Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Ernest, try the zoom. I need to zoom in to a close-up of Elizabeth as soon as she gets off the uneven bars. The speed is neither too fast nor too slow, so the audience doesn't notice."

Ronald asked photographer Dixon to start preparing for the photo shoot.

TV is different from movies. TV has more live broadcasts and there is no time to shoot slowly like movies. When it's time to change from a long shot to a close shot, it won't be like in a movie where the coolies of the camera crew push the camera on a slide, but a zoom lens will be used to zoom in.

Dixon acknowledged it and began to fiddle with the zoom ring on the camera to find the effect Ronald wanted.

The so-called don't let the audience notice it means that the zoom speed cannot be too fast. If it is too fast, the audience's attention will shift from Elizabeth Sue to the zoom lens movement itself, thus losing the original intention of the advertisement - to let the audience notice it. The audience listens to the beauty speak.

Of course, it can’t be too slow. The advertisement only lasts for 15 seconds, leaving only 2-3 seconds for the zoom lens.

The photographer was reminded that Ronald’s main job is to train actress Elizabeth Sue.

The sixteen-year-old athletic girl is in high spirits. She has changed into gym clothes and is now warming up.

"Has Lisa ever studied acting in middle school?" Ronald asked her parents who were watching.

"No, right..." Her mother, Anne, only had visitation rights after the divorce. She was not very sure and looked at her father, James.

"Should... no?" Father James was busy with business, and after remarrying, he didn't care enough about the four children he had with his first wife.

"Well..." Ronald thought to himself, wealthy families also have the troubles of wealthy families.

"Hi, Elizabeth?" Ronald asked directly, "Have you had any acting experience before?"

"No, I prefer sports. I was on the gymnastics team at first, and then joined the football team." Elizabeth Su said frankly, "Soer is played by Europeans, not Football (football) played by Americans." Then he made a kick to shoot.”

"Very good, I just need a sports girl!" Ronald praised quickly, not to let the actor lose confidence.

"Wait a minute and I will call A!. You take your time. After you feel OK on the bar, you can then do the lower moves. Don't be anxious."

"It doesn't matter, I chose the easiest week." Elizabeth Su thought it was not difficult.

"You still need to warm up fully. Athletes are often injured not in difficult movements, but in low difficulty that makes them forget to be vigilant."

"Darcy, can you watch her for me? If the warm-up is not sufficient, don't start." Ronald turned back to the creative director and the former gymnast to help watch.

The lighting team set up the lights, and the recording team also set up the recording pole. Ronald looked at Darcy, who nodded to indicate that it was okay to start.

"Tape recorder? Camera?" Ronald picked up the slate and typed it in front of the camera, "A!"

Elizabeth Su rolled down from the uneven bars with one move. After standing firm, she raised her hands in greeting. Then she took out a piece of chewing gum from the secret pocket on her left shoulder and placed it on the right side of her face. Then she turned her head to the right and pointed the tip of her nose towards the chewing gum. Then she stayed still in this position.

"Timeout. Spike!" Ronald shouted.

Spike Lee ran up from the side, took off the old version of chewing gum from Elizabeth's hand, replaced it with the latest Chewels chewing gum, and then quickly left the camera's range.

"Start!" Ronald shouted.

Elizabeth seemed suddenly alive again. Turn your head in the direction of the camera and shout at a louder than normal volume: "Chewels taste better!"

"Cut!" Ronald looked satisfied behind the camera, then looked at photographer Dixon, "How is it?"

"No problem, I took pictures as you requested."

Ronald nodded with satisfaction.

"Director, I was too excited just now, so I shouted a little louder." Elizabeth Su jumped over and said to Ronald.

"Just call me Ronald." What Ronald wants in his heart is your spirit of a sports girl. "That's good. You did a good job. We all look forward to this kind of you."

"Really?" Elizabeth smiled happily, "Thank you, Director Ronald."

"Make up, touch up her makeup."

Ronald asked the photographer to bring up the playback function of the camera, looked at it again, and thought there was nothing wrong with it. Let Spike Lee and creative director Darcy Maguire take a look again. Both of them thought it was okay.

Television cameras use tapes to record images and sounds, unlike movie films that require development and printing, so you can watch the shooting effects live. Although the images are only black and white, it is still much more convenient than shooting a movie.

Ronald discussed it with Spike Lee and fine-tuned the camera angles and Elizabeth's movements. After finishing applying makeup, Ronald ordered another order.

The shooting went relatively smoothly. In two hours, several more shots were taken. Elizabeth performed well. Ronald felt there was no problem. He looked at the creative director Darcy Maguire and said, "I think that's enough for today. . "What do you think?"

"Is this the end?" Darcy was shocked, "I thought you were just starting to warm up."

"Elizabeth's performance is very coherent and natural. What we filmed was a coherent action. After we go back, we have to edit it and add background narration. If you feel that something was not filmed well, we can discuss it and reshoot it."

"No, I'm just not used to your shooting speed. I used to work with people from RSA, and it would take a whole day to shoot a close-up of a product." Darcy Maguire couldn't tell what was wrong, he just felt that Rona De was shooting too fast.

"That's a food advertisement you're talking about, right?" Ronald asked the teachers at the college to learn about the details of advertising shooting. Some advertisements require product details to be shot, and naturally many tricks are used to make the food look mouth-watering.

“We shoot ads that focus on people, so we don’t need to spend too much time on product details.”

Darcy Maguire looked unsure, but Ronald asked her to give her specific opinions, and she couldn't tell what was wrong with the filming.

Creative directors always don't believe in the shooting team. Their usual approach is to do it again, extend the shooting time, and shoot several more times, as if they can get different results by using the same method and doing one thing repeatedly.

Darcy is worthy of being a strong woman who has strived to reach a high position. She quickly figured out that there was no effective way to improve the quality of the shooting except trusting Ronald and the shooting team. She immediately announced that the shooting was successful.

Elizabeth Sue finished filming her first commercial and was given the opportunity to appear on TV. She was very excited and said, "Director Ronald, when can we see this commercial on TV?"

"The ads will be tested now in Cleveland and Cincinnati, and it will take a month or two before you see them on TV stations in New York or New Jersey."

Ronald explained to her parents who were coming over, "If you want to see it earlier, I can ask the technical department to rip two VHS videos and bring them to you."

Elizabeth's parents quickly thanked her, and Ronald recommended Eddie's agent service, "If your daughter is interested in acting, you should start hiring an acting coach for her now, and you should also consider hiring a full-time agent. , American law stipulates that after joining the Screen Actors Guild, you must have an agent to take over your work.”

"If Lisa just wants to shoot some commercials, you can ask Eddie to be her temporary agent. He is also my agent and will have some advertising business on hand. If you receive advertising business through other channels, you can also disclose it through If you come to sign with him, they will take a 10% commission.

If your daughter is interested in filming a commercial, she might as well talk to him. After all, when she becomes an adult in two years, she will be able to sign with an agent without your consent, unlike now where she can still have influence over her through Eddie. "

Elizabeth Su's parents looked at each other and felt that Ronald was thinking about them. If Elizabeth were to find an unknown agent once she reached adulthood, they would legally not be able to choose the ads she signed. It's better to ask Eddie to sign her now. As long as he wins over Eddie, he can still have influence on his daughter's choices in the future.

"Thank you, Ronald. We're grateful. Elizabeth was lucky to have you direct her first commercial."

Ronald pondered for a moment and then asked the question that had been in his mind for a long time.

"This is none of my business, but when Elizabeth Sue came to audition, she said that she was doing commercials to save for college tuition. But looking at your career and income, it seems impossible that you can't afford her tuition? My aunt She was just a waitress, but she also worked very hard to pay for her daughter Donna’s college education.”

"Oh, no. Of course we will pay for her college tuition, no question about it," said her father, James.

"It's just that she really wants to go to the private Wesleyan Women's College. We let her work to earn some money to cultivate her independence. Of course we will make up for the shortcomings by then," mother Anne added.

Ronald had heard of Wesleyan College. It was a top women's liberal arts college. Of course, the tuition was also very "top". Thinking of the two former couples with four children, the college tuition was also a big burden. Ronald Shaking his head, he was still nosy.

Ronald asked Spike to get the master tapes of the shooting, and also took a master tape with some empty shots and gave it to Darcy Maguire.

"I have already put away the real master tape. I will find a place to edit it and give it to you after copying it. As planned, you will take this tape to CBS to see what those clowns will do."

"Okay, let's proceed as planned. For the sake of a promotion spot, I actually do things that endanger the interests of clients. I want to see what Dan will say." Darcy Maguire said with murderous intent.

"By the way, Miss Maguire, you are a graduate of Stuyvesant High School. I would like to ask, how should I sign up for the so-called special entrance examination? My cousin Donna is in eighth grade at Toteville High School on Staten Island. , she is a straight A student, and I want her to come here to try...the teaching quality here is very high, and the tuition is not expensive.”