Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"I am the representative of the International Cinematographers Union. We received a report that you have widely spread these powders that are harmful to human health on the set. According to the constitution of our union, you must suspend filming now until the test results prove that the powder is harmless to photographers, or you stop using this powder."

One morning a few days later, a man in a suit and tie rushed into the shooting site with a glass bottle filled with some powder and announced a stoppage.

"Hello, I am the representative of the Screen Actors Guild. For the same reason, I declare that all union actors will temporarily stop working from now on."

After a while, the representative of the Actors Guild who was stationed on the set, after consulting with the representative of the International Cinematographers Union, also announced a temporary strike of the actors.

"What the hell is going on?" Englishman Alan Parker, after closing the door, began to yell at producer David.

"It's simple. You were reported by the American guy in the camera crew." David Da Silva was very calm. He had encountered a lot of bad things about the union.

"Your team of photographers is mainly composed of English people. Although the International Cinematographers Union is named after the word "international", more than 80% of its members are Americans and Canadians, so their headquarters is registered in New York."

"The whole thing is very simple. The union members are not satisfied with your lack of local people, so they came to your door to make trouble by reporting. As long as you are willing to hire more local union members, everything can be negotiated. The representative of the Actors Union did not speak out a few days ago, but now he is forced to express his position by the Cinematographers Union."

"How can I hire him? He is from the Cinematographers Union. He will not be satisfied if I hire other types of workers. The camera group has 14 electricians, pushers, camera operators, assistant operators, focus pullers, etc., 10 of whom are from the British Isles and Europe. Do you want me to fire a few of them and hire local people?"

David put on an expression that said, "That's what I mean."

"No, this won't work." Alan Parker thought for a moment and denied David's idea. Not only the camera crew, sound crew, lighting crew, and electrician crew, many of the crew's technical staff were brought by Allen from the British Isles and Europe. If their companions were fired because of the union, the morale of the team would be greatly affected in the future.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll discuss with the director of photography Michael and decide not to use the powder with a single light for lighting, but to use the multi-light method commonly used in America."

After removing the charcoal stove and powder, the director of photography Michael Seresin began to direct the lighting crew to put multiple lights on the scene.

The representative of the International Cinematographers Union saw the powder removed, smiled and shook hands with the director and producer, "We will meet again."

The representative of the Actors Union also announced the end of the temporary strike and the crew could continue filming.

In order to achieve the same effect, the director of photography asked the lighting crew to add 4 lights, strong light from the front and fill light from the side, barely recreating the original dreamy and mysterious atmosphere.

The inevitable price is that the actors who are directly exposed to the light are hotter than before.

The women in the makeup and hair groups were more nervous than in the previous days. The speed and volume of sweat were greater than before. They had to be ready to touch up their makeup at any time. If they took too long, they would be scolded by the director. If they didn't do it well enough, they would be scolded by the director of photography.

Ronald was also busier than before. He didn't use powder, and the electric fan was moved back to the shooting site. However, the noise was too loud and couldn't be turned on during the on-site recording. It could only be turned on for a while during the shooting interval to cool the actors down.

Ronald kept replacing the ice pack with new ice cubes to ensure that the actors didn't faint on the scene.

An accident still happened. A female dancer in the group was wearing thick woolen dance tights that were too hygroscopic. In the airtight shooting site, she sweated a lot when the lights were on. The sweat soaked the soles of her feet, and her dance shoes were loose, so she slipped on the floor. Fortunately, it didn't cause any serious damage, but just fell.

Ronald felt that he couldn't continue. Pulling over producer David Da Silva: "Meg Tilly broke her back in an accident and gave up her ballet career. If this continues, I'm afraid there will be an accident."

David felt the same way, "Yes, our insurance company representative on site will also stop filming. I'll discuss it with Alan, and you can come with me."

"No, absolutely not. Famous is a story that takes place in autumn. School admission is in autumn, and subsequent rehearsals, performances, studies, and graduation all take place in autumn. They must perform in thick woolen dance socks for autumn and winter." Alan Parker was absolutely unwilling to compromise for the authenticity of the film.

"But if this continues, the actors may be in danger, and the insurance company will not agree. They will stop your risky behavior."

"Can't we install air conditioning?" Ronald whispered.

"No, the noise of commercially available air conditioners will affect the synchronous recording, and the disturbance of air flow by air conditioners will also affect the stability of the camera lens capturing the picture. Unless it is a central air conditioner built in a studio for shooting." David gave Ronald a popular science.

"Then can we change to dance costumes made of summer fabrics? At least let their legs wear cool and breathable thin tights, otherwise slipping is inevitable." Ronald made another suggestion.

"I understand your concern for the actors, Ronnie." Allen pointed at Ronald and said, "But the most important thing for a movie is authenticity. Today's audiences don't buy into studio dramas. You have to pursue the authenticity of the costumes. I asked the costume department to wash all the costumes three times, and use them after the brand new colors have been washed out."

"Wearing summer fabrics in autumn will definitely be exposed. Sometimes, for the final effect of the movie, we have to take a little risk."

Ronald couldn't help but recall the fragments in his dream. How did they solve this problem? It's impossible to wear thick woolen pantyhose that absorbs moisture and releases heat all the time? There must be a solution to this.

"Hey, what is this?" Ronald recalled the scene in his dream, where the dancers were all wearing a kind of woolen ornament. It looked like long socks, but there was no part below the ankle. It was like a woolen set, which was put on the actor's ankle.

The woolen fabric with large holes is actually leaky, so the actors can wear thin summer pantyhose to dance, and the audience can feel that the story takes place in autumn.

"Director, I have an idea. Let the costume department try it?" Ronald asked Allen for a costume assistant and went to experiment.

"In this way, cut off the part below the ankle and close it here." Ronald found the costume assistant who sewed the lucky T-shirt for the director last time, and found the woolen socks in the costume warehouse and transformed them into the woolen sleeve in his dream.

"Yes, it is best to close it with an elastic band here. If the wool falls to the heel below the ankle, it will be easy to slip, so it should be closed here to fix it on the ankle."

Ronald suggested to the costume assistant.

"Make a few more sets. The short ones can only cover the ankles, the long ones can extend below the knees, and the longest ones can also be covered above the knees. This looks good."

Ronald recalled that the woolen sleeves in his dream were long and short, and he asked the costume assistant to make three styles of long, medium and short according to the example.

Holding the three woolen sleeves, Ronald rushed into the dance rehearsal room for shooting.

"These actors have all received contracts from the crew, which meet the minimum wage requirements of the Screen Actors Guild, as evidenced by the payroll issued the previous week. According to the Taft-Hartley Act, they are already considered temporary members with the same treatment as union members.

So we can, according to the relevant regulations of the Screen Actors Guild, launch a strike against Alan Parker for continuing to film despite the health of the actors, which may pose a serious threat to the end of his artistic career."

Alan Parker still did not listen to the opinions and continued to film despite the opposition. The actors were very emotional. All ballet dancers are most afraid of getting injured. The previous actor's slip made the actors unwilling to continue filming.

Although there is a little chance of becoming famous, no girl would be so stupid as to give up her ballet career that she has practiced for more than ten years for this.

They found the resident union representative, and after some negotiations, the union representative formally issued a strike threat to Alan Parker.

New York and Hollywood are the two places where various unions in the performing arts industry are the most powerful. The crews that start working here are very afraid of the strike threats of union representatives. Once a strike occurs, it means a huge loss of money. Generally, the crew will yield to reasonable or slightly unreasonable demands.

If the filming continues, it will be opposed by the actors' union. Returning to the single-light method with powder lighting can solve the problem of sweating and slipping, but it will cause opposition from the International Cinematographers Union.

Alan Parker was at a loss and began to seriously consider hiring a few more members of the local union's camera crew to avoid disaster.

"Director, I found a way, you can try it." Ronald said to Alan Parker, holding up three pairs of woolen sleeves.

"Antonia, you go change into the breathable thin dance tights for summer."

When Antonia changed into breathable dance socks and walked in front of him, Ronald knelt on one knee, put Antonia's feet wearing soft-soled dance shoes on his knees, and then put on a long woolen sleeve for her.

"Pin it here with a pin to prevent it from slipping down." Ronald instructed the costume assistant to temporarily deal with the problem of the woolen sleeve slipping down. If the director agrees, add elastic bands.

Then Ronald pulled the woolen sleeve up along Antonia's calf, all the way over the knee, "Tie it here too."

"Then this foot." Ronald did the same with the woolen sleeve on the other foot.

Ronald put Antonia's foot down, "Try it, will you feel stuffy and sweaty?"

Antonia turned around lightly twice, "I won't feel stuffy, I can feel the wind blowing through the holes, much better than wool fabric.

"Director, do you think this treatment is okay?"

"Very good, I think it can show the feeling of autumn better."

"Oh oh", the girls thought Antonia looked very good in this woolen sleeve, and they all rushed up to try it on.

"What's the name of this woolen sleeve?" Antonia did a ballet pose, which didn't get in the way at all. She was very satisfied with this invention, and tilted her head to look at Ronald and asked.

"Is this called a leg warmer? The woolen fabric looks warm. "