Directors, if the only way you can get the performance you want out of your actors is through actual psychological torture, you aren't a good director. In fact, you're a terrible person.

Actors aren't toys or pawns for you to manipulate. Actors are skilled professionals working with you in collaboration. Your job is to observe and facilitate. You HAVE to know how to communicate what you want from your actor using your words, like a professional adult.

I don't care how good people think the end product is. If you had to torture your coworkers to get that result, you failed. Your work is nothing more than fancy, glossy garbage and you've tainted that project for everyone involved.