Don't take it personally. The truth is there's a lot of insider info that's never talked about. It could be because those who know assume it's common knowledge. There are however, those tips that even most "professionals" don't know, or if they do, they neglect to practice. Presented here are some key pieces of advice that span the gamut from concept to delivery. Let's explore some tips that even the pros won't teach you.

Cable Conundrum

Have you ever held onto one end of a 100-foot extension cord and, throwing the rest, have it stretch out perfectly straight across the room? It's possible. How long does it take you to coil those cables into perfect loops that are even and lay flat before storing? Would you like to say 6 seconds? The key is how you coil it.

Keep your left arm (I'm assuming your right-handed here, but if not, reverse my designations) against your body. Bend it at the elbow so your forearm is out in front of you. It's important to keep this position as this will keep your loops a consistent size. Hold the end of the cord in this hand, with the tip towards you and the rest of the cord on the floor trailing off to your right side.

The first loop will be created fairly normally. Simply stretch out with your right hand, take the cord with your thumb and your forefingers, bring it up and place it in your left hand. The loop should be a smooth circle and you should feel no torque in the cable. If you do, you may want to roll the cable slightly in your fingers (push your thumb slightly forward, and your fingers slightly back) as you bring the cable up to your left hand. The strands of wire inside the cable have a twist to them, rolling the cable like this will follow that natural wind as you coil.

Next, with your right hand, reach between the hanging cable and your body. Your hand should be the same distance from you as when you grabbed the first loop. You're now going to roll your hand clockwise at the wrist while you reach out with your pinky and ring fingers to hook the cable. Continue the wrist rotation as you bring the loop up again and place it in your left hand. You know you did it correctly if the uncoiled wire is hanging down from your left hand between your first two loops. Additionally, if you haven't moved your left arm, and reached the same distance each time, your coils should be exactly the same size.

Repeat these alternating loops over until the entire cable is in your left hand. If you remembered to roll the wire in your fingers, your coil will be neat and flat. You can then tie the cable for storage, or hold either end in your left hand, throwing out the coil clear across the floor with your right hand. It works. really.

But don't expect to master this the first time, it takes a LOT of practice to master, and hours more before obtaining the speed equivalent or exceeding the "around the elbow" method. Also, before you do this for the first time, stretch your cables out across the floor and make sure they aren't twisted up in telephone cord-like loops. Having a good initial lay is key.

This may seem like a lot effort for too little return, but it IS worth it. Once you master this technique you'll be using it for everything from your audio cables and extension cords to your garden hose and vacuum cleaner. It will also help keep your cables clean, un-tangled and in good condition. When you start using this method you will rarely need to straighten your cables again.

Are you still confused? See the demonstration video.

Speaking of Cables

Go out and buy a simple label maker (you can get one for less than $30). Buy the paper labels and print your company's name small enough to wrap onto the cord and still read. Stick the label on to the cord and then cover it with cellophane tape all the way around. You'll never lose a cable again. This label will last far longer than most other methods, and is one of the cheapest systems out there.

Planning Your Vision

"Storyboard with your digital camera to save time and communicate your vision", says Gary Waldinger, long-time editor and producer. Storyboarding also lets you maximize your shoot time, by shooting in order of convenience rather than in order of script. It also lets you convey your thoughts to others instantly and accurately. There is no better path to a smooth shoot than planning out every move in advance.

Sadly, storyboards are an under-utilized asset outside of feature films. Most people don't bother, dismissing them as a valuable eater-of-time. Well there's no need to draw them. When you're on your location scout, grab a still camera and take some shots of every room. Get at least two angles of every room, and then any other angle you think might be helpful. Taking wide shots at a decent resolution will let you zoom in to change framing. Shoot empty rooms for the most part, as you can add human representations (stick figures) later when planning action.

Sharing Your Vision

Shooting a corporate video? Use these stills to give your clients a preview of the location prior to the shoot. For a recent project I drew out a floor plan, then used simple HTML rollover effects to have notes and pictures of each room pop up when a viewer points their cursor at it. The clients were able to hop on a website and approve the location without setting foot in the same state.

When Being Exact is the Wrong Move

There are times in a production when you will need an actor, or interviewee to say a line a specific way. Absolutely no other way will do, the inflection must be perfect or the meaning will be lost. It is at these times that, without question, the actor will give you every which way but the way you're looking for. It's probably at this moment that you would be inclined to spit out the forbidden words "I want you to say it like this...[insert line]". This is the worst thing you could do.

First, you are not an actor playing that role, and you will undoubtedly not say it properly either. Second, actors will often become offended. You're encroaching. Even if they don't, they're sure to not pick up on your needed inflection, and will continue to say it wrong anyway. Third, it tells everyone within earshot that you are not very experienced. A true director knows that getting the best performance out of an actor is to let them bring their own personality to the part.

If you've already tried saying "...a little more solemn", or "...less angry", or even simply, "I need... more", then your solution may lie at the end of your next take. Try the following: "That was great, but just for variation, let's keep the cameras rolling, and have you say just that line three or four times in a row".

Will you get the read you want? Well in all honesty, only about 50% of the time. But if you don't get it in the first three tries, just tell them, "again" one or two more times. If they've done this more than six times and you still haven't gotten what you want then give up for now, you won't get it. There's still one more chance though. It's possible you could have them read the line once again on a subsequent shoot day as a pickup. In the end though if you never achieve a perfect read, then you'll be happy for those multiple passes anyway. You can mix and match them in the edit room to get the inflection. Also, be open to the fact that what you were originally looking for would probably come off as forced anyway, and that's probably why you couldn't get it out of your actor. If you approach your edit with an open mind, you might find one of their takes on the line will work better than your initial vision.