Exploiting Hollywood 1980

I don’t know if there’s something wrong with the dream, or if I haven’t seen this movie in my previous life. Ronald felt a little uncomfortable because he had to rely entirely on his screenwriting skills to revise the script of "Dragon Dance".

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

Travolta hopes to show more of his sexy image, and RSO Records hopes to include more hit songs to once again promote the popularity of the Bee Gees. Their record sales dropped severely due to the disco destruction incident.

Paramount may be most concerned 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 quite understanding the ecology of Broadway, Ronald picked up the phone and asked a friend for help.

"Don, this is Ronald, asking you to do me a little favor." He called Don Simpson, the producer of "Flashdance." "Have you finished shooting the scenes in Philadelphia? 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 dance career." Ronald found a cafe and met Cynthia Rhodes (Cynthia Rhodes), who played the club dancer in "Flashdance" ( bsp;Rhodes) met to discuss the script.

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

“I’m writing the script for Travolta’s ‘Saturday Night Fever’ sequel.”

"Ah..." Cynthia suddenly exclaimed, "Is there finally going to be a sequel to this movie? Or will Travolta play Tony Manero?"

"Uh, yes." Ronald didn't expect Cynthia to be so obsessed with this movie. It seemed that the original work was indeed deeply rooted in people's hearts.

"It would be great if I could play a role in this movie, because we used to imitate the moves of Travolta and his partners."

"Aren't you a ballet and jazz dancer?" Ronald asked curiously. "Saturday Night Fever" is about a young Italian man 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 answered.

"Okay, let me start asking. How did you become a dancer?"

"I grew up dancing and was a little singer. When I grew up, I naturally tried my luck on Broadway in New York. But I was not lucky enough to get a Broadway role.

Then I filmed some commercials and music videos, and acted as an extra in a few movies. Recently, my agent found me an opportunity to appear in "Flashdance." Cynthia, dressed in simple clothes, answered with a coffee cup in her arms.

"Can you still sing?"

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

Ronald was impressed. Nashville is the heart of American music and is home to many record companies. Although she is a small garden party singer, she should have a certain level to be selected.

"For an average dancer, if you want to get onto Broadway, what key people do you need to impress?"

"The main thing is the preliminary selection of casting directors, and then the director of the musical will do a group interview to select candidates for the backup dance line. The protagonists are basically selected from famous dancers. Occasionally, there will be dancers who dance from the backup line. At that time, first It’s my dream to be a backup dancer and then be chosen to play the lead role.”

In Broadway musicals, backup dancers generally create a dance background behind a line, called a backup dance line. Only the leading role can be performed before the backup dancer line.

"Then why didn't you persist?"

"Hmm... How should I put it? The career length of female dancers is generally only half that of male dancers. I was already twenty-three years old at the time and didn't have a real opportunity, so I wanted to try the film industry."

"How likely do you think a dancer like Manero, who was the best at the disco, would be cast on Broadway and be cast in 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 dance genius like Manero concentrates on learning, it is not impossible. He looks like this handsome."

"What about before he was selected? What kind of job could Manero possibly do to support his family?"

"His appearance and dancing skills are very popular in discotheques, such as Club 54. He can make a lot of money by working as a waiter. If he doesn't go to these sensual places, he can work as a dancer in a fitness club. Coach, you can survive in Manhattan.”

…

Ronald asked a lot of questions and kept a big book of all the problems, temptations, and worries that a dancer would encounter in a big city.

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

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

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

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

"Don't get too excited, it's just an audition." Ronald touched his face. Cynthia is cute with blonde hair and she's a dancer, which suits his aesthetic taste.

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

The next step is to connect the various plots with several main lines. The original script was relatively weak in this aspect, which is why Travolta and Stewart were dissatisfied.

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

The advantage of dreams is that they give the direction of several climax scenes, which is equivalent to giving the main line of the movie, or one of the main lines. The rest just needs to be filled in.

Now there is no guidance, so I can only think again and come up with a main line with logical coherence, emotional ups and downs, and various unexpected plots.

The biggest problem appeared in Manero's dance career. In the script Ronald got, Manero was written as a dance genius who yearned for Broadway. But he was clearly an excellent grassroots dancer in disco in the original work, how could he smoothly transition to Broadway musicals?

Just like Cynthia said, a handsome man who could make a lot of money in Club 54 and had no shortage of women. How could he find the motivation to give up everything and start dancing on Broadway as a backup dancer?

We need to find a suitable motivation for Manero to go to Broadway to watch a musical with his girlfriend who was a backup dancer on Broadway and fall in love with that kind of dance at first sight?

Ronald felt that what he lacked most now was time. While revising the script of "Dragon Flying and Phoenix Dancing", he also had to revise, raise funds, and find suitable actors for his own "Night of the Comet".

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

Even so, he was exhausted and only made preliminary revisions a week later, and then went to the gym to hand in the revised script to Travolta.

Travolta is dancing. Now he dances for three hours a day and lifts barbells for two hours to restore his body and dancing ability.

"Manero was fascinated by the heroine of the musical. He 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, he impressed the director in the audition of the new musical and was selected as a dancer.

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

During the rehearsal, the heroine of the musical had a conflict with her boyfriend who didn't want her to continue her dance career. Manero comforted and helped the heroine. Manero's girlfriend thought he had fallen in love with someone else. Finally, during the dance, the two understood each other's feelings and reconciled."

Travolta quickly read the script, "Ronald, you are really fast and high quality. I am very satisfied. What do Paramount and Stewart think of this?" He said the last sentence to his CAA agent.

"Mr. Sternwood approved. As long as you are willing to act in Paramount, everything else is fine."

"Okay, then we have to find a good director. I like the kind of Manero that Ronald mentioned last time who struggles like Rocky. We'd better find a director like the one in Rocky's movie, who is good at filming the story of small people's struggle and success."

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

"Well... help me think about it, who is there? You also help me think about it, Ronald."

"Since you like Rocky so much, why don't you find a director who is Rocky?" Ronald replied. This script has inherent defects, and it has to satisfy the interests of several investors. Ronald has no dream reference and doesn't want to direct this movie.

Besides, he is still busy with "Night of the Comet", so he didn't want to recommend himself, so he said it casually.

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

"The director of the first Rocky was not Stallone." Ronald muttered.

After handing over the script of "Dragon Flying and Phoenix Dancing", we have made one step closer to the set goal.

Next, we should find the remaining main actors. There are hints in the dreams of several male and female protagonists. Except for the male protagonist's poor acting skills, the other few people are very enough for a low-cost exploitation film.

We can't afford to hire too expensive actors.

First, find the heroine Catherine Mary Stuart, the beauty who was deceived by Minahan to play the heroine of the failed musical "Apple".

"What script? Is it a group drama like Fast Pace? Am I the protagonist?" Catherine Mary Stuart is very interested in the movie directed by Ronald. She has long wanted to make a name for herself with a movie like "Fast Pace".

"One of the main characters, there are only two valley girl sisters as the main characters, and you have the most important role. In fact, I came up with the plot after I saw you at Menahan's party last time. It is a sci-fi theme and a youth film with zombies."

"It sounds complicated, but I really want to act. When is your schedule?"

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

"Sure, I have a recurring role in the new season of the soap opera "Days of Our Lives", but they are going to write me to death, so I will be free after late January next year."

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

Then Mary Voronov was invited to play an important role, a female scientist in the Doomsday Base. She played the role of the old-fashioned female principal in "Rock High School" very well. She is a good actor with real acting skills, but she is ignored by the mainstream Hollywood.

"Mary, my name is Ronald. I'm going to direct a new film. There is a role of a female scientist. Do you want to play it?"

"Ronald?" Voronov didn't react at first to which Ronald it was.

"Is it Ronald? He is the director of Fast Pace. He was the temporary director of Rock High School. I just want to ask him..." A voice was talking to Mary in a low voice.

"Ronald, I'm glad you remembered me. Can you come to my house to talk in detail? I have something to do and can't leave." 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 talk to Mary about her opinion on the script.