Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Cynthia Rhodes was an old acquaintance of Ronald's. She played a bar dancer in "Flashdance" and then got the leading role in "Flash Dance", but she was almost fired because she rejected the advances of Stallone's brother, Frank Stallone.

Ronald came to her rescue at that time. This time Ronald met with her agent and made it clear that he wanted Cynthia's help.

"This is a small production. I want you to play the second female lead, Penny. I don't want to hide it from you. This role is not very dazzling. It is the foil for the female lead baby, and there are some controversial plots. But there will be a lot of dance scenes. , and a lot of playing time.”

Ronald briefly explained the plot of Penny in the script. She was Johnny's dance partner since childhood, and later she got together with a waiter in the resort. She was abandoned after an unexpected pregnancy and had no money to hire a secret doctor for an abortion.

This leads to the plot of the heroine baby borrowing money from her father to help her, and later taking the place of Penny and Johnny as dance partners to learn dance.

After Cynthia Rhodes left the cast of "So Far", there were some rumors circulating in the industry that she was difficult to work with. There is no doubt that the Stallone brothers released it.

After that, she couldn't get any good roles. In the past few years, she only made one movie, a few TV series, and appeared as a dancer in some music videos.

Based on the role in his dream, Ronald found this actress who was very good at Latin dancing and personally invited her to participate.

Ronald invested almost his entire fortune in the movie "Dirty Dancing". He didn't want to take risks and tried his best to restore all the leading actors.

Cynthia Rhodes is certainly happy to have the opportunity to appear in a theatrical film, even if it is a small production. During the filming of "Flashdance", Ronald was very considerate to the crew and was a good director. He was simply overjoyed.

"Why did you choose me?" Cynthia, who participated in a routine audition and was finally selected to play the second female lead, asked Ronald a question.

"You are the best dancer, and you also have the childish temperament of a poor girl. It seems that if a man treats you well, all other shortcomings can be forgiven." Ronald copied the screenwriter Eleanor's evaluation of Cynthia.

"Oh..." Cynthia Rhodes covered her face. I do have this problem, and I always feel as if I can't have a successful career as an actor. I am also a bit afraid of inappropriate words and deeds by male actors. Maybe I am really not suitable for Hollywood, and it would be more suitable for my personality to go back to Nashville and become a dance teacher.

"I found a good choreographer Ortega. He and his assistant Miranda will choreograph you together. You and the leading actor Patrick Schwytz,

We will train intensively together for several weeks. "

The schedule is very tight, and the main filming must be completed before the leaves fall on the location in autumn.

After finishing the main cast of characters at the speed of light, Ronald began to interview directors to see if there was anyone other than Adrian Lyne who could replace him.

"What do you think this movie will be like after it's made?" Ronald and screenwriter Eleanor asked a candidate found by CAA.

A long silence...

Ronald couldn't hear the answer and couldn't help but raise his head from reading the script and look at the other party. Why didn't he speak?

A middle-aged man with a mustache, his face was red from holding back, and he couldn't say a word.

"Emil, don't be nervous. I just want to ask about your understanding of the script. You can talk about whatever you have in mind."

Ronald saw that the other person's face was red and his veins were exposed. He didn't know that the other person was so nervous that he was so sluggish that he couldn't speak.

This director, Emile Adolino, was recommended by CAA. Niceta said on the phone that the other party had won the Academy Award for Best Documentary and was filming a documentary about teaching children to dance.

With a budget of only 4.5 million, Ronald has given up on hiring a famous director. This Emil has experience in dancing, his ability has been recognized by the Oscars, and he is cheap enough. The only weakness is that I have never made a feature film that went to theaters.

But being famous is not as good as meeting him. Once Ronald was interviewed, he showed his prototype and had no confidence at all.

"Then can you talk about it? What do you think of the characters?" Screenwriter Eleanor is also a good person. Seeing that the other party is so nervous, she also wants to help him out.

"I..." The shy director held back one word, and then became too nervous to speak.

"Hey..." Ronald sighed, no matter how powerful this person is, he can't use it. How do you guide actors on set when you get nervous so easily? It seems like it's up to you. Just work harder if you have to work hard. For other crew members, they rely on phone calls to understand the situation.

"Ronald, can you give me a chance? I...I'm not usually so nervous."

I saw Ronald closing his notebook and leaving. Emil suddenly spoke as if his veins were opened.

Ronald opened the notebook again, "Please tell me."

"Because I disclosed...my...certain orientation, I couldn't get any work in Hollywood. I could only film live performances of the New York City Ballet...for television. This was the first time I had been offered a job in three years. The first job offer for a theatrical film..."

Emil stammered and explained his situation.

When Ronald heard the name of the New York City Symphony Orchestra, it brought back many memories.

He looked at Emil and said, "I know that your dance circle is relatively tolerant of these things, but you'd better not openly reveal your orientation on the set, and don't get into trouble. If you want a job, Just be my assistant director. If you can accept it, let your agent find me to sign a contract."

"I can, I can sign the contract now." Emil, who had been short of work for a long time, agreed when he heard that Ronald was willing to hire him, regardless of the fact that the position was not a director, but an assistant director. It was a chance to return to Hollywood after all.

"I was shocked by you just now. I thought you were going to hire him as a director. I don't want to hand my script into the hands of this person who is even nervous about the interview." Screenwriter Eleanor said to Luo after Emil left. Nader patted his chest, expressing fear.

"I didn't expect him to be so nervous. He is someone who has won the Oscar for Best Documentary. I don't want to joke about my investment. But my agent said that the ballet TV film he shot is very good and he is good at shooting dance scenes. So I also want him to help me."

"Oh, that's fine."

The last major crew member is the director of photography. Through CAA, Ronald found a photographer named Jeff Zu who had shot many low-budget movies and TV series.

He saw footage shot by Jeff Zu, a man who specializes in dark-toned photography. It can be seen that I learned from Francis Coppola's shooting methods, and many of the images have the characteristics of Coppola.

Ronald felt a bit like he was back in the same situation he was in when he was shooting his first movie, looking for high-quality and low-priced professionals. The only difference is that this time I am paying real money from my own pocket.

"Great, you can go to Virginia now, work with the art director, and start designing the shots. He will tell you the tone and temperament you need for the movie."

Ronald signed Jeff Zu, sent him to location, and issued a check to advance the travel expenses.

The money went out faster than expected, so Ronald went to Philadelphia to make up for it.

"Arrogant" is about to start filming, and he has to fulfill his obligations as a producer.

"cheese!"

During the brief opening ceremony, Ronald took a photo with all the crew members on the ground floor of Wanamaker's Department Store in Philadelphia, and watched them start filming the first scene in the department store.

Director Michael Gottlieb started letting the lighting guys start lighting.

Ronald happened to chat with Kim Cattrall for a while.

Cattrall has been spending the past few weeks half-day modeling at Dai Young's and half-day working out with a fitness trainer.

A lot of her fat disappeared, and her whole person took on a model-like temperament. Regular exercise seems to have improved her skin a lot.

"A mannequin made of six pieces of wood, in various poses." Kim Cattrall glanced at Ronald with a wink.

"Not bad." Ronald pretended not to understand Cattrall's hint, but was relieved by the professionalism of the crew.

Philadelphia's Wanamaker Mall was contacted by Philadelphia's first black mayor, Wilson Goode. As the first black mayor to win a major city election in 1984, he had great ambitions.

Goode wanted to use this movie to attract more Hollywood crews to film in Philadelphia to make up for the large number of closures and unemployment of workers caused by the impact of Japan on traditional manufacturing industries.

The Wanamaker Department Store is one of the oldest department stores in America. Its architectural style is very similar to those old houses in New York. The ceilings are high and the aisles are narrow. It is integrated with the new shopping and entertainment today. Compared with shopping malls, the concept has lagged behind. For example, there is not even a movie theater in the mall.

Two hours later, the lighting for the first shot was ready. Ronald saw that director Michael Gottlieb was very precise, and felt a little relieved.

Although Twentieth Century Fox's management is chaotic, it would be hard to explain if it turns into a joke.

"!" The director called to start the camera.

Today's shoot is about the young man who can't do anything, played by Andrew McCarthy, and finally finds a job decorating street windows in a department store.

He spotted the mannequin in the window, a wooden mannequin he had carefully crafted, and was delighted to spend the night with his favorite model.

Kim Carroll plays an ancient Egyptian beauty who possesses a model and becomes a real person at night, talking to handsome guys.

The crew's director of photography gave Ronald a new toy. This is a device designed and manufactured by Allais, which can separate part of the light from behind the camera lens, pass through the lens group, and connect to another monitor.

In this way, the director can see a slightly blurry black and white picture, and does not have to rely entirely on the judgment of the director of photography to decide whether reshoots are needed.

The monitor was next to the camera. Ronald put on his baseball cap and put his eyes close to the viewfinder. He only saw a flashing picture, and the person's face was either completely white or completely black.

This monitor can only transmit a small part of the light, so the tolerance is very poor. Ronald can't see Cattrall's facial expressions clearly at all, and can only roughly see the effect through their body movements.

For example, whether the actors walked in place, whether the performance was completed inside the viewfinder, whether the composition complied with the pre-planned design, it is just a rough idea.

"Um?"

Ronald looked at it for a while. Although he could only see the body movements, he already felt something was wrong. He let go of the monitor and looked directly at the two protagonists of the show with his naked eyes.

The more he looked, the more something was wrong, and he almost helped the director to stop it.

What the hell is this director doing?

I don’t know what Michael Gottlieb told the actors. The whole performance was very exaggerated, as if it was the kind of Shakespeare play that high school students rehearse. It's like acting at first glance, rather than the acting method that ordinary movies require of actors, try to be as close to life as possible.

"Cut!" Michael Gottlieb also stopped. It seemed that he also discovered something was wrong...

Ronald nodded, this director is still reliable.

"Your acting is not exaggerated enough. You need to exaggerate a little more. Don't be afraid of going too far. Just be afraid that you are not enough."

"no……"

Ronald frowned. What kind of thing would be captured in this way?

He opened his mouth, but held back, not letting the questioning voice slip out of his throat. The director's authority cannot be denied on the set, otherwise he will not be able to get the actors to cooperate on the set in the future.

Even though he knew that the filming was terrible and the new one ended, Ronald had to pretend to be good and applaud with everyone.

"Very good, I want this exaggerated effect, Jin. The next performance will be more exaggerated."

Kim Cattrall agreed, and silently rolled her eyes at Ronald as she walked over.

"What did you think about it? Why do you pursue this kind of exaggerated performance effect?" Ronald found a break and chatted alone with Michael Gottlieb in the trailer.

The other person was older than him, so Ronald tried his best to use a tone of discussion and consultation so as not to hurt the other person's self-esteem.

"You must think I'm fooling you, right?" Michael Gottlieb explained with a smile.

"This script is originally a weird story. Even teenagers, who would still believe in a story like a child about a wooden model turning into a real person at night?

This requires a method, which is to act like a comic, like "The Wizard of Oz". If the young audience accepts this exaggerated acting method, they will not feel that the plot is bluffing, and start to really get involved in the plot. "

"It seems that you have your own considerations." Ronald nodded. As long as the other party is not blindly guiding, it is fine, but he doesn't know whether the effect will be as he thought.

Watching the on-site filming, he always felt like watching Minahan Golan filming "Sahara". Not all live-action movies made in a comic style will be accepted by the audience.

"However, if you direct like this, the film critics will scold you." Ronald didn't know how the audience would react. Film critics would definitely say bad things. This kind of performance is suitable for cartoons rather than live-action movies.

"I can't control so much, as long as there is a box office." Michael Gottlieb is very clear-headed. Getting the box office first is the first priority.

"The director has his own ideas. You should cooperate with his guidance." In the hotel room, Ronald could not help but explain to Kim Cattrall, asking her not to blame herself just because the filming was not conventional. Acting without trying hard.

Cattrall has gotten better and better through exercise. He has a thirty-year-old body with no fat on his waist and abdomen.

"I will cherish the opportunity." Kim Cattrall made up her mind, no matter what, first grab all the close-ups.

"Do you think he is really sure, or is he just random?" Ronald asked.

"I don't know, but what Michael Gottlieb says is consistent every time." Cattrall assumed a yoga pose, hugged Ronald tightly, and kissed Ronald.

"Okay..." Ronald stroked Cattrall's playful blond hair again and motioned for her to turn her back.

"Nisita will keep an eye on me here for a few more days. If you have any problems, just tell him. He is experienced and knows how to deal with it. Director Michael Gottlieb is not my person. Even if you have any problems, you can Don't confront him.

"Michael Gottlieb has his own idea, but it's different from the usual teen romantic comedy approach. Why don't you go to Philadelphia and see for yourself." Ronald returned to Los Angeles and met with Fox's executive producers Joseph Farrow talked with him about his work inspecting the Philadelphia crew.

As the nominal producer of the film, I have the responsibility to ensure that the film is on time and within budget. Ronald kept his most capable person, Niceta, there for a while, plus what he saw with his own eyes.

Gottlieb did a good job in this regard. He is also a director who pays close attention to artistic details. He has a good balance between schedule, performance, budget, etc.

In terms of overall artistic grasp, Ronald is not a real producer like Spielberg after all, and has the final responsibility for art and box office. In addition, Gottlieb is Joseph Farrow's man, so he can only do remind.

In fact, Joseph Farrow didn't want to be responsible either. To him, this project is more like a tool to compete for power and distribute wealth.

"Relax, is it professional? Is it on schedule? Is the cost overrun? If these three answers are good, then there is no need for us to intervene. In the current movie market, not every movie is as super as Top Gun. A blockbuster.

Come, have a drink. Has the box office of Top Gun exceeded 100 million? "Joseph Farrow poured Ronald a glass of whiskey and the two drank.

"In fact, it is close to 120 million, and the thirteenth week is not over yet."

"It looks like this one will be moved to next year."

"I hope so." Ronald also wanted his movie to be like Spielberg's "E.T.", which was screened from 1986 to 1987 and was still at the box office.

"Have another drink, don't worry, Gottlieb has his thoughts."

"Maybe I'm worrying too much, cheers."

Ronald drank the twelve-year-old wine. "Extremely impressive" means that no one is responsible for the quality of the movie. To do well at the box office, you have to be very lucky.

"I have studied all your movies, and I found one thing in common, that is, they all have a best-selling song on the charts. This year, the interludes in two of your movies have ranked No. 1 on the charts. So I have to learn from it, too. This time I found a band to tailor a theme song."

Joseph Farrow pulled out a picture of a band and handed it to Ronald.

"Isn't this?" Ronald had seen the band before.

"Yes, Starship. Their lead singer, Grace Slick, a forty-seven-year-old woman, is clamoring to leave the band, and it happens to be cheap."

"Well, is this really good?" Ronald thought to himself.

A youth romance film with a female singer who is nearly fifty years old singing?

With this mess at Fox, it seems that no one is taking this project seriously.

Ronald felt that he had done his best. If the studio executives had such a take-advantage mentality, what else could he do?

So be it? I took the check paid after the project started to subsidize the depletion of my living expenses checking account due to the lack of dividends from selling stocks.

Just keep busy with your own projects.

－－－－－－Digression－－－－－

Today is a two-in-one, there is no second chapter.

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