Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 109 Still Nobody
"No, you have to wrap tape on the outside of the camera's film chamber to start shooting." Ronald stopped a red-haired female classmate from moving.

"why?"

"The school's equipment is very old. If there is a light leak from the cover of the film compartment, your film will be accidentally exposed and nothing will be captured."

Tisch College’s film and television majors are relatively poor, and they can only give each undergraduate student 1 minute of free film, allowing them to try the basic operations of the camera, push, pull, shake, and move.Each movement lasts 10 seconds and is turned in as homework.

Ronald hadn't taken a photography class yet, but he had a history of rolling on set, as many senior students knew.He is often invited to be a photography assistant.Called an assistant, actually a guide.

Faced with such a machine as a camera, many people feel fearful at the beginning, and they will forget how to operate it when they know how to operate it, or they will be in a hurry.

At this time, with Ronald sitting next to him, I seemed to have some confidence in my heart.Ronald took the opportunity to get acquainted with many classmates, including some from the master's class.

"Don't be alarmist. The exploitation films you filmed in the New World all used German Arri cameras, so there is a problem that the canopy can't be closed. We use Panavision, which is made in America. "

The speaker was the son of a film industry insider who had also been sent to NYU.So I know some details about Ronald.

Ronald shrugged and spread his hands: "I'm just a reminder, how to shoot is up to you to decide." In fact, in the "Fame" crew, in addition to the two main cameras, they also rented a Panavision The camera, the director of photography Seresin does not have to wrap it with tape a few times every time.

The red-haired female classmate thought about it, and picked up the tape that Ronald handed over, and wrapped it around the edge of the lid, which was not very troublesome.

Then put the camera on the gimbal.

"You have to remember to wait two seconds after turning on the camera before you start panning the camera," Ronald said again.

"Why?" the red-haired female classmate asked.

"Generally, it takes a second or two for the camera to start up to the full speed of the motor. If you start shooting right away, the film scrolling speed in the first two seconds is not enough, and the shooting will look like fast motion."

The red-haired female student looked puzzled: "How do I know when the motor is at full speed?"

"Don't worry, the sound of the motor will tell you when it starts, and I will remind you too."

"Don't believe his nonsense, he is just a crew assistant. We only have 1 minute of film in total. If you wait like this, the beginning and end of a shot will be gone for 3 seconds. What else do we shoot? Saving film is the most important thing." The Hollywood second Dai began to object again.

"Of course, this is your homework, you decide for yourself." Ronald saw that the second-generation son was interested in the red-haired female classmate, and wanted to be a hero.He said that he was an assistant, and maybe he knew Alan Parker, a Briton.

The red-haired female classmate asked the second-generation son to be an actor, ran a few times in front of the camera, and completed the homework. "Thank you, Ronald."

"No, help each other."

After helping, Ronald went back to his agent Eddie.

……

Sitting in Eddie's small office, he drank the black tea brought by the female secretary.

"I remember that you prefer black tea." Eddie is a qualified broker and remembers all aspects of his clients' preferences.

"Why, is someone asking me to shoot commercials?" Ronald wanted to start a directing career, even if it was a TV commercial director.Despite working on two films, one an exploitation flick in midnight theaters and the other due out next year, Ronald is now a relative unknown in the industry.Even a second-generation son can despise him.

"Don't worry, Ronald. I've been sending out clips you've directed, all we need is an opportunity, and a little luck."

"What opportunity do you mean?"

"Many manufacturers have launched a new generation of sugar-free chewing gum, which tastes better than the old ones, so at the same time there will be 3-4 commercials that will determine the creativity and start shooting. All we need is to find one."

"I trust you, Eddie, what can I do?"

"You just need to keep your status and wait for my notice. We will go to an interview together at that time. The creative director of the advertising company and the marketing director of the chewing gum factory approve you, and that's fine."

"Okay, I'll wait for your news."

"How's your writing agent going?" Eddie asked.

"It's not that good. I don't have a script for them to evaluate. Fame hasn't been released yet, so they are a little hesitant."

"How could it be? Fame is a project of MGM, so why hesitate?" Eddie was puzzled, "Which agency did you find?"

"Art performance agency, Abrams art agency, I made a round of calls according to the directory."

"You should try the agencies on the west coast, of course, if you have a new script in hand, it's better. The agencies on the east coast, many of them serve Broadway."

"So, should I also join the Western Screenwriters Guild?" Ronald thought about the union.The screenwriters' union in America is divided into the eastern union and the western union. If we draw an analogy, the western union is close to Hollywood, so I should join the western union to have a better chance.

"Yes, the same reason." Eddie admitted with a smile.

"Hi, is Eddie there?" A gentle female voice came from the opened door.I saw a tall blond girl come in.Light blond hair, explosive figure, especially rare, the girl's voice is very pleasant, not at all bold and unrestrained American girls, but the way people with a good high school education speak.

"Sorry, Eddie, I told Miss Dorothy Stratten that you are visiting." The secretary hurried in to apologize.

"Oh, never mind, my door is always open to Dorothy."

Eddie stood up and hugged the girl, "Why, Dorothy, are you finally willing to get rid of Hugh Hefner and return to my arms?"

The girl giggled and glanced at Ronald, a stranger.

"I forgot to introduce you, this is Dorothy Stratten, a Canadian, who went to America, she was my client for a short time, and then she went to Hollywood. This is Ronald Lee, my Client, young and promising advertising director."

"Hello, Miss Stratten" Ronald stood aside after greeting.

The girl nodded to him and continued talking to Eddie, "I'm coming to see you, Eddie. I'm going to be on the cover of Playboy's October issue."

"Congratulations, Dorothy." Eddie stood up again to congratulate.

"I don't know if it's a good thing. My boyfriend tried my best to let me work as a model for Hugh Hefner. I have been in the United States for more than a year. Only you really think about me and let me be an operator for the Canadian Telephone Company. It won’t be cheated, and it also gave me the first opportunity to advertise as a model.”

Seeing that they were talking about private matters, Ronald wanted to leave.

"No, no, don't bother you because of me. I'm short on time, and I'm going to the location soon, and my boyfriend Paul is still waiting for me outside." The girl said goodbye and left.

"A stunner, isn't it?" Eddie exclaimed.That boyfriend of hers, Paul Snyder, was a jerk and urged her to quit me and go modelling for Playboy.Can you imagine a guy asking his girlfriend to shoot Playboy? "

"Dorothy is not yet 20, she is a bit naive, this road is not so easy, and her boyfriend will lie on her body to suck blood from now on."

The two chatted and gossiped, agreed to have a chance to advertise for chewing gum, and then went to an advertising company on Madison Street for an interview.

……

"Hi, is that the San Francisco Opera Hotel? Yes, yes, Antonia Franceschi from the American Ballet Company."

"What? Can't answer the phone without the director's permission? Then I'll see the director, Ms. Makarova."

"She's not here? Then when will she come back? I don't know? I'm Antonia's...well, relative, I want to talk to her."

"Can't talk? How about I come here?...I'm in New York...yes, come by plane. They're leaving tomorrow?...Where are they going? I don't know?"

Ronald hung up the phone angrily, it was really hard to be a nobody.Everywhere is followed by procedures, there is no room for flexibility.

Antonia is very busy, and the schedule of the West Coast tour organized by the American Ballet Company is very tight, and she has little time to contact herself. Sometimes the long-distance call has not been made after the appointed time.Ronald didn't know what to do, maybe he should go to the west coast and give her a surprise.

……

A few days later, the manager Eddie called. His first job as a commercial director had begun, and the advertising company was willing to talk to him...

(End of this chapter)