The Genius of Sherlock Explained

BBC's "Sherlock" has been widely praised since it debut in 2010 thanks to it's razor sharp dialog, witty humor, and gorgeous production. From a filmmaking perspective there is much to be admired, which is why we were thrilled to see Nerdwriter1 use the Conan Doyle adaptation as his latest subject in his latest YouTube video essay.

For those not familiar with The Nerdwriter's YouTube channel, Evan Pushak examines artwork of all kinds in the form of a video essay. Subscriptions have recently topped one million, and for good reason. His well produced video essays are well informed and hugely watchable. So much so, that this isn't the first time we've featured one of his video essays.

In his latest video, The Nerdwriter tears apart a 3 minute, 42 second sequence in which Sherlock Holmes solves an important mystery from the latest episode. The use of editing and camera work is applauded for it's ability to add context to the story, and take the viewer through the main character's thought process. I enjoyed watching Nerdwriter's analysis of the intelligent sequence just as much as watching it unfold in the episode itself.

There are plenty of film analysis channels on YouTube, but I think the genius of The Nerdwriter is in his ability to use beautiful visuals and infographics, within a storytelling construct of it's own. Much can be learned of filmmaking from the content of his channel. But his ability to engage an audience for over seven minutes when analyzing a scene that is less than four minutes long is an education in YouTube filmmaking itself.

I encourage any aspiring filmmakers to subscribe to his channel, and check out Evan's TED talks from last summer.

 

 

Mike Briggs's picture

Mike Briggs is the Co-founder & Creative Director of Ranch Creative, a UK based content-creation agency. Mike has created content across many genres of industry & commerce including global sports brands, fashion houses & tech companies.

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5 Comments

The guys is a genius. He managed to make me like that "workworkwork" rihanna song...

Best channel on youtube if you need a bit more than hot knives to entertain yourself...

Watching it right now :D

I'll say it again. Out of all the shows ever made, none of them deserve the title "Masterpiece" more than Sherlock. Perfect acting, smart use of VFX, excellent storytelling... I could go on longer.

Unfortunately, this new series of Sherlock (series 4) has been slated by much of the UK media. Only yesterday, one headline ran: It's the crime of the century! How they turned once magical Sherlock into self-indulgent twaddle.

In general, the scriptwriters Gatiss and Moffat have been accused of trying to be too smartar*e, Cumberbatch, too arrogant and Freeman, 'an a**ehole'! I must admit, it's curious viewing, and not difficult to see why the media has come down against it. Shame, because it was one of the most watchable shows on the box.

Very cool work Nerdwriter1