My Least Favourite YouTube Video Essay Format

[NatalieZaki]

There's this video format, specifically with the titles, I've seen that I hate and groan every time one shows up on my feed. They're the accursed "The Best {media} you've never head about" and the "The {adjective}est {media} I've ever seen/played/heard".
Example of the first one:

Example of the second one:

I just find these really annoying, cause for the first one, they always miss the mark on how niche they think something is. Like you have to be 100% sure that you accidentally aren't talking about one of the biggest Latin American TV Shows or one of the most beloved murder mystery games. And for the second one, the exaggeration is always so dumb. Like me and my friends constantly parody the "Most Brutal Album I've Ever Heard" cause like girl its just a breakcore album. Idk I just find these titles annoying and stupid.

 

[KamakoKamako's icon]

If they don't reveal what they're talking about within the first 45 seconds, it feels to me like they're padding the runtime like a crappy student trying to hit a word count. Doesn't feel respectful of my time so I won't click.

Guess I'll just have to go on living not knowing why Machine Girl is the most *br00tal* album ever. xD

 

[Nebulon_Galaxy]

One thing I hate most is the runtime, its like 5 hours and its basically them going through the entire game from start to finish. Why not just call it a let's play???????? Why call it a retrospective if you are going through every single little thing on the game? I never clicked these videos especially ones that say "It will break me" or "It broke me".

 

[Majormachina]

There's this video format, specifically with the titles, I've seen that I hate and groan every time one shows up on my feed. They're the accursed "The Best {media} you've never head about" and the "The {adjective}est {media} I've ever seen/played/heard".
Example of the first one:
View attachment 199954
View attachment 199955

Example of the second one:
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View attachment 199957

I just find these really annoying, cause for the first one, they always miss the mark on how niche they think something is. Like you have to be 100% sure that you accidentally aren't talking about one of the biggest Latin American TV Shows or one of the most beloved murder mystery games. And for the second one, the exaggeration is always so dumb. Like me and my friends constantly parody the "Most Brutal Album I've Ever Heard" cause like girl its just a breakcore album. Idk I just find these titles annoying and stupid.

Honestly don't mind these sorts of essays, at least they're trying to bring attention to relatively obscure media.
At least they arent those "X is the worst/best thing ever" or "how X will overthrow {insert big corporation here} and Hollywood" essays that needlessly overhype something

 

[SpcDaicon SpcDaicon]

>"A brief analysis of X"
>8-10 hours
>it's just a recap or lore summarization
>the "analysis" is just some lukewarm opinions ripped from Reddit

Every. Goddanm. Time.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

Clickbaiting like that not only wastes your time as a viewer, but also shows a distinct lack of confidence in the part of the video-maker — why lead with your best arguments or sharpest points and build up from there when it's much easier to grab the stray, curiosity-driven click instead?

Part of it is because of how the algorithm is set up, but channels that don't need to worry about that do it the most... and it's sickening.

I rarely ever reward them with my click.

 

[MasterOfpuppeters964]

Post automatically merged: Today at 9:08 PM

>"A brief analysis of X"
>8-10 hours
>it's just a recap or lore summarization
>the "analysis" is just some lukewarm opinions ripped from Reddit

Every. Goddanm. Time.

Also
> The creator never actually played or watched the media that he is analyzing

 

[Evaccaneer Doom]

There's this video format, specifically with the titles, I've seen that I hate and groan every time one shows up on my feed. They're the accursed "The Best {media} you've never head about" and the "The {adjective}est {media} I've ever seen/played/heard".
Example of the first one:
View attachment 199954
View attachment 199955

Example of the second one:
View attachment 199956
View attachment 199957

I just find these really annoying, cause for the first one, they always miss the mark on how niche they think something is. Like you have to be 100% sure that you accidentally aren't talking about one of the biggest Latin American TV Shows or one of the most beloved murder mystery games. And for the second one, the exaggeration is always so dumb. Like me and my friends constantly parody the "Most Brutal Album I've Ever Heard" cause like girl its just a breakcore album. Idk I just find these titles annoying and stupid.

"The most brutal album I've ever heard"
This is how you can tell they haven't delved too deep into the topic of the artist, because if they had, they would've come across U-Void Synthesizer.
"Brutal" is not how you'd describe Krystle URL Cyber Palace Mix, Ghost, or Ginger Claps
but it is a good descriptor for Fully In It.

oh the video's from 5 years ago, there's a genuine chance the album didn't exist yet nvm

 

[Luxfin]

It is just tiring from seeing these. The videos like them would instantly be a lot better if they just title it better. Like even my friend would title his presentation videos like "This show feels like crack." or something.

 

[contrail_]

Youtube essays are actually the lowest form of 'content'. I would say that watching those is worse than watching tv, but I shudder to think what television has since transformed into, in order to compete with that shit...
If there was an illuminating point for said 'essay' to convey, it would be published in written form. As a matter of fact, reading this 'essay' would take 4 times less time than watching a video of someone (usually the author) reading it to you, while displaying imagery for your detached brain not to lose interest. It's the type of slop people like to watch when feeling intellectually lazy, while not being willing to admit it to themselves. It's a pretty low effort too.
In the time it would have taken you to finish that 'video essay' about some music album, you would have listened through most of the album and formed your own opinion, but even that probably feels like a bit of a hassle to the target audience, instead of just some dude talking at you while you zone out. (same goes for essays about some show you haven't watched; just check out the first episode and decide for yourself if you're going to watch the rest)
Sadly, I can picture someone being too lazy to read a 10 page article or essay, but I draw the line at feeling too out of it to even listen to music...
I know this is a bit offtopic from the subject of this thread, but I imagine someone needs to hear this: Next time you feel in the mood for a youtube essay, just watch a documentary instead.

 

[A man on a computer]

I hate the exaggerated titles with very vague info on what the video's subject supposed to be about.
"Video essay on Jacob Carl's story archetypes" Doesn't catch peoples eyes.
But "wAt tIpE Of rEEl lifE cHaRaCtEr R U?" does.

 

[Evaccaneer Doom]

View attachment 199976

Post automatically merged: Today at 9:08 PM

Also
> The creator never actually played or watched the media that he is analyzing

Also also

the creator actively shits on the genre.

I remember one video of a guy gassing up Va11-Hall-A while taking the fattest shit on visual novels as a concept.

 

[TheReal_TomokoKuroki]

These videos are all garbage. Run time is always way too fucking long. The meme of "lets start at the beginning of mankind" don't even seem far off anymore.
Got something to say? Say it. Just fucking say it. 10-15 minute retrospectives would be nice. You don't have to tell me every little fucking detail of its creation and creator. There is WIKIPEDIA FOR A REASON.

 

[otogirisou]

If they didn't include the title of the media in the video title i will never watch it.

 

[Evaccaneer Doom]

If they didn't include the title of the media in the video title i will never watch it.

This game will BREAK you
"Damn, I guess this is a dangerous game then, better stay away from it"

 

[Vardalis]

But how else am I supposed to discover the best underrated cult classic gem of the Playstation 1 (1 hour deep dive); Crash Bandicoot?