This thesis focuses on the YouTube video essay from the perspective of genre analysis. The aim is to investigate recurring motifs and move sequences along with ways in which creators interact with their audience throughout these videos. By looking into these it will also seek to identify the values and goals present within this discourse community, and the possible origins of these features. In order to achieve this, this thesis will adopt the tenets presented by Swales (1987), Jones (2019) and Marwick and boyd (2010). To achieve this aim three representative videos essays from 2024 were selected to be analyzed, made by three separate creators: the downfall of streaming (by Mina Le), Patriarchy according to the Barbie movie (by Pop Culture Detective) and should we ban social media? (by Alice Cappelle). The analysis showed that the video essay genre has a consistent move structure. The videos are often divided into at least three sections, each with its own set of corresponding moves. These, however, can be adapted to suit the needs of expert users. Due to the affordances of the YouTube platform, the video essay itself is accompanied by a title, thumbnail and video description, and interaction through comments, (dis)liking, and sharing enables communication between members of the discourse community around the genre. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrated the goals and values of the community to be those of authenticity and transparency, with an emphasis on education and critical thinking. They are achieved through verbal cues, use of multimodality, and the ways in which creators present their sources.