Formats · Length 45-90s · 9:16 · intermediate
Day in the life story video: how to shoot, edit, and prompt it
A day in the life story is a chronological vlog cut to under 90 seconds with a voiceover that gives the day a point.
By Sulan Zhang, co-founder of Vyra · Updated 2026-09-24 · Example: @sulansart
- Platforms
- TikTok, Reels, Shorts, YouTube
- Length
- 45-90s
- Aspect
- 9:16
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Gear
- phone, a full day, voiceover recorded after
My YC day one video is one of these. The voiceover is what makes it a story instead of a diary.
At a glance
| Best for | Creators, founders, artists, students, "what my job is actually like" |
| Hook style | Text or voiceover that frames the day, "the day I shipped the thing" |
| Pacing | 1.5-3 seconds per clip, faster mid-day, slower at night |
| Caption style | Phrase captions on the voiceover, time labels on location changes |
| Music | One track, ducked under the voice |
| Shot list | 20-40 clips. Wake up, commute, work close-ups, meals, one wide and one detail per stop, the end of the day. |
| Common mistakes | Only the pretty parts. No voiceover. Too much coffee. |
Structure
- 0-3s: what today is about
- 3-15s: morning, fast
- 15-50s: the work, slower
- 50-70s: a small setback
- 70-85s: evening
- 85-90s: one sentence looking back
How to shoot it
- Decide the point of the day before you film. "The day I..." and not "a day".
- Film 3-5 seconds every time you change location or task.
- One close-up of hands doing the work at each stop.
- Film the transitions. Doors, walking, putting the phone down.
- Record the voiceover that night while it's fresh.
How to edit it
- Write the voiceover first, then cut footage to it.
- Cut on movement. Door closes, cut.
- Small time labels ("7:40am") on location changes only.
- Slow down for the work section. That's the content.
- One track, ducked under the voice.
- End on a quiet shot with no caption.
Prompt it in Vyra
Build a 75-second day-in-the-life from today's clips in chronological order, cut to my voiceover. Keep the clips of me painting longer, 3-4 seconds, and make the morning and commute clips fast, 1-2 seconds. Add small time-of-day labels when the location changes. Music low under my voice.
Use the attached reference for the pacing and caption style. Match how they do the time labels.
Swap the second coffee clip for the shot of the canvas drying, and cut on beats where you can.
Variations
- Founder day, meetings, shipping, a small win.
- Artist day, studio, materials, a finished piece.
- Silent day, no voiceover, text only.
FAQ
How many clips should I film? 30-40. You'll use about 20. Short clips are easier to cut.
Voiceover or text? Voiceover if you have a point of view. Text if the footage speaks for itself.
Can Vyra order the clips by time? Yes. It reads recording dates, so ask for a chronological cut and adjust from there.