03 Oct Two Clips a Day
I’ve been making Memory Postcard videos for as long as I can remember.
I first created them because I was overwhelmed by how much footage I had. I didn’t necessarily know what the story was, but I knew I wanted the memories, so I grabbed one second from each clip and put them together. Like this from 2015 –
Sometimes I’ve kept everything chronological, but most of the time it’s been more of a follow-the-vibe kind of situation. Taking just one second makes the whole process feel much more doable, which means I’m far more likely to actually make something rather than leave all that footage sitting on a hard drive.
Back in June this year, while I was doing The Beauty of Noticing, I was filming lots of little moments each day. I started wondering what would happen if I chose just two of them and used those to build a video of the whole month.
The clips could be slightly longer than one second, but I still wanted that Memory Postcard feel. One moment from each day didn’t seem quite enough…
But two? Two worked really well.
I carried the project into July and August, although some days I literally only filmed two clips. Usually my matcha and perhaps the sunset.
And that’s okay.
When I have more footage, I look for two moments that work nicely together. A wide shot and a tiny detail. Something colourful followed by light and shadow. Morning and evening. Movement and stillness.
There are definitely far too many clips of matcha and me sitting reading, but those are often the moments when I remember to pick up the camera. They’re also a true part of my life at the moment, so of course they belong.
I edit as I go, adding the clips every few days. That way, I’m not facing a whole month of footage at the end and wondering where on earth to begin.
It also lets me see what I’ve been filming. If things are becoming very matcha-heavy, I can look for something different over the next few days.
Not that I’m changing my life to make the video more interesting. I’m just looking for different details within it… which is probably what most of my creative projects are about anyway.
I did miss a few days, usually because I was stuck indoors working or just completely forgot. When that happened, I borrowed a clip from another day that could easily have belonged there.
These are simply tiny snapshots of where I was, what I was doing and what life looked like at the time.
I’m so glad I have them.
Fancy trying it?
Here are a few tips to help you make your own Two Clips a Day video…
1. Start today
Don’t wait for an exciting day, a holiday or Monday morning. The project begins whenever you decide it does.
2. Look for two different moments
Perhaps one wide shot and one close-up. Morning and evening. A person and a place. Something quiet and something busy. A little variety will make the finished video more interesting.
3. Don’t overthink it
Some days the clips will feel beautiful or exciting. Other days they’ll simply be your morning coffee or the view from the kitchen window. They all belong.
4. Film the ordinary
Meals, walks, favourite cafés, hobbies, pets, the journey to work, the weather and the evening light. These everyday moments are often the ones that become the most nostalgic.
5. Include yourself
Don’t spend the whole month filming everyone else. Try a reflection, an arm’s-length shot or a quick selfie clip every now and then. Future you will be glad you did.
6. Keep everything together
Add your chosen clips to one folder or album on your phone or computer. It will make editing much easier later.
7. Edit as you go
Every few days, drop your clips into the timeline. It only takes a few minutes and saves you time at the end of the month.
8. Let the month tell its own story
You don’t need to create a narrative while you’re filming. Once all the clips are sitting together, the rhythms and themes of that particular month will start to appear.
9. Choose music that feels right
Music does so much of the storytelling in these videos. Choose something that fits the energy of the month and transports you back to how it felt.
10. Remember who you’re making it for
Not the algorithm. Not social media. Future you.
Bonus tip: There are no rules
Well, technically there are two clips a day… but even that can be flexible.
Some days you might film one clip and other days ten. You might miss a day altogether. That’s okay. You’re in charge of the project and you can make the rules.
The point isn’t to do it perfectly. It’s to pay a little more attention to your life and create something you’ll genuinely enjoy looking back on.
If you give it a go, I’d love to hear how you get on. And if you share your video anywhere, please send it my way. I’d love to see it.
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