24:44The Man who owns New York | Documentary
Save referenceCuriosity Gap
Nobody owns New York, so the title makes a claim you want to test. The black bar hides the man's eyes like a suspect's, yet it names his company, Blackstone. So who is he, and how did one firm buy so much of the city?
'The Man' keeps him nameless, so you only learn who he is by clicking, and 'Documentary' promises a researched story rather than a hot take.
A house-style SOLD sign planted in a red Manhattan turns 'owns' into a picture, and NEW YORK labels the island for viewers who can't place it.
When your story is about a powerful figure most viewers couldn't name, cover their eyes and label them with the organisation people have heard of. Put the scale of what they control into one plain symbol.
Hide the unknown face, show the name people know.
Apply this pattern to your next video.
Bring the reference into a packaging brief, then decide what your title and thumbnail should each communicate.