‘I feel this in my soul’: Raw footage of what filming a 1-minute video for social media is actually like resonates deeply with struggling creators

Every day, social media users interact with video content—curated, enhanced and edited for maximum impact. But just what goes into the making of one of these millions of online videos? Social media strategist @inspiredmediaco shared a reel of raw footage showing what it takes (literally, many many takes) to make just one minute of content for her page. The strategist’s mistakes, aesthetic changes, and critical commentary resonated with creators—who felt the same struggles and frustrations in making their own videos.

‘Six minutes of raw footage’

On April 16, 2025, @inspiredmediaco—a social media strategist, manager and educator named Alyssa—shared a one-minute Instagram reel with the caption, “some days it takes me a few tries and some days 1638273 tries. this was a cut down of 6 minutes of raw footage of my silly little videos come back tmr to see what made the final cut.”

The reel showcased the creator repetitively saying lines, fixing her hair and outfit, thinking on her performance and, more generally, showing the not-so-glamorous process of recording footage of herself. The reel had entertaining text commentary overlay, showcasing some of Alyssa’s actions and personal criticisms about her performance. “I wanted to show the real side of content creation, the repeating the same word over and over again, the stuttering the slipping up on words, the forgetting words, the trying out different tones see which one I like better,” Alyssa said in a statement. “That’s the real side of creating content!”

These captions included “forgets all the words except so,” “fixes top 3,” “deep breaths,” “broke my brain,” “changes tone 31,” emphasizing the many adjustments and work it takes to make a polished one minute video.

The creator’s video came into existence through chance. After mistakenly posting six minutes of raw footage on her TikTok and getting a positive response, the creator decided to post an edited version with commentary. “I think so many people assume that especially ‘experienced’ creators get it done in one take, don’t put any effort, or it comes so naturally without effort,” Alyssa said. “And well, yes, it does come easier with time and practice, I don’t know anyone who gets majority of their content done without trying or without messing up.”

As promised in the caption, on April 17, Alyssa posted the minute-long produced and edited result of the content she shared previously. The reel, titled, “Unselfish Vlog: storytelling content example,” told a compelling story about one lifestyle content creator and their journey to success. The reel was succinct, well-paced, highly visual, and—aside from Alyssa’s styling and some of her lines—virtually unrecognizable from the previous video.

“The response on both videos was really good!” Alyssa said. “A lot of people said that they felt less alone, they feel seen, it was funny, but also refreshing that they’re not the only ones who do silly little things like that when they’re filming.”

‘The relatability is unparalleled’

The original reel gained widespread recognition through the creator’s over 100,000 followers. It also gained even more attention on April 16, 2025, when it was linked within tech and internet culture journalist Taylor Lorenz‘s popular substack, User Mag.

The reel itself garnered nearly 2,000 likes and over 200 comments, overwhelmingly from creators who appreciated the video’s candidness when it came to the work it takes to make a quality online video. “I feel seen,” read one comment. “Love getting the reality check that widely successful creators record like this too,” read another. “I feel this in my soul,” a third comment related.

Others got more specific about their appreciation for the reel. “This has to be my fave video ever,” another comment read. “I struggle with recording and had no clue this is what it looks like for others! Especially you!” “The relatability is unparalleled.”

The influencer game is tough…and getting tougher

Alyssa’s video resonated with many creators, giving them a sense solidarity and hopefulness in the content creation process; “people felt less alone,” the creator said. “They felt like they weren’t crazy and I think that’s a good reminder to give yourself grace if you’re learning a new skill.”

Though it may look glamorous on the grid, the life of a content creator is not as profitable or privileged as some may think, adding to the struggle and need for community and candidness along the lines of Alyssa’s video. “We have to set a realistic expectation to creating content,” Alyssa explained. “Yes it is accessible and yes, it is for anyone, but that doesn’t mean that it’s the easiest thing in the world and people are just out here, winging it, and seeing success.”

In a Wall Street Journal report shared by Inc.com, data from a specialized marketing company called NeoReach indicated that less than 13 percent of all online influencers made over $100,000 last year, and 50 percent made just $15,000 or less. Additionally, a 2023 report by Goldman Sachs forecasted that content creation would increase 10 percent to 20 percent annually through 2028. That’s not a lot of money for an overcrowded market—and likely one that doesn’t appreciate all the work that the role entails.