Actor and creator Cara Rose DiPietro takes viewers through the makeup, commute, and adrenaline of a two-show day; bookseller Eileen Tyrrell walks them from her alarm clock to a shift prepping food for mutual aid—and somewhere around midnight, you’ve watched both without meaning to. It’s happened to all of us: You’re mid-doomscroll when you think, “I could probably make one of those,” only to forget about it entirely by morning. Consider this your reminder that you can, in fact, make a great day-in-the-life video.
A day-in-the-life video is exactly what it sounds like: a video posted on social media that follows the creator around during a single day. Usually, the day in question has something about it that makes it potentially interesting to viewers—a special event, an unusual job or hobby, or a memorable outing.
Why make a day-in-the-life video?
- To access an infinite well: If you’re stuck trying to figure out what kind of video to make, the gift of making content about your day is that no two days of your life are the same. As long as you can find a slightly new angle or activity, you can make as many day-in-the-life videos as you want without things getting redundant.
- To reach new audiences: Day-in-the-life videos are a recognizable format that many viewers enjoy. If you manage to make a really captivating one, you might find your content recommended to an entirely new, untapped audience.
- As sponsored content: Many day-in-the-life videos are actually some form of sponsored content—when a company pays a creator to make or promote a product—either because the brand requested that format specifically or because it’s a great way to incorporate an #ad without making something viewers are likely to immediately scroll past.
- To subvert expectations: Because the day-in-the-life format has become so ubiquitous on social media, it can be a great canvas for doing something unexpected. Many comedy creators, for example, have used it to build digital sketches.
Elements of a great day-in-the-life video
Blend of authenticity and artistic choices: On one hand, audiences seem to love day-in-the-life videos because they feel so genuine; watching one can feel like being the best friend of someone you’ve never met. Don’t be afraid to lean into that and keep things as down-to-earth as possible. On the other hand, many of these videos are captivating because they’re beautifully shot. If that’s the vibe you’re going for, it’s fine to sacrifice a smidge of realism in service of something lovely. Case in point: Many day-in-the-life videos open with a perfectly framed shot of their protagonist yawning, stretching, and climbing out of bed. The audience knows the creator actually got up, set up a tripod and camera, and then climbed back under the covers to pretend to wake up—but they accept it because it’s so enjoyable to watch anyway. It’s ultimately your call whether to prioritize authenticity or aesthetics—or to find a happy medium.
Clear point of view: All day-in-the-life videos have to be about something, but if you aren’t a celebrity and don’t have an unusual career, don’t worry. Almost anything can be compelling if you want it to be. Plenty of creators have made videos about premises that sound pedestrian, like spending the weekend alone or getting ready for bed after work. As long as it’s authentic, most videos will appeal to someone on the internet.
Moderate runtime: While the length of a day-in-the-life video varies, most seem to run between one and two minutes—the sweet spot between having enough room to tell a complete story and feeling long or meandering.
Clear story structure: Because a day-in-the-life is exactly that, it’s important that it tell the story of your day. Even if you don’t cover the whole thing from start to finish, make sure clips are presented in chronological order and have some sense of beginning, middle, and end.
Clean voiceover: If you’re going to record narration, make sure it’s clean in every sense of the word—both well-scripted and captured with high-quality audio. If voiceover work isn’t your style, that’s OK, too: Plenty of day-in-the-life videos are essentially silent, with nothing beyond the ambient noise of the clips. If you go that route, consider adding time stamps and onscreen captions to make up for the missing narration.
Variety of shots: While these videos can feel relaxing and laid-back to the viewer, watch them with a careful eye and you’ll notice a lot of different setups. It isn’t necessary to go beyond run-of-the-mill POV footage and turn your video into a tiny art film, but doing so can take things to the next level.
1. Best friend–style
Sometimes day-in-the-life videos are so unfussy that they feel like a warm hug; such is the case for this reel from @eileentyrrell. Viewers immediately know what they’re in for, because she spells it out in her title card: “spend the day with me as a regular person living in New York.” From there, Tyrrell walks us through everything from the time she wakes up to the time she goes to bed, covering topics that range from her sweatshirt of the day to her hours prepping food for local mutual aid. The footage is well shot without being overly processed, which helps the viewer feel like they’re on the receiving end of a video diary from a close friend. Though it runs a little longer than the typical entry in the genre, Tyrrell accomplishes so much over the course of her day that the reel never drags or overstays its welcome.
2. The actor grind
It’s no surprise that actor day-in-the-life videos have taken off. Fellow performers love to watch them to swap tips and share congratulations, and people outside the industry love them as a way to live vicariously (or at least get a peek inside an unfamiliar world). New York–based actor and creator @cararosedipietro has made many popular entries in the format, including a recent video that took viewers behind the scenes of a two-show day. Set against a backdrop of well-lit shots and bubbly, quirky music, DiPietro chronicles her makeup routine, commute, and arrival at the theater. In lieu of any voiceover, she speaks directly to the camera, which helps the piece feel personal and relatable.
3. Voiceover-driven
@s_johnson_voiceovers A day in my life. ???? For those who may not know, I've been a #voiceactor for about 12 years, and it's been my full-time job for about 6 or 7 years. I've voiced things for WWE, Food Network, Netflix, Ford, Cartoon Network, Xbox, and more. Then, at the pandemic's beginning, I fell into food content creation. I actually started by making parody music content, then made a random food video that went viral, and then BOOM! I truly appreciate everyone who continues to support me. ❤️ . #adayinmylife #vlog #voiceacting #foodie #foodreviews #trend ♬ original sound - Stefan Johnson
There’s no rule that a day-in-the-life video has to sound gentle. In this vlog, @s_johnson_voiceovers narrates a workout, a voiceover session, and a couple of Twinkies in the same bass register he brings to campaigns for McDonald’s and the WWE. The Cleveland-based voice and screen actor has built an audience of approximately 9 million across platforms on that exact contrast between weighty delivery and low-stakes subject matter. For performers, the takeaway is that the “clean voiceover” principle isn’t only about audio quality—it’s about treating narration as a performance in its own right.
4. Aesthetic experience
Some day-in-the-life videos are shot almost like tiny documentaries, with the creator deliberately pretending not to notice the camera she herself set up. While that might sound odd on paper, it can make for a very appealing watch—as in the above reel by @rainydayslibrary. Blending the format with ASMR, the video features no narration or direct address, just the gentle clicking of a keyboard accompanied by onscreen descriptions of her workday. Who knew watching someone else do their job could be so relaxing?
Ready to turn your day-in-the-life skills into a paid opportunity? Check out our User Generated Content call board.