Postcard Video
A short guide
What to say in your video
How I work it out before I hit record. By Adam Raabe, who makes Postcard Video.
The short answer: say it to someone first. Tell a friend, or a chat, what the video is about in one sentence. Pick the one thing that matters. Write three or four short lines the way you'd say them. Film those.
For me, the blank page is often harder than the camera. What do I even say? Here's what I do.
1. Start with one sentence
"This video is for ___, and it's about ___." For the people who ordered this week, about a thank-you. For new customers, about how to use the thing they bought. For my team, about what changed today. If you can't fill the blanks, you're not ready to film, and that's fine. Fill them first.
2. Pick one thing
A short video carries one thing. If you have three, make three videos. One thing is easier to say and easier to remember, for you and for them.
3. Write three or four lines, not a script
Say hi and who it's for. Say the thing. Say why it matters, or what to do next. Sign off. That's four lines. Write them the way you'd say them out loud, not the way you'd write an email.
4. Say them out loud once
Before you film, read the lines out loud. Anything that trips your tongue, change. Anything you'd never say, cut.
5. When you're stuck, talk it through
Tell someone what the video is about and listen to yourself explain it. The explanation is usually the video. That's what the chat in Postcard Video is for: tell Agnes what's on your mind, as messy as you like, and she writes a few lines in your words. She can work from your notes, a photo, a screenshot or a PDF too. The lines go on your Telepad, right by the lens, and tick off as you say them.
Three examples
A thank-you to this week's customers:
Telepad
- Hi everyone, Sam here from the shop.
- Thank you for a busy week.
- The new candles come in on Friday.
- See you then!
An update for your team:
Telepad
- Hi team, quick one.
- The new booking page went live this morning.
- One thing moved: Confirm is on the right now.
- Tell me if anything looks off.
A lesson:
Telepad
- Hi, I'm Priya, and this is lesson two.
- Today it's the three chords in almost every song.
- Grab your guitar.
- Let's go.
Each of those takes about 20 seconds to say.
Questions
Should I write a full script?
Only if you want one. For most short videos, a few points sound more like you. A script helps when every word matters, or when you'll post the same video in a lot of places.
How long should a short video be?
20 seconds to a minute. Four lines, said naturally, is about 20 seconds.
How do I stop rambling on camera?
Decide the last line before you start. When you reach it, stop.
What if I forget my lines while filming?
Keep them where you can see them, right by the lens, and pause when you lose your place instead of starting over.
Then film it
The words are the hard part. For the filming, how to film yourself when you're camera-shy and how to use a teleprompter with your iPhone's front camera have the rest. Or let the app do it: Agnes writes your lines, the Telepad keeps them by the lens.
Free on iPhone through Apple's TestFlight. iOS 26 or later. No account.