Museum Names Advocate for African Art Repatriation as Next ‘Great Thinker’

What Is Swedish Culture? IKEA? Yes. Abba? Not This Time.

Gal Gadot’s director defends her at Venice: ‘No reason to boycott artists’

Jeffrey Wright calls backlash to The Batman role ‘so racist and stupid’

The Paper review – Tim Key dials up the cringe factor and goes full David Brent in Office US spinoff

Meet Dancing with the Stars’ new pro Jan Ravnik, Taylor Swift’s back-up dancer

Gerard Depardieu to appeal ruling that he must stand trial for rape