Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Ronald drove to Van Nuys High School early in the morning.

Last night's dream didn't feel like a dream, but rather like a memory from a previous life. The images of the first three minutes were so clear, as if there was a TV playing in his mind.

In the dream, he was not watching "Rock High School" in the movie theater. There are far fewer people sitting there than in a movie theater, and the screen is much smaller. The black box that the machine spit out at the end seemed to be a VHS video tape, a new toy invented by a Japanese company.

It seems that the movie "Rock of Ages" must be relatively successful, otherwise it would not be distributed overseas.

It's a pity that the movie was interrupted after only 3 minutes...

Ronald thought as he filled out the shooting diary.

Date: Saturday, December 16, 1978

Location: Van Nuys High School, Hollywood, Los Angeles

Assembly time:…

I raised my wrist and looked at my watch. It was 5:30. I continued to write in my diary: 05:30.

It's not cold in the winter in Los Angeles, so he only wore a jacket over a white T-shirt, with a fanny pack hanging around his waist. He put the ballpoint pen into his pocket, took out a small notebook, and turned to a folded page. On it was the sunrise time that he had asked the weather station for yesterday - 06:48.

Ronald looked at his watch again. It was 5:31. He clicked his tongue and frowned. The director hadn't arrived yet.

Walking to the first assistant director of the crew: "Ahem..." Ronald cleared his throat and was about to speak.

Jim ran from the opposite side and asked what he wanted to ask first: "Where is Director Allen? Where is Joe Dante?"

The signed director of the crew is Alan Aikush, and the two are actually co-directors. Sometimes Joe Dante even gets to call the shots and decide how to shoot. So much so that there were some rumors on the set that they were "good friends".

The first assistant director shrugged and said he didn't know where the two were going. This assistant director is a bit weak and only does what the director tells him to do. Ronald curled his lips and was about to speak when Jim pulled him.

After the two walked aside, Jim whispered: "You didn't come last night. I saw that the director went to the Roxy Bar with the Ramones after the party last night. I heard that they were in It was crazy fun there.”

Jim told a gossip that was circulating on the set. There is always a lot of gossip on the set, some true and some false. If you want to be successful on the set, you must keep your ears open. And make a lot of friends.

Ronald wasn't used to Jim's long "Beatles" hair. He had a slightly shorter three-quarter length, but he hadn't shaved his beard for a long time since the filming of the movie started. He now has a full beard.

Although his image is similar to that of a person from the "artistic circle", he first does not smoke with the crew (maybe they smoke other things), and secondly, he does not like to talk about spirituality, anti-nuclear, yoga... and other topics. So when it comes to gossip, Jim is not as well-informed.

"Well, it seems the director will be late today," Ronald said, taking out the shooting diary and handing it to Jim.

Jim took it, and the two of them reviewed today's shooting arrangements, confirming them one by one.

After finishing the diary, Ronald took out a few more pencil drawings and handed them to Jim.

"What's this?"

"I drew the storyboard last night."

Ronald replied that he drew the first three scenes of the movie based on the revelations in his dream after waking up from a fright last night.

Storyboards, or storyboards for short, are drawings of the text described in the script, like an enlarged little book. The director will use it as a reference to set the shooting schedule, guide post-production editing, etc. If making a movie is like building a house, the storyboards are the blueprints.

Jim was greatly impressed and praised Ronald repeatedly for his good painting, which could be photographed.

The two of them are not ordinary assistants here to mess around, they both want to enter the film industry. So come early, leave late, make coffee, observe and learn at the same time.

The two directors saw this in their eyes and did not regard them as ordinary crew assistants. In addition to doing odd jobs, the two of them were also involved in some shooting-related matters.

Jim usually follows the director and observes the director telling the actors about their scenes;

Ronald was responsible for a lot of chores, organizing rehearsals for extras, filling out shooting logs, shouting instructions for the director, recording the number of people at lunch, etc...

If there is time, the two directors will also give them a few words of advice about their shooting skills and experiences.

"The two directors haven't arrived yet. Today we have to take advantage of the light before and after sunrise to shoot. We have to prepare first, otherwise we will miss the shooting time window." Jim said after looking at the time on the shooting log. He always puts Think about the problem yourself as a director.

"OK. Let's go talk to the assistant director..., forget it, it's not much use to find the assistant director who will only obey. Let's go to the director of photography first." Ronald said and Jim went to find the director of photography, Dean Kang. Dean dey.

The director of photography is the head of the photography team, and he is installing the camera's crane arm with his three strong boys.

Ronald asked: "Mr. Candy, the director hasn't arrived yet. If we don't start rehearsing the positioning now, we won't be able to catch the sunrise. Is it possible that the filming will be postponed?"

The director of photography was unwilling to answer such a basic question to the two assistants, but he had seen Ronald’s magical performance yesterday, so he pouted and signaled to his first assistant of photography, who is also the focus puller, and the chief coolie who pushes and pulls the camera, A red-haired guy answered.

"Only 20 minutes before and after sunrise are called magic rays. During this time, it is already bright, but the sun has not yet come directly. It is like nature has set up background lighting for you. After this time, you will not be able to take that kind of picture. ”

"Then we must start preparations for filming now. I will coordinate the rehearsal with the extras, Jim will ask the three heroines to move, and Mr. Dean, you will start preparing the camera. Is this arrangement okay?"

The bearded photography director didn't like to talk much, so he waved his hand to indicate that he approved of Ronald's arrangement. Ronald looked at Jim, "OK!"

Nearly 30 extras came today, all students from Van Nuys High School. It was filmed at the beginning of high school, with the drama club, science club, football team and others setting up a stage to welcome the new students, and there were also some dancing scenes.

Ronald picked up the electric horn and began to shout to the extras: "Boys and girls of Van Nuys High School! Thank you all for coming to participate in "Shake..." and participate in the filming of the "High School Life" movie. We are filming today It’s about welcoming new students, are you all ready to show your face on the screen?”

"Ready!"

"Okay, let me divide the groups. You, you,... stand over here; you, you... over here; those wearing skirts, two people wearing skirts will stand in the front row; those from the football team are here... ;

You, you, you, the four of you who are good-looking are standing behind the stage of the drama club; the few of you who look like top students and wear glasses are standing in the science club...

Okay, does everyone know where they are? "

"Members of the football team, all you have to do is pick up one of our actors playing the role of a freshman and carry him along this road...

Others were at their reserved booths, talking to each other. "

"Let's rehearse..."

"Very good. Remember, don't look at the camera! I repeat, everyone, don't look at the camera! We are filming you talking to each other, not you looking at the camera and giggling. Whoever looks at the camera, I will kill him The scene was cut off, do you understand?”

"If you want to be in a movie, if you want your parents and boyfriend and girlfriend to see your face in the cinema, if you want to become the most popular person in the class, don't look at the camera! Let's practice again..."

"Very good, now everyone goes to change clothes, and the girls go to touch up their makeup. It's 5:45 now, I'll give you 10 minutes, and in 10 minutes it will be 5:55. Everyone wears the prescribed clothes and gather here."

After temporarily disbanding the extras, Ronald hurriedly walked towards the crowd gathered near the camera, "Who has seen the credits? Has anyone seen the credits Jenny?"

"Ronnie, I'm here." A female voice came from behind.

Ronald looked back and saw Jenny holding a shooting journal in one hand and writing in a large book with the other.

The scene manager, also called the consistency supervisor, is responsible for keeping the props and costumes consistent in each scene to prevent them from being worn. This is a delicate job.

Ronald walked over, picked up the clapperboard, pointed to the words on it and lowered his voice: "Jenny, the title of the film here needs to be changed. It can't be called 'Rock and Roll High School,' it has to be called 'High School Life.'"