You Don't Have to Work Alone
What body doubling is and why every stage of production benefits from it
Independent filmmaking has a way of shrinking a person’s world down to one chair, one screen, and a to-do list that never seems to move fast enough. More often than not, the bottleneck has nothing to do with talent or preparation; it has to do with isolation.
Body doubling is the practice of working alongside another person while each of you stays focused on your own projects. The premise is simple: you show up, you open your work, and so does the person across from you. No one is there to give notes or weigh in on your decisions. Researchers studying ADHD first gave this practice a name, though filmmakers have always understood the instinct behind it. When someone else has committed their time to sit alongside yours, leaving feels like abandoning something, so you stay, and staying is usually the whole battle.
Find people that are at your level, who actually could use your help... Find collaborators that can bring out the best in you.
What makes body doubling worth talking about is how well it travels across every stage of a project, not just the edit. A script breakdown moves faster when someone across the table is working through their own budget. The unglamorous solo work of planning locations, organizing casting logistics, and building out a production schedule all benefits from the same principle. The Video Consortium’s Minneapolis chapter has built a monthly rhythm around this idea, gathering nonfiction filmmakers to cowork together simply because showing up alongside each other makes the work happen.
That shared accountability is part of what The Crewsaide is built around. The member directory is a good place to find someone whose schedule and stage of production might line up with yours.
If you want to experience it firsthand, join The Crewsaide for a Virtual Coworking Hour on Sunday, March 22nd from 4 to 5pm CT. Bring whatever needs your attention and register here.