Why Yellow is So Common for TV Graphics
Sneak Peek
Ever wondered why so many old sitcoms (from Taxi to M*A*S*H) all feature yellow title cards? This super informative video essay has the answer to a question you never knew you had! (spoiler alert, it has to do with legibility and a whole lot of color theory).
Essay By
This 2021 video essay is by Filmmaker IQ, a YouTube channel disseminating all manner of film history and know-how. Their videos range from the highly technical (what to do if your green screen footage has something green in it) to the opinionated (are superhero movies destroying cinema?). Site-creator and director John P. Hess is our narrator. You can subscribe to Filmmaker IQ on YouTube here. And you can follow them on Twitter here.
How Pollution is Changing Cinema in India
Sneak Peek
We’re increasingly going to have to contend with the effects of climate change both in our everyday lives and in the way our world looks on-screen. This video essay breaks down the way that particulate matter in the atmosphere is affecting Bollywood. It’s a downer subject and not something at the forefront of everyone’s minds. But this is a worthwhile watch, trust me.
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This video is by Jyotishwar Singh. They are a video producer based in India whose work focuses primarily on Bollywood content. For more of Singh’s work, you can subscribe to them on YouTube here.
Shooting Moving Masters Zemeckis Style
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It’s always fun when you learn the word for a cinematic technique you’re already familiar with. This breakdown of the way that Back to the Future director Robert Zemeckis favors the moving master shot (a.k.a. a long shot that captures most of the action in a scene without the need for a cut) highlights both the practical and storytelling benefits of the technique.
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This video essay is by writer, director, and video essayist David F. Sandberg (of Shazam! fame). His output includes no-budget horror films shot in his own house, starring his wife and frequent collaborator Lotta Losten. You can follow Sandberg on Vimeo and on Twitter. You can also subscribe to him on YouTube here.
Spirited Away: What’s in a Name
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Focusing on folklore, this video essay unpacks how Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away undercuts the perceived correlation between names and understanding. Grounding itself in folklore and magical thinking, the essay unspools how this fantastical coming-of-age film confronts liminality, transitions, and identity through the metaphor of names.
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This video is by Grace Lee. We’ve covered their work on FSR before and with good reason: they’re an expert at tackling dense and challenging content with a keen eye, elegant flourish, and overwhelming cultural fluency. You can follow Lee on their YouTube channel What’s So Great About That? here. You can follow Lee on Twitter here. And you can support Lee on Patreon here.
The Best Simpsons Intro is About Losing Everything You Love
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This video essay makes an incredibly strong argument that out of all the Simpsons couch gags, the one animated by World of Tomorrow‘s Don Hertzfeldt is one of the best. The gag is an unnerving and deeply upsetting commentary on memory and stasis, two things inherently relevant to an animated sitcom that’s been on the air for over three decades.
Essay By
Today’s video is by Jacob Geller, whose content covers a wide swath of subjects, from video games to architecture to folklore. You can subscribe to Geller on YouTube here. And you can check out Geller on Twitter here.
Related Topics: 2021 Rewind, The Queue
