Mixing dense political ideas with allusions to The Sound of Music and BoJack Horseman, these films have become a thrilling DIY artform \u2013 one entirely conceived, written, filmed and performed by their stars<\/p>\n
Thirty eight million people and counting have watched Hbomberguy\u2019s near four-hour video Plagiarism and You(Tube)<\/a>, in which the YouTuber \u2013 real\u00a0name Harry Brewis \u2013 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\u2019s funeral broadcast live on the BBC. If\u00a0you\u2019re not familiar with the work, video essays may just be the biggest cultural phenomenon you\u2019ve never\u00a0heard of.<\/p>\n Early versions of video essays \u2013 thoughtful deep dives that filter cultural analysis through the distinct personality of the creator \u2013 emerged in\u00a0the early 2000s, but it was the converging currents of the \u201conline left\u201d 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\u00a0yearly ranking<\/a> of video essays of the year. BBC auteur Adam Curtis has said<\/a> if he\u00a0were starting out again, he would become a YouTuber, calling it \u201cthe last wild west\u201d of online creativity.<\/p>\n