In Carol Vernallis’ book ‘Unruly Media’ she writes a chapter on ‘Youtube Aesthetics’. This chapter really puts the reader to the test, as the chapter is a bit confusing and discusses concepts that are difficult to grasp. However, the concepts are interesting to analyze against what we know about aesthetics traditionally.
Reiteration is important for many reasons, one being the competition that comes from cinema and video games. Vernallis says repetition “creates a block buster like intensity” (132). One of my favorite Youtuber’s is Joe Santagato -he is a comedian who makes commentary on a ton of different subjects as well as comes up with his own content. He uses a lot of ‘hollywood’ type effects in his videos that create a heightened sense of awareness/involvement and grasps the viewers attention. An example of this is when he makes the screen a row of rainbow type colors with a bleep. As if the television program is bleeping a mistake out (used for humor). This is so hard to describe and even harder to find since he has tons of Youtube videos to go through.
Another example of repetition is graphic features you see on Youtube clips. He uses the same big graphic all black letters as a cover on each of his Youtube videos that “establish a cluttered field from within which the clip seizes attention” (Vernallis 133). It creates a uniform appearance on Joe’s channel and this grabs our attention. Joe also uses a good camera so all of his videos have a high resolution. A well lit space in his furnished basement also provides a good audivisual for his audience.
Reanimation and death is an aesthetic where “new technologies make [it] possible [for] the reanimation of older media” (Vernallis 138). There is a Youtube channel called Superbowl Commercial Ads and one in perticular features Marilyn Monroe. She was a popular female figure back in the day and died in 1962. Reanimation makes it possible for them to use her figure in the advertisement and alter her movements. They use the real memory of Marilyn, who looks like she is alive and well in the ad -and that’s pretty cool.
Another aesthetic technique is called parody and the sardonic response. When something popular gets attention, Youtuber’s makes sarcastic videos about the subject. These generally gain a lot of popularity because, “sarcasm pierces us. Anything that pushes against social norms tends to grab attention”(Vernallis 146). Most of the time, people are using sarcasm to be humurous so viewers can find them funny. When I think of what to relate this term to on Youtube I immediately think of Jenna Marbles. She talks about various topics and a lot of the content is geared towards males and females. By that I mean she spends an entire video analyzing something a male or female does, like taking a shower. She uses sardonic humor to relate to her audience. She really pushes the social norms and calls out things we do in our everyday lives that are totally true.
I think Vernallis does have some valid definitions of aesthetics people on Youtube use. I also think that there are so many more that are more current with the times. I don’t think someone should have to analyze 3 or 4 Youtube videos to give a clear definition of what the particular Youtube aesthetic is.
