Recent decades have seen rapid growth in two interrelated fields of contemporary film and screen culture: the production of essay films, and the making and online distribution of digital video essays. This course offers a comprehensive exploration of these two increasingly influential forms of audiovisual expression. By combining historical analysis, theoretical inquiry, and hands-on practice, students will engage with the origins, evolution, and contemporary relevance of these exciting creative practices, while also developing the necessary conceptual and technical skills to create their own critical video essays.
This course delves into the rich and evolving landscape of essay films and digital video essays, examining their diverse stylistic forms and critical potential, while exploring the complex interplay between their distinct characteristics and shared affinities. While essay films have historically emerged within cinema as a hybrid form blending documentary, experimental, and personal filmmaking, digital video essays have flourished in online spaces, often engaging with existing media through remix, critique, and analysis. The course explores how these forms intersect in their reflexive nature, their use of found footage, and their potential for media activism, while also considering their distinct modes of production, distribution, and audience engagement.
Students will trace the roots of the essay film, from early cinematic experiments and avant-garde traditions to its establishment as a distinctive mode of filmmaking, and they will explore the work of key figures such as Chris Marker, Agnès Varda, Trinh T. Minh-ha and Harun Farocki, among others. They will also engage with key aspects of essay film culture, such as autobiography and self-portraiture, analyzing how personal narratives shape audiovisual storytelling. The course also investigates the essay film as a tool for political activism and media critique, emphasizing its role in challenging dominant narratives, and its tendency to subvert conventional cinematic structures. Additionally, the course addresses contemporary artistic interventions, including the appropriation of mainstream gaming and digital cultures, highlighting their role in pushing the boundaries of moving-image practice. At the same time, students will look at the video essay as a critical and pedagogical tool, covering ethical issues such as remix culture, fair use, and citation, and will examine the growing influence of the digital video essay in film criticism and academic discourse, and its impact on online cinephile communities.
A core component of the course is the development of students’ practical skills in conceptualizing, scripting, filming, and editing their own video essays. Through readings, screenings, discussions, technical exercises, and written response texts, students will engage with foundational and contemporary films and literature, culminating in the creation of their own original audiovisual essay. By the end of the course, students will have developed a nuanced understanding of the essay film and digital video essay, as well as the ability to articulate ideas through audiovisual language. They will be equipped with both the theoretical insight and practical expertise to contribute meaningfully to these distinctive modes of filmmaking.