Video School / Lessons
Three Tricks For Your Impossibly Small Film Crew
Attention Filmmakers! If you are sitting around, twiddling your thumbs, waiting for that perfect budget to fund your movie, look no further! Seriously, stop looking. It's time to quit procrastinating and use that crafty mind of yours to make your movie. As long as you have a camera, a friend, and an idea, you're ready to get started.
Joining us for a second time are Vimeo Video School guest professors, Neko Neko Films, a small indie film group from Texas.
Swipe Cut
This trick has been used throughout cinema for years, and for good reason. The swipe cut is an easy trick to connect two separate shots into one seamless sequence. In order to achieve the effect, you must quickly pan out of your first shot and then pan back in to your second shot.
When it's time to edit, find a similar blurred frame from each pan, then splice them together at those points. When you play back the footage, it creates a transition between the two shots.
Split Screen
With a few simple tips and tricks, you can duplicate your acting force ten-fold! In order to achieve the effect, start by setting up a stationary shot using a tripod. Next, lock down your camera's settings, keeping your aperture, shutter speed, and white balance the same throughout the shots. Now that you are set up, it's time to duplicate your actor! Before you record, make sure to mark clear dividing lines to separate where the actor will stand in frame. As long as they are not overlapping one another, the trick should work.
Once you are rolling, don't stop. Let the actor move around the frame, pausing for a few seconds at each spot, and then cut once finished. By recording this as one long take (instead of shooting a series of separate shots) you are avoiding the possibility of shifting the camera's frame in between takes. In order for the effect to work, your camera has to remain completely still. Once you've imported the footage, you'll want to cut up the take and place the separate clips on top of one another in your editing timeline. Take the top clip and use the crop tool to remove a part of the frame. Once you've done that, you should see the duplicated actor!
Smart Phone Audio
No matter how great your video looks, it can be ruined by bad audio. Professional audio-equipment can be expensive, but don't let those dollar signs get you down. Your smart phone has a professional grade microphone built-in! Each phone is different, so we recommend downloading a recording app to get the best possible audio. Once it's time to edit, all you have to do is sync up the footage with the audio. Not sure how? Don't worry, as long as you follow these simple steps before recording, you should be just fine!
Step 1: Roll Camera
Step 2: Roll Audio on your phone
Step 3: Have actor stand in front of camera and clap.
Step 4: In editing, find the two different audio tracks, one being your in-camera audio and the other being the external smart phone audio, and sync together the two claps.
So there you have it! There's no need to spend oodles of cash on extra equipment or personnel. Quit waiting for that Hollywood budget to fall into your lap! You've got everything you need to make a masterpiece, and we can't wait to see it.
- Category:
- Do It Yourself
- Difficulty:
- Advanced
Lesson Summary
As long as you have a camera, a friend, and an idea, you can make your movie!
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85 Comments
Luke Harvey Plus
Thanks guys! This is a big help, and as usual, very entertaining!
Shiply PRO
Seconded this, great guide from Vimeo team.
dennis hingsberg
lol look at that sensor skew @ 0:22
but for real great video tips! love the idea of passing the camera... that is awesome!
Daniel Hayek Staff
We take no responsibility for rolling shutter :)
Morinaga Kuni
This particular one is easily fixed in post!
Thrillpill Films Plus
This was the coolest tutorial yet!
We made a two person film several years ago. Not nearly as trick-heavy as your video but here it is. For people looking for an example of real-world two-person filmmaking.
AND it's in a foreign language.
vimeo.com/42632520
Neko Neko Films Plus
Thanks for the kind words! Also, awesome short, seems like you were ahead of the times.
Thrillpill Films Plus
Aww, you guys are too kind!
Hans Kellner Plus
Very entertaining with a nice touch of info.
Manoj Dharmawardhane
very interesting !!! itz very helpful to beginers ! tnx a lot
Dirk Mallwitz
excellent post - entertaining and very useful information! thanx guys!!
Ricky Rayon
jaja great! gracioso y educativo..
RCS Prod
Muy bueno.!!i I like.
Neko Neko Films Plus
Gracias!
Alain Villardo
wow I'm glad I watched this... I ust learned how to do a swipe cut!!! ^_^
Neko Neko Films Plus
Learnt!
Lorenzo Schmidt
faaaakkk ! this is amazing you guys made a young man his day! thank u very much!
Neko Neko Films Plus
Have an excellent day, man!
I6W9
Tanks
Neko Neko Films Plus
are cool.
pauloprieto
many thanks! very informative. please keep them coming
hemersonr
many thanks
CherLea Productions
oh... the possibilities... great flick you guys! :)
Joel Fisher Plus
I get to work with the guy who made this! FUN!
rafa travolta
good
Neko Neko Films Plus
great
MAHIR CELIK Plus
thank you
Amenon Plus
You the masters!
Oh my Gosh!
Love your stuff, totally awesome!
Barnabil Produzioni Plus
funny and helpful tutorial, thanks. :D
Pay attention to shadows in split screen
Neko Neko Films Plus
Good eye! and thank you.
Omar Sattaur
you've inspired me. i'm off to do some split screen recording.
Neko Neko Films Plus
Do it! If you feel inclined, post the video here afterwards.
Omar Sattaur
Will def post something soon :) Just getting myself a fake Goatee and I'll be off to shoot something.
Johnno Johnston Plus
Man, that was awesome. Simple, but effective, I love it !!
A.Mitchell
sweeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!
Jonathan Mills
At the risk of thread-jacking (is that a phrase???), I just uploaded a short made with one actor and one assistant - it's perfectly possible! In a lot of ways I think it can help with the learning experience, rather than relying on others.
If you have three minutes spare... vimeo.com/62477862
Neko Neko Films Plus
That ending was insanely good.
Rudy Gold
Love these Vimeo film school tuts!
Matt Draper Plus
Nice job guys!
Roman Media Group LLC Plus
Great video! Thank you for sharing.
Ahmed Ibrahim
thanks a lot guys that was helping a lot
Norbi Whitney Plus
Fantastic short and informative tutorial. I'll be sharing it with friends for sure.
Neko Neko Films Plus
Thanks for sharing, Norbi!
ulap masadia
Nice video! Very informative!
Lars Petersen
Great job!
Jessica Drolet
Great video. Do you have any recommendations in terms of good recording apps for iPhone?
taluka prajapati
Hello Jessica
andreia rodrigues
Really cool, now I want to try it!
I recently did a one person project but, covers projects probably don't count ^^;
If you want to take a look at it, I'll leave some links :D
vimeo.com/62215136
vimeo.com/61315175
Edgar S Martínez
Jejeje demasiado gracioso y útil al mismo tiempo: Great work! :-)
Handstick Staff
Looks like you guys don't need an extra hand :(
Neko Neko Films Plus
Maybe next time, Handstick.
Great Film Plus
awesome
Miriam White Plus
You guys rock!!
Great points...
Mariano Lorde Plus
All of your videos are absolutely hilarious, creative, and incredibly informative! Thank you for the awesome post!
Neko Neko Films Plus
Woah, thanks guys!
Jaemin Kim Plus
COol!!
possible image Plus
Thank you for this cool lessons
R3dmanActual
Thank you!!!!!!
Reza Badiee
Sooooooo use full . I will use it on my next Project :) tnx
Steve Plus
You guys always make these so fun and entertaining! Love every minute of these tutorials.
Neko Neko Films Plus
Thanks, Steve!
Len Estevez Plus
Great info guys Thanks!!
Words in Pictures
Totally compelling tutorial! I had no intention at all of watching the whole thing and i ended up watching it twice... This is so well done, guys. I'm torn between sharing this with everyone I know and not telling a single person until I've used at least one of your tricks first!
Neko Neko Films Plus
Haha, great comment! You should somehow find a way to secretly share it with everyone you know? It's all about finding that middle ground.
2GRAYS
You guys rock! It's one of the best tutes I've ever watched, and I've watched like 100,000 of them. Thank you so much for sharing!
I especially loved the part with the "pretty girl", that was wicked cool! :) Two thumbs up!
Neko Neko Films Plus
Out of 100,000 tutorials?! Wow, we are very honored you think so!
Christopher Guinness Plus
Always helpful!
Bruce Lemieux PRO
Great tips and great vid. Thanks.
Stonewall Digital PRO
Dig it - thanks for taking the time!
yousaf ali saif
thank sa mycket
Danilo Rodrigues
Loved it!!
PremiumBeat.com PRO
This one was super entertaining! We've shared it on our blog: bit.ly/Yg0RNu
Neko Neko Films Plus
Thanks for sharing!
Sylvia Toy Plus
thanks! also sharing.
Neko Neko Films Plus
Do it! And thank YOU for watching.
Matt Kowalski
Awesome sauce! Thanks for the informative tutorial!
Neko Neko Films Plus
Awesome sauce is tough to come by these days.
April Wenman
I was wondering what kind of video editor to use to crop the scene?
Ian S
I am so going to use the first trick...hehe...
Peter Dambiec
Thats really got me going, Thanks
Alice Gubina
Why doesn't it play the video? Says 'There was an issue with playback'.
Christian ALT Plus
You are great and made me laugh. Innovative, creative and quiet inspired. Well done.
Sunder Thadani
gooooooooooooooooooooooooooood! tnx a lot.
war games
Tom Griffiths
As a sound guy I can only say "no no no no no no no no". Don't record things on your phone. Most cameras have a microphone input, and it's worth at least spending a few quid on a mic. Otherwise it's just going to sound terrible and all the editing tricks in the world won't end in a professional result.