Exploiting Hollywood 1980

The biggest problem with "break dancing" is time constraints. At present, every day wasted in setting up the shooting team and selecting actors means that the shooting time will be tense for another day. If there are delays in casting, it basically means that the film cannot be completed before Orion's "Hot Street Kid".

How do you assemble a suitable technical team, find the right actors, and start shooting a movie in a day or two?

This task must be completed separately. Minahan decided to fly back to Los Angeles immediately and recruit technical teams from other Cannon crews, or if that didn't work, bring people over from Israel.

Ronald was responsible for casting and selecting suitable filming locations.

Ronald's first call was to Weintraub. This matter must be approved by the producer of "Longwei Boy".

"Can you finish the filming?" Weintraub did not stop Ronald, but he was worried that he would not be able to finish the filming during the three-week vacation, which would affect the progress of his film.

"Haha, I'm a Roger Corman graduate. I can shoot it in two weeks and have one week to edit. If the shoot drags on, I'll turn the editing over to Minahan and get 'The Kid' edited on time. "

"Okay, you end things over there as soon as possible." Weintraub had heard Roger Coleman's name and understood that Ronald wanted to make a quick buck this time. Anyway, the small-scale screening of the exploitation film will not affect its own Colombian distribution.

Then came the two agents from CAA. Ronald told them about his salary and dividends, and hoped that they would help with technical personnel and casting.

Hearing that if you don't work, you will get a share. The two agents hurriedly expressed that they would provide emergency help in Los Angeles. All the talents, actors, and venues that Ronald needs will be solved according to the most urgent needs.

Although without the involvement of an agent, Ronald would not have been able to sign a contract with any producer, and their share would be pie in the sky. However, when the contract is renewed, Ronald can choose another agent at any time if services commensurate with the profit sharing cannot be provided.

After making the two key phone calls, Ronald began to look for the main actors and filming locations.

The reason why I am so confident is that I can get actors and locations in a short time that would take a month for normal production. It was because when Ronald worked for Roger Corman, he saw and heard many of Corman's quick shooting tricks.

Roger Corman's greatest achievement was when he shot the movie "Little Shop of Horrors" in two days. In short, the most important thing about this kind of fast-shooting exploitation film is not to stick to the original idea. Be flexible everywhere.

For example, try to shoot outdoor scenes as much as possible and reduce lighting time. For the interior scenes, everything was improvised. If there was no suitable scenery, the script would be changed. If you have a set that others have used, bring it over and use it.

If there is no suitable actor, then look for an old partner who has worked with you before. If the role requires strong acting skills, then choose actors who are close to the personality of the character and let them play their true colors. In this way, the performance becomes familiar and does not require repeated rehearsals and reshoots.

Are there no actors who are close to the characters?

Then change the script and change the character to the actor's personality!

This is not an art film to compete for Oscars. As long as the character makes sense logically and it doesn’t matter what his personality is like, it’s almost fine. The key is to be quick.

There was no time to edit slowly, so I shot samples every day and synchronized the audio and video immediately. Once all the scenes are shot, you can immediately start the editing and assembly process.

Then there are the actors. The heroine was the heroine of her dreams, Lucinda Dickey, whom Minahan signed at Cannon. Anyway, it was obvious that she had dancing skills and her acting skills were okay.

The actor didn't know where to find the character in the original film, so Ronald called "Crazy Legs". This breakdancing master who refused to shave his beard but shaved his legs to dance for the heroine of "Flashdance" is in a dance company in New York.

"I will not star in this kind of movie. He vulgarizes the meaning of hip-hop. This kind of dancing is simply a blasphemy to the dance that originated in the Bronx, New York. What does the story you told have to do with the traitors on the West Coast who surrendered to Hollywood? the difference."

"This time is different from Flashdance. I invite you to play the leading role!" Ronald emphasized. Crazy Legs wouldn't give up this opportunity to become famous, right?

"You can't bribe me, this is our ideal."

Ronald knew that crazy legs were a bit ideal, but he didn't expect his obsession to be so serious, or...?

"The stunt double I photographed last time in Flashdance had crazy legs. Has he taken on any jobs recently?" Ronald called his agent Richard to find out.

"Crazy legs, are they from that Manhattan dance company? Richard quickly found out the truth from all the movie schedules on CAA's big blackboard. He is making a movie invested by Orion that reflects hip-hop culture. He plays himself in the movie."

“But I’m inviting the protagonist!”

"He is not necessarily short of money, but for Latino and black street dancers, being able to leave their real name in a film that reflects street dance will, to a certain extent, make him a veteran in the industry. ” Richard explained.

"Damn it." Ronald regretted that he had been too hasty to find crazy legs. "In this way, you continue to contact his agent on my behalf and don't stop."

Gu Ling

Since there is no way to poach him, he should continue to confuse his competitors so that they don't realize that he is secretly filming.

"By the way, Ronald, we have arranged a Coppola-style mobile editing van for you." Nicita took the phone and said you can get it when you come to Los Angeles.

This is a method invented by Francis Coppola, which is to put all the film and sound editing equipment into a van.

This van will be used for outdoor scenes, and it will be parked outside for interior scenes. Every day, after the film is shot and the working copy is printed, it will be sent to the studio immediately and edited in the van. In this way, Ronald can guide the editing in the van during the shooting interval or at night. It greatly improves work efficiency.

"Where is the scene I asked you to find? What does Princess Leia's mother say?" Ronald continued to confirm the location for the interior scenes.

"Ms. Debbie Reynolds is willing to lend you her dance studio again. She has just renovated it and has no students yet."

One of Roger Corman's tricks is to kill two birds with one stone. Relying on the set built with investment from others, he can shoot his own movie. Ronald is ready to copy it.

"What about the apartment?"

"The apartment in Venice. The parking lot where the karate master lived has not been demolished yet. You can use it directly to shoot the three protagonists practicing dancing."

"What about the venue for the buffet?"

"How about choosing the mansion at Ali's house? The owner has a large lawn. We can shoot the scenes you want. We will help you find a party company directly."

...

Ronald, Niceta, and Richard have agreed on a lot of shooting locations. Anyway, they have all scouted the locations during "The Karate Kid". Being familiar with the places is very important to save time.

"Have you found the handman I asked you to find?" Ronald began to care about the extras again.

"I found him. Eddie Rodriguez is a very interesting person. He promised to gather all the students to contribute to your movie. Just give them some pocket money and a lunch. If there is any extra, it is better to give them more. They will eat at night."

The breakdancers are all poor people, mainly Latinos, that is, black people. Ronald agreed immediately. There are so many breakdance extras. There is no more suitable one.

The leading actress and the main supporting roles have been confirmed, and Ronald's list still has two leading actors left.

"Ronald, do you want me to recommend some people to you?" Nicita asked on the phone.

"Do you know any actors who can do hip-hop dance?"

"No, I only know some dancers. Do you know a program called 'Soul Train'?"

Soul Train? Ronald remembered that he had seen this program before. It was mainly black and Latino, and it was all black dances from beginning to end.

"They are broadcast on the national syndicated television network and have a good relationship with our CAA. I can ask them for people to audition."

"Very good, I will take a red-eye flight tonight, you'd better arrange it tomorrow."

"No problem, they have such an opportunity is pie in the sky, I will call all the people in the Soul Train program for you."

After arranging things, Ronald began to pack his luggage, and then told his aunt that he was going to Los Angeles to shoot a low-cost movie temporarily, and the vacation was over.

"What subject are you shooting this time? You have a new job so soon?" The aunt was a little surprised and began to help Ronald pack his luggage.

Ronald thought about it, how should he explain the content of "Break Dance" to Aunt Karen?

"Actually, it's about your friend Mrs. Davis and her son Little Bud. It's about the stories of poor black people, motivated children, and how they get on the right track through dancing."

"Ronnie, I'm very happy. You should make more movies like this. The general public watches movies just to get a little relaxation and a little dream. You can listen to my advice and make movies for them. You are a good director."

Aunt Karen was very happy and hugged Ronald, "These are the cookies I baked. You can eat some when you are hungry while filming."