What’s the secret to working with great actors?

I’m going to tell you the story of how I prepared the actors of “The Godfather.” Of course, we were all nervous about Marlon Brando. As theatre students in the ‘50s, we looked at him as the greatest. And there was going to be the first time when all the actors were going to meet. Of course, Al Pacino, Jimmy Caan, Bobby Duvall, Johnny Cazale – everyone just admired Marlon. He was the Godfather. I knew that, and I said, “I can use this.” Napoleon once said, “Use the weapons at hand,” and this is what a film director has to do everyday. So what I did is I arranged for the first meeting as an improvisation.

I said, “I want you to come and be hungry.” And they came to a restaurant that I had arranged, the back room of the restaurant, just a table that looked like a home. Marlon, I had sit at the head of the table, and to his right I put Al Pacino, and to his left I put Jimmy Caan. I put Bobby Duvall, and I put Johnny Cazale, and I had my sister Talia, who played Connie, serve the food.

They had a dinner improvisation together, and after awhile everyone is relating to Marlon as the father, and Jimmy Caan is trying to impress him with jokes, and Al Pacino is trying to impress him by being intense and quiet, and my sister was so frightened – she was serving the food. And after that dinner they were the characters. So one tip I give you is, with improvisations, they really stick if there’s something sensual connected with them, like food or eating or making something with their hands.”

read the rest here.

2. They have a momentum of their own. I like to use the term “cognitive” momentum and emotional inertia. Meaning that these ways of thinking, acting and responding have been going on for so long and for so many repetitions, they take on a life of their own.

3. Finally, it is an odd quirk of human nature that when something doesn’t work, we tend to do it more, or harder or louder. Which only adds to the momentum of the less than useful pattern.

That said, here is the A-Z of failure with women. See if you can’t pick out which of these is operating in your mind/life/actions and make a determination to “de-bug” yourself in 2011.

A, Having the wrong set of ideas about female sexuality. Assuming women need love or a relationship or even a “date” to really want/crave/enjoy sex.

B. Having no standards other than physical appearance. As I’ve said before the man who knows how to screen out the wrong kind of women will wind up having a lot more choices, not a lot less. This takes some thinking through.

C. Having emotional traumas around sex that you need to resolve.

D. Not having a good rehearsal practice to get you in state before you sarge.

E. Not having a good review strategy to extract maximum learning after each sarge.

F. Having the incorrect ratio of thinking to acting. Conceptual understanding is very important, yes. But ultimately you learn most and best from also having interaction with real women in the real world. (Until you’ve tried something, anything, at least 10 times, you don’t even begin to have good data points!)

G. Being invested in the girl, but only interested in the skills. REVERSE THIS!

H. Having an orientation that focuses on what you did incorrectly and making the mistake about your identity, rather than your behavior. As in, “I always fuck up”. ”I AM a fuck up”. Dis-identify with the mistake and extract the lesson. This is harder than it sounds.

I. Related to H, thinking that your poor results are about “who” you are. Or “because” you are: bald, fat, ugly, old, skinny, too young, etc. This false “cause and effect” thinking is a killer to breakout success. KNOCK IT THE FUCK OFF!

J. Crushing on a girl/one-itis. Do I have to explain this?

K. Trying to “figure out” girls who are wasting your time. If you find yourself asking, “Why isn’t she calling back?” or ”Why can’t I get her on the phone now?” you are taking on a “ruminating” state of mind. Stop it. Take action of some kind or put her out of her mind.

L. Needing female validation.

M. Not spotting the signs she is interested.

N. Failing to escalate physically.

O. Taking a woman’s first response at face value or set in stone.

P. Thinking any woman is “out of your league”. Bullshit.

Q. Being in a hurry as opposed to being quick. Quick is fantastic. Hurry is disaster.

R. Being horny instead of being sexual.

S. Hiding your intent. Pretending you just want to be friends when you want a piece of her ass.

T. Seeing what you want to see in the woman rather than what she actually presents. Idealizing her in any way.

U. Failing to demonstrate that you are willing to walk away.

V. Failing to challenge her/call her on her bullshit.

X. Failing to set the frame as being a sexual one; letting her cast in the role of “advisor”.

Y. Not being able to see and respond to the actual emotional need she is expressing as contrasted with her literal words.

Z. Sticking with one vibe-funny, commanding, understanding her world, vulnerable-instead of varying it up and demonstrating/offering each at different times.

link

Maddmann “Bring It Back” Music Video from John Ta on Vimeo.

This is my latest music video I directed.

The place is Hanalei Bay, perhaps one of the most gorgeous places on earth and definitely my favorite place on my favorite island Kauai.

The music is “Sooner or Later” by State of Grace on their Pacific Motion? album.

http://blogs.surfermag.com/office-blog/kauais-final-farewell-to-andy-irons/

UPDATE:

So the author took it down. But you can find it elsewhere and hijacked with their own watermark, what a shame. That’s probably why the author took it down.

http://surf.transworld.net/1000119448/photos/andy-irons-kauai-memorial-photos-and-video/

http://www.surfline.com/video/premium-partner-video/remembering-andy-irons-i-surf-because_49505

Research by Scores.org

Read this.

Andy Irons Tribute from Brian Bielmann from M. Scott Mortensen on Vimeo.

RIP Andy Irons.

Andy Irons is one of the best surfers of all time. According to news reports he contracted Dengue Fever in Bali and carried it over to an event in Puerto Rico. He was on his way home to Kauai.

All I could think about is what about his unborn child, his brother Bruce, his parents, the whole surfing community…

SFGate

Billabong

The Age

The Star Advertiser

Surfline

Extreme Scene

For anyone who cares about Music, the Music Industry and its relation to the Internet, you must watch this. Forget all the other noise.

In addition to that, pay attention to anything going on with Itunes, Spotify, Pandora, Soundhound, Shazam, Reverbnation, Myspace, while you’re at it…