Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Two weeks after editing began, Ronald had cut the finished film and was ready to hand it over to the sound designer for score and foley. But today he is still busy in the editing room.

"Click, click."

Due to the shortage of manpower, Ronald also personally used a machine modified by Walter Mersey to glue the film. He placed the film on both sides of the editing port on a metal sheet, then aligned it left and right and pressed it. In reverse, the film was glued beautifully. Got it.

The editor Atlantic hired for Ronald was Fred Stafford. Like Walter Mersey, he was also an expert in film editing and sound editing, which saved money.

"This is the title sent by the amex company of the ado special effects machine. Take a look." Fred put on the title with the special effects. Above the words "Night of the Comet", a bright light flashed, which was exactly the same as before. Long's footage of the comet's return closes. .

"Not bad, how much did it cost you?" Fred was a veteran. When he saw this title, he knew that it took a lot of manpower and machinery to make it.

"It's free. I added a thank you to them at the end of the film. Amex wants to enter the film market. I used their machine to do the special effects in the first music video. It will be broadcast in two months."

"Not bad, not bad. I find that you always have some new gadgets, including this new type of cutting tape, which is also very good." Fred was full of praise for Ronald's new toy.

"It's a pity that their new software has not been written yet. The current software has no way to calculate the z-axis image effect other than the xy-axis. The title of the film is a bit like a piece of paper without thickness. They said that next year, the upgraded software will have three-dimensional fonts. The effect."

The song "Girls just want to have some fun" came to mind, and a dance scene appeared on the monitor. The two beauties kept changing their fashions and enjoying themselves.

"I think the title of this song can be the title of a movie." Fred joked with Ronald while editing.

"Portrait Records only authorized us to use the interlude, but not the name. Nowadays, many movies are following the example of 'Saturday Night Fever' and directly use the name of the hit song as the movie title. So the record company has to charge extra."

Ronald explained why. In addition to not wanting to pay, Ronald also felt that the song did not fully explain the elements of the film and was not as easy to understand as Night of the Comet. And I have no confidence that this song will become a hit and bring about the popularity of the movie.

"How about this shot?" Fred found another piece of film and loaded it for Ronald to see.

The comet destroys the world,

The crowd standing outside watching the comet saw bursts of bright light flashing on their faces, and then the stepmothers of the two heroines were shocked to see that their arms were beginning to rot.

"Tsk, the brightness is still not good enough. It makes it look a bit like a camera flash or a high-power indoor fluorescent lamp. It doesn't have the realistic feeling of lightning." Ronald said.

"I think it's okay. Lightning is photographed this way, so it's unlikely that you'll get it to shine again."

"There is no way, this is the effect I asked the electrician to short-circuit the circuit. If a particularly high-power light is turned on and off so quickly, it will explode."

"These two zombies are not bad, they scared the heroine Samantha." Ronald said while looking at the scene where the two real police zombies got into the car and attacked Samantha.

"How about cutting out the frame after she screams so the audience doesn't know it's a dream."

The two police officers' guest appearances as zombies were also cut into this scene.

Atlantic, unlike the Seven Studios or the New World under Roger Corman, did not have a dedicated trailer editing department. Ronald had no choice but to do it himself and edit a one-minute trailer with editor Fred.

Because he was saving money and only developed one copy, Ronald could not disassemble the already cut film. The trailer was made from film material that was discarded in the early film editing.

"It's done." Ronald selected the last piece of material, which was the scene where the two sisters and Hector, several children who escaped from the base, finally met the survivor named DMK.

"Want one?" Fred gave him a Marlboro, and they puffed away while taking a break outside the editing room.

"Speaking of which, do you do more sound design work?" Ronald asked editor Fred.

"Yes, I actually want to be like your friend Walter Mersey, but many times the big studios are unwilling. I don't have his Oscar trophy."

"Hey, that's it." Ronald took a puff of cigarette. Apart from writing scripts and editing movies, he basically didn't touch cigarettes, but when doing these two extremely mental-consuming things, he used cigarettes, coffee, and red wine. Then no one will be refused.

"Which movie have you done sound editing design for before?"

"First Blood," Fred blew out a smoke ring, "and your friend Tom Cruise's sweet boy is also crazy."

"Well, Stallone's movie. What kind of person is he?" Ronald asked.

"What else can we do? Stars have special privileges. Ordinary actors are not allowed to enter the editing room to prevent them from competing for their exposure. But Stallone can come in and interfere in many editing decisions. Anyway, Hollywood knows about him. His style, I’m not afraid to say bad things about him.”

"So what do you think of Cruise? Is he going to be a star?"

"I don't know that, but he does have the face of a star, and all the girls in America are willing to date him."

After the two smoked, they returned to the editing room and watched the trailer again.

The red filter created an apocalyptic atmosphere. Ronald picked up his own voice-over and began to read, "Have you ever thought about what would happen if you became the last living person on earth?"

The two sisters accepted the fact that all their relatives were dead and began riding alone on the street.

"What do you think, what do you do? Where will you go?" Ronald continued reading.

The soundtrack and atmosphere suddenly changed and became cheerful, and the two sisters started a free dress-up show in the mall.

"This city is ours!" the two sisters shouted.

"Are you ready? When the comet arrives on your planet." Ronald continued to voice.

The two sisters begin a shootout, shooting up cars and enemies.

"This is when you rule the world, Night of the Comet"

Finally the camera cut to the title of the special effects film.

"I think your voice is okay, Ronald. How about you do the narration?"

"Do you really think it's okay? If so, I'll do it." Ronald picked up the microphone, prepared for a while, and recorded the narration.

The trailer clearly displays several major elements of the entire movie, the apocalypse, zombies, youth, dance, gunfights, romance... In the end, the two heroines find their lovers, and live according to the philosophy of Valley Girls in the apocalypse. Very good.

Regina, played by Catherine Mary Stuart, has short hair, strong facial lines, wears jeans, plays with a gun, and wears a top with high shoulder pads.

Even the cheerleading sister Samantha wears sneakers and a submachine gun, and is strong and confident.

Since the 1980s, the Soviet Union's alliance has continued to expand around the world. The new commander-in-chief has been tit-for-tat, making tough speeches and telling jokes that ridicule the other party.

People in America especially like girls with this tough tomboy image. The image of the two heroines in this movie can be said to be right on the forefront of popularity.

"It seems that the second movie will be no problem, it will definitely be a big hit." Ronald now becomes more and more satisfied with his own movies. After the film has just been shot and edited, the creator is still immersed in appreciating the creation, and there will be a period of time to see how good it is.

"I wonder how Helen's fitness went on the London set? She must be similar to Regina. She abandoned her original gentle image and became tougher. I just don't know how many pounds she gained?"

…

"Here is your ticket, passport, here is the phone number of the CAA London office, here is your luggage... here is the traveler's check for you. There is also a map around London, a rented car... "

Ronald took them one by one from his agent Richard. After he finished editing, he wanted to go to London to visit his girlfriend Helen.

"By the way, can you drive a right-hand drive car? The traffic rules over there are opposite."

"Uh, no," Ronald replied, "How about I find a taxi."

"That will be very expensive. I will help you contact the London office and ask them to find someone to pick you up." Richard took out a small notebook to write down the matter.

"This is the address of Supergirl's producer in London. This is the address of Pinewood Studios. It's a big place and there are several crews shooting at the same time. You remember to go to the producer to get permission first."

"No problem, I've put it all away." Ronald put all the information in the suitcase. The travel bag in his hand only contained a few changes of clothes, a passport, a check, and a book written by Bogdanovich. An interview with a famous film director, "Who made this movie?"

After checking in his luggage, Ronald got on the plane with his travel bag, and the Pan Am flight took off and flew to London.

multiple copies

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