Exploiting Hollywood 1980

On the fifth day of filming, the crew got used to it and the shooting speed sped up again. Except for the ng caused by the actors' performance issues, everything went smoothly technically.

Ronald asked Matthew, the director of photography, during a break in filming, "How has the effect been after changing the camera batteries in the past two days?"

"Mr. Alonso's judgment is correct. After replacing the battery, it will no longer mistakenly display that the battery is sufficient when there is a shortage of power, causing the film to jam. When the battery is insufficient, the indicator light will automatically flash. It is a Japanese thing. The quality stability is very good,” Matthew replied.

"Very good, let's prepare the next one."

Next was a shot of Stacey and Linda taking the stairs to get home from work after the elevators and escalators were out of service.

There is no changing room for employees to change clothes in the department store. Two working middle school girls each got a personal coat outside their red and white arrow-striped shirts and walked down the stairs.

The camera steadica, held by a staff member from inventor Garrett Brown's company, was shot backwards underneath Jennifer and Phoebe.

This small and easy-to-use machine has become a huge success in Hollywood. Basically, every crew rents it for two days of filming to add several shots that follow the movement of the protagonist.

The scale of the company is also expanding day by day. The inventor Garrett Brown has hired several large employees to operate the camera stabilizers on each crew. It is no longer the way he used to run the "Famous" crew and control the camera himself. .

"Did I show you this? Linda. The man who looked like Richard Gere gave me a business card." Stacy, played by Jennifer, and Linda, played by Phoebe, were walking down the stairs. Show her business cards of handsome men.

For a high school girl, a guy with a business card asking her out is already a huge success. Even if he is just a salesman selling speakers in an audio store.

"Lon Johnson, sound consultant. Maybe we should get a picture frame and put it up..." Linda was teasing her good friend Stacey.

A cleaning crew passes in front of the camera with a broom and dustpan, and suddenly looks back at the camera.

"cut, cut, cut!"

Ronald quickly stopped the filming, pointed at the extra and shouted, "Why are you looking at the camera? Didn't Al explain it to you just now?"

"Ronald, I think there should be a look around the corner here. The cleaners will look around to see where there is garbage..."

The black actor began to talk endlessly about his understanding of the play.

"Fire him and replace him," Ronald instructed first assistant director Al.

"You are fired, please leave the shooting scene immediately." Al stood up and shouted to him.

"Hey, you're being racist. Hollywood is occupied by you white supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan. It's not fair."

"First of all, the crew has no obligation to explain the reasons for your dismissal. Secondly, if you are dissatisfied, you can complain to the Screen Actors Guild. Finally, your salary will be paid, and you can go there to sign the settlement."

Al neatly drove the extras out of the filming location. The first assistant director must have such a commanding presence. In many cases, he is the sergeant major of the crew, ensuring that the director's ideas are implemented.

"Director, would you like me to play this role?" Nicholas Coppola took the initiative to stand up and said that he could play this role instead of the extras, so that there would be no need to hire another actor.

"There's no face shot for this character, just a back view."

"I can do it, director."

"Okay, let Nick come and take him to change into cleaner's clothes." Ronald made a prompt decision and asked Nick to put on the cleaner's clothes and shoot again. This eliminates the need to find an extra on a one-day contract.

"Do you think Long is going to call me this weekend?" Stacey said to Linda on the stairs.

The Steadicam gradually retreats, keeping the two actors in the center of the frame.

Nick crosses the front of the frame with his broom, perfect.

"Why didn't you take the initiative to call him?" Linda replied.

"I can't take the initiative to call a man."

"Of course you can. Men like women to take the initiative."

"Really?" Stacey asked Linda nervously and in disbelief. In the traditional education she received since childhood, girls did not have the option to call boys for dates.

"Of course, you're 15, what are you waiting for? I've been dating since I was 13."

"Giggle," Stacey laughed nervously, "He's really handsome, isn't he?"

"Of course, if I didn't have the perfect boyfriend at the University of Chicago, I would have done it myself."

"cut!"

Ronald stopped filming, and all the scenes in the mall were shot the week before.

"Yeah," everyone in the crew shouted together and started applauding in celebration. The fast food restaurant in the mall brought out the prepared food and asked everyone to have a small party to celebrate the successful completion of the first week of filming.

The high efficiency of Ronald and the crew allowed the first half of the scene in the mall to be filmed one day ahead of schedule. The two producers who came to supervise the production were also very satisfied.

"Director, director, one of the cast lists doesn't match up." The second assistant director came to Ronald with the actor's working time form. The daily work schedule needs to be turned over to the Screen Actors Guild. All names confirmed by signature will be compared with the list provided in the previous stage and recorded by the Actors Guild.

All actors who receive the union's minimum wage and perform for a full day on the set can apply to join the Screen Actors Guild.

Ronald gave Eric Stoltz, Nicholas Coppola and others the union's stipulated wages, and they can use this to join the Screen Actors Guild.

"Who doesn't match?"

"Nicolas Cage, there is no such person in the crew."

"Nick," Ronald waved and called Nicolas Coppola to him, "Did you sign this? Why did you change your name?"

"I don't want to go into Hollywood with the last name Coppola. If it wasn't for this last name, I would have gotten the leading role of Brad, right? You won't check my birth record."

"It's up to you. I won't interfere with your stage name. But on the list submitted to the Screen Actors Guild this time, your last name is still Coppola. If you want to change your name, get this temporary union card and change it when you officially join the Screen Actors Guild, understand?"

"Okay, director."

After handling the on-site affairs, Ronald took Heckerling, Al, and the director of photography Matthew to find Jennifer Jason Lee, and met with a middle-aged woman who had been waiting nearby, and went to the office to discuss things.

This is Jennifer's mother, Hollywood screenwriter Barbara, who lived with her two daughters after divorcing her husband, actor Vic Morrow.

The group came to the office. Ronald took out a few pieces of paper from his bag in the corner and handed them to Barbara and Jennifer herself.

The paper was drawn with scenes that would be filmed in a week. There were two nude scenes of Jennifer on it. Ronald's sketch made Jennifer very vivid, which made Jennifer a little shy.

"According to convention, we will inform the actors of the nude scenes one week in advance. Although Jennifer is an adult, I know that you and Jennifer have a close relationship, Barbara, so we also ask you to attend this meeting with Jennifer's agent."

"Is it necessary to be positive?" The agent spoke first. The contract has been signed, and no matter how it is filmed, the remuneration will be the same. His task is to strive for as few nude scenes as possible for the client, unless the actor is willing to sacrifice for art.

This is the trouble of shooting passionate scenes in America. The union protects the rights of actors very well. Although the contract is signed, the actors can raise objections based on the situation at the time. For example, too much nudity, too many irrelevant people watching, etc.

Ronald and Hekelin looked at each other. This was something they had expected. He gestured to Hekelin and asked her to explain.

"This is a shot that shows the protagonist's expectations and fears of growing up. There is no meaning of an x-rated movie. Their expressions are awkward and scared. The shots are very short, and the focus is on their facial expressions. It's all for the plot. There are no deliberate long shots, and no unnecessary..."

This is why Ronald brought Hekelin here. As a woman, the same words she said would be much more credible than if she said them herself.

"We will clear the scene at that time, and the lighting technician will leave. In addition to me, the director of photography, and the makeup artist and hairstylist who are also women, Hekelin will guest star as the first assistant director.

I will do all the board work myself... In short, we will reduce the number of people on the scene to a minimum. If you feel uncomfortable, we can also ask the sound engineer to leave, and this scene will be dubbed in post-production.

After Hekelin finished speaking, Ronald quickly supplemented his own shooting arrangements.

"I'm just a little worried that after shooting this scene, will Jennifer be positioned as a role like Brooke Shields, not relying on acting skills, but a vase? ”

Jennifer’s mother raised her doubts.

“Should we take a frontal shot? If we can take a side shot, we can also show Stacey’s beauty.” The agent took the opportunity to make a request.

“No, no, no, Ms. Barbara. The key point of this scene is the girl’s fear and expectation of getting along with men and women. This shot only lasts a short time and flashes on the screen…” Heckerling was afraid that her idea would be rejected, so she hurriedly explained.

The feeling from this girl’s perspective is something that only women can think of. So Ronald asked her to communicate with Barbara. Barbara, who had also experienced adolescence, understood this emotion and was almost convinced. She turned around and asked her daughter, “Jennifer, what do you think? ”

This kind of role is like this. The actor who agreed to it before may also regret it when the time comes. Under the protection of the union, there is no way except to replace her or use a double.

The film has been shot for a week, and replacing is not an option. If Jennifer regrets it, she can only use a double. In addition, the union system in Hollywood stipulates that the cross-cutting of doubles must also be approved by the original actor.

So this time Ronald and his team brought two plans to discuss. First, talk about a plan for Jennifer to play herself, and if that doesn’t work, then come up with a plan for a double.

Jennifer was also a little hesitant. She looked at the people opposite and simply asked Ronald directly, "Ronald, if it were you, what would you choose?

I am not afraid of nudity, but I think what my mother said makes sense. If this scene is remembered, I may receive many similar roles and scenes in the future. "

Ronald smiled slightly, "Your concerns are reasonable. But if it were me, I would consider these after I became famous. ”

“Hehehe,” Jennifer laughed.

Yes, the movie hasn’t been finished yet, and I’m already thinking so much. If I can become famous, I’ll have troubles after becoming famous.

"Okay, I'll sign it." Jennifer cast a consulting look at her mother Barbara, and with Barbara's approval, she took the contract and prepared to sign the special filming contract.

At this time, with a bang, the door was opened by a man.

"No, Jennifer, I don't agree!"

"Who are you?" Ronald stood up and looked at the visitor.

"Dad." Jennifer said, "I'm 19 years old and can decide what kind of movie I want to shoot."

It turned out that the visitor was Jennifer Jason Lee's father, the famous actor Vic Morrow.

"No, I don't agree." Morrow refused, "I rejected the previous Pretty Baby and Blue Lagoon. My daughter wants to enter the entertainment industry and doesn't need to act in this kind of movie."

Morrow said, scanning the people in the room. His eyes scanned back and forth between Heklin and Ronald for a few times, and finally said to Heklin.

In his opinion, Ronald was too young and obviously couldn't be a director.

"Vic, you don't have to decide Jennifer's affairs. I am her guardian. You have been busy filming and dating new girlfriends these years. Have you ever cared about Jennifer?

Besides, she is an adult now. It is no longer the time for Pretty Baby and Blue Lagoon. Your opinion has no effect."

Obviously, Jennifer's parents' divorce was not a happy one, and she still has emotional scars. Barbara ruthlessly rejected Vic's intervention.

"You!" Vic Morrow was still a little drunk when he spoke. He is a Jewish actor in New York, with extensive connections in Hollywood and TV stations. "You watch it, even if it is filmed, I will not let it be released."

"No, this is my own decision..."

Who would have thought that Morrow's words would arouse Jennifer's rebellion, "I won't listen to you this time." She picked up the special filming contract and signed her name on the spot.

"You!" Vic was furious and went over to teach his daughter a lesson.

Ronald jumped up from the stool and stood in front of Jennifer. "Mr. Morrow, first of all, Jennifer is an adult. Secondly, she is shooting an orthodox youth romantic comedy. I assure you that it will never be an x-rated film of sensory stimulation."

"Who are you?"

"I am the director of this film, Ronald. Ronald Lee."

"Boy, I remember your name." Vic looked at Ronald's body and estimated that he was no match for him. After saying this, he turned around and walked out of the room.

"Huh..." Heckerling next to him breathed a sigh of relief.

"Huh..." Barbara and Jennifer also breathed a sigh of relief. Vic Morrow often got drunk and made trouble. It seemed that he had not drunk too much today and was drunk to the point of losing his mind.

"Huh..." Ronald also breathed a sigh of relief. He signed a special filming contract for Jennifer, a male lead Robert Romanus, and a female lead Phoebe Cates.