Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"You weren't chosen. Coppola gave the director's guild-paid internship to a relative of a senior executive at Warner Bros. You have to understand him, Ronald. Coppola's financial situation is not good right now, and he hopes for this movie The movie turned around. It was impossible for him to refuse the request of Warner executives."

Ronald heard the bad news from his agent Niceta the next day, and he had no choice but to do the next best thing:

"Okay, I understand. Rick, can you help me contact Director Coppola? I want to ask him about the consistency of actors' performances in person. I will only delay him for half an hour. I know you can help him finalize it. Coppola would agree to a distribution contract for the new film.

Can you help me? When I owe you once? "

"Hahaha", Niceta's serious face suddenly burst into laughter, "Although that position was not given to you, Coppola wants you to help on the set and be his special assistant. Because of financial constraints, he can only give it to you. The minimum wage will have to be paid after the machine is started.

So he asked me to ask you. He knows that you have directed a feature film, and he is afraid that you will not accept such a low-paying position. "

Ronald was overjoyed and said, "It doesn't matter. You don't have to give it to me, or I can give it to you."

As long as you can see up close how great directors deal with the issue of performance consistency, you can do whatever you want. This is something you can’t learn without spending money.

"This is the place of work, the peep show studio. Remember to help Tom Cruise and other contracted actors from CAA." Niceta handed over a list.

The list of actors signed by CAA for auditions is listed above. There are more than ten actors, and clients of Niceta and Paula are specially marked with asterisks.

Ronald happily accepted the job and came to the "Peep Show" company's studio in Los Angeles to report the next day.

"Coppola is very busy today. He asked me to teach you how to use this new toy and then start filming the audition video."

The person speaking was Fred, the casting director who had worked with Coppola for ten years and was once responsible for the casting of The Godfather.

Ronald picked up a camera on the table. It had a black appearance and exquisite metal processing. On it was the Japanese manufacturer's logo "SONY".

"It's made by the same manufacturer as the Walkman." Ronald thought to himself, casually picking up the machine and carrying it on his shoulder.

"The zoom of the lens is here, and here is the buckle for the microphone. After it is installed and right next to the lens, the sound pickup effect within five meters is very good."

"Here's the video button... Hey, have you ever used this little toy?" Fred, the audition director, couldn't help but wonder when he saw Ronald finding the video and stop buttons and deftly placing the viewfinder hood on his right eye. Surprised.

"No, it's my first time using it, but its button design is the same as that of the video recorder, and it's also in a convenient position." Ronald put the Betaca video recorder down from his shoulder.

"Pointing to the corner of the studio, there is a small "room" surrounded by wooden boards.

"Here are the video tapes. Each tape can record thirty minutes of images and sounds. There will be a red light warning near the end. You remember to change it. This is the audition log. You remember to write down the name and other information of each audition actor. .

Then ask them to report their name, age, height, and which half of their face is more photogenic during the audition. Then you ask them some character-related questions, and here is the list of questions. By the way, actresses are not allowed to wear makeup. "

"I see."

Ronald opened Betaca, then sat across from the camera and began to say, "My name is Ronald Lee. I am twenty-two years old. I am six feet two inches tall. I don't know that half of my face is more photogenic."

The audition director Fred pressed the stop button and connected the camera to the TV. "My name is Ronald Lee..." The scene of Ronald filming himself was shown on the TV.

"A camcorder?" This Betaca can not only take pictures, but can also be connected to a TV for playback. It's a really good toy, but it's a bit too big to take out for fun. Although it is much smaller than today's general-purpose cameras.

"How much does this thing cost?"

"It hasn't been officially launched yet. This is a sample given to Coppola by Japan's Sony Corporation."

Ronald set up a tripod and set up a camera in the temporary audition room surrounded by wooden boards. Then lay the audition log out on the table, put the list of questions on it, and ask Fred, "How many actors are auditioning today?"

"All actors under the age of thirty-five in America are here."

It seems that Director Coppola's appeal is still very strong. Although it only has a budget of less than 10 million, the size of the actors who came to audition is almost the same as that of Leon's 30 million US dollar masterpiece.

\u0026aCa still has a slight problem. Its three color channels are not quite equal. The shots produced are slightly green, which is somewhat different from the colors in the real world, giving it a sci-fi feel.

"Please tell me your name, age, and height." Ronald turned on the video button and asked the first actress to audition to introduce herself.

"Kate Capshaw, I'm five feet seven inches, a little bit more." The actress raised her hand in a "a little bit" gesture.

Capshaw has blond curly hair and is probably close to thirty years old. She is trying her best to make herself look younger with playful moves. Looking at Ronald's smile, she knows that her little trick has been seen through, and she is embarrassed. Laughed.

"What age range do you think the role you can play is?" Ronald knew that she deliberately didn't talk about age, but he still had to ask clearly, so he used a less hurtful method.

"Ah, that's a very good question." Capshaw lowered his head sadly. He was already over 28 years old and had not had the opportunity to shoot a famous movie.

The heroine of this "The Untamed" was only 16 years old, but the agent still urged her to try again and again, "What if Coppola likes your appearance?" This was the original words of the agent.

She sorted out her emotions, looked up at Ronald behind the camera and said, "I think 20..." She looked at Ronald's eyes and adjusted her answer, "21..., 21 to... 30? What do you think?"

Ronald felt that the actress was about to cry, "You answered very well, and Director Coppola will notify you after watching everyone's audition."

"Next..."

The actresses shot audition videos one by one, and it was really like what the audition director said, all the actors under 35 years old from Hollywood and Broadway came. Ronald and another audition assistant were in charge of a video camera, which was used to record the audition videos of actresses.

There were two more video cameras at the other end of the studio, recording the auditions of male actors.

"Hi, Ronald! Why are you here?"

Ronald looked up from behind the camera. This was an old friend he hadn't seen for a long time, the lead actor of "Rock High School", PJ Souls.

"Hi, PJ. I'm an audition assistant for Director Coppola. Are you here for the audition too?"

Ronald couldn't help but sigh at the charm of Director Coppola. PJ Souls was already 32 years old, and he also came to join in the fun to play a high school student.

"I'll just give it a try. Actually, I'm here to accompany Dennis." Souls' husband Dennis Quaid is 28 years old this year, but he looks young. He may have a chance to play the role of the eldest brother of the protagonist's henchman.

"Okay, introduce yourself to the camera." Ronald wrote PJ Souls' name on the audition log and asked another audition assistant to operate the camera.

"The videotape is out." Ronald reminded the audition assistant.

"How did you change this?"

Ronald picked up a blank videotape and helped him change it. The two exchanged positions again.

"Next..."

This time, a beautiful woman, a nationally renowned youth idol, walked in. The photography assistant was stunned at the table without saying a word.

"My name is Brooke Shields, I'm sixteen years old and six feet tall."

"Hey? Brooke, you're here too." Ronald poked his head out from behind the camera.

"Hey, Ronald. Is it you who directed it? Why did my mom say it was Francis Coppola?"

"I'm just his assistant." Ronald quickly denied, "Let's do it again, you say it to the camera."

Ronald rewound ten seconds and started recording again.

"My name is Brooke Shields, I'm sixteen years old and six feet tall."

"Have you ever loved... fallen in love with someone?" The audition assistant saw that Brooke Shields was a little excited and stuttered to ask the audition question.

"Well, I haven't really fallen in love with anyone, if you mean romantic love. But I love my mother, my classmates, and my fans.

You know, I've filmed 'Endless Love' and 'The Blue Lagoon', and I can also play a girl who falls in love on the screen."

"Okay, thank you, Brooke. Director Coppola will watch the auditions together and will notify your mother Terry when the time comes."

Ronald shook his head secretly. Although he didn't know why Coppola asked this question, the heroine "Cherry" in the film was a girl in a relationship, and Brooke's audition did not show a state of love.

Brooke's acting skills are always a problem, although her appearance is very suitable for the role, and her fame is also helpful for the marketing of the film. Just dye your hair into a slightly reddish blonde.

"Do you know Brooke Shields? Can you ask me for an autographed photo?" The audition assistant smiled and came up to beg.

"Go ask her yourself, her mother is here, and she is willing to do it for ordinary fans."

The audition assistant ran out.

"Next..."

"Please introduce your name, age, and height..." Ronald looked at the screen behind the camera and pointed it at the chair, then semi-automatically said the opening remarks of each audition.

A figure squeezed into the frame of the camera. He was quite tall, wearing a turtleneck sweater. His brown hair looked a little golden in the camera. His shawl was loose and a little messy.

"My name is Helen Slater. I am five feet eight inches tall and eighteen years old."

Ronald smiled and asked the audition question, "Have you ever fallen in love with someone?"

"Yeah, I feel that love is the feeling at first sight, a kind of flame, a kind of lightning..." Helen opened her big blue eyes and said to the camera.

Ronald felt that Helen seemed to be talking about love in an orthodox Shakespearean accent. Did she study drama at the Performing Arts College?

"Okay, Director Coppola will watch the audition video together, and we will notify your agent."

"Also, Helen, do you have any plans for lunch? Let's go have a cup of coffee?"

"Ronald?" Helen covered her mouth with her hand and smiled in surprise. Then she stared at Ronald with her big eyes and asked, "Are you asking me out?"

"You wait for me to audition and play the last few before noon, and we go to the cafe next door. Didn't you say you came to Los Angeles to audition for a big project? I thought it was Leon's 'Once Upon a Time in America'."

"I will also go to 'Once Upon a Time in America', which was recommended by my mother's agent. This film, 'The Kid', was recommended by my father's agent. They are all works by great directors, and they are here today. How many hundreds of people are there?”

"There will be more tomorrow," said Ronald, busy recording Helen's audition notes.

Helen saw that Ronald was writing down his interview diary again and changing the video tape. "I'll go out and wait for you first. Come to me at the door when you're done."

"Okay, wait for me."

Ronald auditioned several more actresses, and during the lunch break, Coppola also came to see his audition.

"A total of... actresses were interviewed this morning. Will you continue at one o'clock in the afternoon?" Ronald reported the situation.

"Good job. After the preliminary elections are completed in the past two days, we will start the mixed interview." Coppola looked at his watch. You go to have lunch first, Ronald. We will start on time in the afternoon.

Ronald hurried out to find Helen. The date was less than an hour long, so he was really nervous. "What does mixed interviewing mean? Could it be Coppola's secret? His casting for 'The Godfather' was perfect, and I have to learn from it."

Picking up Helen Slater at the door of the studio, the two went to a nearby cafe for a light meal.

"Your parents have found an agent for you?"

"Yes, the agent my father hired always restricted the roles I could choose. There were some explicit scenes in 'Once Upon a Time in America', but he wouldn't let me go, saying it was my father's wish. But my mother is very open-minded, and she recommended Another agent put me in touch.”

"Isn't your mother a lawyer? How come she knows an acting agent?"

"It's interesting to say that that agent also supported environmental protection and anti-war, and participated in activities organized by my mother. He also discovered Christopher Reeve, who played Superman..."

"Did you graduate from an acting school in New York?"

"Yeah, let me tell you, the classmates there all like your screenplay of 'Famous'. Now the TV series version has been shown on MGM TV in New York. The character of Leroy in the movie version is still the original version. Actors...but Erin Kara, who played CoCo, will no longer be playing..."

"That's Gene Ray. I didn't expect him to go back to play the TV version of the same character..."

It was rare for Ronald to have acquaintances to chat with in Los Angeles. He felt that the quality of this simple meal was very good, and he felt as if he was fully charged after eating it.

…

"Here comes Bert and his daughter Diane," casting director Fred said to Coppola at the same time in the peepshow studio.

"It's noon break at this time, and Ronald hasn't come back yet." Coppola looked at his watch, "It doesn't matter, let her audition. I'll operate the camera for her."

"My name is Diane Lane...uh, Diane Lane, seventeen years old..." Diane was rarely nervous and mispronounced the accent of her name. Coppola is the director of "The Godfather" and his father Bert instilled a lot in him, knowing that this opportunity is rare.

"Have you ever fallen in love with anyone?" Fred, the casting director, asked.

"Fall in love with someone else? Yes, in high school." Diane lowered her head shyly, then raised her eyes, "Hmm... The most important thing about falling in love with someone else is having that feeling for the first time. You know Yeah..." She laughed nervously.

"That is, he peeks at him when he is not paying attention, and then prays that he will look over, look over. But when he really looks over, you will avoid his eyes. Hehe..."

One of Diane's eyebrows rose upwards, giving her a look that was a mixture of endearment and shyness.

Fred, the casting director, quietly poked Coppola, "What do you think?"

"I think Cherry is her."