Exploiting Hollywood 1980

The next morning, Ronald came out of the mansion Diane rented, stretched out, and walked to the large yard at the door to bask in the sun. The house faces a small lake in the town, and there is a small pier and trestle at the end of the yard. This kind of house design makes people feel very comfortable. The landlord even went to stay with relatives, leaving privacy and safety to the actresses who participated in the show.

They are all famous movie stars, singers, and entertainment reporters. There are always some who are particularly persistent and will sneak into small towns to take secret photos.

Fortunately, with the help of screenwriter Harlin, the several houses rented are the ancestral properties of wealthy people. Suitable yards and trees can block the telephoto lens from taking candid photos.

"Good morning……"

Say hello to Ronald, it’s Diane’s neighbors, Shirley MacLean and Dolly Parton. They also occupy the best houses on the left and right. Ronald is seen from Diane’s door. When he came out, everyone greeted him as usual.

"Good morning, ladies. How are you staying? If you have any requests, please ask me directly." Ronald greeted the two. The two half-aged MILFs were both wearing bikinis and sunbathing by the river.

"It's very good. It's very comfortable here, but paparazzi still come from time to time. Fortunately, they were chased away by your people. But we don't dare to go too far. After all, it is difficult to detect them with the telephoto lens of today's cameras. "Dolly Parton is very grateful to Ronald for giving her the opportunity to act in movies. She is a singer and can only play roles similar to her own experiences.

"I said, if we all take off our clothes and sunbathe, will there be any problem? Ronald?" Shirley MacLean is a very direct person, and her faint moans last night reached her while walking the dog. Her ears really made her curious, so she teased him a little bit.

"No problem, it will just cause traffic jams on the lake..."

"Hahaha..." Dolly and Shirley laughed wildly (especially Dolly Parton, who is famous for her figure). Ronald was very nice and handsome. Say a few words to him. Such words make people feel happy.

"What are you laughing at?" Diane yawned and walked out.

"Pfft, hahaha..." Shirley MacLean started laughing again. She just couldn't sleep well because of the noise last night. This smile made everyone laugh. Ronald picked up the coffee in the thermos cup and gave Diane a cup.

"Ah, it's so sweet. The two of them are as sweet as molasses, like two vines tightly attached to each other, and they can't bear to be separated." The two middle-aged actresses started to make noises, which made Diane embarrassed to pick up the coffee cup and drink it. It turns out that although it is instant coffee, it tastes really good.

…

"If Nora were still here,

I will never come to visit the crew when I start shooting. This is the most important part of shooting a movie. All actors need this day to be suitable for the director..."

A brief opening ceremony was held in the morning, and director Herbert Ross was still talking about the bad things about his fiancée. This old man is really hypocritical. After his wife passed away, he planned to marry a new socialite wife in less than a year. At the same time, he compared his new fiancée with his first wife and listed one, two or three ways in which she was inferior to Nora.

"Coffee...", Ronald waved his hand, and the assistant served fine coffee from the crew's coffee machine. After coming to the crew, Ronald and Diane confirmed with several actors that director Herbert Ross was under great mental pressure and had a bad attitude towards the actors during rehearsals.

In order to alleviate the hormonal imbalance of the old man who was about to get married, Ronald put the coffee machine used by his assistants on the set so that Herbert could drink his favorite freshly brewed coffee at any time.

The large glass of American food blocked Herbert's mouth, and he directed the first scene to the actors. This was a scene in which Julia Roberts played the protagonist Shelby, and Sally Field played the mother and his friend Olympia. · Dukakis, in a scene where Dolly Parton plays the proprietress of a hair salon, and Diane plays a hairdressing assistant, doing wedding hairstyles for three women.

This is the first time Shelby appears, and it also introduces the background of the story that Shelby, who was just about to get married, has severe diabetes. The scenes between several women are very tight, and everyone's rehearsals and training in southern accents in the past two weeks are about to come to fruition.

Herbert Ross was born on the theater stage, and his directorial philosophy was to shoot difficult scenes from the beginning. Only in this way will the actors be convinced of the director's scheduling and guidance, and if there is an actor who fails, there will be time to replace him. Although I don't know how to change roles when making movies, this habit has been retained.

"I want the camera to be here, give them a medium shot, and then start to pan the camera while backing up, to this position, and finally give them a main shot to explain the environment and characters."

Herbert Ross had his own views on photography. He did not use the usual Hollywood method of starting with the main shot and moving to a medium shot or even a close-up, but did the opposite. Start by introducing the two main characters, and then gradually introduce other characters into the camera, slowly zooming out, and then let the audience see the complete scene of the whole scene.

Ronald nodded. This technique was actually not used too much in Hollywood. Herbert Ross was obviously fully prepared and every move was very rigorous. With such a director, I can rest assured.

He left the set to pick up a Coca-Cola marketing director. It's not far from Coca-Cola's headquarters, Atlanta. Ronald reached out to them and secured over a million dollars in sponsorship.

In this drama, a lot of Coca-Cola appears in the wedding and subsequent airport party scenes. However, there are no close-ups of the protagonist and Coke, and Coke is not an important prop, so the price of product placement is not too expensive. This is the result of their bidding with PepsiCo.

"In today's scene, you will see glass bottles of Coke in the refrigerator and on the table. There will be more shots in the wedding scene later." Ronald explained to the visitor.

"We are honored to work with you again, Director Li. In fact, we have selection criteria for this kind of product placement. As long as it is a work produced or directed by you, we will be happy to invest. The most important thing is, don't let Pepsi Be in the movie.”

Coke executives smiled and said that there is now some consensus among Coke executives that the decision to acquire Colombia did not bring any synergy to the group. Instead of spending a lot of money on Columbia Pictures every year, it is better to sell it and then spend money on these directors with guaranteed box office, which will be more effective in product placement.

"I don't know, Ronald, do you usually drink Coca-Cola or Pepsi?"

"Ah, hahaha... I think Coca-Cola is a product that represents the spirit of America. So I am honored to be able to appear in the movie. As for my daily life, I mainly drink Coca-Cola. Only in KFC, I will drink Pepsi .”

"Hahaha..." The executive understood the meaning. In America, McDonald's and Coca-Cola are partners, while KFC is Pepsi.

"Actually, I am more optimistic about your business. I have also invested in some Coca-Cola stocks."

Ronald smiled and took the other party to watch the shooting, "We will stand behind the camera and don't make any noise, so as not to affect the shooting... The director is the biggest on the set, and I, as the producer, can only stand behind and watch. No matter how big a star is, he still has to listen to the director on set..."

"a!"

After more than half an hour, Herbert finally adjusted his position, and he began to officially shoot the first indoor shot of "Steel Magnolias."

"What's the main color for your wedding?" Dolly Parton dressed up as a hairdresser and styled blonde Julia Roberts' hair.

"It's rose red and light red..." When Julia Roberts said this in a southern accent, her whole mouth opened wide, and a kind of bride-to-be's immediate joy seemed to overflow from the depths of her heart.

"This girl's acting skills are average, but her affinity is really strange." Ronald touched his chin to evaluate.

Julia Roberts didn't hone her performance enough. In many places, she didn't have the sense of layering and rhythm that should be expressed. But that kind of joy that comes from the heart, many actors with majors cannot perform it.

This is talent. She acts naturally, and the audience will enjoy watching it. Who would care about a little girl who is about to become a bride because she has a wrong mood when talking to her mother?

"It's pink, pink." Sally Field's acting skills are much more restrained. She was also a very talented actress when she was young, and as she gets older, she becomes even more proficient. He captured the mother's apparent blaming state very accurately.

Sally Field also had her head tied with many plastic rolls, waiting for a big wave from behind. The hairstylist assistant who does her hair is played by Diane.

Seeing Diane's skillful gestures, Ronald couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth. This is Sally Field's successor, with spirituality, acting skills, and hard work. She took the hairpin off Sally Field's head and then clipped it onto her clothes naturally, which was the most natural action of a hairstylist.

This action was performed more professionally than the hair-washing girl played by Michelle Pfeiffer in "Married to the Mob."

"cut! cut!"

Just when Ronald was admiring Diane's acting skills, Herbert Ross stopped filming dissatisfied.

"I told you many times during rehearsals. It's true that Shelby is an independent woman, but she will not be fierce with her mother like this. This is the South, the South, don't treat your Yankee old Bring in the pie."

"It doesn't seem that serious, right?" Ronald thought. Maybe southern women are less direct, but Shelby is the daughter of a wealthy family, and sometimes it's not impossible to act like a girl from a big city in the north. .

Julia Roberts was so cruel that she almost shed tears, and there were tears in her two big eyes.

"Sorry, director, I'll do it again." She quickly gathered her emotions and prepared to shoot again.

"Director, she didn't mean it...don't be mean to her..." Dolly Parton likes everyone to be happy by nature and can't stand such things, so she comes to smooth things over.

"And you, Dolly. You play the female owner of a hair salon, not a country singer. This is a service industry, not a star. You are the one who pleases the customers, not the customers who please you..."

My character has done Shelby's mother's hair for years, and they're more like good friends. The singer Dolly Parton lost her temper and started "discussing" with Herbert Ross directly, "Hmph... How about you show me how to please customers?" "

"Sometimes, when encountering difficulties on the set, the actors will also have some 'professional discussions' on acting skills with the director." Ronald quickly exchanged a few perfunctory words with Coca-Cola executives, accompanied him out with his assistant, and took a car to the airport. . It's not a good idea for sponsors to see this kind of on-set quarrel.

"As I said, let's do it again. You all must act according to the script, don't add your own scenes, don't change the lines in the script... don't change a single punctuation mark..."

Ronald came back just in time to see Herbert Ross finish directing the actress and start shooting the second part.

"a!"

This time Julia Roberts did exactly what the director asked. The strong infectious energy brought by that talent is gone.

Ronald frowned. Every word fit the line. Is it so important? Besides, being able to show such true feelings is a very rare gift. If I were to shoot, I would definitely use the one Roberts just used.

Forget it, forget it, I’m not a director. Besides, it can be made up for in the editing room later.

Ronald was about to continue reading when suddenly Herbert Ross stopped again.

"cut!"

"What's wrong with you? Why don't you put some emotion into it? I'm asking you to follow the lines, I'm not asking you to be a puppet. What's the difference between you and a tape recorder that directs you to read back the lines of the script?"

"I'm sorry, director." Julia Roberts was even more at a loss. She lowered her head and tears were about to come out.

Sally Field and Olympia Dukakis were both working with Herbert Ross for the first time and were not interested in this rigid directing method. Diane also went to comfort Julia Roberts.

"Still crying? Why should I cry? Ronald, I mean Ronald." Herbert Ross turned to Ronald, "Can you give Michelle Pfeiffer Do I get it back? I really can't continue filming. Such a vase has no acting skills, how can I play Shelby well?"

"Wow..." Julia Roberts was said by Herbert to be a vase with no acting skills. She couldn't help it anymore and cried loudly.

"That's enough, Herbert, can you show some respect to us women? If you have something to say, please don't insult our character." Dolly Parton couldn't bear it anymore and walked up to Herbert Ross. He put his hands on his hips and criticized his attitude.

"Do you think you are any better? You are also a vase with no acting skills. How can you act?" Herbert Ross was still dissatisfied with Dolly's acting method. His anger had not subsided, and he faced She said again.

"Of course I can't act..." Dolly Parton stared, "But you are the director, it's your job to make me look like I can act!"

"Get out of here, you bitch..." Herbert Ross said something obscene, pointing at Dolly Parton and scolding her. How can actors nowadays still make irresponsible remarks about directors? The world has really changed. When his wife Nora was still there, how could any actor dare to talk back to him in person?

"You have to respect us, Herbert." Shirley MacLean also came up to speak for the actress. Such a director goes too far.

"Herbert, you have to respect us. Actors and directors work together, not that we work for you. You see, when Ronald is directing my play, he never tells me what to do. He is very Respect our improvisation and the chemical reaction between the actors." Olympia Dukakis is not interested in such directors. How lucky he is to meet Ronald.

"God," Herbert Ross put the guide tube down, "Ronald, can't you find me some woman who can act?"

"Herbert, let's talk..." Ronald began to think about how to deal with the aftermath when several people had a quarrel.

He could not directly refute Herbert Ross on the set, because that would cause the director's authority to be lost. But Rose can no longer use this bullying guidance method.

This movie relies on the chemistry between several actresses. If you ask them to act exactly according to Roth's ideas, it doesn't mean it will not work, but a great work may become mediocre.

Ronald asked Herbert Ross and himself to go to the trailer outside the venue. Once in the car, Ronald slammed the door.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Why are you insulting them in person? These actors are all Oscar nominees and winners, and have rich acting experience. Dolly Parton and the newcomer Roberts are also very talented. , you are dissatisfied, why do you curse?"

"Is there something wrong with you? Why can an actor contradict the director? Is this how you make movies? Young man, let me teach you what a director should do. In a movie, no actress is irreplaceable. Can you Don't let them take advantage of you..."

"First! Except for Julia Roberts, everyone's salary is no less than yours. In this project, their contribution to the box office is no less than yours!" Ronald was furious. Why is this Rose still such a stubborn person? ?

"Second, they either have Oscar statuettes or Golden Globe winners. Among the crew, you are not the most artistically authoritative one! You are right. No one in the movie is incompetent. Alternatives include you, Herbert.”

"But I'm all for the excellence of the movie, Ronald. The script of this movie is very good, and I really want to make it my most satisfying work. He will go down in film history." Ross heard Ronald say this , his tone softened. I still have to wait for the pay to find a wife. It costs a lot of money. If I get fired now, it will be troublesome.

"I'm glad you think so, Herbert. Sometimes it's not necessarily a bad thing to give actors like Dolly and Julia a little more improvisation when they're not sufficiently trained."

Ronald let out a sigh of relief. Before signing the contract, the director was strong, but after signing the contract, it all depends on the producer. If you don't obey, you'll get out. You won't get a penny, and you will be held accountable for the losses you caused to the project. If it's more cruel, you will be put on Hollywood's blacklist and you won't be able to film for several years.

"You have to apologize to Dolly when you go back...and Julia," Ronald said.

"What? Don't be like this...Ronald, do you want me to make a fool of myself?" Herbert Ross had already given in, but he was unhappy when he heard that he was going to apologize. If he apologized to the actors, how would he gain a foothold in the crew in the future? What do the other actors think? Will you be dissatisfied with yourself?

"Privately, I don't care what you say, let them feel that you have no personal grudges with them other than professional...ok?"

"All right……"

Herbert Ross bowed his head helplessly.

After chatting privately with the two actors for a while, Herbert Ross adjusted his attitude and continued filming.

Several actors have returned to good condition. Without such face-to-face insults, they can play more relaxed, and relaxation will bring more inspiration.

"Cut! This print has passed..."

Herbert Ross gave the director of photography a passing sign, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Aside from his temper and tendency to curse, Ross is actually a pretty good director.

Diane also winked at Ronald, meaning that you made Ross lose his temper, that's awesome!

Ronald gave her a look back. However, I can't stay on the set for too long. To straighten out the relationship, I'd better let Diane prepare more. For such a good opportunity to play with the movie queens, I don't want to get in the way here.

】

…

"Mr. President is waiting for you..."

Coca-Cola's executive in charge of marketing returned to the Atlanta headquarters and was called to a meeting by the president's secretary.

In the conference room, President Donald Keogh was having a meeting with the financial director and several vice presidents. They all nodded when he came in.

"How about it? Do you think changing the way we invest in the film and television industry will affect Coca-Cola's exposure and penetration?" President Donald Keogh is a native of the Midwest and of Irish descent. Since becoming president in 1981, he has led Coca-Cola to overcome the challenge of PepsiCo, and now the business is booming.

"As long as we can continue to sponsor blockbuster directors like Ronald Lee and Spielberg, and push Pepsi out of the mainstream Hollywood screen, I think the influence will not be inferior to the influence we have with Columbia. weak."

"Got it," Donald Keogh nodded. The key is that Colombia loses money every year. Instead of doing this, it is better to use this money for sponsorship and sell the film company at a good price.

"We were in a meeting, and our financial director made a surprising discovery." Donald Keogh motioned to the CFO to ask the question again.

"After the stock market crash in 1987, our stock price was 25% lower than the price before the crash." There has never been a particularly large turnover rate. But recently, some people have been quietly buying in large quantities. What we have now is at least 500 million in equity capital. "

"Let me find out who is buying our stocks. It has already reached the minimum limit of disclosure stipulated by the China Securities Regulatory Commission. I want to see who is trying to acquire our Coca-Cola in a hostile manner." Donald Keogh said viciously He said that in 1981, some people saw that Coca-Cola was overtaken by Pepsi in market share and wanted to acquire it at a low price, and was counterattacked. It will be no different this time.