Exploiting Hollywood 1980

After a strong audition, the director and producers worked hard and finally found the main and supporting roles. In addition, there are 57 resident dancers and more than 500 extras. There are only a few teachers left in the crew.

The choreographer reminded the director long ago that the more time spent on casting, the less time left for dance and drama rehearsals.

The casting started in April and has been delayed for a long time. The director decided to start dance rehearsals immediately.

All the contracted resident dancers will receive a weekly salary of $785 from the beginning of rehearsal. . Rehearse 5 days a week and rest for two days on weekends. Including Meg Tilly.

Producer David Da Silva has been very busy during this period. The New York Performing Arts School rejected the revised script submitted by the crew. It is said that Ronald distributed advertisements on campus and seduced almost all graduating students to audition, which once again angered the school.

Therefore, the crew's idea of ​​renting the campus of the Performing Arts School for filming also fell through. Da Silva had to look for usable exterior and interior locations all over New York.

After using his Latino connections in the city government's education committee, he finally got permission to film at Harlan High School, an abandoned high school in midtown Manhattan.

Harlan High School not only has a similar appearance to the Performing Arts School, but the two schools are very close, just across the street.

MGM invested $200,000 to redecorate the campus interior and exterior. The original practice room of the high school was first re-laid with professional ballet carpets, and the practice facilities were updated. It was first opened to the dance rehearsal team as a practice room.

This is the second time Ronald has filmed in an abandoned high school since he joined the film industry. In recent years, many public high schools have been closed, and the reasons are related to the Vietnam War and the hippie movement.

The baby boom generation in America began to appear after World War II. With a large population growth, the states opened a large number of elementary and middle schools for this wave of baby boomers.

However, this baby boom came to an abrupt end in 1965 when the United States was deeply involved in the Vietnam War.

Hippies no longer get married and have children. Economic stagnation and women's liberation from the family to work have also greatly reduced the average number of children in a family.

Except for a few ethnic groups that believe in Catholicism, they still maintain a high birth rate because abortion violates doctrine. The birth rate of other European whites has dropped significantly.

In the first year of the end of the baby boom, babies born in 1966 are now just the age to enter high school. The decline in enrollment has caused a large number of schools to close because they cannot recruit students and cannot make ends meet.

Ronald walked into Harlan High School, which was closed for a year and reopened because of a movie. The entrance was an MGM woodworking workshop. Every day, the woodworkers started working and creating some disposable sets that looked good but were not useful.

At the beginning, Ronald found that every morning there would be two trucks loaded with wood parked outside the woodworking workshop, and they would not unload the goods, and then take them away at night.

After reporting to the producer, Da Silva told him not to make a fuss, saying that this was a necessary waste.

The next day, the director's chosen director of photography also flew in from the UK. The first thing he did after getting over the jet lag in New York was to let Ronald drive to purchase two latest cameras and rent them to MGM for filming.

Thinking about how I bought my own car, the fixed expenses of the crew, such as equipment, vehicles, and transportation, are indeed a good place for the powerful people to divide their territory and make their own moves.

The casting work has basically been completed. In theory, Ronald no longer has a permanent job in the crew. He just needs to help the director revise the script at home. However, the producer asked him to watch the dance rehearsal.

Meg saw him come in and turned away silently. The dancers were already used to it. The two did not argue or communicate.

Ronald went to the production office next door to chat with the producer first.

"Mr. Da Silva, the studio is very hot today. Summer is here and the temperature is already 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). The studio will only get higher. If we don't install cooling measures, I'm afraid someone will get heat stroke in the next two days."

"I know, Ronald. I'll ask them to purchase air conditioners. The safety of the actors is a big deal." Since Madonna's audition failed dramatically, Da Silva has become more and more satisfied with Ronald. He talks to him every day to understand the progress of rehearsals and the movements of the actors.

60 boys and girls, in a studio, rehearsing and resting for 8 hours a day, inseparable, you can imagine what will happen. Ronald's daily reports let him understand the movements and quietly add protective measures. He doesn't want Hillary's story to happen in reality.

"No, my director of photography Michael Seresin just inspected the site yesterday and installed air conditioners. The cold air sprayed out will cause poor lighting effects during shooting." Director Parker quickly denied it.

"Then let's move four large fans, the kind used on set. During breaks between takes, they will blow towards the actors." The producer thought of a compromise.

In the afternoon, a truck drove into Harlan High School, unloaded four large floor fans, and sent them to the practice room.

The dancers cheered loudly, but they were soon disappointed.

The buzzing noise was a big hindrance to rehearsals. Even if they turned on the fans for a while during breaks, the hot air from the fans couldn't cool them down much.

The dancers, who were originally full of hope, were now full of disappointment and sighed, which led to a decline in the quality of rehearsal. The choreographer was so angry that he grabbed Ronald and said, "You have to find a way to cool me down, otherwise the actors will lose their energy."

Ronald reported to the producer again, dragged two large refrigerators, froze two boxes of ice cubes, and placed them in front of the fans. Now the dancers finally started cheering.

"And Coke." Ronald opened the cap of the glass bottle and handed one to the choreographer. "The refrigerator can provide each dancer with a bottle of iced Coke every day."

Even the choreographer was happy now, "You are such a good news sir."

Meg also received a bottle of Coke. She looked at Ronald who was surrounded by everyone to thank him, and finally couldn't help but walked over.

The dancers were young people and knew the two had something to say. Antonia Francesca gestured to everyone, and everyone separated to give the two of them a private space.

But everyone pricked up their ears, waiting to hear this rare live gossip.

"Ronald, I'm very angry. The role that said my lines went to someone else... But the past is in the past, and I will pay you back the money for the acting training."

"You made it very clear, as long as you feel OK."

"Okay, after I finish filming this movie, I will go to Los Angeles to find my sister. I will develop in Hollywood in the future, and you will go to school in New York."

"Then... I wish your dream in Hollywood will come true." Ronald stretched out his hand.

Ronald took his Coke, walked to a corner of the practice room, and drank it quietly. Sure enough, roles and close-ups are the Achilles heel of all actresses, even newcomers like Meg who only entered the industry because of her own recommendation.

Everyone didn't enjoy the show and left in a hurry.

Gene Anthony Ray, the star who played Leroy, came over to complain: "Ronnie, don't be sad for that bitch. I'll introduce you to Lucy, a girl from Harlem. We black girls are very good."

Antonia Franceschi also came over and interrupted Jean's nonsense, "You know what girl. Ronald, don't care.

Ronald smiled. The two of them were recommended to join the crew by himself. In a sense, they were "Ronald's people".

"You seem to get to know someone very quickly."

"I have been able to tell who is pretending and who is real since I was a child." Antonia became serious. "For example, I can tell at a glance that Jean has no feelings for..." She made a "girl" mouth shape.

"Hey sister, who said that, I'm in the movie with you..." Gene smiled and made an obscene gesture.

Ronald was a little surprised. Gene had a complicated background. He was a man from the streets of Harlem. He had muscles and could throw his ballet partner high and flying. He would not lose in a fight. He was very kind to Antonia.

And Antonia really has a keen eye, and she saw through Jean's orientation in a short time.

"Hey, Ronnie, look at me." Gene patted his chest, "Which black girl do you want to date? Even Erin Kara, I can also let her sneak out and date you behind the agent's back."

Ronald smiled and was about to refuse, but suddenly something happened in his heart. He just took the opportunity to win over the crew.

"Stop dating, let's go find a place to eat something delicious and have some fun together?"

"Then I'll call Lucy and Antonia, and we'll have a two-on-two date."

Today happened to be Friday, so a few people got into Ronald's Honda Accord, discussed it, and decided to go to Little Italy to eat pizza first, and then watch a late-night movie.

"Wow, Man, is this a BMW?" Gene was envious of Ronald's car.

"No, Japanese Hondas are not as expensive as BMWs." Ronald replied, "If you become famous, you will have one in the future."

"I recommend the Margherita pizza, which has cheese and fresh basil leaves. It tastes very good. Some Wall Street traders will come here to eat it," Antonia said.

They are all children from poor families, and none of them are gourmets. They all agreed to listen to the Italian-born Antonia.

Italian pizza tastes really good. Compared with it, Domino's pizza is just baked dough. Unfortunately, this Margherita does not deliver outside, so you can't come here often to eat it.

Gene swung his shoulders to the music in the restaurant, "Donna \u0026 Stuff," the disco song that hit every restaurant and nightclub in New York.

"Let's all say Cheese." Gene took out his new toy Polaroid camera, and everyone leaned together and took some photos.

"Our black girls are the best, aren't they, Lucy." Gene began to promote Lucy, who was also an extra from Harlem. Lucy straightened her chest when she heard this, looking like he was right.

"You are great, but Ronald may not like your style." Antonia smiled.

"What do you know, the darker the blackberry, the sweeter the juice..." Lucy argued unconvinced.

"That's a good line. I have to write him into the lines." Ronald took out his small notebook and a ballpoint pen, then stopped to ask for Lucy's opinion, "Would you mind, Lucy? If you don't want others to Read your lines and forget about it.”

"Do I have a chance to read it?" Lucy asked with eyes shining.

"I don't want to lie to you, no." Ronald stopped writing.

"It doesn't matter, just write it, it's not a big deal." Lucy knew her position as an extra.

"That's right, Lucy. Ronald is my big brother. He takes care of me so I can take care of you." Gene was very satisfied with Lucy's knowledge.