Here are some from Ron Howard, director of a host of epic films, from Apollo 13 to Frost/Nixon and A Beautiful Mind. I believe that core principles translate directly to how we lead and coach.
Great scenes are the building blocks of great movies. The better our execution of 'scenes' the more memorable our experience.
Great stories touch us emotionally. Excellence connects players with fans.
"The film is made in the editing room." Constantly edit out less successful actions.
"Be sure the story has the potential to offer something fresh and interesting."
When considering a script (season?), Howard considers theme, characters, and structure. He looks for plot twists beyond the obvious. He rates components on a ten scale and uses checklists. We use checklists to examine narratives (creating/limiting separation, shot selection/opponent shot quality, possession depth (turnovers/rebounds).
Howard looks for the old and the new in his films. Splash was a romantic comedy...with a mermaid (above) as the lead. Cocoon examined aging and youth. As coaches we blend time-honored fundamentals with fresh ideas.
It's never easy. Howard informs, “I have found over the years that you have to understand one thing about directing: that every project you get involved in ultimately is just going to find its way to breaking your heart at some point, no matter how successful
it is."
Akira Kurosawa taught Howard the importance of collaborative problem-solving between writer, director, and producer. Head coach, assistants, and players likewise work on the fly. Gregg Popovich tells players to "figure it out" because timeouts are limited.
Collaboration doesn't mean surrendering creative decision-making. The director (coach) retains decision-making authority and accountability.
Howard suggests that students collect visually compelling photographs and scenes. Many coaches use software and notebooks to store lessons. Using FastDraw software from FastModelSports I have over 70 sidelines out of bounds plays although we routine use four or five.
Lagniappe: A two-point end-of-game SLOB. I'm not confident that our club (middle school girls) can make that pass.
Akira Kurosawa taught Howard the importance of collaborative problem-solving between writer, director, and producer. Head coach, assistants, and players likewise work on the fly. Gregg Popovich tells players to "figure it out" because timeouts are limited.
Collaboration doesn't mean surrendering creative decision-making. The director (coach) retains decision-making authority and accountability.
Howard suggests that students collect visually compelling photographs and scenes. Many coaches use software and notebooks to store lessons. Using FastDraw software from FastModelSports I have over 70 sidelines out of bounds plays although we routine use four or five.
Lagniappe: A two-point end-of-game SLOB. I'm not confident that our club (middle school girls) can make that pass.