Video Essays - YouTube/Vimeo/etc. finds

I figured it made sense to make another thread in the same vein as the Making-Of Documentaries - YouTube/Vimeo/etc. finds, but focused on video essays and other fan made videos that doesn’t quite fit into the documentary category.

Just like the other thread it doesn’t really too many specific rules other than that this thread is not meant for obvious opinion pieces or reviews.

Like the other thread, a highlighted title and short description would be appreciated when posting videos. Of course any additional info like IMDB links, article links, and especially a thumbnail photo would be nice too.

If you want to add a YouTube thumbnail to the post you can do it relatively easy like this.), or just PM me with the video link and I’ll send you the image link.

An In-Progress Index…

1 • Akira Kurosawa - Composing Movement
2 • The Bad Sleep Well (1960) - The Geometry of a Scene
3 • Grizzly Man: How Documentaries Speak
4 • Lord Of The Rings: How Music Elevates Story
5 • Listening To Blade Runner
6 • See With Your Ears: Spielberg And Sound Design
7 • How Walter Murch Worldized Film Sound
8 • Yojimbo & A Fistful of Dollars - How The Western Was Changed Forever
9 • Sergio Leone’s Dollar Trilogy Timeline
10 • Exploring The Black Hole - The Movie That Changed Disney Forever

I’ll start with two Kurosawa-related video essay by the excellent Every Frame a Painting YouTube channel.

Akira Kurosawa - Composing Movement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doaQC-S8de8 - from the Every Frame a Painting YouTube channel (8:30 mins long).

The blurb:
“Can movement tell a story? Sure, if you’re as gifted as Akira Kurosawa. More than any other filmmaker, he had an innate understanding of movement and how to capture it onscreen. Join me today in studying the master, possibly the greatest composer of motion in film history.”

The Bad Sleep Well (1960) - The Geometry of a Scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGc-K7giqKM - from the Every Frame a Painting YouTube channel (3:10 mins long).

The blurb:
“One of Akira Kurosawa’s many gifts was staging scenes in ways that were bold, simple and visual. I’m working on a longer essay about him and this piece didn’t make the cut, so I’m releasing it as a short standalone video.”

Lord Of The Rings: How Music Elevates Story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7BkmF8CJpQ - from the Nerdwriter1 YouTube channel (7:45 mins long).

The blurb:
“An expertly written score can add so much to your story by creating atmosphere, tone, or emotion. But what sets a great score apart from a mediocre one? In what ways do they add to the narrative and visual components of a film? And what techniques do composers use to turn a score into a storytelling device?”

Listening To Blade Runner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T_sSSka9pA - from the Nerdwriter1 YouTube channel (8 mins long).

The blurb:
“Take a close listen to the sounds of Blade Runner and you might find they’re even more integral to the film than you thought.”

See With Your Ears: Spielberg And Sound Design
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kavxsXhzD48 - from the Nerdwriter1 YouTube channel (8:30 mins long).

The blurb:
“A look at how sound design can structure a movie scene.”

How Walter Murch Worldized Film Sound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAN9pBY7jHA - from the Nerdwriter1 YouTube channel (5:30 mins long).

The blurb:
“How Walter Murch Revolutionized the Sound of Modern Cinema.”

YOJIMBO & A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS - How The Western Was Changed Forever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0kJkShY1-E&list=PLYn2a0e2FVIJ66EP8vMU64l-kIhHU9zg7&index=72&t - from the Matt Draper YouTube channel (17 mins long).

The blurb:
“On the blending of Western and Samurai genres found in Akira Kurosawa’s “Yojimbo” and Sergio Leone’s “A Fistful of Dollars,” which took inspiration from classic Western films and then reinvented the genre through perspectives from Japan and Italy.”

Sergio Leone’s Dollar Trilogy Timeline
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQIy_hu34KA - from the Stian A. Olsen YouTube channel (3:50 mins long).

The blurb:
“The Dollars Trilogy, also known as the Man with No Name Trilogy is an Italian film series consisting of three masterpieces directed by Sergio Leone. The films came to be considered a trilogy due to American distributor United Artists smart marketing concept. This short video identifies the three films’ timeline as well as a couple of “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” details.”

Why Movies Just Don’t Feel “Real” Anymore

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvwPKBXEOKE - a 29 minute video from the Like Stories of Old youtube channel.
 

The blurb: 'Why don’t movies feel “real” anymore? A deep dive into the first principles of movie immersion: on perceptual realism, indexicality, haptic visuality, and cinematic qualia.

0:00 Movies don’t feel “real” anymore
1:40 Perceptual Realism
8:40 The “Cinematic Look”
12:50 Indexicality
15:50 Haptic Visuality
23:00 Cinematic Qualia
26:29 Contextual Intentionality ’
 

The Marvelization of Cinema (aka Storytelling Entropy)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tmxfVWDgMM - a 37 minute video from the Like Stories of Old yuotube channel.
 

The blurb: 'We’ve all felt it: the movies have changed. But how so exactly, and why? And what can be done about it? In this extensive critique, I try to capture the decline of modern cinema in one unifying theory.

00:00 The Marvelization of Cinema
01:52 What is Storytelling Entropy?
06:26 Hollow Franchises
11:15 Meta-References to Nowhere
17:40 Corporate Passion
25:23 Breaking the Cycle
33:08 Meaningful Engagement ’
 

Spielberg’s Subtly Powerful Camera Moves in Catch Me If You Can

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VbwP_zsGdE - a 9 minute video from the Dolly Into Meaning youtube channel.
 

The blurb: 'Welcome to Darling to Me! Want to direct a scene like Steven Spielberg? Dive into this incredible example from Catch Me If You Can where every single shot is a building block. It’s not just about cool camera moves; it’s about how those moves, combined with performance, blocking, and shot choices, all feed into and set up the next moment, creating a powerful and often subtle impact.

We break down how Spielberg orchestrates Tom Hanks’ performance and physical presence, using it to motivate and amplify camera movements that signal key character realizations. See how wide shots and deliberate lighting choices aren’t just aesthetic but actively work to emphasize loneliness and isolation.

Discover how the carefully planned use of parallax in camera movement keeps you guessing and builds unease, even in seemingly simple shots. Learn why Spielberg holds off on close-ups until the perfect moment, allowing the tension to build naturally through the interplay of wider framing and subtle performance cues, culminating in impactful, sharp cuts when the emotional stakes are highest.

This analysis reveals how a master director ensures that no shot exists in isolation – each one serves the greater narrative and emotional arc of the scene. It’s a masterclass in visual storytelling, showing how seemingly small details create significant meaning.’
 

Why Steven Spielberg Avoids a Wide Open Aperture

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bADXPoGr6Ak - a 9 minute video from the wolfcrow youtube channel.
 

The blurb: 'Ever wondered why Steven Spielberg avoids using wide open apertures in his films? In this video, we’ll dive into the filmmaking techniques that make Spielberg’s movies look so sharp and detailed. We’ll explore how his choice of aperture affects depth of field, camera blocking, and focus.

Written Article with tables: https://wolfcrow.com/spielberg-uses-the-best-lenses-but-never-wide-open-why

Learn about Spielberg’s preference for wide angle lenses and how he uses them to create dynamic and immersive scenes. We’ll also discuss why he prefers keeping everything in focus and how this choice impacts his storytelling.

If you’re curious about the technical side of filmmaking or just a fan of Spielberg’s work, this video will give you a new perspective on his creative choices. Join us to understand why Spielberg avoids shooting wide open and how it contributes to the magic of his movies.’

Focal Lengths and Lenses used by Great Directors - a 12 minute video from wolfcrow may also be of interest.