How to nail your biggest moments with the power of pre-visualization

Ever found yourself staring down a lens, knowing this one shot could make or break your whole film? A big scene, real people, a live moment and you know you have to nail it? Yeah, me too. It's nerve-wracking, right? And the stakes? Sky-high when you're working with real-life moments. Fumble it, and that moment's gone forever. Nail it, though, and you've got a masterpiece.

I'll let you in on a little secret about me. I like to study world-class performers and learn how they do what they do. Ever wonder how sports legends always seem to pull off the impossible? No magic, friends, just a trick up their sleeve called pre-visualization. It's like mental rehearsals.

Consider Steve Nash. Before every free throw, he'd shoot 5-6 in his head. The result? One of the best free throw records in NBA history. Just like Nash, we can use pre-visualization to nail those high-stakes scenes.

Quick Case Study:

For our upcoming doc, I'll be filming Romero, an artist who's larger than life (the most licensed artist in history). The dude's gonna be painting his life story on this massive canvas. No pressure, right? Here's how I plan to nail it:

Tip 1: See Success Before It Happens

How Athletes Do It: Visualize the crowd going wild as they score that final point.

How You Can Do It: Close your eyes. See that golden shot? Feel the emotion? Good, now make it real.

Application: I already see every stroke of Romero's paintbrush, captured in vivid detail the V-Raptor at 7k, 48fps as he puts the finishing touches on his masterpiece. Imagine how that's gonna pop on screen!

Tip 2: Rehearse Techniques

How Athletes Do It: Thinking through every swing, pass, or shot before they make it. Note how both golfers and baseball players take practice swings before the real thing - every time.

How You Can Do It: Visualize how the story will play out in the mind. Think about where the light will be and where you want to me. Think through your movements as your scene progresses. You got this!

Application: Here is an image from me at my best earlier this am sketching out the scene, breaking it down into key stages, and visualizing where I want to be and how to document each portion best.

Tip 3: Overcome Setbacks

How Athletes Do It: Visualizing how to clear that hurdle or make that comeback.

How You Can Do It: Imagine the battery running out, having lens issues, or easing a camera-shy subject into comfort. Visualize these things in advance you'll be way cooler in managing them if and when they happen.

Application: If Romero takes a left turn, I'm ready to adapt. Gotta keep that story flowing while also keeping it real.

Tip 4: Ease Your Nerves

How Athletes Do It: Staying cool as a cucumber, no matter what.

How You Can Do It: Breathe. Picture yourself calm, collected, and nailing that high-pressure scene.

Application: I'm keeping my cool, especially when the vibe in the room is electric. Romero, prepare to be immortalized.

Tip 5: Boost Your Confidence

How Athletes Do It: Remembering past wins to pump them up for the next big game.

How You Can Do It: Recall that last perfect shot you nailed. Recall that scene, that feeling, that win, and lean into that before this next big moment.

Application: I'll be recalling one of our last shoots with Romero, where he surprised a group of people with a visit and it absolutely blew them away.

You're not a human tripod, my friends. You're a storyteller, a creator, a freakin' artist. Use that big brain of yours to capture those one-in-a-million moments.

Above all else, don't settle for average. That's not the filmmaker you are or why you got into this.

• Patrick