Exploiting Hollywood 1980

I don't know if there is something wrong with the dream, or if I haven't seen this movie in my previous life. Ronald felt a little uncomfortable, so he had to revise the script of "Dragon Flying Phoenix" with his own screenwriting ability.

Through the good relationship between CAA and Paramount, Ronald wanted to come up with the sketches of the previous editions of the script. The original script was obviously pulled by Travolta, RSO Records, Paramount, etc. It was not a very smooth story. There are many careful thoughts from all sides.

Travolta wants to show more of his sexy image, and RSO Records hopes to add some more powerful hits to promote the popularity of the BeeGees band, whose record sales have suffered a serious decline due to the disco devastation.

And Paramount is perhaps most interested in the quality of the story itself, they want to try to make it as engaging as possible, with a reasonable beginning, middle, and end. As long as the story stays above the mark, many viewers still want to see John Travolta dance.

Not quite understanding the ecology of Broadway, Ronald picked up the phone and asked a friend for help.

"Don, I'm Ronald, please do me a favor." He called "Flash Dance" producer Don Simpson, "Have you finished filming in Philadelphia? I want to borrow someone from you. ."

...

"Cynthia, thank you for helping me out, and I'll ask you some questions about your dancing career." Ronald found a cafe, and Cynthia Rhodes, who played the club dancer in "Lightning Dance" ( bsp; Rhodes) to meet and chat about the script.

"Ah? Why? I thought you had a script for me to play." Cynthia joked.

"I'm writing the script for Travolta's 'Saturday Night Fever' sequel."

"Ah..." Cynthia suddenly exclaimed, "Is this movie finally going to have a sequel? Or is Travolta playing Tony Manero?"

"Uh, yes." Ronald didn't expect Cynthia to be so fascinated by this movie. It seems that the original work was indeed deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

"If only I could play a part in this movie, we used to imitate Travolta and his dance partner."

"Don't you dance ballet and jazz?" Ronald asked curiously. "Saturday Night Fever" is the story of a young Italian-American who dances disco in a disco.

"Disco was popular back then. We all danced secretly, but we couldn't let our parents know." Cynthia replied.

"Okay, then I started asking. How did you become a dancer?"

"I danced since I was a child, and I was still a small singer. When I was older, I would naturally go to Broadway in New York to try my luck. But my luck was not good enough.

Can't get a Broadway role.

Then I did some commercials and MVs, and acted in groups for a few movies, and only recently did my manager get a chance to appear in 'Lightning Dance'. "Cynthia replied in simple clothes, holding a coffee cup.

"You can still sing?"

"As a kid I sang at garden parties in my hometown of Nashville."

Ronald was taken aback. Nashville is the center of American music, where many record companies are based. Although he is a small garden party singer, he should have a certain level to be selected.

"Ordinary dancers, who are the key people who need to impress if they want to enter Broadway?"

"It's mainly the casting director's primary selection, and then the director of the musical will do a group interview to select candidates for the backing dance line. The protagonist is basically selected from the famous dancers, and occasionally there will be a dancer who jumps out of the backing dance line. At that time, the first It's my dream to be a backup dancer and be picked to be the main character again."

In Broadway musicals, usually the dancers will do the dance background behind a line, which is called the dancer line. The protagonist can only play before the dance line.

"Then why didn't you stick with it later?"

"Well... how do you say it? The career length of female dancers is generally only half that of male dancers. I was twenty-three years old at the time and didn't have a real chance, so I wanted to try the film industry."

"How much do you think the best dancer in the disco, like Manero, is likely to make it to Broadway and be cast in the lead role?"

"This is not a type of dance. Disco is more unrestrained and free. Jazz dancing on Broadway requires more basic training and rehearsal. But a dance genius like Manero, if he concentrates on his studies, it is not impossible. He looks like this. handsome."

"Before he was chosen? What might Manero do to support his family?"

"His appearance, and his level of dancing, are very popular in discos like Club 54. He can make a lot of money by tipping as a waiter. If you don't go to these sensual places, then be a dancer in a health club. Coach, you can live in Manhattan."

...

Ronald asked a lot of questions and kept a large book of all the problems, temptations, and troubles a dancer would encounter in a big city.

"Thanks, Cynthia, that's about it. Paramount will send you a check for the cost of the interview."

"Ronald," Cynthia glared at him, "Do you think I could play a role in the sequel?"

"I don't know. I'm not the director of this movie, I was just hired to revise the script. I can say hello to Paramount and have a nice word of you, but I can't promise anything?"

"Really?" Cynthia hugged Ronald happily and kissed him on the cheek, "I'm so happy."

"Don't get too excited, it's just an audition opportunity." Ronald touched his face. Cynthia has lovely blonde hair and is a dancer, which fits her aesthetic quite well.

First, we will slowly weave the life materials of many dancers obtained by interviewing Cynthia into different plots.

The next step is to have several main lines to connect the various plots together. The original script was weaker in this regard, which is why Travolta and Sterwood were dissatisfied.

Without the guidance of the dream, Ronald still resorted to the old method, writing all the episodes of Tony Manero on three-inch index cards, and then nailing them to the cork board on the wall, arranging them in front and back and left and right.

The advantage of the dream is that it gives the direction of several climax scenes, which is equivalent to giving the main line of the movie, or one of the main lines. The rest just fill in the blanks.

There is no guidance now, and I can only rethink it myself, and come up with a main line that is logical, emotional, and has various unexpected plots.

The biggest problem appeared in Manero's dance career. Ronald got the script and wrote Manero as a dance genius who yearned for Broadway. But in the original work, he was clearly an excellent grassroots dancer who danced disco. How could he smoothly transition to a Broadway musical?

As Cynthia said, a handsome man who can make a lot of money in Club 54 and has no shortage of women. How did you find the motivation to give up everything and start dancing on Broadway?

Have to find a suitable motive for Manero to go to Broadway with his girlfriend who is a backing dancer on Broadway and fall in love with that dance at first sight?

Ronald feels that what is lacking most now is time. While changing the script of "Dragon Flying Phoenix", he still has his own "Night of the Comet" that needs to be revised, financed, and found suitable actors.

In order not to delay the progress of both sides, he divides his time in half an hour as the smallest unit. Then strictly within each block, only do the relevant things.

It was like this, and I was so tired that it was only after a week that I initially revised it, and then I went to the gym to submit the revised script to Travolta.

Travolta is dancing, and now he dances three hours a day and lifts the barbell for two hours a day to regain his figure and dance ability.

"Maneiro was fascinated by the heroine of the musical, gave up his job as a bartender, went to a gym as a dance instructor, recovered and learned the basics of jazz dance while earning money, and finally auditioned for a new musical, impressed As a director, he was selected as a backup dancer.

At the same time, Manero's girlfriend was also selected as a backup dancer. The two are working together in their careers.

During rehearsals, the musical heroine clashed with her boyfriend who did not want her to continue her dancing career, and Manero comforted and helped the heroine. Manero's girlfriend thought he was in love with each other, and in the end, during the dance, the two got to know each other's hearts and got back together. "

Travolta quickly read the script, "Ronald, you are really fast and of high quality. I am very satisfied. What do Paramount and Sterwood think about this?" agent said.

"Mr. Sterwood recognizes that as long as you are willing to play at Paramount, everything else is easy to say."

"Okay, then we need to find a good director. I like the kind of Manero that Ronald said last time, who struggles like Rocky. We'd better find a director like Rocky's movies, good at Shoot small people struggle success stories."

"Do you have any candidates?" the agent asked Travolta.

"Um... help me think about it, anyone? You think about it for me too, Ronald."

"Since you like Rocky so much, why don't you use Rocky's director?" Ronald replied. This script is inherently flawed, and it has to satisfy the interests of several investors. Ronald has no dream reference and does not want to direct this movie.

Besides, he was still busy with the "Night of the Comet", so he didn't have the heart to recommend himself, so he said something casually.

"Ah? Right? You help me ask Mr. Stallone if he is interested?" Travolta said excitedly to the agent.

"The director of Rocky's first film wasn't Stallone, right?" Ronald muttered.

Crossed the script of "Dragon Flying Phoenix", and one step further away from the established goal.

It's time to find the rest of the main cast. There are hints in the dreams of several male and female protagonists. Except for the male protagonist's poor acting skills, the others are very sufficient for a low-cost exploitative film.

Actors who are too expensive can't afford it themselves.

First look for the heroine Katherine Marie Stuart, the beauty who was tricked by Meinahan to film the heroine of the "Apple" musical.

"What script? Is it a fast-paced group drama? Am I playing the lead role?" Katherine Marie Stuart was very interested in Ronald's film, and she had long wanted to make a "fast-paced" movie. "That kind of movie made a name for itself.

"One of the protagonists, there are only two valley girls and sisters as the protagonists. You are the one with the most important role. In fact, it was the plot that I came up with after I saw you at the Minahan banquet last time. It's a sci-fi theme. Plus zombie teen movies."

"Sounds complicated, but I'd love to do it. When's your schedule?"

"Early next year, I still have some technical matters to deal with. If all goes well, it will be around the end of January and the beginning of February. Can you arrange your schedule?"

"Okay, I have a small resident role in the new season of the soap opera 'Our Days', but they're going to write me to death. I'll be free after late January next year."

"Okay, I'll call your agent and send him the script."

Then there was Mary Voronoff to play the important role, the female scientist in the doomsday base. She played the old-fashioned headmistress in "Rock High School" very well. This is a good actor who really has acting skills, but is ignored by the mainstream Hollywood.

"Mary, I'm Ronald. I'm directing a new film. There's a female scientist role. Would you like to play it?"

"Ronald?" Voronov didn't realize which Ronald it was.

"It's Ronald? He's a fast-paced director. He was an interim director at Rock High School. I just want to ask him..." A voice whispered to Mary.

"Ronald, I'm glad you can think of me. Can you come to my house and talk in detail, I have something to do." Mary Voronoff put down her hand covering the microphone and said to Ronald.

"Okay, no problem. I'll come with the script." Ronald agreed, just in time to chat with Mary about her thoughts on the script.