Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Audition director Lynn Stamaster is a veteran professional audition director. He was the first audition director in Hollywood to leave his name alone on the opening credits of a movie. He is highly respected in the industry and is generally considered to be the casting director. One of two founders of this position.

The last time he was asked to find a Superman actor, he completed the task perfectly and found the very handsome Christopher Reeve.

So this time the producers Serkind and his son asked him to come out again, hoping that he could create another miracle and find another girl from Krypton for the American audience.

The casting director first spent two weeks searching in Los Angeles and met with hundreds of candidates. In fact, there were only two people who made his heart beat.

One is the nationally popular youth idol, Brooke Shields. This girl has the right hair color, good image, and acting skills...forget it, acting skills are not important in this movie, and there is a lot of time to slowly train her. It's time for her to learn acting skills.

The other was a dark-haired girl, slightly less than five feet five inches tall. But that kind of natural eye-rolling meaning can allow her to complete the image of Superman's Kryptonian cousin with a kiss. This is a completely different acting method from Brooke Shields, and he thinks it can still work.

This time, the Selkinds hope to repeat the success of the Superman movie series and sign a contract with the Supergirl actor for three live-action Supergirl movies, so that her salary can be kept within a more reasonable range.

So compared to Brooke Shields, who already asked for a high price, he still believed that the dark-haired girl would win the final casting, if there was no better candidate during this trip to New York.

Looking at the pile of audition photos sent by his assistant, casting director Lin En began to look at them one by one. The most important thing in casting is based on intuition, so he usually doesn't look at the resumes behind the photos. Instead, he first picks out photos that satisfy him, and then looks at the resumes in detail in the second round.

New York is the largest candidate place for actors outside of Los Angeles. There are many acting schools and Broadway here, and many TV series are produced here.

Having to look through hundreds of photos one by one, the casting director couldn't help but feel a little tired, and his eyes were a bit presbyopic.

"Hey, who is this?" A girl with big blue eyes jumped out, making his eyes light up.

This time, he did not select the photo and then look at the resume as usual. Instead, he immediately turned to the back and looked at the girl's name.

"Helen Slater, graduated from the Academy of Performing Arts, has a history of participating in TV series and commercials."

It turned out to be her,

The casting director had received calls from industry insiders and mentioned Helen's name. But even without the phone number, this girl would be perfect for Supergirl, except for the hair color.

He covered Helen's dark brown hair with his hand and imagined what blonde hair would look like.

"Have her come over for an audition." The casting director asked his assistant to call.

Helen Slater was accompanied by her mother for the first round of auditions, while Ronald went off to do other things.

Gerald had TV station business to deal with. Anyway, the first round only selected the seven or eight key candidates to be recommended in the future. He had already said hello.

"How is it? Did the casting director take a fancy to you?" Helen's mother saw her daughter come out within a few minutes of entering. She didn't know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. Surrounded by girls and parents who came to audition, she pulled her daughter into the car and then asked Helen.

"I don't know either. He asked me to come back and wait for notification."

"That should be a good thing, right? You can ask Ronald later."

"Of course it's a good thing. I'll let you wait for notification if I hope to be on the final recommendation list." Ronald answered Helen's question after meeting her. With his father taking care of him, it was impossible not to give him even the last chance for an interview.

Ronald has done a lot of audition work. If he knows this kind of relationship, he will at least give him a real audition opportunity in the later rounds.

"How are you today?" Helen asked him.

"A small distributor wanted me to make another youth film, but I asked my agent to turn it down, but he came to New York after pursuing me," Ronald replied.

"Then did you agree?"

"No," Ronald shook his head. This small distributor is called Atlantic Distribution Company. It is essentially a small distributor like Roger Corman's New Age Company. It has some small and old theaters all over the country. Distribution channels.

On the one hand, Ronald doesn't really want to repeat himself in another youth movie right away. On the other hand, if you want to direct a youth film, the big ones include Universal and Paramount, and the small ones have former boss Roger Corman. There is no need to deal with new agencies. There are so many scammers in this industry, so you have to Proceed with caution.

"Ah, I'm so nervous. What if I don't make the final audition list?" Helen was a little nervous. After all, this was her first movie audition.

"I came to inform you that I will go to the second round of auditions tomorrow." A few days later at noon, Helen came excitedly to tell Ronald the good news.

"Very good, just calm down..."

"Okay, I know how to do it. Gerald has already told me what to order." Helen was in high spirits and confident.

"Oh, I'm getting nervous again." In the afternoon, Helen began to get nervous again. "If you call me so early tomorrow morning, will I be the first in line?"

"There's nothing wrong with being the first one. I know some casting directors like to put the most promising ones in the first audition."

"Really?" Helen relaxed a little.

"Of course, your appearance is so outstanding, if I were to be the casting director, I would choose you, that's right. Film casting mainly depends on your appearance and acting skills..."

"Acting skills aren't so important... I understand." Helen looked a little sad, "But there are so many beautiful girls in New York, and those who go there tomorrow will definitely be the best of the best."

"You will always be the most beautiful one in my heart..." Ronald began to say nice things, asking Helen to relax a little. If she stays so nervous, she won't be able to perform at her best for the audition tomorrow.

But Helen's idea is not unreasonable. For such a popular Superman spin-off movie, there must be many very beautiful girls who will audition. Although Helen is beautiful, in the film industry, beauty is just a ticket.

Of the actresses I have seen since I entered the industry, which one is not a beauty that stands out among ordinary people?

I have to find a way to help her relax, and then go to the audition with confidence tomorrow.

"Do you still have your Supergirl uniform?" Ronald asked Helen.

"Are you there? What's wrong?"

"You might as well put on this uniform and go to the audition." Ronald had an idea.

"This? Is it okay?" Helen didn't expect that Ronald was talking about this.

"You know, when auditioning, the most important thing is the photogenic effect. See if your image and role are suitable.

If you can put on a Supergirl uniform to shoot an audition video, on the one hand, you can let them intuitively feel what you look like in the uniform, and on the other hand, it can also show your determination. "

The more Ronald thought about it, the more he was right. Dressing up like a character to audition would definitely leave a very deep impression on the producer. When filming "Famous", the actresses were also required to put on ballet costumes and dance a section.

"That's it. You look beautiful in the uniform. You will surely conquer the audition director and producer."

Helen was dubious, but seeing that Ronald was so sure, she took out Supergirl's uniform, put it on her body, and made gestures in the mirror.

"It seems that the waist is a bit big. I'll ask Aunt Karen to change it for you." Ronald noticed that Helen's slender waist made the uniform a bit too big, and he used his hands to help her close it, which immediately revealed her proud figure.

"Okay, will it be too much trouble Karen?"

"It doesn't matter. It's too late to go to your home on Long Island and ask your mother to help you change it. Aunt Karen is very good at making clothes. She used to make all of Donna's clothes."

"It's very simple. If you're only wearing it once, I'll just pack it in the back for you." Aunt Karen looked at Helen's appearance after putting on the uniform, and then decisively pushed out the sewing machine.

After changing her clothes, Helen put them on again, and sure enough, her superwoman figure was now revealed.

"There seems to be a mark on the back of the uniform." Ronald touched his chin and saw.

"By the way, does the Superman family all have a cape?" He remembered that in the Superman movie, Christopher Reeve flew in the sky wearing a scarlet cape.

"Is there one for Supergirl too?"

"Yes, there must be."

"Well..." Ronald scratched his head, "Wait a minute, I'm going to buy a Superman cape.

Soon, Superman's cape was bought, and Aunt Karen helped cut it short according to Helen's height, and used a sewing machine to seal the hem.

Ronald helped Helen Slater put on her cape, and sure enough, a heroic superwoman appeared.

"Very good, just wear it like this." Ronald thought it was very good.

Helen returned home with her altered uniform and cloak.

Ronald watched Helen go away at the door.

"What's wrong?" Aunt Karen saw Ronald standing at the door, and Helen's taxi was no longer visible.

"Hmm... I don't know. Seeing her dressed like this today, I think she will definitely get this role."

"Don't be like this, you are all good children." Aunt Karen touched Ronald's shoulder. She knew that Ronny was thinking of his ex-girlfriend Antonia.

"I seem to understand what her father Gerald thinks. If Helen only plays a supporting role, there is a high probability that she will stay in New York, not far from her parents, acting in small theater plays, or becoming a high school drama teacher.

Did I do the right thing by persuading him to let Helen pursue her dream? "

In front of his aunt, Ronald had no reservations.

"Aunt, you had your own ideas before marrying your uncle, right?"

"Yes, I married Steve right after I graduated from high school. Originally, I wanted to go to Manhattan to find a job. But I have never regretted the time I spent with Steve, and our daughter Donna." Aunt Karen Hugged Ronald.

“Americans are born free, and we are born with the right to choose our dreams.

Just like you, Ronnie, if you didn't pursue your dream with all your strength and didn't even finish college, how could you have directed a debut film with a box office of 30 million yuan at the age of 22? "Aunt Karen pulled Ronald back into the house.

"I know, I will go back and get my college diploma." Ronald smiled. His aunt was still obsessed with graduating from college.

"It's so embarrassing. I'd better wear it when I get to the audition." Helen Slater was waiting for Ronald's car in front of her home the next morning. She was still wearing her own T-shirt and jeans.

"Okay, don't forget to bring it." Ronald reminded Helen's mother to help her put the uniform into her bag and put it in the back seat of the car.

"Do you really want to wear this uniform? Helen is afraid of being laughed at by others." Her mother put her bag on the back seat and sat in. Looking at Helen's embarrassed look next to her, she still felt a little funny. "During the audition, everyone Do all actresses dress like this?”

"No, this is Helen's secret weapon."

When we arrived at the audition location, sure enough Helen Slater was first in line that day. The audition director came and told her to come in.

Ronald was not quite sure whether the audition director ranked the best candidate first, or whether he was like a real estate agent who deliberately put good houses at the back so that the producer would always look at the unsatisfied girl in the front, and finally his eyes lit up. .

A total of eight candidates were sitting in the waiting area outside the audition location, and none of them were wearing Supergirl uniforms.

Helen Slater was a little nervous and didn't know if she should change her clothes.

"Put on this jacket first. We have to audition the scene of Supergirl's Earth identity Linda Lee first." The audition director handed over the green school uniform jacket.

After Helen put it on, she glanced at Ronald. Seeing her boyfriend nodding in encouragement, he walked in.

"Please introduce yourself." The audition director introduced the producers Selkind and his son, and then asked Helen to start the audition.

"Good morning, my name is Helen Slater, I'm five feet eight inches tall..."

After taking the front and side shots, the producers Serkind and his son handed over a piece of paper with a dialogue from Supergirl on it, "Please familiarize yourself with it and read it to the camera."

"Can I go to the bathroom?" Helen asked.

"Please."

"This is the one I'm most optimistic about. Her height is very suitable, her blue eyes and face shape are also suitable for playing a righteous role like Supergirl. She also looks a bit similar to Christopher Reeve, and the audience will think they are cousins. .”

While Helen was in the bathroom, the audition director began pitching the person he thought was the most suitable candidate.

"Well, why haven't you come yet?"

The Selkinds began to wonder if Helen Slater was too nervous to get out of the bathroom.

"Oh, I look like an idiot in what I'm wearing." Helen Slater changed into Supergirl's uniform in the bathroom. She just felt so stupid. How could she believe what Ronald, a bastard, said? How could she be dressed like this now? Meet with producers and casting directors.

"Miss Slater?" came the searching voice of the casting director from outside the door...

"That's too late……"

"Bang!" The door of the audition room was pushed open, and a heroine wearing a blue and red uniform with a big S letter on her chest walked in.

She threw her cloak back, "Good morning. I am Kara Zor-El from Krypton, Superman's cousin. After the destruction of Krypton, I traveled through the interstellar space and came to Earth. Now I am Linda, a high school student in New York on Earth. plum."

The Serkinds and his son looked at each other, both showing satisfaction, "Very good, please do it again in front of the camera..."

"Hahaha, what do you think she is wearing?" The other seven candidates waiting for the audition outside the door couldn't help laughing when they saw Helen walking out without changing her uniform.

The hand-sewn uniforms still look a little cheap.

With a face full of shame, Helen pulled Ronald and his mother and walked out.

"Let's go change first." Ronald took Helen's bag of changed clothes and said to her.

"Let's go." Helen heard the girls laughing softly and wanted to leave even more.

"Next..." Ronald walked out with Helen, and the audition director's voice came from behind.

"how about this?"

All eight actors had auditioned, but every time the Selkinds saw an actor, they always thought of Helen Slater, who had auditioned first in the morning.

That image in the Supergirl uniform always stubbornly pops out and gets compared to other actors.

That heroic temperament and demeanor are truly unforgettable. Some of the later auditionees were naturally blond, and some were athletes-turned-actresses with better bodies, but none of them had the attitude of "I am superwoman."

"Helen? She's better than the other seven in New York. Better than the brunette in Los Angeles."

Casting directors are very confident in their recommendations. Helen was taller than the diminutive TV actress in Los Angeles, had a more confident demeanor, and was more convincing when flying on a wire.

"You are right." Both Serkind and his son nodded in agreement. Indeed, Helen Slater's uniform was too impressive.

"The Demi Moore in Los Angeles is also good. Let her play Supergirl's best friend Lucy Lane." Old Selkind thought for a while, and the actress's acting skills were also good, so let her play a binding role. The contract was signed together. Anyway, this best friend appeared in the Supergirl trilogy.

"Where's Brooke Shields?"

"Oh, her mother is asking for $1.5 million for a film, and we don't want to continue talking. Anyway, these two newcomers can probably make the film less than $100,000 for a film."

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