Exploiting Hollywood 1980

The biggest problem with "break dancing" is time constraints. At present, every day wasted in setting up the shooting team and selecting actors means that the shooting time will be tense for another day. If there are delays in casting, it basically means that the film cannot be completed before Orion's "Hot Street Kid".

How to assemble a suitable technical team, find the right actors, and start shooting a movie in a day or two?

This task must be completed separately. Minahan decided to fly back to Los Angeles immediately and recruit technical teams from other Cannon crews, or if that didn't work, he would transfer people from Israel.

Ronald was responsible for casting and selecting suitable filming locations.

Ronald's first call was to Weintraub. This matter must be approved by the producer of "Longwei Boy".

"Can you finish the filming?" Weintraub did not stop Ronald, but he was worried that he would not be able to finish the filming during the three-week vacation, which would affect the progress of his film.

"Haha, I'm a Roger Corman graduate. I can shoot it in two weeks and have one week to edit. If the shoot drags on, I'll turn the editing over to Minahan and get 'The Kid' edited on time. "

"Okay, you end things over there as soon as possible." Weintraub had heard Roger Coleman's name and understood that Ronald wanted to make a quick buck this time. Anyway, the small-scale screening of the exploitation film will not affect its own Colombian distribution.

Then came the two agents from CAA. Ronald told them about his salary and dividends, and hoped that they would help with technical personnel and casting.

Hearing that if you don't work, you will get a share. The two agents hurriedly expressed that they would provide emergency help in Los Angeles. All the talents, actors, and venues that Ronald needs will be solved according to the most urgent needs.

Although without the involvement of an agent, Ronald could not sign with any producer, and their share would be pie in the sky. But when the contract is renewed, Ronald can choose another agent at any time if he cannot provide services commensurate with the profit sharing.

After making the two key phone calls, Ronald began to look for the main actors and filming locations.

The reason why I am so confident is that I can get the actors and locations in a short time that would take a month for normal production. It's because when Ronald was working for Roger Corman, he saw and heard many of Corman's quick shooting tricks.

Roger Corman's greatest moment,

I once finished shooting a movie called "Little Shop of Horrors" in two days. In short, the most important thing about this kind of fast-moving exploitation film is not to stick to the original idea. Be flexible everywhere.

For example, try to shoot outdoor scenes and reduce lighting time. For interior scenes, everything is improvised. If there is no suitable scenery, then the script must be changed. If you have a set that others have used, bring it over and use it.

If there is no suitable actor, then look for an old partner who has worked with you before. If the role requires strong acting skills, then choose actors who are close to the personality of the character and let them play their true colors. In this way, the performance becomes familiar and does not require repeated rehearsals and reshoots.

Are there no real actors who are close to the characters?

Then change the script and change the character to the actor's personality!

This is not an art film to compete for Oscars. As long as the character makes sense logically and it doesn’t matter what his personality is like, it’s almost fine. The key is to be fast.

If you don’t have time to edit slowly, you will shoot samples every day and synchronize the audio and video immediately. Once all the scenes are shot, you can immediately start the editing and assembly process.

Then there are the actors. The heroine was the heroine of her dreams, Lucinda Dickey, whom Minahan had contracted with Cannon. Anyway, it was obvious that she had dancing skills and decent acting skills.

The actor didn't know where to find the character from the original film, so Ronald called "crazy legs". This breakdancing master who refused to shave his beard but shaved his legs to dance for the heroine of "Flashdance" is in a dance company in New York.

"I will not star in this kind of movie. He vulgarizes the meaning of hip-hop. This kind of dancing is simply a blasphemy to the dance that originated in the Bronx, New York. What does the story you told have to do with the traitors on the West Coast who surrendered to Hollywood? the difference."

"This time is different from Flashdance. I invite you to play the leading role!" Ronald emphasized. Crazy Legs wouldn't give up this opportunity to become famous, right?

"You can't bribe me, this is our ideal."

Ronald knew that crazy legs were a bit ideal, but he didn't expect his obsession to be so serious, or...?

"The stunt double I photographed last time in Lightning Dance, with crazy legs, has he taken on any jobs recently?" Ronald called his agent Richard to find out.

"Crazy Legs, are they from that Manhattan dance company? Richard quickly found out the truth from all the movie-making schedules on the big blackboard at CAA. He is making a movie invested by Orion that reflects hip-hop culture. He plays himself in the movie."

“But I’m inviting the protagonist!”

"He is not necessarily short of money, but for Latino and black street dancers, being able to leave their real name in a film that reflects street dance will, to a certain extent, make him a veteran in the industry. Yes." Richard explained.

"Damn it." Ronald regretted that he had been too hasty to find crazy legs. "In this way, you continue to contact his agent on my behalf and don't stop."

Gu Ling

Since there is no way to poach him, he should continue to confuse his competitors so that they don't realize that he is secretly filming.

"By the way, Ronald, we have arranged a Coppola-style mobile editing van for you." Niceta answered the phone and you can get it when you come to Los Angeles.

This was a method invented by Francis Coppola, where all the film and sound editing equipment was crammed into a van.

This car followed the exterior shots and parked outside for the interior shots. After the film is shot every day and developed into working copies, it is immediately sent to the studio and edited in the car. This way, Ronald can go to the car to guide the editing during filming breaks or at night. Greatly improve work efficiency.

"What about the scene I asked you to find? What did Princess Leia's mother say?" Ronald continued to confirm the location for filming the interior scenes.

"Ms. Debbie Reynolds is willing to lend you her dance studio again. She has just renovated it and there are no students yet."

One of Roger Corman's special skills was to eat two fish with one fish. Use the scenery built with other people's investment to make your own movie. Ronald was ready to copy.

"Where's the apartment?"

"In the apartment in Venice, the parking lot where the karate master used to live has not been demolished yet. You can use it to film the three protagonists practicing dance."

“Where is the venue needed for the buffet?”

"How about choosing the mansion at Ali's house? The owner has a large lawn and can shoot the scene you want. He can directly find a party company for you."

…

Ronald, Niceta, and Richard agreed on a lot of shooting locations. Anyway, the "Longwei Boy" time was too good. Being familiar with the road is very important to save time.

"Have you found the handyman I asked you to find?" Ronald began to care about the extras again.

"I found it. Eddie Rodriguez is a very interesting person. He promised to call all the students to contribute to your movie, as long as they give them a little pocket money and a lunch. If there is any spare money, the final Give a lot and they’ll eat it at night.”

Those who break dance are poor, mostly Latino or black. Ronald agreed immediately. There are so many extras who can break dance, and there is no one more suitable.

The heroine and the main supporting roles have been confirmed, and the two male protagonists left on Ronald's list have not yet been decided.

"Ronald, would you like me to recommend some people to you?" Niceta asked on the phone.

"Do you know an actor who can dance hip-hop?"

"No, I just know some dancers, do you know a show called 'Soul Train'?"

Soul Train? Ronald remembered seeing this show before, in which blacks and Latinos were the main characters, and black dances were performed from beginning to end.

"They are broadcast on the national syndicated television network and have a good relationship with our CAA. I can ask them for people to audition."

"Very good. I'll take a red-eye flight over tonight. You'd better arrange it for tomorrow."

"No problem. It's pie in the sky that they have such a chance. I'll call you all the people on Soul Train."

After arranging things, Ronald started packing, and then told his aunt that he was going to Los Angeles to shoot a low-budget movie temporarily, and the vacation was over.

"What subject matter are you shooting this time? Are you getting a new job so soon?" Auntie was a little surprised and started to help Ronald pack his luggage.

Ronald thought for a while, how to explain the content of "break dancing" to Aunt Karen?

"Actually, it's about filming your friend Mrs. Davis, her son Little Bud, and the others. They are the story of poor black people, progressive children who rely on dance to get on the right path."

"Ronnie, I'm very happy. You should make more movies like this. The general public just wants to relax and dream a little bit when they watch movies. You can listen to my advice and make movies for them. You are a good director."

Aunt Karen was very happy and hugged Ronald, "These are my newly baked cookies. You can eat some if you are hungry while taking the photo."

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