Something I picked up on as someone who suffers from anxiety. The door is in almost every shot of the special, and I think he does an amazing job of capturing the desire to stay inside. It's right there, all he has to do is walk out. I don't want to be stuck in my room, it's messy, it's cramped, it's lonely, but even so it's a comfort. The shot towards the end when he steps outside, and the spotlight is on him, he panics and desperately wants go to go back in but it's too late, hit me so hard
I feel like him being inside the room is both a portrayal of the lock down, and a metaphor for just how isolating mental illness can be. Being inside also seems prison like at times, but also seen and referenced as a safe place he doesn't want to leave due to terror.
its a place he decided to get out of by the act of making the special. so maybe the laughter when Bo made it out of the room is him prejudging what the response will be to the work. him being categorised as a comedian means people wont want to engage with the depth of his work? idk
@@marinusdejager41 It was definetly an artistic (and maybe thematic) choice to set the whole thing in one room. He most likely didn't actually live in that room during lockdown.
Yeah the fact it's also tiny and he's very tall created a very claustrophobic effect. And I feel like that room almost felt like being inside his head.
@@brickalmonds it's basically his shed, the guest house at the bottom of the garden, definitely not where he lives... Well technically part of where he lives, but at the end of make happy you see him leave and his girlfriend and dog are on the porch of the main house across the garden... It's just his studio.
I just have to say, I love how consistently you experiment with the video essay formula, I thought this was outstanding and frankly, quite moving. Excellent work Thomas!
He's a true filmmaker at heart. So many video essay channels decide on a format/style and stick to it for the sake of consistency, which is perfectly fine of course, but I really appreciate the extra effort Thomas puts into his projects.
I think Bo's mental health struggles as seen in the special are both real and not. I genuinely believe that he's experienced all those issues. However, like many good artists, he uses artifice to make his personal experiences more universal and digestible. 100% personal art, if that's even possible, would have very little value or accessibility to the viewer. It needs to be rendered into a more objective form.
I disagree. I was taught in many creative writing classes that for poetry in particular, the more specific your imagery is, the more universal it becomes. The most meaningful song lyrics are not about general emotions, but instead specific experiences that evoke those emotions. You can understand and empathize with a person’s art without experiencing their entire lives yourself. Every person has a different perspective, but the same underlying desires run deep through all of us - a desire for belonging, for fulfillment, for human connection, and the list goes on. In a way, that means you’re right; 100% personal art doesn’t exist, because the underlying themes of every work of art is universal.
I love the way your video uses Burnham's own formal techniques to comment on Burnham's formal techniques. That kind of meta-commentary seems especially fitting to tackle a special that is in itself a meta-commentary/deconstruction. Maybe that's an obvious observation, but I hadn't seen a similar comment yet. Anyway, I appreciate the deep thought you put into this one, and that you didn't just default to your typical video-essay (which would have been great too).
So I’m friends with the one of like 3 other people that has a credit on the special and he said that the original was much longer like twice as long. RELEASE THE BO CUT
Pretty much everything that's ever created gets edited down before release. And frankly, 99% of the time it needs to be cut. Part of why I love Bo's work is how tight it is, I trust they made the right calls when trimming the fat.
Really great work man, I watched through your entire essay and found myself rewinding parts just like I did when I watched "Inside" for the first time. The way you articulate your ideas and even criticize parts of the special in ways that others havent really made this stand out. And of course the insane amount of effort that went into mimicking the style of the special was fabulous, im exhausted after just watching it, I hope you learned some new tricks by replicating the shots and it was worth it! It made it worth it for me as a viewer, the replicated style really drove home your points you were making. I gotta say though, my favorite bit was the mock "horror" trailer you made, soo good! Thanks for the awesome essay. I've been thinking about "Inside" since the moment it ended and I really appreciate your analysis and video creation. Ive watched a bunch of your other essays as well and think youre a really talented and smart dude!
Inside feels like a "comedy special" version of a fractal. The more I listen to it and the more I watch it, I notice different details and angles within the writing and production. It has been one of the most enjoyable and thought provoking pieces of media I've consumed this year. Your video is an excellent breakdown of what makes Inside so great. Thank you!
the section where you emulate Folding Ideas' format actually got a cackle out of me when I realized what you were doing. invoking the style of other popular online essayists/analysts as your own, like, "stream gamer" segments is super thoughtful and clever!
I find a reason why so many people say that his work hit people so hard was because of how similar it was to the concepts that Bertolt Brecht made his work by (German director from 1930s). There is an emotional journey but you aren’t given an ideology/ or belief comparably to agree with or follow (like the majority of movies today). The manipulation doesn’t work as Bo draws attention to the theatrical process and production. The character is incredibly unstable and there is no visual “world” to compare it to just an unstable confusing description of one. These things left the viewer incredibly engaged and more thinking critically about the subject matter than when they started.
@@ThomasFlight I’m mostly parroting a video by Caleb Gamman from a video titled “I just watched content that wasn’t aimed at me and now I’m pissed”. That video and Bo’s are two of the only videos that have left me with the same type/level of emotion/ critical engagement. I HIGHLY recommend watching it, it gives a modern take on Brecht in the age of the internet and other fascinating concepts that Bo also mentioned.
edit: there is an emotional journey kinda there is just no real definitive answer from the ending, his mental health condition isn’t gonna be cured are there is no foreseeable end, that’s why I say there is no ideology given along the journey as it needs a start and end.
BRUH not me making this comparison and hoping I was one of the first to then see this comment : p To me Inside can definitelly be considered a new art movement. Maybe Neo-Epic? It also fits in well with the situation of Brecht in the early 20th century: individuals that are watching dangereous beliefs rise and feeling an urge to actively work against them (then dictatorship, etc...) and Bo against climate change, capitalism, racism... in context of the overstimilation which is the internet.
@fik I made this 10 years ago but it might be interesting for you if you're looking for online narratives with a Brechtian approach: th-cam.com/video/TzfAqlcuyO8/w-d-xo.html (it's also on Amazon Prime Video)
13:45 It's really interesting how well humor and horror go together; I forget who, but someone once pointed out that they both have the same formula of proposition, leading thought/confusion, and payoff, whether it be the punchline or a scare. Explains why so many people find themselves laughing at scary scenes, or creeped out if a joke's energy isn't conveyed correctly!
Commenting for engagement, but this truly blew me away. As remarkable as Inside is, I think this might be one of the best video essays I’ve ever seen. You really got inside (pun always intended) his techniques, to understand, to analyze, all in the most empathetic and intelligent way. Your channel has always impressed me, but this was an experience on par with watching the special itself. Thank you so much for your incredible work.
ik im a couple years late to this video but one of my favorite parts about this special is it’s not just inside like being stuck inside a building but it’s being stuck inside a person with anxiety and depression’s head and that’s what made me relate to it so much
This special ripped me apart, and I haven't watched it again since I saw it the first time. It was so raw and devastating I literally couldn't bring myself to watch it twice. At That Funny Feeling I just cried and cried and cried. It physically hurt to see my emotions so blatantly represented. It hurt, like really hurt.
I started watching this, then stopped - went to NETFLIX, & watched 'Inside', came back and finished this (the next day). Thanks for putting in the hard work. If anything 'Inside' does a great job in bringing out the darkness all creatives have to deal with. Hope you take care of yourself, and keep creating.
I mean the genius of this essay is self-evident. What I want to say is that, when you suggested that you may not know what you're talking about, it comforted me. I made my first essay half a year ago and I'm slowly working on another one and I keep feeling like I'm just talking out of my rear end. When I see your videos, I assume you have a level of experience and professionalism that I missed the boat on and which I'll never be able to match. And maybe I won't. But that you seem to have doubts [at least thats how it looks in the video] reminds me that it's normal and that my stories and my creations are valid, even if there's always gonna be someone out there with more experience. Please don't stop doing what you're doing, you really are an inspiration Thomas.
Haha believe me there are plenty of doubts ;) I think it’s important to remember that while there are very smart people who do a lot of research on TH-cam, almost nobody came to it as a “professional.” It’s largely a community of people who are self taught figuring out how to best use the medium to talk about stuff they want to talk about.
@@ThomasFlight Guys.. I think that is what Bo was trying to convey. How both of you feel while doing your essays and reactions. In other words he accomplished what he set out to do. I personally am glad to see it. It promotes self reflection. Its a good thing.
I really appreciate this analysis. I agree that he probably didn’t go full Aviator to make this thing, but also agree that it doesn’t matter. Verisimilitude is not the same thing as truthfulness when it comes to expressing honesty. And while I would argue that the worst bit of this special was the literalised “break down” he has near the end (which doesn’t feel as earnest as the rest of his special), I think his choreographed, scripted and thoughtfully dramatised struggle throughout the film is one of the most accurate interpretations of what it felt like to go through this pandemic. It’s an example of art superseding literalism, emphasising the feeling of an experience over the documented reality, in order to highlight a more accurate telling of what it felt like in the instant. If he had literally just stuck a camera in the corner while writing songs, it wouldn’t have captured any of that sense of struggle in the same way, even if it would have been arguably more accurate. This version instead attempts to dramatise how it felt for an outsider. And while it might be more dramatised, it is also more honest to the truth of what this period felt like
2 things: Brilliant editing! The portion that sticks out to me the most was the horror trailer, which I thought was really well done. I also wanted to say good on you for having the confidence to stick through with this video. I know personally I would've doubted myself way too much to finish, but I'm glad you completed it and shared it. Love your channel, keep up the great work!
This was ALMOST too much for me to take in. The fact this was on TH-cam with chapters, an ad read at the end, with the little spunky music to boot was also almost too much for me. Genuinely, great work Thomas.
Since this special came out, I've been doing a deep dive on Bo Burnham. This is definitely the best video essay about Inside I have watched so far. I love your content and I can't wait for another video essay soon!!
When you clicked off of yourself during your "interview", it really spoke to me about how I consume content. I see my videos through to the end for the people I choose to subscribe to but random youtubers? I often find myself clicking off mid sentence if my attention isnt kept "enough". If i'm not being entertained to the level that I desire. I really wasn't expecting to learn another thing about myself outside of the analysis of "inside". Thanks for the video.
Bo Burnham's special was SO refreshing. When Eight Grade came out I really fell into a rabbit hole of interviews and media criticism about the movie and now I have been waiting to do the same. I think your essay is really on point and it's the perfect medium for an art piece such as Inside. As you said, it seems like every other media has no clue how to depict, disect or even think about living in a social media/plataform-based world and the internet is the only place to do it in a kind of weird self-referential way. Burnham's way of depicting the internet is unique and very personal. And so, as everything in this plataform it needs and it feeds from the self-reflection and media criticism such as yours. I think I'm thinking out loud. Just wanna say thank for your video and keep doing the good work you're doing.
As a newcomer to the channel, it is heartening to see this level of self awareness and even willingness to self-abrade the context of the form that shows me why one of your later videos caught my eye and caused me to subscribe. Thanks for what you do, and happy to subscribe. Looking forwards to the future of your descent into self analysis, analysis, deconstruction, metareconstruction, metaredereconstruction, and et cetera as you follow your path.
After watching the special nearly daily since my first watch, it's been amazing to me how it sucks me back into it when I am normally a watch it and drop it kind of viewer of content unless it seems like it's teaching me something I find important. Inside feels like there is an incredibly important message being provided that forces me to try to extract every bit of it I can. There's a richness to Inside that most content just cannot match
I watched a lot of video essays in the first 2 weeks after the special's release, and I think in what this essays failed is in digesting it a little more. Many of them felt that have been made with the first reaction of "wow this is amazing and so honest!!!!" which is absolutely not bad, is in fact very true of what i think most of the people who watched it felt. In the moment this essay said: "What if this comedy special is bad?" is when i was excited the most because presented a point of view no one had. Maybe im restating this video but listening of the songs alone without the visual world created for them, rewatching a couple of times helps with the funny feeling of helplessness, to rembember then, this is a netflix special, its not completely true to life, it comes with artist and corporate expectations, you dont know how mant songs went away or scene changes there were. Is this a honest representation of the western capitalistic society? Yes, in a extent. And it is an important piece of media? Also yes. But don't stay with only the opinions expresed by bo, if you are reading this, please keep criticizing the criticize and making sense of what you see. Very good essay!!! Have a great day!!
That point he brought was something I was thinking in the middle of my first watch. I had this idea that Bo Burnham was a genius, everything he said was for a purpose, if Bo Burnham said something, it's for a reason. Before watching the special I was fantizing about what he would sing about, two of my predictions became true which was the internet and the one bit of big corporations needing go have a say on today's politics. But something was off, he never really went as deep as I expected him to. I had this idea that he was going to go in and criticize way more than he actually did but he didn't, he was more laid back.
I feel like one reason this work was so resonant with so many people was because of the layers of intimacy, but not in the sense where it feels like we're in the room with Bo. Although that is a unique aspect to this "comedy special", I think it's more interesting to think about this level of intimacy in relation to the viewer. During the pandemic we were all forced to confront ourselves, for better or worse. Being alone isn't just scary because there could be something in that dark corner or that feeling of helplessness that forms deep in your stomach, but also because you're not really alone. You have you, but in today's age we become more and more separated from ourselves. Personally, listening to youtube videos in the background while doing mundane activities has become common place, but that makes it weird when I'm forced to be in a silent room and deal with what I have to think and not listen to what others do. Bo's special portrays someone coming to terms with this self-dissonance, and having it be kind of scary. For the absurdity that takes place, dramatic set ups, and slight level of artifice, it feels like someone exploring themselves, and I feel like a lot of people can relate to that. Fantastic video Mr.Flight!
Awesome video. I loved this special. Honestly, I can't even name the last thing that resonated with me as much as Inside. It's been quite a while, even pre-pandemic. It's also really cool how Inside says so much about the modern world without ever once even explicitly identifying the pandemic, or naming anyone who spends a significant amount of time in Washington D.C. Bo manages to say so much about us and our culture, identifying things that frankly we're all complicit in. Edit: 26:30 tightrope of a topic, I think the mental health struggles are genuine. I also think that he is using his art/theatrical expression to get the point across (i.e. I doubt he was actually waiting by his clock as he turned 30, for example, but I do believe the sort of existential panic it provoked was genuine).
You have once again outdone yourself with really pushing the boundaries of your craft and of blurring the lines between essay format and content. Brilliant work.
It's very psychological and it goes where the title says it goes: 'inside'. I love how it uses a multitude of types of editing and cinematography to creatively get his pointa across.
i think a lot of the "laugh out loud" experience is really dependent on watching with others, versus watching alone. As Bo mentions in an earlier special
I think it also depends on how comfortable you are finding humor in dark topics. I watched this with my friend, who was near tears in moments when I was cracking up.
Amazing work! This type of work is what originally pulled me into the creative force of TH-cam. Times are changing, with content getting shorter and shorter. I'm grateful for the time it takes to be intentional and thought provoking with work like this.
Despite how sardonic and meta Bo can be, I soooo appreciate the genuine empathy and tenderness behind his work, and it made my heart so warm to see you bring those same qualities to this criticism 💕💕
Also, just going to shout out that you're flexing those editing skills quite well, the use of subtle wipes look effortless but that shit takes a lot of thought & prep work
I wish this special wasn't categorized as "quarantine art". It's so much more than that. Mental health, isolation, growing disconnect from reality, corporate greed and power, etc. The cherry on top is that it also perfectly captured the feelings during quarantine
The opening of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off has been replicated so many times and is still a stable of cinema. Inside is our generations version of that. It will continue to be emulated for years to come
This must have been fun and challenging to recreate a lot of the lighting effects and shots from the film. Great job! This is one of the best analytical pieces I’ve seen about it.
When I first watched Inside it really stirred a deep depression within me and I couldn't think about it for days, or watch this video on it because something was really unsettled in me after watching it. Genuinely felt it should of come with a trigger warning. But the songs kept creeping into my mind and your video really helped put how I felt into perspective, existential horror is an excellent description, and even though it unsettled me I'm glad I've watched it and will definitely re watch when Im ready
I can't believe this video is free I got a glimpse of these tones on the first viewing but not the full scope as clear as you made it here. As someone trying to be a artist thanks for these videos there great lessons thank you
I don't know how you are able to read all the comments and pick out someone who was picking up exactly what you were putting down, but I'd like to believe that you will hopefully appreciate that from beginning to end I was carefully watching and listening to you. I'm sooo hoping You will notice that YOUR video is the only subject of this comment YOUR video is what I appreciated and despite the titles doing its job brilliantly, the message I received from your content has completely diverted my interest into watching anything else you've done. Your main point echoes in the comments where it initially looks like an individual got the point, until they parallel your message using a reference to the title of video, that thanks to your critique isn't necessary for me to watch. Excellent extraction of the valuable points, delivered without the filler.
Hey Thomas, grab a couch; I'll analyse you this time. I was a huge fan of your breakdown from 25:31 - 29:58 in particular. The shot composition makes your point for you in less than a second: debating the authenticity of Burnham's declining mental health as portrayed in the special is a spiralling rabbit hole with no real bottom, because authentic performance is an inherent paradox that Inside (and Burnham's body of work in general) is explicitly created to explore. I don't know if you'll see this comment, and there's no point in me questioning the degree to which you are authentic about the anxiety/insecurity you express about the quality/validity of your work. Because it's genuine. I can feel the difference between shots: there are places where you imitate Burnham out of admiration or to borrow a bit of his spark. But often, you're making an incisive meta-commentary with your composition, and doing it *your* way. You win in both cases: the former showcases your eye for detail and technical skill, and the latter showcases a mind I find every bit as brilliant as Burnham's. Hard subscribe. Edit: PS: Your facial hair makes me jealous.
RE: the Knife commentary - this portion of the special recalled to my mind commentary by Arnold Weinstein regarding Faulkner's seminal As I Lay Dying. In the novel, the mother discusses a horrific feeling of empowerment or impact when she physically disciplines the children she teaches, referring to the moment that their "strange" blood mixes and the impenetrable private, "selfish lives" of each child becomes marked by her - when she forces herself into their awareness as only one could by violently marking their bodies with her switch. Weinstein critically appraises this section through the lens of literature (and, larger still, art and expression). He likens the artistic act as one of violently impacting the "private, selfish lives" of those that are forever marked by it. These themes of violent intrusion, of unnecessary impact or perversion, are present in Burnham's special, exemplified in the knife sequence. Here, the threat of violence is made manifest, but it is always already a part of the act of creative expression that demands an audience to bear witness to it. In this dark appraisal, the special itself is a knife that Bo is hopeful will violently intrude into the lives of his audience. His greatest fear, by his own selfish admission of attention-seeking, is to be ignored. This is why the form of threat that the knife represents serves as an appropriate metaphor for his own desire with respect to his work and the audience it demands.
While all that could well be true, think it’s mainly about unboxing videos. I think it’s likely that he watched a bunch of Peter McKinnon’s videos while learning all the gear and thinking about and learning the camera, lighting, tech stuff. Pete loves a knife.
I cannot express enough how much I enjoyed this video. I really liked Bo's special, but I might say I enjoyed your video even more. It's such exquisite work and your analysis is so wholehearted and sensible at every point. Also, I respect it even more since I imagine it is stressful to work under the pressure of the moment when reviewing new films. This is my favorite video so far. Keep it up, Thomas! You're making the world a richer place.
Having watched the special and binged through a few of the analysis pieces that cropped up here on TH-cam today and just when this podcast segment popped up I was like, wait a minute... I just seen that. Awesome for you to actually parody a podcasting scenario in this review and exploring further the types of formats inside has delivered and in turn inspired you to include in your review.
this was one of, if not the most well crafted and well thought out video essays ive ever watched. It captured the feeling of Inside so well and gave me a lot of the same feelings that the special does, well done
That mental health talk was very sweet, Thomas. Also I really appreciate your experimentation with the video essay format. I kept watching your Atlanta video just because of how great the editing was, and then I watched the series. Hope you're doing well.
haven't finished watching but that section you edited to be a horror-comedy trailer uhm WOW it rly highlights those undertones that can be ignored when its watched normally
watched this on nebula yesterday and now i'm watching it again here. incredibly interesting take on the special! i like that over the course of the essay you start experimenting with styles that weren't present in the special, but it still feels natural and fits the tone of the video (i.e. the turtleneck Folding Ideas setup). i really enjoyed this thank u for making it
Wow, this was a really great video essay. I really enjoyed your look and perspective on the special, especially on that last part when talking personally about how creators have to be concise and snappy with their editing and script. The part about needing/hating/loving the audience is something I personally have a struggle with that in my own art as well, since as an illustrator I'm told somewhat consistently to cater to the masses with fanart and anime (not hating on any of those. I love them too.)... that's not really my style, but I also want to grow and am nervous about my future after I graduate from college. Anyways, this video format was pretty amazing and unexpected, and it was awesome to see so much work put into emulating the style of the special itself. Very nice, very cool!
I felt a little surprised when you mentioned keeping people's attention at the end, because up to that point I was utterly glued to the video haha, thanks for all your hard working making such fantastic video essays! I really loved your insight
While almost everyone, and I do mean almost EVERYONE is doing a video about Bo's Inside special, analyzing and breaking down the special and doing it in the same style of Bo's special, mimicking the techniques and what not. You Thomas Fight, have done this just a bit better than anyone else's that I've seen thus far. Well done.
Inside is one of my favorite pieces of media ever. And the thing that you did shows great respect and understanding of it. You are amazing! Really! Thank you for all the work you've done here. Thank you for you're commitment. And the ending, man! This is brilliant!
damn dude, you absolutely killed this. i feel like i’m in some sort of weird meta-ception reality watching this lol. which i suppose is only fitting. while i was looking up what people had to say/reacting to this special, i was thinking that is totally something bo would poke fun at. and i’m just like damn. point is, this shit is crazy to think about and absolutely love it. fascinating stuff
What I find interesting about Inside is this pervasive feeling that Bo hates his work, hates what he’s done, even hates what he’s doing-he hates the entitlement he sees in himself, hates his need to be seen and heard and to say something, to be important, to be a voice on a subjective. He doesn’t see himself as an expert in anything, as capable of anything but this, comedy, spectacle, self-awareness as both an authentic expression of himself and pretentiouness. He can’t do mindless, silly comedy because it feels like a waste of the audience’s attention, like entertainment for money instead of art, but he also can’t help hating his need of intelectualizing comedy and what he believes is taking the fun out of something people are paying money and attention to get. Bo’s work lives in this space of two opposites-of making a dark comedy joke for a cheap laugh but then explaining he doesn’t really mean it; of making a deep point about society but then adding a gag to undercut the tension; of hating this current need to use irony as a shield against vulnerability and thinking while also thinking the seriousness defeats the whole point of his work, and, really, who is he to tell you how to live? Except... it’s not true that Bo is only capable of this. Bo IS capable of more, and he’s proven constantly-he’s a director, an actor, a pretty good singer, he’s charismatic, funny; if he wanted to, he could absolutely venture into different aspects of the industry instead of musical comedy as his niche. He doubts himself, questions himself, but, in a way, like you said, he presses on. He made Inside after years of doing other stuff outside of his comedy specials. Yes, I’m sure the pandemic played a huge part in it, but, as he himself says in the special, the pandemic influenced more the content and format of the special than his intention to make it, since he was already intending on going back to comedy. I don’t know what was going through his head, but it’s like he believes he has no right to do this, that the world does not need any more voices like his, but he still looked at himself and said, “sure, there are a million reasons why I shouldn’t do this... but the truth is, no one is doing it right now, and no one is doing it like I am. My voice might not be the most important or interesting or necessary but it is unique simply by virtue of being mine and having my baggage attached to it.” And, I don’t know, I like that. It’s honest. Sometimes you need to make art questioning your own need to make art; sometimes you need to speak up about your own need to speak up. Sometimes recognizing out loud that something is there is the only way to reckon with it. Bo quit comedy because he believed he needed to live without an audience, because he believed leaving was his way of making space for other voices that mattered more than his, but he came back because, it turns out, comedy is a part of him. He could’ve gone on acting-Promising Young Woman was a great movie and he was awesome in it. He could’ve gone on directing and writing movies-I haven’t watched Eighth Grade yet, but I hear it is pretty great and well-liked. He has the means AND the audience. But comedy clearly matters to him; let me tell you, it is very hard to keep track of motivation for projects unless you really care for them, especially ones as time-consuming as Inside. I don’t know Bo’s financial situation, but I doubt he made Inside purely out of a need for money. I’m sure he could’ve not made it if he had no interest in truly stepping back into comedy specials, so the fact that he pushed on and made it regardless of the toll it was clearly taking on his mental health shows me he genuinely thought he had something to say. And, like, I’m sure he likes attention-we all do-but Bo has always struck me as someone who wants to use this attention for good, as someone who is very aware-and wary-of the ways he both covets and manages to get it, and he tries to leverage it to get a good message across. I’ve never truly seen him as someone who would go back to doing comedy after essentially quitting just to keep himself on the limelight, keep himself relevant. Making Inside, to me, feels a bit like a triumph, even when the message is so bittersweet-this man had the courage to look himself in the eye, see all the flaws and shortcomings and corrupt motivations and his fear of mediocrity and still decide to do it. He realized the only way to learn how not to be a bad artist is by making art and seeing what comes out. He decided he didn’t need to hold on to the ego of thinking you matter so much you get to gatekeep your ideas and art from the world, despite how much it can help other people (even if a tiny amount of them), and he went ahead. The only way to make a positive impact on the world is by choosing to impact it. By simply existing outside of your own head more often. By trying, even if a little. Yeah... Inside is depressing as hell but the most important takeaway for me is the story behind it. It’s in between everything he says in it, in the framing, in the way he scoffs at the performance of shoving a camera onto yourself and your thoughts and trying to look good while doing it but also still doing it anyway. It’s in the confrontation of the hypocrisy as a reality of being human and multifaceted. He is brave as hell for being self-aware of the criticism he can receive and that he believes he’s earned but still accepting his inability to be 100% coherent in his beliefs and morals and showing it to the world without apologizing. It just means a lot to me. Plus, let’s be honest, the editing, camera angles, and framing of this comedy special are just fantastic. They deeply enhances the themes and jokes, which shows me how much of an incredible filmmaker Bo truly is. He’s not being flashy simply for the sake of style (which can work in specific cases but probably wouldn’t here)-he’s very meticulous about what should be put in and what should be cut out, about what delivers the message without being too obvious and what is unnecessary. I love it. Comedians love to talk about how comedy comments on society, how it challenges it, but this special (and Bo’s work in general) actually shows me that by not just being edgy for edgy’s sake and carrying this undercurrent of genuine care for his audience; of knowing he shouldn’t be worshiped but still has a responsibility to use the platform he has for good. He dug his grave-now he’s planting some flowers in it instead of burying himself alive.
Thank you for actually doing this. It IS art and i hope more people treat it with such depth and see his transparent critique without a live crowd nervously laughing at him
This is such a great video! Well crafted, nuanced analysis, and presenting a video essay in very creative way. I just discovered your channel recently and wanted to congratulate you on your amazing work. Keep it up, will definitely watch more.
Just noticed that the instrumental that plays over the interstitial moments is a combination of the time signature/chords of “look who’s inside again” with a version of “welcome to the internet” as the melody. Because of course, that’s the unifying glue of the special, and it becomes the theme for Bo the creator. The result is this sad clown song, which takes me right back to the opening of “make happy” and damn Bo, did you have to go that hard?
Just subscribed. I can’t believe more people haven’t seen this analysis, it’s fantastic and you’ve approached this so creatively and put so much effort in all your videos but especially this one - I just wanted to say its really appreciated and I’d love to make videos like this 👍🏼 well done!
Damn I wish I had seen this before I wrote my article. (Or maybe not. lol) This is really in line with what I was seeing, right down to the realization that Bo Burnham would make an amazing horror director. Good to know other people saw these things too!
I feel like this essay is brilliant in similar ways that the special itself is brilliant. Which is to say, I'm not nearly a good enough media critic to notice them all. So now I need someone else to make another essay to explain this one to me.
It’s knowing someone’s pain but not knowing them. It’s the way we’re witnessing someone share a vulnerable part of themselves and not being able to acknowledge them, maybe not wanting to. We realize we how much we demand of artists, and of each other’s daily performances, and how it keeps all of our suffering contained, inside. The pain can’t come out when we are constantly trying to entertain and hold each other’s attention, but it builds up as tension in our body and spirit, and between one another. Knowing this, the intimacy and the distance are both incredibly uncomfortable. We’re not truly accustomed to either. The distance makes us feel complicit in the suffering, the intimacy makes us feel afraid. That’s why Inside is such a challenging piece. It’s not cathartic as much as it is demanding, it demands that we acknowledge our participation as audience members, we are not simply passive consumers by choice, we are trapped in that role too.
Everything's a construction with Robert Pickering up to and including Bo Burnham. He's definitely genuine "within" the narrative and its for sure based on all the things he is experiencing or thinking about. But, there is NEVER a prop or a phrase or any singular gesture that isnt timed to the second and executed exactly as envisioned in the script. Phenomenal creator.
Amazing essay, Thomas ! No doubt, the best one I've seen so far on "Inside". Your take on it is so articulate and interesting. And props to you for paying homage to the visual look of the special and adding your own touch, I am very impressed. :)
Did you ever come to the idea that maybe Bo wasn't specifically making a "quarantine" special but rather attempting to let us have a look inside the workings of how he develops a special hidden under the guise of a pandemic? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Loved the video!
good, deeply constructed content. Haven't seen much since the special itself. It really is quite something when you think you understood something well and then get hit with a lot of things you didn't consider,specially in a well articulated way like this.
Something I picked up on as someone who suffers from anxiety. The door is in almost every shot of the special, and I think he does an amazing job of capturing the desire to stay inside. It's right there, all he has to do is walk out. I don't want to be stuck in my room, it's messy, it's cramped, it's lonely, but even so it's a comfort. The shot towards the end when he steps outside, and the spotlight is on him, he panics and desperately wants go to go back in but it's too late, hit me so hard
I feel like him being inside the room is both a portrayal of the lock down, and a metaphor for just how isolating mental illness can be. Being inside also seems prison like at times, but also seen and referenced as a safe place he doesn't want to leave due to terror.
I also think the use of Venetian blinds helps with the feeling of a prison and being trapped.
its a place he decided to get out of by the act of making the special. so maybe the laughter when Bo made it out of the room is him prejudging what the response will be to the work. him being categorised as a comedian means people wont want to engage with the depth of his work? idk
@@marinusdejager41 It was definetly an artistic (and maybe thematic) choice to set the whole thing in one room. He most likely didn't actually live in that room during lockdown.
Yeah the fact it's also tiny and he's very tall created a very claustrophobic effect. And I feel like that room almost felt like being inside his head.
@@brickalmonds it's basically his shed, the guest house at the bottom of the garden, definitely not where he lives... Well technically part of where he lives, but at the end of make happy you see him leave and his girlfriend and dog are on the porch of the main house across the garden... It's just his studio.
I just have to say, I love how consistently you experiment with the video essay formula, I thought this was outstanding and frankly, quite moving. Excellent work Thomas!
He's a true filmmaker at heart.
So many video essay channels decide on a format/style and stick to it for the sake of consistency, which is perfectly fine of course, but I really appreciate the extra effort Thomas puts into his projects.
this man really dropped the best analysis of the special yet and then brought us outside to touch grass
Illustrating the possibility of going outside. Aka finding a solution to your mental problems.
As a big Burnham fan who has manically watched almost all the video essays about his special, your video truly stands out. I absolutely love it.
Same!
I think Bo's mental health struggles as seen in the special are both real and not. I genuinely believe that he's experienced all those issues. However, like many good artists, he uses artifice to make his personal experiences more universal and digestible. 100% personal art, if that's even possible, would have very little value or accessibility to the viewer. It needs to be rendered into a more objective form.
I disagree. I was taught in many creative writing classes that for poetry in particular, the more specific your imagery is, the more universal it becomes. The most meaningful song lyrics are not about general emotions, but instead specific experiences that evoke those emotions. You can understand and empathize with a person’s art without experiencing their entire lives yourself. Every person has a different perspective, but the same underlying desires run deep through all of us - a desire for belonging, for fulfillment, for human connection, and the list goes on. In a way, that means you’re right; 100% personal art doesn’t exist, because the underlying themes of every work of art is universal.
@@solastacey127 I disagree. See the entirety of country music as a counterexample.
@@anti0918 Care to elaborate? I don’t listen to country music so I don’t really know what you mean
Screenshotting this comment for when I'm doing freelance work lol
@@solastacey127 i completely agree
I love the way your video uses Burnham's own formal techniques to comment on Burnham's formal techniques. That kind of meta-commentary seems especially fitting to tackle a special that is in itself a meta-commentary/deconstruction. Maybe that's an obvious observation, but I hadn't seen a similar comment yet. Anyway, I appreciate the deep thought you put into this one, and that you didn't just default to your typical video-essay (which would have been great too).
So I’m friends with the one of like 3 other people that has a credit on the special and he said that the original was much longer like twice as long. RELEASE THE BO CUT
omfg he needs to release longer cut...
The more snide cut
Please I need the bo cut
Oh my god. We need this. (But seriously, if they had to cut it down, it shows how much work Bo has put into it. This man is incredible.)
Pretty much everything that's ever created gets edited down before release. And frankly, 99% of the time it needs to be cut. Part of why I love Bo's work is how tight it is, I trust they made the right calls when trimming the fat.
All eyes on Thomas Flight, incredibly well done! :)
I love you
gesprekken binnen deze TH-cam filmgemeenschap zijn altijd fantastisch
YOOO ITS YOU. I love both of your shit :]
All eyes on him, all eyes on him
Really great work man, I watched through your entire essay and found myself rewinding parts just like I did when I watched "Inside" for the first time. The way you articulate your ideas and even criticize parts of the special in ways that others havent really made this stand out. And of course the insane amount of effort that went into mimicking the style of the special was fabulous, im exhausted after just watching it, I hope you learned some new tricks by replicating the shots and it was worth it! It made it worth it for me as a viewer, the replicated style really drove home your points you were making. I gotta say though, my favorite bit was the mock "horror" trailer you made, soo good!
Thanks for the awesome essay. I've been thinking about "Inside" since the moment it ended and I really appreciate your analysis and video creation. Ive watched a bunch of your other essays as well and think youre a really talented and smart dude!
Inside feels like a "comedy special" version of a fractal. The more I listen to it and the more I watch it, I notice different details and angles within the writing and production. It has been one of the most enjoyable and thought provoking pieces of media I've consumed this year. Your video is an excellent breakdown of what makes Inside so great. Thank you!
the section where you emulate Folding Ideas' format actually got a cackle out of me when I realized what you were doing. invoking the style of other popular online essayists/analysts as your own, like, "stream gamer" segments is super thoughtful and clever!
I find a reason why so many people say that his work hit people so hard was because of how similar it was to the concepts that Bertolt Brecht made his work by (German director from 1930s).
There is an emotional journey but you aren’t given an ideology/ or belief comparably to agree with or follow (like the majority of movies today). The manipulation doesn’t work as Bo draws attention to the theatrical process and production. The character is incredibly unstable and there is no visual “world” to compare it to just an unstable confusing description of one.
These things left the viewer incredibly engaged and more thinking critically about the subject matter than when they started.
I haven't watch Brecht, I'll have to check them out!
@@ThomasFlight I’m mostly parroting a video by Caleb Gamman from a video titled “I just watched content that wasn’t aimed at me and now I’m pissed”.
That video and Bo’s are two of the only videos that have left me with the same type/level of emotion/ critical engagement. I HIGHLY recommend watching it, it gives a modern take on Brecht in the age of the internet and other fascinating concepts that Bo also mentioned.
edit: there is an emotional journey kinda there is just no real definitive answer from the ending, his mental health condition isn’t gonna be cured are there is no foreseeable end, that’s why I say there is no ideology given along the journey as it needs a start and end.
BRUH not me making this comparison and hoping I was one of the first to then see this comment : p
To me Inside can definitelly be considered a new art movement. Maybe Neo-Epic? It also fits in well with the situation of Brecht in the early 20th century: individuals that are watching dangereous beliefs rise and feeling an urge to actively work against them (then dictatorship, etc...) and Bo against climate change, capitalism, racism... in context of the overstimilation which is the internet.
@fik I made this 10 years ago but it might be interesting for you if you're looking for online narratives with a Brechtian approach: th-cam.com/video/TzfAqlcuyO8/w-d-xo.html (it's also on Amazon Prime Video)
thank you. ive been kinda disappointed with the lack of depth ive seen in talking about Inside. you really pulled it off
13:45 It's really interesting how well humor and horror go together; I forget who, but someone once pointed out that they both have the same formula of proposition, leading thought/confusion, and payoff, whether it be the punchline or a scare. Explains why so many people find themselves laughing at scary scenes, or creeped out if a joke's energy isn't conveyed correctly!
Jordan Peele has a really good interview about this somewhere.
Commenting for engagement, but this truly blew me away. As remarkable as Inside is, I think this might be one of the best video essays I’ve ever seen. You really got inside (pun always intended) his techniques, to understand, to analyze, all in the most empathetic and intelligent way. Your channel has always impressed me, but this was an experience on par with watching the special itself. Thank you so much for your incredible work.
ik im a couple years late to this video but one of my favorite parts about this special is it’s not just inside like being stuck inside a building but it’s being stuck inside a person with anxiety and depression’s head and that’s what made me relate to it so much
This special ripped me apart, and I haven't watched it again since I saw it the first time. It was so raw and devastating I literally couldn't bring myself to watch it twice. At That Funny Feeling I just cried and cried and cried. It physically hurt to see my emotions so blatantly represented. It hurt, like really hurt.
I started watching this, then stopped - went to NETFLIX, & watched 'Inside', came back and finished this (the next day).
Thanks for putting in the hard work. If anything 'Inside' does a great job in bringing out the darkness all creatives have to deal with. Hope you take care of yourself, and keep creating.
bo made a arthouse standup set
The sheer amount of work which has gone into the making of this videos essay is greatly appreciated
I mean the genius of this essay is self-evident. What I want to say is that, when you suggested that you may not know what you're talking about, it comforted me. I made my first essay half a year ago and I'm slowly working on another one and I keep feeling like I'm just talking out of my rear end. When I see your videos, I assume you have a level of experience and professionalism that I missed the boat on and which I'll never be able to match. And maybe I won't. But that you seem to have doubts [at least thats how it looks in the video] reminds me that it's normal and that my stories and my creations are valid, even if there's always gonna be someone out there with more experience. Please don't stop doing what you're doing, you really are an inspiration Thomas.
Haha believe me there are plenty of doubts ;) I think it’s important to remember that while there are very smart people who do a lot of research on TH-cam, almost nobody came to it as a “professional.” It’s largely a community of people who are self taught figuring out how to best use the medium to talk about stuff they want to talk about.
@@ThomasFlight Guys.. I think that is what Bo was trying to convey. How both of you feel while doing your essays and reactions. In other words he accomplished what he set out to do. I personally am glad to see it. It promotes self reflection. Its a good thing.
I really appreciate this analysis. I agree that he probably didn’t go full Aviator to make this thing, but also agree that it doesn’t matter. Verisimilitude is not the same thing as truthfulness when it comes to expressing honesty. And while I would argue that the worst bit of this special was the literalised “break down” he has near the end (which doesn’t feel as earnest as the rest of his special), I think his choreographed, scripted and thoughtfully dramatised struggle throughout the film is one of the most accurate interpretations of what it felt like to go through this pandemic. It’s an example of art superseding literalism, emphasising the feeling of an experience over the documented reality, in order to highlight a more accurate telling of what it felt like in the instant. If he had literally just stuck a camera in the corner while writing songs, it wouldn’t have captured any of that sense of struggle in the same way, even if it would have been arguably more accurate. This version instead attempts to dramatise how it felt for an outsider. And while it might be more dramatised, it is also more honest to the truth of what this period felt like
Just like how often edited photos will better capture what being there was like than raw unedited ones
2 things: Brilliant editing! The portion that sticks out to me the most was the horror trailer, which I thought was really well done. I also wanted to say good on you for having the confidence to stick through with this video. I know personally I would've doubted myself way too much to finish, but I'm glad you completed it and shared it. Love your channel, keep up the great work!
This was ALMOST too much for me to take in. The fact this was on TH-cam with chapters, an ad read at the end, with the little spunky music to boot was also almost too much for me. Genuinely, great work Thomas.
Since this special came out, I've been doing a deep dive on Bo Burnham. This is definitely the best video essay about Inside I have watched so far. I love your content and I can't wait for another video essay soon!!
When you clicked off of yourself during your "interview", it really spoke to me about how I consume content. I see my videos through to the end for the people I choose to subscribe to but random youtubers? I often find myself clicking off mid sentence if my attention isnt kept "enough". If i'm not being entertained to the level that I desire. I really wasn't expecting to learn another thing about myself outside of the analysis of "inside". Thanks for the video.
Bo Burnham's special was SO refreshing. When Eight Grade came out I really fell into a rabbit hole of interviews and media criticism about the movie and now I have been waiting to do the same. I think your essay is really on point and it's the perfect medium for an art piece such as Inside. As you said, it seems like every other media has no clue how to depict, disect or even think about living in a social media/plataform-based world and the internet is the only place to do it in a kind of weird self-referential way. Burnham's way of depicting the internet is unique and very personal. And so, as everything in this plataform it needs and it feeds from the self-reflection and media criticism such as yours.
I think I'm thinking out loud. Just wanna say thank for your video and keep doing the good work you're doing.
The horror comedy trailer I love holy hell it is so very well edited
Yessss! Been expecting this since I read your letterboxd review.
As a newcomer to the channel, it is heartening to see this level of self awareness and even willingness to self-abrade the context of the form that shows me why one of your later videos caught my eye and caused me to subscribe.
Thanks for what you do, and happy to subscribe. Looking forwards to the future of your descent into self analysis, analysis, deconstruction, metareconstruction, metaredereconstruction, and et cetera as you follow your path.
After watching the special nearly daily since my first watch, it's been amazing to me how it sucks me back into it when I am normally a watch it and drop it kind of viewer of content unless it seems like it's teaching me something I find important. Inside feels like there is an incredibly important message being provided that forces me to try to extract every bit of it I can. There's a richness to Inside that most content just cannot match
I watched a lot of video essays in the first 2 weeks after the special's release, and I think in what this essays failed is in digesting it a little more. Many of them felt that have been made with the first reaction of "wow this is amazing and so honest!!!!" which is absolutely not bad, is in fact very true of what i think most of the people who watched it felt.
In the moment this essay said: "What if this comedy special is bad?" is when i was excited the most because presented a point of view no one had.
Maybe im restating this video but listening of the songs alone without the visual world created for them, rewatching a couple of times helps with the funny feeling of helplessness, to rembember then, this is a netflix special, its not completely true to life, it comes with artist and corporate expectations, you dont know how mant songs went away or scene changes there were. Is this a honest representation of the western capitalistic society? Yes, in a extent. And it is an important piece of media? Also yes. But don't stay with only the opinions expresed by bo, if you are reading this, please keep criticizing the criticize and making sense of what you see.
Very good essay!!! Have a great day!!
That point he brought was something I was thinking in the middle of my first watch. I had this idea that Bo Burnham was a genius, everything he said was for a purpose, if Bo Burnham said something, it's for a reason.
Before watching the special I was fantizing about what he would sing about, two of my predictions became true which was the internet and the one bit of big corporations needing go have a say on today's politics. But something was off, he never really went as deep as I expected him to. I had this idea that he was going to go in and criticize way more than he actually did but he didn't, he was more laid back.
I feel like one reason this work was so resonant with so many people was because of the layers of intimacy, but not in the sense where it feels like we're in the room with Bo. Although that is a unique aspect to this "comedy special", I think it's more interesting to think about this level of intimacy in relation to the viewer. During the pandemic we were all forced to confront ourselves, for better or worse. Being alone isn't just scary because there could be something in that dark corner or that feeling of helplessness that forms deep in your stomach, but also because you're not really alone. You have you, but in today's age we become more and more separated from ourselves. Personally, listening to youtube videos in the background while doing mundane activities has become common place, but that makes it weird when I'm forced to be in a silent room and deal with what I have to think and not listen to what others do. Bo's special portrays someone coming to terms with this self-dissonance, and having it be kind of scary. For the absurdity that takes place, dramatic set ups, and slight level of artifice, it feels like someone exploring themselves, and I feel like a lot of people can relate to that. Fantastic video Mr.Flight!
Awesome video. I loved this special. Honestly, I can't even name the last thing that resonated with me as much as Inside. It's been quite a while, even pre-pandemic. It's also really cool how Inside says so much about the modern world without ever once even explicitly identifying the pandemic, or naming anyone who spends a significant amount of time in Washington D.C. Bo manages to say so much about us and our culture, identifying things that frankly we're all complicit in.
Edit: 26:30 tightrope of a topic, I think the mental health struggles are genuine. I also think that he is using his art/theatrical expression to get the point across (i.e. I doubt he was actually waiting by his clock as he turned 30, for example, but I do believe the sort of existential panic it provoked was genuine).
You have once again outdone yourself with really pushing the boundaries of your craft and of blurring the lines between essay format and content. Brilliant work.
It's very psychological and it goes where the title says it goes: 'inside'. I love how it uses a multitude of types of editing and cinematography to creatively get his pointa across.
i think a lot of the "laugh out loud" experience is really dependent on watching with others, versus watching alone. As Bo mentions in an earlier special
I think it also depends on how comfortable you are finding humor in dark topics. I watched this with my friend, who was near tears in moments when I was cracking up.
I couldn't tell if Bo was talking or if you were talking for a bit at the start. Your preamble is exceptionally well written
Amazing work! This type of work is what originally pulled me into the creative force of TH-cam. Times are changing, with content getting shorter and shorter. I'm grateful for the time it takes to be intentional and thought provoking with work like this.
In the same way that Inside is the best comedy special I've ever seen, this is probably the best video essay I've ever seen
Despite how sardonic and meta Bo can be, I soooo appreciate the genuine empathy and tenderness behind his work, and it made my heart so warm to see you bring those same qualities to this criticism 💕💕
This complements the special so well. Love it!
Also, just going to shout out that you're flexing those editing skills quite well, the use of subtle wipes look effortless but that shit takes a lot of thought & prep work
14:30 holy shit this should be put out as a separate video and ad. It's amazing, great editing.
I wish this special wasn't categorized as "quarantine art". It's so much more than that. Mental health, isolation, growing disconnect from reality, corporate greed and power, etc.
The cherry on top is that it also perfectly captured the feelings during quarantine
I think this is my favorite video on youtube. Thank you so much.
I’ve seen a couple of video essays on Inside because I’m obsessed but this is the best one by far
The opening of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off has been replicated so many times and is still a stable of cinema. Inside is our generations version of that. It will continue to be emulated for years to come
This must have been fun and challenging to recreate a lot of the lighting effects and shots from the film. Great job! This is one of the best analytical pieces I’ve seen about it.
When I first watched Inside it really stirred a deep depression within me and I couldn't think about it for days, or watch this video on it because something was really unsettled in me after watching it. Genuinely felt it should of come with a trigger warning. But the songs kept creeping into my mind and your video really helped put how I felt into perspective, existential horror is an excellent description, and even though it unsettled me I'm glad I've watched it and will definitely re watch when Im ready
I loved all of this. Thank you ❤️
The point is not “is it real”. The point is: “it is ART”. You did an amazing job, sir.
It takes a very trained eye to be able to capture the essence of Bo’s special as accurately as you did. Cheers to you Thomas.
subtitle needed for this implicit thanks thomas flight this education...
I can't believe this video is free I got a glimpse of these tones on the first viewing but not the full scope as clear as you made it here. As someone trying to be a artist thanks for these videos there great lessons thank you
I don't know how you are able to read all the comments and pick out someone who was picking up exactly what you were putting down, but I'd like to believe that you will hopefully appreciate that from beginning to end I was carefully watching and listening to you. I'm sooo hoping You will notice that YOUR video is the only subject of this comment YOUR video is what I appreciated and despite the titles doing its job brilliantly, the message I received from your content has completely diverted my interest into watching anything else you've done. Your main point echoes in the comments where it initially looks like an individual got the point, until they parallel your message using a reference to the title of video, that thanks to your critique isn't necessary for me to watch. Excellent extraction of the valuable points, delivered without the filler.
Hey Thomas, grab a couch; I'll analyse you this time.
I was a huge fan of your breakdown from 25:31 - 29:58 in particular. The shot composition makes your point for you in less than a second: debating the authenticity of Burnham's declining mental health as portrayed in the special is a spiralling rabbit hole with no real bottom, because authentic performance is an inherent paradox that Inside (and Burnham's body of work in general) is explicitly created to explore.
I don't know if you'll see this comment, and there's no point in me questioning the degree to which you are authentic about the anxiety/insecurity you express about the quality/validity of your work. Because it's genuine. I can feel the difference between shots: there are places where you imitate Burnham out of admiration or to borrow a bit of his spark. But often, you're making an incisive meta-commentary with your composition, and doing it *your* way. You win in both cases: the former showcases your eye for detail and technical skill, and the latter showcases a mind I find every bit as brilliant as Burnham's. Hard subscribe.
Edit: PS: Your facial hair makes me jealous.
RE: the Knife commentary - this portion of the special recalled to my mind commentary by Arnold Weinstein regarding Faulkner's seminal As I Lay Dying. In the novel, the mother discusses a horrific feeling of empowerment or impact when she physically disciplines the children she teaches, referring to the moment that their "strange" blood mixes and the impenetrable private, "selfish lives" of each child becomes marked by her - when she forces herself into their awareness as only one could by violently marking their bodies with her switch. Weinstein critically appraises this section through the lens of literature (and, larger still, art and expression). He likens the artistic act as one of violently impacting the "private, selfish lives" of those that are forever marked by it.
These themes of violent intrusion, of unnecessary impact or perversion, are present in Burnham's special, exemplified in the knife sequence. Here, the threat of violence is made manifest, but it is always already a part of the act of creative expression that demands an audience to bear witness to it. In this dark appraisal, the special itself is a knife that Bo is hopeful will violently intrude into the lives of his audience. His greatest fear, by his own selfish admission of attention-seeking, is to be ignored. This is why the form of threat that the knife represents serves as an appropriate metaphor for his own desire with respect to his work and the audience it demands.
While all that could well be true, think it’s mainly about unboxing videos. I think it’s likely that he watched a bunch of Peter McKinnon’s videos while learning all the gear and thinking about and learning the camera, lighting, tech stuff. Pete loves a knife.
The “horror film” trailer edit segment was excellent. Bravo!
I cannot express enough how much I enjoyed this video. I really liked Bo's special, but I might say I enjoyed your video even more. It's such exquisite work and your analysis is so wholehearted and sensible at every point. Also, I respect it even more since I imagine it is stressful to work under the pressure of the moment when reviewing new films.
This is my favorite video so far. Keep it up, Thomas! You're making the world a richer place.
Thank you!
Having watched the special and binged through a few of the analysis pieces that cropped up here on TH-cam today and just when this podcast segment popped up I was like, wait a minute... I just seen that. Awesome for you to actually parody a podcasting scenario in this review and exploring further the types of formats inside has delivered and in turn inspired you to include in your review.
this was one of, if not the most well crafted and well thought out video essays ive ever watched. It captured the feeling of Inside so well and gave me a lot of the same feelings that the special does, well done
That mental health talk was very sweet, Thomas.
Also I really appreciate your experimentation with the video essay format. I kept watching your Atlanta video just because of how great the editing was, and then I watched the series. Hope you're doing well.
I’m doing great! Thanks for the kind words. :)
haven't finished watching but that section you edited to be a horror-comedy trailer uhm WOW it rly highlights those undertones that can be ignored when its watched normally
watched this on nebula yesterday and now i'm watching it again here. incredibly interesting take on the special! i like that over the course of the essay you start experimenting with styles that weren't present in the special, but it still feels natural and fits the tone of the video (i.e. the turtleneck Folding Ideas setup). i really enjoyed this thank u for making it
Wow, this was a really great video essay. I really enjoyed your look and perspective on the special, especially on that last part when talking personally about how creators have to be concise and snappy with their editing and script. The part about needing/hating/loving the audience is something I personally have a struggle with that in my own art as well, since as an illustrator I'm told somewhat consistently to cater to the masses with fanart and anime (not hating on any of those. I love them too.)... that's not really my style, but I also want to grow and am nervous about my future after I graduate from college. Anyways, this video format was pretty amazing and unexpected, and it was awesome to see so much work put into emulating the style of the special itself. Very nice, very cool!
I felt a little surprised when you mentioned keeping people's attention at the end, because up to that point I was utterly glued to the video haha, thanks for all your hard working making such fantastic video essays! I really loved your insight
While almost everyone, and I do mean almost EVERYONE is doing a video about Bo's Inside special, analyzing and breaking down the special and doing it in the same style of Bo's special, mimicking the techniques and what not. You Thomas Fight, have done this just a bit better than anyone else's that I've seen thus far. Well done.
Inside is one of my favorite pieces of media ever. And the thing that you did shows great respect and understanding of it. You are amazing! Really! Thank you for all the work you've done here. Thank you for you're commitment.
And the ending, man! This is brilliant!
damn dude, you absolutely killed this. i feel like i’m in some sort of weird meta-ception reality watching this lol. which i suppose is only fitting. while i was looking up what people had to say/reacting to this special, i was thinking that is totally something bo would poke fun at. and i’m just like damn. point is, this shit is crazy to think about and absolutely love it. fascinating stuff
What I find interesting about Inside is this pervasive feeling that Bo hates his work, hates what he’s done, even hates what he’s doing-he hates the entitlement he sees in himself, hates his need to be seen and heard and to say something, to be important, to be a voice on a subjective. He doesn’t see himself as an expert in anything, as capable of anything but this, comedy, spectacle, self-awareness as both an authentic expression of himself and pretentiouness. He can’t do mindless, silly comedy because it feels like a waste of the audience’s attention, like entertainment for money instead of art, but he also can’t help hating his need of intelectualizing comedy and what he believes is taking the fun out of something people are paying money and attention to get. Bo’s work lives in this space of two opposites-of making a dark comedy joke for a cheap laugh but then explaining he doesn’t really mean it; of making a deep point about society but then adding a gag to undercut the tension; of hating this current need to use irony as a shield against vulnerability and thinking while also thinking the seriousness defeats the whole point of his work, and, really, who is he to tell you how to live?
Except... it’s not true that Bo is only capable of this. Bo IS capable of more, and he’s proven constantly-he’s a director, an actor, a pretty good singer, he’s charismatic, funny; if he wanted to, he could absolutely venture into different aspects of the industry instead of musical comedy as his niche. He doubts himself, questions himself, but, in a way, like you said, he presses on. He made Inside after years of doing other stuff outside of his comedy specials. Yes, I’m sure the pandemic played a huge part in it, but, as he himself says in the special, the pandemic influenced more the content and format of the special than his intention to make it, since he was already intending on going back to comedy. I don’t know what was going through his head, but it’s like he believes he has no right to do this, that the world does not need any more voices like his, but he still looked at himself and said, “sure, there are a million reasons why I shouldn’t do this... but the truth is, no one is doing it right now, and no one is doing it like I am. My voice might not be the most important or interesting or necessary but it is unique simply by virtue of being mine and having my baggage attached to it.” And, I don’t know, I like that. It’s honest. Sometimes you need to make art questioning your own need to make art; sometimes you need to speak up about your own need to speak up. Sometimes recognizing out loud that something is there is the only way to reckon with it. Bo quit comedy because he believed he needed to live without an audience, because he believed leaving was his way of making space for other voices that mattered more than his, but he came back because, it turns out, comedy is a part of him. He could’ve gone on acting-Promising Young Woman was a great movie and he was awesome in it. He could’ve gone on directing and writing movies-I haven’t watched Eighth Grade yet, but I hear it is pretty great and well-liked. He has the means AND the audience. But comedy clearly matters to him; let me tell you, it is very hard to keep track of motivation for projects unless you really care for them, especially ones as time-consuming as Inside. I don’t know Bo’s financial situation, but I doubt he made Inside purely out of a need for money. I’m sure he could’ve not made it if he had no interest in truly stepping back into comedy specials, so the fact that he pushed on and made it regardless of the toll it was clearly taking on his mental health shows me he genuinely thought he had something to say.
And, like, I’m sure he likes attention-we all do-but Bo has always struck me as someone who wants to use this attention for good, as someone who is very aware-and wary-of the ways he both covets and manages to get it, and he tries to leverage it to get a good message across. I’ve never truly seen him as someone who would go back to doing comedy after essentially quitting just to keep himself on the limelight, keep himself relevant. Making Inside, to me, feels a bit like a triumph, even when the message is so bittersweet-this man had the courage to look himself in the eye, see all the flaws and shortcomings and corrupt motivations and his fear of mediocrity and still decide to do it. He realized the only way to learn how not to be a bad artist is by making art and seeing what comes out. He decided he didn’t need to hold on to the ego of thinking you matter so much you get to gatekeep your ideas and art from the world, despite how much it can help other people (even if a tiny amount of them), and he went ahead. The only way to make a positive impact on the world is by choosing to impact it. By simply existing outside of your own head more often. By trying, even if a little.
Yeah... Inside is depressing as hell but the most important takeaway for me is the story behind it. It’s in between everything he says in it, in the framing, in the way he scoffs at the performance of shoving a camera onto yourself and your thoughts and trying to look good while doing it but also still doing it anyway. It’s in the confrontation of the hypocrisy as a reality of being human and multifaceted. He is brave as hell for being self-aware of the criticism he can receive and that he believes he’s earned but still accepting his inability to be 100% coherent in his beliefs and morals and showing it to the world without apologizing. It just means a lot to me.
Plus, let’s be honest, the editing, camera angles, and framing of this comedy special are just fantastic. They deeply enhances the themes and jokes, which shows me how much of an incredible filmmaker Bo truly is. He’s not being flashy simply for the sake of style (which can work in specific cases but probably wouldn’t here)-he’s very meticulous about what should be put in and what should be cut out, about what delivers the message without being too obvious and what is unnecessary. I love it. Comedians love to talk about how comedy comments on society, how it challenges it, but this special (and Bo’s work in general) actually shows me that by not just being edgy for edgy’s sake and carrying this undercurrent of genuine care for his audience; of knowing he shouldn’t be worshiped but still has a responsibility to use the platform he has for good. He dug his grave-now he’s planting some flowers in it instead of burying himself alive.
Thank you for actually doing this. It IS art and i hope more people treat it with such depth and see his transparent critique without a live crowd nervously laughing at him
Well done! I can tell I'm not the only one who was super inspired to create something similar by the special.
This is such a great video! Well crafted, nuanced analysis, and presenting a video essay in very creative way. I just discovered your channel recently and wanted to congratulate you on your amazing work. Keep it up, will definitely watch more.
Just noticed that the instrumental that plays over the interstitial moments is a combination of the time signature/chords of “look who’s inside again” with a version of “welcome to the internet” as the melody. Because of course, that’s the unifying glue of the special, and it becomes the theme for Bo the creator. The result is this sad clown song, which takes me right back to the opening of “make happy” and damn Bo, did you have to go that hard?
This is so Good! reminds me of the time when LFTS did a video essay on Adaptation
Just subscribed. I can’t believe more people haven’t seen this analysis, it’s fantastic and you’ve approached this so creatively and put so much effort in all your videos but especially this one - I just wanted to say its really appreciated and I’d love to make videos like this 👍🏼 well done!
Gawd..that knife section...what a perfect reflection of the tension in this part of the special. 👏👏👏
Plot twist: Thomas just want to spoil US with clips of inside without being copyrighted
This was the video I was looking for since watching Inside - and it deserves 10x the views
Damn I wish I had seen this before I wrote my article. (Or maybe not. lol)
This is really in line with what I was seeing, right down to the realization that Bo Burnham would make an amazing horror director.
Good to know other people saw these things too!
How on earth did you put this together so quickly after Inside dropped? Insane work, loved it.
I feel like this essay is brilliant in similar ways that the special itself is brilliant. Which is to say, I'm not nearly a good enough media critic to notice them all. So now I need someone else to make another essay to explain this one to me.
It’s knowing someone’s pain but not knowing them. It’s the way we’re witnessing someone share a vulnerable part of themselves and not being able to acknowledge them, maybe not wanting to. We realize we how much we demand of artists, and of each other’s daily performances, and how it keeps all of our suffering contained, inside. The pain can’t come out when we are constantly trying to entertain and hold each other’s attention, but it builds up as tension in our body and spirit, and between one another. Knowing this, the intimacy and the distance are both incredibly uncomfortable. We’re not truly accustomed to either. The distance makes us feel complicit in the suffering, the intimacy makes us feel afraid. That’s why Inside is such a challenging piece. It’s not cathartic as much as it is demanding, it demands that we acknowledge our participation as audience members, we are not simply passive consumers by choice, we are trapped in that role too.
This is such a brilliant response to spark a conversation. Thank you for all this work and insight!
this video essay itsself is an amazing work of art thankyou thomas
this is so well done
Everything's a construction with Robert Pickering up to and including Bo Burnham. He's definitely genuine "within" the narrative and its for sure based on all the things he is experiencing or thinking about. But, there is NEVER a prop or a phrase or any singular gesture that isnt timed to the second and executed exactly as envisioned in the script. Phenomenal creator.
amazing use of style. using the styles in inside in a review. with the addition of the emotions on top of that
Amazing essay, Thomas ! No doubt, the best one I've seen so far on "Inside". Your take on it is so articulate and interesting. And props to you for paying homage to the visual look of the special and adding your own touch, I am very impressed. :)
dude, this is INCREDIBLE. very well analyzed and perfectly shot. props to you for making such a high quality video in so little time!
Wow, this was worthy of an immediate subscribe. I'll binge the rest of your channel now.
Dude, you just become my favorite filmmaker on TH-cam and inspired me to up my game. Thank you for sharing!
Yes. This is the deep dive video essay I have been waiting for.
Did you ever come to the idea that maybe Bo wasn't specifically making a "quarantine" special but rather attempting to let us have a look inside the workings of how he develops a special hidden under the guise of a pandemic? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Loved the video!
good, deeply constructed content. Haven't seen much since the special itself. It really is quite something when you think you understood something well and then get hit with a lot of things you didn't consider,specially in a well articulated way like this.
What an absolutely fantastic video essay. Well done man.
This is easily a top 5 video essay of all time!!!!! Great job Thomas