Lindsay Ellis has one of the quintessential YouTube channels to watch if you love discussion on the themes behind film, books, and more. We had the pleasure of talking with Lindsay recently about her channel, favorite movies, and great dad jokes.
Nerds and Beyond: For those unfamiliar with you, can you briefly describe the content on your channel?
Lindsay: I would describe myself as a video essayist. I do video essays that focus on film and film theory and a broad range of cultural and social issues. They are usually 20 to 40 minutes. I work with a small team, including my co-writer Angelina.
Nerds and Beyond: If someone was brand new to your channel, what 3 videos would you recommend them to start with?
Lindsay: “YouTube: Manufacturing Authenticity (For Fun and Profit!)”, “Framing Megan Fox – Feminist Theory Part 3 | The Whole Plate: Episode 7” and “Bright: The Apotheosis of Lazy Worldbuilding | Video Essay”
Nerds and Beyond: Would you ever bring back “Booze Your Own Adventure”?
Lindsay: No, but its spiritual successor is “It’s Lit” , which is produced by PBS digital studios. We hope to make it a permanent series.
Nerds and Beyond: What are some of your favorite movies of all time?
Lindsay: I watched E.T. and Independence Day a lot as a kid. I loved Mad Max Fury Road. I appreciate a lot of little things about a lot of movies, but I don’t have a lot of favorites.
Nerds and Beyond: Why do you think there aren’t that many women making film-related YT videos?
Lindsay: I think a lot of women want to avoid the harassment they see myself and other women receive. The YouTube algorithm is also biased toward male creators, and the demographic for those types of videos is generally white men between 25 and 35. I do hope for more women in this area.
Nerds and Beyond: What advice can you give women/minorities who want to get into film, or film critique?
Lindsay: Advice can change over time. What worked for me won’t work for everyone. I would say not to imitate others, do your own thing, and cultivate peers. Find people who want to do what you’re doing, and elevate each other.
Nerds and Beyond: We at Nerds and Beyond love our dad jokes. What is your favorite dad joke?
Lindsay: Three elephants jump off a cliff, two land on the beach, one in the ocean…ba dum tshhh.
Nerds and Beyond: Finally, what would your light saber color be?
Lindsay: Yellow, so my color blind husband can see it.
You can find Lindsay’s channel here and follow her on Twitter here.
