Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 362 Interviewees
I don't know if there is something wrong with the dream, or I haven't seen this movie in my previous life.Ronald was a little uncomfortable, so he had to rely on his own screenwriting ability to modify the script of "Flying Dragon".

Through the good relationship between CAA and Paramount, Ronald came up with the idea of ​​​​referring to the outlines of the previous versions of the script.The original script was obviously pulled by Travolta, RSO Records, Paramount and other parties, and it was not a too smooth story.There are many small thoughts from all parties involved.

Travolta wants to show off his sexy image more, and RSO Records wants to put in some more hits to boost the popularity of the Bee Gees, whose record sales have fallen sharply due to the disco destruction incident.

And Paramount may be the most fancy about the quality of the story itself. They want to make the story as attractive as possible, with a reasonable beginning, middle, and end.As long as the story stays above par, many viewers still want to see John Travolta dance.

Not understanding the ecology of Broadway, Ronald picked up the phone and asked a friend for help.

"Don, I'm Ronald, please do me a favor." He called "Flash Dance" producer Don Simpson. "Is your filming in Philadelphia over? I want to borrow someone from you." .”

……

"Cynthia, thank you for coming to help me, I will ask you some questions you have encountered in your dancing career." Ronald found a coffee shop, and Cynthia Rhodes (Cynthia Rhodes, who played the club dancer in "Lightning Dance") Cynthia Rhodes to chat about the script.

"Ah? Why? I thought you had a script for me to act in." Cynthia joked.

"I'm writing Travolta's 'Saturday Night Fever' sequel."

"Ah..." Cynthia suddenly exclaimed, "Is there a sequel to this movie at last? Or is Travolta playing Tony Manero?"

"Uh, yes." Ronald didn't expect Cynthia to be so fascinated by this movie. It seems that the original work was really deeply rooted in people's hearts.

"If only I could play a part in this movie, we used to imitate Travolta and his dance partner in those days."

"Aren't you a ballet and jazz dancer?" Ronald wondered. "Saturday Night Fever" is about a young Italian-American who dances disco in a discotheque.

"Disco was popular at that time. We all danced secretly, but we couldn't let our parents know." Cynthia replied.

"Okay, so I'm starting to ask. How did you become a dancer?"

"I was a dancer and a singer when I was young. When I was older, I tried my luck on Broadway in New York. But my luck was not good enough to get a Broadway role.

Then I did some commercials and MVs, I was an extra in a few movies, and recently my agent got me the chance to appear in 'Lightning Dance'. "Cynthia replied in simple clothes, holding a coffee cup.

"You can still sing?"

"As a kid I sang at garden parties in my hometown of Nashville."

Ronald looked at him with admiration.Nashville is a music center in America, where many record companies are based.Although he is a small garden party singer, he should have a certain level to be selected.

"For an average dancer, if they want to enter Broadway, which key people do they need to impress?"

"The main thing is the primary selection of casting directors, and then the director of the musical will conduct a group interview to select candidates for the backup dancer line. The protagonist is basically selected from famous dancers, and occasionally there will be dancers from the backup dancer line. It is my dream to be a backup dancer and to be picked as a leading role.”

In Broadway musicals, the backup dancers usually have a dance background behind a line, which is called the backup dancer line.Only the leading role can be played before the backup dancer line.

"Then why didn't you stick to it later?"

"Well...how should I put it? The career length of female dancers is generally only half that of male dancers. I was already 23 years old and I didn't have a real opportunity, so I wanted to try the film industry."

"How likely do you think a dancer like Manero, who is the best dancer in a disco, is to go to Broadway and be chosen for a leading role?"

"This is not a type of dance. Disco is more unrestrained and free. Broadway jazz dance requires more basic training and rehearsal. However, if a dancing genius like Manello concentrates on learning, it is not impossible. He looks so handsome."

"Before he was selected? What job could Manero possibly do to support his family?"

"His appearance and dancing level are very popular in discotheques, such as Club 54. He works as a waiter, and he can make a lot of money with tips. If he doesn't go to these sensual places, then he can dance in a health club. Coach, you can survive in Manhattan."

……

Ronald asked a lot of questions, and he wrote down all kinds of problems, temptations, and troubles that a dancer would encounter in a big city.

"Thanks, Cynthia, that's about it. Paramount will send you a check for the interview fee."

"Ronald," Cynthia looked at him with twinkling eyes, "do you think I could play a part in the sequel?"

"I don't know. I'm not the director of this movie, I was just brought in to revise the script. I can say hello to Paramount and say good things about you, but I can't promise anything?"

"Really?" Cynthia hugged Ronald happily, and kissed him on the face, "I'm so happy."

"Don't get too excited, it's just an audition opportunity." Ronald touched his face.Cynthia has blond hair and is cute, and she is also a dancer, which is quite in line with her own aesthetics.

First weave the life materials of many dancers obtained from the interview with Cynthia into different plots slowly.

The next step is to have several main lines to connect the various plots together.The original script was weak in this regard, which is why Travolta and Sterwood were not satisfied.

Without the guidance of the dream, Ronald still resorted to the old method, writing all the plots of Tony Manero on three-inch index cards, and then nailed them to the cork board on the wall, arranged in front, back, left, and right.

The advantage of the dream is that it shows the direction of several climax scenes, which is equivalent to giving the main line of the movie, or one of the main lines.Just fill in the blanks for the rest.

Now there is no guidance, so I can only rethink by myself and come up with a main line with smooth logic, emotional ups and downs, and various unexpected plots.

The biggest problem arose in Manero's dance career. In the script Ronald got, Manello was written as a dance genius who yearned for Broadway.But in the original work, he was obviously an excellent grassroots dancer who danced disco, how did he smoothly transition to Broadway musicals?
As Cynthia said, a handsome man who can make a lot of money in Club 54 and has no shortage of women.How did you find the motivation to drop everything and start dancing on Broadway?

Need to find a suitable motivation for Manello to go to a musical on Broadway with his girlfriend who is a backup dancer and fall in love with that dance at first sight?

Ronald feels that what he lacks most now is time. While revising the script of "Flying Dragon", he also needs to revise, raise funds, and find suitable actors for his own "Night of the Comet".

In order not to delay the progress of the two sides, he divided his time into blocks based on half an hour as the smallest unit.Then strictly in each block, only do relevant things.

It was like this, and I was so tired that I was so tired that I made a preliminary revision after a week, and then I went to the gym to submit the revised script to Travolta.

Travolta is dancing. Now he dances for three hours a day and lifts barbells for two hours to regain his figure and dance ability.

"Manello was fascinated by the heroine of the musical, gave up his job as a bartender, and went to a gym to work as a dance instructor. While earning money, he recovered and learned the basic skills of jazz dance. Finally, in the new musical audition, he was impressed. became a director and was selected as a backup dancer.

At the same time, Manero's girlfriend was also selected as a backup dancer.The two worked hard together in their careers.

During rehearsals, the musical diva clashes with her boyfriend who doesn't want her to continue her dancing career, and Manero comforts and helps the diva.Manello's girlfriend thought he was empathizing with others, and finally during the dance, the two understood each other's feelings and got back together. "

Travolta quickly read the script, "Ronald, you are really fast, and the quality is high. I am very satisfied, what do Paramount and Sterwood think about this?" The last sentence, he was facing his own CAA What the broker said.

"Mr. Sterwood agrees that as long as you are willing to play Paramount, the rest is easy to talk about."

"Okay, then we need to find a good director. I like the Manero who struggled like Rocky that Ronald said last time. We'd better find a director like Rocky who is good at It is a story about the struggle and success of small people."

"Do you have any candidates?" the agent asked Travolta.

"Well... think about it for me, anyone? You think about it for me too, Ronald."

"Since you like Rocky so much, why not use Rocky's director?" Ronald replied.The script was inherently flawed, and it had to satisfy the interests of several investors. Ronald didn't have a dream reference, so he didn't want to direct the movie.

Besides, he was still busy with "Night of the Comet", so he didn't have the heart to recommend himself, so he said something casually.

"Ah? Right? Can you help me ask Mr. Stallone if he is interested?" Travolta said excitedly to the agent.

"Sylvester Stallone wasn't the director of Rocky's first film." Ronald muttered.

After handing over the script of "Flying Dragon and Phoenix Dance", it is one step closer to the established goal.

Then it's time to find the rest of the main cast.There are hints in the dreams of several male and female protagonists. Except for the male protagonist who is not very good at acting, the others are quite enough for a low-cost exploitation film.

Too expensive actors can't afford to hire them themselves.

First look for the heroine Catherine Mary Stuart, the beauty who was tricked by Minahan into filming the heroine of the musical "Apple".

"What script? Is it a fast-paced group drama? Am I playing the leading role?" Catherine Mary Stuart is very interested in the films directed by Ronald, and she has long wanted to come to a "fast-paced film." "Films like that made a name for themselves.

"One of the protagonists, there are only two valley girls and sisters as the protagonists, and you are the one with the most important role. In fact, I came up with the plot after I saw you at Minahan's banquet last time. It is a science fiction theme. Plus zombie teen flicks."

"Sounds complicated, but I'd love to do it. When's your date?"

"At the beginning of next year, I still have some technical matters to deal with. If everything goes well, it will be around the end of January and the beginning of February. Can you arrange your schedule?"

"Okay, I have a recurring role in the new season of the soap opera 'Days of Our Lives', but they're going to kill me, and I'll be free from late January onwards."

"Okay, I'll call your agent and send him the script."

Then ask Mary Voronov to play an important role, the female scientist in the doomsday base.She played the old-fashioned headmistress in "Rock High School" well. This is a good actor who really has acting skills, but is ignored by the mainstream Hollywood.

"Mary, I'm Ronald. I'm going to direct a new film. There's a female scientist. Do you want to play it?"

"Ronald?" Voronov didn't realize which Ronald it was.

"It's Ronald? He's a fast-paced director. He was an interim director at Rock High School. I just want to ask him too..." A voice whispered to Mary.

"Ronald, I'm glad you can think of me, can you come to my house to discuss in detail, I have something to go away." Mary Voronov put down her hand covering the microphone and said to Ronald.

"Okay, no problem. I'll come with the script." Ronald agreed, just in time to chat with Mary about her views on the script.

(End of this chapter)