Thumbnail Close Reading – Faith Mitchell

I think this YouTube thumbnail is well done. It does what it is supposed to: it interests the viewer and quickly gets the point of the video across. The title of the video is “10 Writing Tips from Stephen King for Screenwriters and Writers,” which the thumbnail shortens into “10 Tips from Stephen King” in order to be even more brief and concise. Along with that, the font type of the text in the thumbnail is simple and professional to match with the informative tone and purpose of the video. The font size of the text is easy to read and varies by importance: “10” is the biggest word, “King” is the second biggest word, followed by “Tips” and then “from Stephen.” The differing text size and the use of capitalization and possibly bold font also adds interest and visual appeal. The subject of the video is Stephen King, so the thumbnail includes a picture of him in order to both show the famous author and name him in case the viewer would recognize one over the other. Additionally, the muted color scheme of blues, whites, and greens echoes the professional and informational aspects of the video. Finally, the distant, faded background of books directs your attention more to the text and image of King but still suggests that the information contained in the video is about books and is for people who like them, such as “Screenwriters and Writers” who may want to learn from Stephen King. The background of light bulbs also suggests that this video may include good/bright ideas, like tips, or be full of light-bulb moments.