Media Analysis #4

Check out my media analysis on the BreadTube YouTuber, Lindsay Ellis.

What is the context in which this piece was created? Think not just about the historical moment, but also about the people who made it, what motivated them, where they accessed funding/support, what political goals lay behind its creation, etc.

For my media analysis, I chose Lindsay Ellis, a writer and content creator with over 1 million subscribers and 121 videos on YouTube. Lindsay is well known for her video essays that rationalize why media trends are the way they are through her analysis of movies, musicals, and other pop culture mediums. Her works include "The Whole Plate," a long-running series examining the Transformers film series and the work of Michael Bay and a three-part series about the production of The Hobbit trilogy and its effect on the New Zealand film industry. With a degree in film, she enjoys thinking about things that are deeply flawed but have interesting potential. Her videos are created with a small team of part-time staff. In addition to YouTube, Ellis also co-hosts the It's Lit! web series, alongside fellow YouTuber Princess Weekes, for PBS Digital Studios, which explores trends in American literature as a companion piece to The Great American Read on PBS itself. Although she was a successful YouTuber, she eventually announced her retirement in a 2021 Patreon blog post titled "Walking away from Omelas" as she explains her experience with cancel culture and online harassment.

What kind of social change is this piece arguing for or contributing to? How does it go about articulating that need for social change? Is it a direct statement, or implicit?

BreadTube is composed of a group of left-wing YouTubers who use their platform to create subversive, comedic, satiric, and ironic videos. By making videos on the same topics as the far-right, Lindsay Ellis' content contributes to the hi-jacking of Youtube's algorithm as her videos, along with other BreadTube creators, would often get recommended alongside far-right creators. BreadTubers want to essentially pop and destroy YouTube's political bubbles to create space for de-radicalization.

The name BreadTube originated as a more comedic alternative to the concept of "Leftube", and captures the dissident leftwing nature of the creators that it encompasses. While there is no clear origin, many believe that BreadTube channels started in opposition to the "Anti-SJW (social justice warrior)" content that became popular in the mid-2010s. BreadTubers united through the shared interest in combating the far-right online and a willingness to engage with challenging social and political issues. These creators, such as Lindsay Ellis, infuse politics and social topics with their interests in film, video games, pop culture, history, and philosophy. BreadTube videos often receive tens of millions of views and have been increasingly referenced to as a components of media and academia being combined as a case study on de-radicalization.

Why was this piece created in this medium? How does it take advantage of the specific characteristics of this medium?

This piece takes advantage of the Youtube video format that enables Lindsay to create video essays. Rather than reading an article or writing an essay, video essays allow creators to interpret their messages through video visuals . Lindsay often makes reference and uses footage from other films and TV shows as she dissects characters from media. Therefore, a video essay is useful when trying to get her point across through referencing footage, visualizing her concepts, creating engaging content, and connecting with viewers. She takes advantage of Youtube's low barriers to access by editing the video to create a storyline and send her message across. She also takes advantage of the popularity of the platform as YouTube videos are easily accessible for everyone who has a device and can be shared. This is important as other academic essays or articles may not always be accessible (barriers include payment to access readings or educational background). Overall, she uses Youtube's easy, accessible, and engaging platform to create her video essays.

Identify one interesting feature of how this piece of media was published that you could draw on or be inspired by in your own future creations.

What I love about Lindsay Ellis is how she combines her educational background in film with her desire and curiosity to rationalize media trends. And not only does she make reference to some of my favourite films and musicals, but her video essays are detailed and well thought-out which gives her the credibility and entertainment factor I look for. Often times, a lot of pop culture shows and movies are reviewed from a surface level and glamourize the drama. And since becoming a Communications major, I've learned to love diving deeper in contemporary media and discourse to unpack underlying issues. The thought of Loki from the MCU being a narcissist had always been in my head and I love that she gives a deep breakdown into that concept and characteristic. Overall, I love how she provides a distinct perspective using her education background and expertise to provide audiences deeper context rather than the surface level review.

Do you think this publishing medium is appropriate to the social change goals of the creator? Why or why not?

Yes, I think her using Youtube is very appropriate to the social change goals. Youtube has the ability to host any type of content including one's advocacy and fight for social change or one's review on blockbuster films. So in her case of being a past BreadTuber, Youtube has served her well in being the most appropriate publishing medium.