Flipped classrooms have become a widespread form of pedagogical setting, yet there is no consensus on how to define flipped language learning. Several authors consider the use of videos that prepares in-class activities as an essential component. The study presented in this article examined the actual roles of videos in a corpus of 52 second language teachers' descriptions of flipped language class settings; and analysed using Willis' 1983 framework for video use in the ELT classroom. In the corpus, videos were central in before-class activities, where a large number of videos were used. The type of roles these videos played at a before-class stage showed little overlap with Willis' framework, mainly because many videos played the role of direct instruction. It was found that teachers did not share the same definition of a flipped setting, since in a quarter of the descriptions, not all the criteria applied. Video was not found to be a mandatory component of flipped language classes.