as we continue to navigate this new and confusing year that is 2021 one thing has remained the same
as the years before youtube is still a huge and profitable media outlet and creating informative
and creative videos will still see you rack up subscribers fast one way that many creators
manage to do this is through creating video essays these are videos that take a topic and deep dive
into specific details or areas of the overarching topic giving players an informative overview of
intriguing concepts this might be a video on pop culture, video games, movies, politics, you name it
and we guarantee that there's a video essay out there
so without further delay here is our guide on how to create a video essay in 2021
number 1 - pick your topic
this may seem like the obvious starting point but the success of your video really depends on a strong topic when choosing your area of focus be sure to pick a topic
that has plenty of content that you can research and talk about you'll want to find a topic that has lots of nuances that is up for interpretation so
that you can put your own opinions and creative spin on your essay plus you'll want to pick a
topic that will interest viewers things to consider are how big the community for this
topic is and how interesting the video would be to those who aren't fans of your area of focus
take a video game essay review for example you need to assess if the game is popular
then secondly you need to assess if those who aren't fans of the game series will watch anyway
thanks to your essays approach if you can ensure that both parties are happy you are on to a winner
number 2 - know your stuff
one thing that can ruin your reputation as a video essay creator is poor fact-checking if you produce a video essay those that watch are coming to you to be informed
so if you don't check all your facts including your sources and back up every argument you make
fans will likely be on your back depending on the topic you choose the fans could be
a very passionate bunch who live and breathe your chosen interest so if you make an error
you can count on them picking up on it the best way to combat this is to do
extensive research on the topic plus when you make a piercing statement in your video essay back it
up with facts figures quotes or anything else that will make your statement harder to contest
number 3 - match video and audio
one thing that makes a video essay compelling to watch is when the video supports the audio and vice versa when you're simply talking over the top of filler
video content videos will be more likely to lose interest disagree with your views or get confused
at the point you're making however if you use the video as a visual aid to support your argument
much like if you were giving a presentation to a crowd you will see much better results so if
you were giving your views on a certain scene in a movie and its effect on the narrative as a whole
you would likely offer clips of that scene the scenes that are a consequence of this part of
the movie and try to link the points you make to what is being shown on screen it can be a long and
arduous task to edit this way but the end product is always of higher quality so we would urge you to give it a go
number 4 - the tone is key
we mentioned that this video essay should be viewed as somewhat like a presentation well much like a presentation your tone is key if
you choose to voice over your own essay you will need to deliver your words in a way that captures
the essence of your argument that means offers an emphasis on the words that matter changing
your tone to match the sentiment you're trying to convey and raising and lowering your voice
as needed one thing you can consider if you aren't skilled in this department is hiring a voice-over
artist for your project there is a plethora of talented freelance voice-over artists who can
take your words on a page and bring them to life so be sure to play around with each idea and make
sure that you make the decision that conveys your argument in the most compelling way
number 5 - play to your strengths
then the last tip we would offer you is playing to your strengths while it is important to pick a topic that will appease the algorithm and interest the most people possible
you have to remember that you are the expert on covering the topic you choose if you chase views
and don't choose a topic that you are passionate and knowledgeable about your viewers will know so
be sure to pick a topic that you know inside and out have points of interest you can touch on that
no other creator has done before and above all create the video because you want to not because
it's what you think you should do so that's our guide on how to make a great video essay
what do you think of our hints and tips are you gonna use any of these going forward do you think
that we missed any key points to consider when making a video essay let us know in the comment
section below plus if you found this video helpful be sure to like and subscribe for more
great videos soon to come to our channel thanks for watching and we will see you again very soon