The Nerd and the Artist

Lydia Osmer
8 min readDec 19, 2021

A Comparison of Video Essayists nerdwriter1 and ContraPoints

by Lydia Osmer | April 10, 2022

Ah, the essay–a piece of writing that everyone was required to compose multiple times throughout their schooling. That is the general connotation many people have of essays. Essays tend to get this bad reputation, but they are excellent sites for exploring topics in a familiar format for both writers and readers. In his 2016 TedTalk at Lafayette College, video essayist Evan Puschak states that written essays “should be short, interesting, and should get to the truth.” However, written essays don’t have as much reach as a writer might hope since they are typically confined to academic circles–and quite frankly, it is fair to argue that the general population doesn’t have the necessary time, ability, or interest to access such essays. This is why the video essay has become such a successful genre on the video sharing platform YouTube.

The inclusion of the word “essay” might make this genre of YouTube videos seem like some boring and niche academic corner of the platform, but the video essay has become a popular form of content on a website that has its origins in low-quality self-made videos. While the quality of today’s video essays is certainly many levels above the early-Youtube webcam vlogs, the self-made nature of video essay creators influences the video essay genre as a whole.

Video essays allow for all the things written essays can offer and more. The consumption of media, as pointed out by Puschak, has become increasingly audio-visual. As a result, video essays have a much wider reach than written essays as more and more people are spending time consuming video content which is largely due to YouTube as a popular and free video platform. More people are willing to click play and watch a video essay on YouTube than search a through a database for a written essay.

More ways in which video essays have a leg up over written essays in terms of reach are the content creators and the content area itself. Video essays, especially those uploaded to YouTube, have given people who are not traditionally in academic circles a platform to present their ideas, theories, and analyses in a setting that allows for a larger audience reach and embraces creativity.

In the TedTalk I cite above, Evan Puschak discusses how YouTube has changed the essay, but why is he qualified to talk on such a matter? Well, Puschak just happens to also be the person behind “The Nerdwriter,” or better known as the nerdwriter1 channel on YouTube. His channel consists of short video essays (none reaching even 10-minutes in length) on various subjects. Puschak says:

At “The Nerdwriter,” I produce a weekly show of video essays about art and culture, and science, politics — whatever I happen to find interesting that week.

Puschak’s wide range of subject matter and large following of over 3 million subscribers demonstrates why the video essay is such a successful genre on YouTube. He is able to frequently capture interesting subjects people don’t generally get to cover in school or are just interested in learning about in a short time frame. For example, his video essay on the “Loot Train Attack” from season seven of Game of Thrones explores the intertextuality of film and television in just five-minutes.

“Recreating Game of Thrones’ Dragon Battle” by nerdwriter1

In the video, he exclaims how beautifully done the battle scene is and how it recalls other war cinematography. By citing numerous different examples for specific aspects of this one scene, the video clearly exhibits video essay elements. These references to other examples of media is similar to using quotes from academic sources to back up an argument in a traditional written essay. Puschak is able to successfully relate the cinematography of other movies he cites (such as Saving Private Ryan, Troy, and The Hobbit) to Game of Thrones’ Daenerys’s attack on the Lannister army, showing that he clearly did his research and is presenting it an accessible and entertaining fashion.

When Puschak says, “War cinematography is like language: most of the words have been used before. That doesn’t mean something new can’t be written,” he is clearly wrapping up his main point of intertextuality in film, which is a topic he frequently visits in his video essays. This particular video, while niche in subject matter, offers a broader lens towards the end which resembles how essays are supposed to leave the audience with a fresh perspective.

This video is one among hundreds of uploads on nerdwriter1, but it gives insight into his stylistic choices. He doesn’t include himself on the screen, but instead narrates his ideas and main points in tandem with visuals such as video clips or images. This helps to center the subject matter over the author. He also sticks to short-length videos and pretty frequent uploads which makes it easier for people to digest his content and come back for more. The channel’s most popular videos get millions of views and cover a wide variety of interests which helps to garner a large and diverse audience.

nerdwriter1’s most popular videos as of Dec. 2021

Puschak’s nerdwriter1 channel is an excellent site to examine the video essay format on YouTube, but he’s not alone in his success in the genre. Video essays can draw on a lot of different forms of media–which Puschak even points out in the TedTalk–and because of this, video essays are difficult to define with just one channel. It’s time to examine another popular video essayist on YouTube: ContraPoints.

Lights. Camera. Action. Makeup. Dress. Intricate set design. Drink in hand. These are all things that come to mind when thinking of Natalie Wynn, or better known as ContraPoints on YouTube. She has mastered the art of producing interesting, entertaining, and aesthetically pleasing video essays. These aren’t just any video essays though–Wynn’s artistic eye and appreciation for extravagance sets her videos apart from other essayists like Puschak.

ContraPoints’s channel consists of lengthy video essays covering sociopolitical topics, relevant cultural content, and more general philosophical concepts, such as Shame or Envy. Each of her videos, which range from about 20 minutes to almost 2 hours in length, feature multiple intricate settings, outfits and makeup looks which all work in tandem to help break up the content. These features work similarly to how traditional written essays are broken up into different paragraphs–introduction, body, and conclusion. The aesthetically pleasing nature of her videos keeps viewers’ attention, which is especially important considering the videos are long. Viewers can see this strategy play out as Natalie switches between scenes where the backdrops and fashion looks correspond with the subject matter.

Natalie Wynn using imagery of the Eve motif in her video titled “Shame”

Unlike nerdwriter1, ContraPoints’ videos are known for being lengthy and for not being uploaded that frequently. Take it from this comment on one of Wynn’s most recent videos:

“every time you upload it feels like a national holiday”

With thirty-three thousand likes as the top comment and a heart from ContraPoints herself, it is clear that viewers of hers are loyal. The anticipation and build up of excitement leading up to a new upload is a method that continues to work and it is good that this strategy does work because the production time of one of her videos would take much longer than that of any old vlog. Nerdwriter1 and ContraPoints drastically vary in their upload schedule, but both strategies have been successful.

While ContraPoints videos are extravagant in nature, the way she positions the viewer makes it feel like an intimate yet still educational conversation. Again unlike Puschak, Wynn is often seen sitting in the frame in medium shots and close ups. This creates an inviting and attention grabbing atmosphere for the viewer, whereas nerdwriter1 tends to distance himself from the viewer by not being in frame. Wynn is also frequently taking sips of different alcoholic beverages in frame which creates a casual environment as well, making the viewer feel like they are having a drink with a friend while have a meaningful conversation.

Another way Wynn distinguishes herself from other video essayists like nerdwriter1 is that she often uses personal anecdotal evidence to back up her claims. This makes her video essays unique because her experience as a trans woman in the real world and on the internet can enlighten and educate viewers. By featuring herself on camera in tandem with anecdotes, Wynn’s video essays provide a look into the author herself–something written essays tend to leave out with more focus on the actual written content.

She’s also funny–which is another facet of her video essays that holds people’s attention and separates her content from that of the traditional academic essay. Wynn does have an academic background (she dropped out of the Ph.D. program she was enrolled in because “The idea of being an academic for the rest of [her] life became boring to the point of existential despair.” By combining her comedic commentary, high-quality production, and her skills from academia, her video essays are well-articulated, captivating, and pleasing to watch.

Now, what’s the point of all these lengthy, over-the-top video essays? Well, on her Patreon Wynn states:

My main political goal is to counterbalance the hatred toward progressive movements that is so common online, though I’m not afraid to criticize “my own side” either. Stylistically, I try to appeal to a wide audience and avoid merely preaching to the choir. I try to make the videos I’d want to watch: well-produced, informative, funny, and entertaining.

This goal definitely comes through when analyzing all of the components that go into making a ContraPoints video essay. She is able to further reach a wider audience through her style, which is again something that written essays can’t do. She provides the opportunity to learn about relevant and interesting topics that a lot of people might not have the chance to encounter in their education or just in their life in general. Wynn also isn’t afraid to tackle subjects that a lot of people find hard to critique in an articulated way, like the alt-right and incel culture. By making video essays the way she does, Wynn is able to elevate the learning experience to an artistic one.

“Incels” by ContraPoints

If you haven’t yet experienced the artistic and captivating video essayist that is ContraPoints, what are you waiting for? Go ahead, grab a drink and press play–you’re in for a treat. Or perhaps you don’t have time right now to watch a feature-film length video–good thing nerdwriter1 has hundreds of simple yet interesting video essays that are each less than ten minutes long. Whether you prefer the simplistic, narrative style of Puschak or the avant-garde style of Wynn, there’s a video essay for everyone on YouTube.

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