Sometimes finding fellow filmmakers to work with is quite a task. Many a time I've had to light my own scenes, operate my own camera, direct, and basically wear every hat imaginable. I'm sure a lot of you can relate, and maybe currently you have a film that you're just itching to make, but simply don't have the manpower (or so you think) to pull it off. Well, here are a few basic tricks that you can try to make what you have go further until you have the time, money, and connections to get a solid crew together. Hit the jump to see what they are.


Film crews don't necessarily have to be big to be successful. (Those in the independent film community know that for sure.) If all you have is you and one other person -- great! This video tutorial has you covered with how to do swipe cuts, split screen, and smartphone audio. Quite honestly, I'm not convinced of getting sound this way. If you're going to splurge on anything while making films, let it be the audio. On the other hand, if you've got a small crew, maybe you haven't someone to hold a boom for you.

So, thanks to Vimeo Video School for bringing us this video:

Now, all of this stuff is pretty rudimentary, and isn't necessarily geared toward pros. However, we've got a huge community of experienced filmmakers. What are some things you've done to combat the limitations of having a small crew? If a filmmaker can't get his/her hands on a crew, what can he/she do?

Link: Three Tricks For Your Impossibly Small Film Crew -- Vimeo Video School