Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Okay, she's Stella Adler. There are also short-term training courses for actors." Julia Taylor picked up her notebook and wrote down a number for Ronald: "Here's the phone number, you can go ask."

"What about the agent?"

"Doesn't Meg have an agent? You can ask her to call Eddie and try. You must choose your own agent." Julia Taylor wrote down the agent Eddie's phone number for Ronald.

"Thank you, Ms. Taylor."

Turning around, producer David Da Silva also came to see Ronald.

David Da Silva is a tall middle-aged man, most of his head is bald, and he has a small mustache on his upper lip. He wears a relatively rare pair of suspender trousers, which is very old-fashioned.

"Ronald, Alan asked me to sign an agreement with you. He wants to hire you as a casting assistant, in the name of driver and car rental, $200 per day, for one month. If the casting is not finished, it will be postponed."

"Thank you, Mr. Da Silva."

"But I still have my conditions. Have you read the script?"

"I haven't."

"Here is the latest version of the script. Take it and read it carefully. All eight protagonists must be focused on. If Director Parker tries to choose any actor who is obviously inconsistent with the script, you must notify me. Do you understand?"

Producer David Da Silva said to Ronald seriously.

"What?" Ronald thought, why is there so much intrigue in this crew? When he was in New World Company, the crew was very harmonious?

"Remember who pays you, Ronnie. I talked to Julia and know that you are a smart kid."

David Da Silva threatened, and Ronald had no choice but to obey.

"Okay, Mr. Da Silva, I will do what you ask. After all, I am working for you, Sir."

"You are very good. Let's sign the agreement. Take this check and remember to give me a copy of the receipt for buying the car." Da Silva took out a check for $6,000 and handed it to Ronald.

"Remember to buy a better car, Ronnie."

"Am I a double agent?" Ronald thought.

"Read the script carefully, Ronald." Director Alan Parker came to guide him again.

"Remember your intuition. This movie is a realistic movie that reflects the real dark side of life in a performing arts high school. David should have told you his requirements?"

"Yes, Director Parker. He asked me to be loyal to the script." Ronald hinted.

"You are very good. I like to deal with smart people." Alan Parker understood.

"But always remember that the script is just a creation on paper. When the director selects actors, he must have imagination and rely on his own intuitive judgment to imagine the actors and the final effect of the script. After all, the audience goes to the cinema to watch the film, not the script."

"So when casting, you should follow the director's judgment, not completely follow the description in the script. Do you understand?"

"Okay, Mr. Parker, I will do it according to your requirements. In the final analysis, I am working for you, Sir."

"Now it's the third interview."

Director and producer, who has the final say?

I called to ask about the actor training class of Stella Adler Studio. You can also participate without any basic skills. The fee is 260 yuan/8 classes, which is not expensive.

I contacted the agent named Eddie by phone again.

Eddie was very active. After asking about the situation, he took the initiative to say that he could come to sign the contract tomorrow. Ronald and him set a time and then went to the car market to look at cars.

Since the political turmoil in Persia caused the international oil price to soar, the price of gasoline at gas stations has risen by more than 50%. Ronald wanted to pick a fuel-efficient European car, just like the last Volkswagen Hare.

However, at the newsstand next to the subway station, Ronald saw a back cover advertisement of Time magazine.

"Honda Accord, a new generation of four-door compact sedans, power steering, central control trunk switch, electric windows."

It seems that Japanese cars are not bad.

He took the subway to the dealer and saw: the four front headlights are very powerful. Although it is a compact car, the interior space is very large.

This is it. After $5,600, Ronald got a light green Honda Accord and drove back to the artist's apartment.

After parking the car downstairs, Ronald first called Meg to have dinner together, and then planned her agent and acting class together.

But Meg also had a plan. As soon as she saw Ronald, she started talking about her arrangements.

After talking on the phone with her sister Jennifer in Los Angeles for a long time, Jennifer used her connections to arrange a William Morris agent for Meg. Come to sign the contract tomorrow.

"This... didn't you discuss it with me? I asked Julia for advice and have found an agent named Eddie to come and discuss it in detail tomorrow."

"William Morris's agent is very famous in the industry. I have already made an agreement with them." Meg saw Ronald's face was not good while talking, "Are you angry? Ronnie, I couldn't find you at first, and I agreed when I heard the name of William Morris."

"I'm not angry, your sister introduced you to a big company. It's just that I have to apologize to Eddie tomorrow for making him go there in vain." Ronald was shaken by Meg's arm twice, and he was relieved.

"What about your acting training class?"

"Jennifer told me a lot of common sense. She said it's best to learn method acting for filming. If it's in Los Angeles, she will introduce me to an acting teacher named Peggy Fury."

"Los Angeles..." Ronald frowned again.

"In New York, she suggested that I go to the Actors Studio."

"I've heard of that place. Some people say it's the best." Ronald heard Natasha Kinski say it. "I'll take you to sign up when I'm free."

Seeing that Meg had taken care of everything, Ronald was not unhappy at all, but just felt that he didn't do his part. "Fortunately, I didn't help her sign up for Stella Adler's training class."

The two began to turn to the topic of love.

The next day, Eddie, introduced by Julia, came to visit the artist's apartment as scheduled. Ronald invited Eddie in and apologized to him directly:

"I'm sorry, Eddie... sir. I didn't know that Meg had found William Morris' agent through her sister to sign. It was my mistake. I made you go for nothing."

Eddie is a short man who looks very friendly, which is a great advantage in the profession of agent.

"It's okay, just call me Eddie. I represent a small independent agency. Actors often jump to William Morris after becoming famous. We can't do anything about it. The law stipulates that we can only sign a contract with an actor for a maximum of 3 years."

"If a big company is willing to pay to buy the actor's contract in our hands, we don't object. Because more famous actors need more powerful agents to fight for resources."

"Julia talked to me about you. In fact, I am more interested in you today."

"Me? I'm not an actor." Ronald said.

"But you may become a director in the future." Eddie was very frank.

"Directors are the scarcest resource in the industry. Even a TV commercial director is very important to us."

"I have a lot of young actresses who have just entered the industry. If you can help one or two of them in the future, it will be a huge help to our business."

"You seem to be too honest, Eddie." Ronald said with a smile, "Few people in this industry expose their shortcomings."

"But if an antique dealer takes the initiative to point out the cracks on the bottom of his porcelain, won't it be more trustworthy to customers?" Eddie also smiled, "This is not a difficult secret to find out. I try to maintain my honesty."

Ronald felt that Eddie was a very interesting person. He also represented some insert girls in men's magazines, but his business with actors was strictly separated.

Driving Eddie back to the office, and buying a few new daily variety shows and Hollywood reports on the way, Ronald is gradually developing a good habit of reading industry news every day.

"Rock High School" was released in Georgia, and the box office was not good. It is another typical Roger Corman-style youth exploitation film. It may rely on the east and west coasts to gain more audiences. ”

Has Rock High School been released?

Ronald called Gail, assistant to the president of New World, "Gail, I heard that Rock High School has been released?"

"Ronnie, I'm glad to hear your voice."

"Yes. Rock High School didn't do well at the box office in Georgia and Arizona, and Roger may cancel the release plan in California and New York."

"That's too bad, I'm still waiting to invite my family and friends to watch it."

"It's not that there is no chance, it depends on the performance of the next few states. What are you doing now? Ronnie"

"I'm waiting for school to start, and by the way, I'm working as a casting assistant for the new film directed by Alan Parker."

"That's great, the Midnight Train he directed last year was a big hit at the box office, and now he is a celebrity in Hollywood. ”

…

After hanging up the phone, Ronald began to read the script of "Hot Lunch" carefully and drew portraits of several protagonists in his dream. If he encounters them during casting, he can recommend them to director Alan Parker.

The script of "Hot Lunch" is very interesting. The several clips he dreamed of were all singing and dancing, but this film is not the old-fashioned orthodox musical film in Hollywood.

The singing and dancing part actually has a plot. When a certain music sounded, a group of art students began to dance spontaneously. This makes sense in life, and it is not a matter of dancing awkwardly when there is a disagreement.

And the old-fashioned musical films, such as "Grease", use singing instead of dialogue and dance instead of action.

The new generation of young people seem to be more and more The more I dislike the old-fashioned orthodox musicals, this form of performance.

In life, a person does not speak, but sings out his meaning; does not walk, but dances all the way, which is really embarrassing.

The next day, it was time to go to the New York Performing Arts High School to discuss auditions with the school's senior management. Ronald first met the director Parker and then drove to the performing arts high school.

Margaret from the casting studio, Howard Fair, a partner of Fair and Lizelle Casting Company, and producer David Da Silva were already waiting in the large conference room.

Ronald took out his notebook and waited in the back row to take notes after the meeting started.

The door was pushed open with a snap, and the principal of the performing arts high school and several teachers walked in.