Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Both Broadway actors wanted to switch to movies, but they didn't want to do TV shows.

This is an interesting consensus within the acting industry. Generally speaking, TV screens are small. The average size of TVs in American households is far less than 20 inches.

Therefore, in order to ensure that the audience understands the plot and does not miss the details of the performance because the TV is too small to see the actors' expressions clearly, the TV station uses close-ups when talking.

This is very different from the movie screen. Even the smallest 1.85:1 ordinary movie theater screen is large enough to accommodate the close-up of the upper body of the two protagonists while allowing the audience to see the expressions on their faces clearly. .

Therefore, the performance of TV actors is relatively stylized, and when the actors make facial expressions, they don't have to worry about the posture of other parts of the body and the interaction with the opposite actors.

Many TV actors, such as Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd, acted in dialogue with doubles. If they have conflicts (and they do have quite a few), they can avoid meeting each other during filming.

But it is not possible for movies. The over-the-shoulder shots of the dialogue inevitably include part of the actor who is acting opposite the actor being filmed. So generally, actors have to stand behind the camera and act opposite the actor being filmed.

Therefore, movie actors need to have body posture training, and hone their body and line reactions after hearing the other party's lines, so as to stimulate each other and get into the state better.

This method is closer to the way of stage actors. The main difference between the two is that movies can be reshot many times to find the best shots, while stage performances only have one chance. Movies can have different scenes, while the audience of dramas can only watch the whole scene from a fixed angle.

In comparison, stage actors have higher requirements for acting skills and lines, and lower requirements for appearance and body posture.

Alec Baldwin and Kevin Spacey, of course, prefer to enter the film industry where transition is easier.

The next day, Joel Silver and director John McTiernan returned to Los Angeles with the agreement of the villain actor they had obtained. They were going to start scouting locations and looking for suitable buildings for filming in Hollywood.

Ronald stayed in New York, and he would stay here for a few more days.

In the middle of Staten Island, the house used for filming "The Godfather" had its interior decoration and furniture rebuilt into the interior scene of the film.

The exterior courtyard was now fenced off and new decoration was being prepared.

"Ronald, the Chinese style you mentioned... is called... called..."

The agent Richard was the one who ran errands for him. After working with Ronald for so many years, Richard's income also grew with Ronald's income, and now he has devoted most of his time to providing Ronald with various business and personal services.

"Yuanyuan!" Ronald pronounced it in Chinese, "It probably means landscape garden."

"Yes, YuanL" Richard pronounced some awkward Chinese. There is no corresponding word for L in English, so he had to use the first half of Lda to remind himself, but most native English speakers can't pronounce the sound of Yuan.

"I've looked for designers from both the East and West Coasts, and none of them can. They can't even understand the meaning of your style. Is it the kind of Versailles in China that trims the plants neatly? If so, this yard must not be big enough..."

"No, the garden doesn't have to be big. It's a small style in southeast China. Let's put it this way, with this small yard, within a 10-minute walk, you can build the scenery of the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter."

Ronald thought that the garden he visited while filming Spielberg's "Son of the Sun" in Jiading was very beautiful.

"This..." Richard was sweating profusely when he heard it. It seemed a bit difficult to build the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter within walking distance. It is not certain that the movie set can be completed. At least in winter, it will take large equipment to blow soap bubbles to pretend that it snows.

"Forget it, you don't have to worry about it for now. I'll find my connections in China to see if they have a suitable designer."

Ronald didn't know how to explain to these old Americans who had never seen Jiangnan gardens. For this kind of thing, experts should be invited to build one, so that they can appreciate the ingenuity of Chinese culture. The style of Versailles, which relies purely on large areas and neat plants, does not match his own wishes.

And it is impossible for him to buy such a large piece of land to suit Versailles.

"What else do I have planned in New York?" Ronald asked Richard, who is now more and more like his assistant.

For Richard, this is actually a responsibility beyond the scope of work, but Richard is very dedicated and has a good relationship with Ronald, so he helped him solve the troublesome things.

However, as Ronald's things became busier and busier, this way of pulling him for free was not suitable. Ronald considered finding another capable assistant.

"You have made an appointment with Tom Cruise to visit the set of his new film 'Cocktail'. The leading actress is also your friend Elizabeth Shue."

"Okay, how many days will they shoot in New York?"

"It's just one week, some landmark scenes, and some basketball scenes. We'll go to Jamaica to shoot the beach on the weekend, and the rest of the scenes will be in Canada."

"The day after tomorrow," Ronald set the time. This movie, invested in by Touchstone Pictures under Disney, is pursuing the star effect. Tom Cruise, one of the most popular male stars now, wants to try a romantic film, and Elizabeth Shue is also a female star who became famous because of "The Adventures of a Babysitter".

After the two revealed their intention to participate, they immediately squeezed out the original male and female protagonists, preparing to take advantage of the star's momentum to make another box office hit movie.

Since Ronald rejected Tom Cruise's "Rain Man" script, he was not interested in directing this "Cocktail" because the script of this movie was too ridiculous.

Brian, a college student played by Cruise, went to a bartender in a bar in New York to earn tuition. After falling out with his master Doug because of a woman, he dropped out of school and went to Jamaica alone to be a beach bartender.

Two years later, he met Jordan Mooney, a rich girl played by Elizabeth Shue. The love between the two ignited. Doug, the master who went to Jamaica at the same time, made a bet with Brian to see who could pick up a wealthy old woman. Jordan saw Brian with the old woman and returned to New York sadly.

Brian, who went back to New York and continued to pursue Jordan, found that Jordan's family was the richest. Jordan's father forbade him to come in to see his daughter. After a struggle, he finally met Jordan. When her father threatened to cut off his daughter's inheritance, Brian and Jordan agreed not to ask for her father's financial support.

With the support of Brian's uncle, the two opened their own bar in New York, and the business was so successful that they wanted to open a chain store.

For this kind of plot, Ronald felt that the whole character and story were untenable. How could someone not go to college, become a bartender, and finally successfully marry a rich girl? Now young people in America want to go to financial companies on Wall Street the most, and they all need a degree from a prestigious school.

And the probability of being successful in New York by mixing fancy drinks is about the same as that of an ordinary person winning the Powerball lottery. So he declined the idea of ​​working with the two male and female protagonists again.

On the other hand, because Tom Cruise and Elizabeth Shue's pay has been rising due to the hot sales of the previous movie.

According to Niceta, Cruise's salary is close to the top star's $5 million. Richard also heard some rumors about Elizabeth Shue, which is close to the top female star's salary of $1 million.

This requires a high box office, so Ronald also declined the invitation of Touchstone's boss Michael Eisner and did not invest in this movie as a producer.

However, the friendship between the few people is good, and Ronald agreed to visit the set as a publicity tidbit.

After meeting with Aunt Karen and enjoying family happiness, Ronald went to the streets of Manhattan, New York the next day to watch the filming of "Cocktail".

The director of the movie, Roger Donaldson, was born in Australia and naturalized in New Zealand. He was able to get Touchstone's $20 million big production this year because his previous movie "The Spy Who Soldier" sold a good box office of $35 million.

That "The Spy Who Soldier" was starred by Kevin Costner and actress Sean Young. The scene of the two fighting in the back seat of the luxury car was voted as the top five erotic scenes after Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger in "9 1/2 Weeks".

"Hi, Tom, Elizabeth", Ronald came forward and hugged and greeted the two leading actors under the flash of the photographer who was shooting the behind-the-scenes.

"This is director Roger Donaldson, this is..."

"Hahaha, Ronald Lee doesn't need to be introduced. Although I am a New Zealander, I also know your reputation."

Director Donaldson was very polite. Anyway, today was mainly a few outdoor scenes, and shooting was not troublesome, so he was not annoyed by Ronald's visit.

"What scene are you shooting today?" Ronald spent ten minutes waiting for the photographer to shoot enough material, and then he was ready to leave. Movie shooting is very short of time, and it is the etiquette of any colleague not to hinder the director's dictatorship on the set.

"Today there is a helicopter aerial shooting scene. The producer thought of many ways to apply for 10 minutes of shooting time. New York has very strict management of helicopters." Director Donaldson said.

"Oh, can I watch from the side?" Ronald got interested after hearing this. There were many aerial shots in the movie he dreamed of. Helicopter aerial shots were something he had never done before, but it was a way to complete the scenes in his dream.

"Of course, please stay behind the camera. When the helicopter lands, the wind is very strong..." Director Donaldson said a few words, and then left Ronald alone and went to contact the helicopter.

"Ronald," a beautiful woman poked Ronald's shoulder from behind.

"Rachel! Why are you here?" Ronald recognized that the person who greeted him was the Australian actress Rachel Ward, who had a relationship with him.

Ward came up and hugged Ronald first, then pointed to an older actor on the set, Doug, the mentor of Tom Cruise's character Brian.

"Who is that?" Ronald looked at the old-looking Australian actor. Wasn't he the leading actor in Ward's movie at the Tokyo Film Festival?

"My husband Brian Brown," Ward said with a smile.

"Ahaha..."

Ronald was about to say hello to Mr. Brown when director Donaldson started to clear the scene with a megaphone.

"Everyone, pay attention. The helicopter is coming soon. Everyone, prepare. We only have two shooting times. Everyone, pay attention."

Seeing this, Ronald took a few steps back and looked at the sky with Rachel Ward.

Today's weather is clear and visibility is good. After a while, a helicopter slowly arrived from the sea in Lower Manhattan.

The closer you drive, the louder the noise becomes. When it came time to land, the cameras and recording microphones started working to capture the landing.

The huge engine sound, the rotating propeller, and the illusion of inversion are very powerful. In terms of the intimidation power against people alone, helicopters are actually more powerful than fighter jets.

Ronald couldn't help but think of the actress in his movie, Jennifer Jason Leigh, whose father, Vic Morrow, was decapitated and died by a helicopter propeller on the set. Onade couldn't help but take two steps back.

"Stuck!" Director Donaldson stopped filming after the helicopter came to a complete stop. This one is reserved by the helicopter company and is not included in the time of the two.

At the director's urging, Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Shue boarded the helicopter before filming the takeoff.

During the whole process, the director said that A does not count and it still depends on the helicopter pilot's judgment. Because this kind of big machine, like the locomotive, is shot in one shot and takes a long time to restore.

The venue in Manhattan, New York, has complicated airflow, and it only counts if the pilot says it's okay to take off.

There is a problem with this one. When taking off, the helicopter shakes a bit. Director Donaldson watched the scene on the camera monitor for a long time, and then discussed with the director of photography whether to reshoot.

"How's it going?" Elizabeth Sue and Tom Cruise also got off the helicopter and came around to ask about the situation.

"One more shot..." Director Donaldson announced, "Everyone is ready for one more shot. Let's hurry up, maybe we can shoot the third one, hurry up, hurry up!"

"Oh," Elizabeth Su immediately started walking towards the helicopter.

The helicopter had just stopped, the propellers had stopped, but the tail rotor had not stopped yet.

For civilian helicopters, the tail rotor rotates very quietly and makes almost no noise.

This helicopter model for aerial photography has its tail rotor very close to the ground. This shape has no advantages other than good looks. If you are a professional driver, you will mark the tail rotor as a restricted area. No one is allowed to come near until it comes to a complete stop.

"Oh, Shxt!" In addition to getting a propeller aircraft license, Tom Cruise is also taking the helicopter license. His face turned pale when he found out. Elizabeth Sue did not notice the vertical tail rotor that was still rotating at high speed. If she continued forward, it would cause another helicopter accident, the second decapitation accident in the history of film shooting.

Tom Cruise hesitated for a moment, whether to call Elizabeth or run over and pull her.

Ronald was seen rushing over quickly. Cruise also rushed over.

Ronald, who had been thinking about the Vic Morrow beheading accident, discovered before all the staff that the tail rotor was still spinning. He rushed behind Elizabeth and shouted "Elizabeth!"

Elizabeth Sue was startled. She turned back and walked forward at the same time, in order to save shooting time.

Ronald had no choice but to slide and tackle Elizabeth Su's legs with his legs, and put her down in a standard wrestling move. Then he held up his hands to act as a buffer for Su who fell to the ground, and then hugged her tightly.

"Bah bang bang..." Elizabeth Su, who was beaten to a pulp, hit Ronald, "

what are you doing? Say hello to me with karate? "As she said that, she also performed a karate move she learned in "Longwei Boy".

Ronald slowly stood up, and the two of them were only a few steps away from the tail rotor.

"Look over there," Tom Cruise pointed to the helicopter's tail rotor.

"Oh, my God...Oh, my God..." Elizabeth Su's face immediately turned pale, and she screamed loudly in fright.

"It's okay, it's okay." Ronald quickly held her in his arms and patted her back gently.

"Who the hell is in charge of the helicopter?" Director Donaldson discovered the danger and was so angry that he rushed towards the assistant in charge of the helicopter and kicked his butt several times.

"Elizabeth, are you okay? We still have 5 minutes..."

The rental time of the helicopter was precious, and although Donaldson was unkind, the situation dictated that he had to continue filming.

"Your karate is very good. I plan to take some shots of this in the future." Donaldson's eyes lit up when he saw Elizabeth Sue's last move to fight.

"Oh, that's what I learned when Ronald and I were filming Longwei Boy..." Elizabeth turned back to look at Ronald, her eyes full of gratitude and frightened reply.

"Damn it, these helicopter pilots are all veterans, they don't pay attention to production safety at all." Ronald and Elizabeth nodded and looked at the helicopter pilot.

The driver wore sunglasses and chewed gum nonchalantly. These people relied on their special license to fly helicopters in Manhattan, but they did a terrible job of safety.

"If I take aerial photography in the future, I have to be more careful."