Exploiting Hollywood 1980

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The biggest problem with "breakdance" is the lack of time. At the moment, every day is wasted on forming a shooting team and selecting actors, and the shooting time is tense for one day. If there is a delay in casting, it basically declares that the film cannot be completed before Orion's "Hot Street Kid".

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

This task is to be done separately. Minahan decided to fly back to Los Angeles immediately, and transfer the technical team from other Cannon crews, or else from Israel.

Ronald was in charge of casting and choosing the right location for the shoot.

The first call, Ronald first called Weintraub. This matter must be approved by the producer of "Longwei Kid".

"Can you finish filming?" Weintraub didn't stop Ronald, but was worried that he couldn't finish filming during the three-week vacation, which would affect the progress of his film.

"Haha, I'm a Roger Coleman college graduate. Two weeks to shoot, and one week to edit. If the shoot is delayed, I'll give the editing to Minahan to be on time for the 'Longwei Kid' editing. "

"Okay, you end things over there as soon as possible," Weintraub had heard the name of Roger Coleman, and understood that this time Ronald was trying to make a quick buck. In any case, the exploitative films screened on a small scale will not affect their Colombian distribution.

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

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

Although without the involvement of the agent, Ronald could not have signed with any producer, and their share was pie in the sky. However, when the contract is renewed, Ronald can choose another broker at any time if he cannot provide services that are compatible with the split.

After two key phone calls, Ronald began to look for the main actor, and the filming location.

The reason for this is that we can get actors and venues that normally take a month to get done in a short period of time. It's because Ronald saw and heard a lot of Coleman's quick-shot tricks when he was working at Roger Coleman.

Roger Coleman's most powerful one, he finished a movie "Horror Shop" in two days. In short, the most important point of this kind of fast-moving exploitative film is not to be attached to the original idea. Be flexible everywhere.

For example, try to shoot exterior scenes and reduce lighting time. For the interior scenes, everything was simplistic because there was no suitable setting, so the script was changed. If there are sets that other people have used, just grab them and use them.

If there is no suitable actor, then find an old partner who has worked together. The role requires strong acting skills, so choose actors who are close to the character's personality and let them play in their true colors. In this way, the performance is easy to perform, and there is no need for repeated rehearsals and retakes.

There is no true actor who is close to the character's character?

Then change the script and change the character to the character of the actor!

This is not an art film that hits the Oscars. As long as the character makes sense logically, it doesn't matter how the character is, it's almost done. The key is to be fast.

If it’s too late to edit slowly, then take a sample every day and synchronize the sound and video immediately. Once all the scenes have been shot, it's time to move on to the editing process.

Then there are the actors. The heroine used the heroine in her dream, the Lucinda Dickey who Minahan signed at Cannonball. Anyway, it was obvious that she had dance skills and good acting skills.

Unsure of where to go to find the original character, Ronald calls Crazy Legs. The break dance master who refused to shave but shaved his legs for the heroine of "Lightning Dance" to dance hip-hop is in a dance company in New York.

"I won't be in this kind of movie, he vulgarizes the meaning of hip-hop,

This dance is a blasphemy to the dance that originated in the Bronx, New York. What's the difference between the story you're telling and the traitors on the West Coast who surrendered to Hollywood. "

"This time is different from Lightning Dance. I'm inviting you to play the leading role!" Ronald emphasized, Crazy Legs won't give up this chance to become famous in one fell swoop, right?

"You can't buy me, that's our ideal."

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

"My stand-in for the last Flash Dance, crazy legs, did he get some work recently?" Ronald called his agent Richard to inquire.

"Crazy Legs, is that Manhattan dance company? Richard quickly found the truth from all the filming schedules on the CAA's big blackboard. He is making an Orion Investments film that reflects hip-hop culture. He plays himself in the movies."

"But I invited the protagonist!"

"He's not necessarily short of money, but for Latino and black street dancers, to be able to leave his real name in a movie that reflects street dance, to a certain extent he will be an old senior in the circle in the future. Yes." Richard explained.

"Fuck," Ronald regretted that he was too hasty to find the crazy legs, "In this way, you continue to contact his agent on my behalf, don't stop."

Since there is no way to dig over, then continue to confuse competitors, so that they do not realize that they are secretly shooting.

"By the way, Ronald, we have arranged a Coppola-style mobile editing car for you." Nisita took the call and you can get it when you come to Los Angeles.

It's a method invented by Francis Coppola to cram all the film and sound editing equipment into a van.

The car followed the exterior scene, and stopped outside for the interior scene. After filming the film every day, after developing and printing a working copy, it is immediately sent to the studio and edited in the car, so that Ronald can go to the car to guide the editing between shootings or at night. Greatly improved work efficiency.

"What about the scene I asked you to find? What did Princess Leia's mother say?" Ronald continued to work out where to shoot the interior.

"Ms. Debbie Reynolds would love to lend you her dance studio, she just renovated and has no students yet."

One of Roger Coleman's stunts is eating two fish. Rely on other people's investment to build a set, and then make a film of your own. Ronald was ready to copy.

"What about the apartment?"

"The apartment in Venice, the parking lot where the karate master lived has not been demolished. You directly use it to shoot the three protagonists practicing dance."

"What about the venue for the buffet?"

"What about the mansion in Ali's house? The owner has a large lawn, so he can shoot the scene you want and directly find a party company for you."

...

Ronald, Nisita, and Richard agreed on a lot of shooting locations. Anyway, the "Longwei Kid" time was worthy of the scene. It is very important to save time by being familiar with the road.

"Have you found the Handyman I asked you to find?" Ronald began to care about the group performance again.

"I found it, Eddie Rodriguez is a very interesting person. He promised to call all the students to contribute to your film, just give them a little pocket money and a lunch. If there is a spare, the best Give me more, they will eat at night."

The people who break dance are poor, mainly Latinos and blacks. Ronald agreed at once. With so many ensembles who can break dance, there is nothing more suitable.

The heroine and main supporting roles have been confirmed, and Ronald's list of the remaining two male leads has yet to be found.

"Ronald, do you want me to recommend some people to you?" Nisita asked over the phone.

"Do you know an actor who can dance?"

"No, I only know some dancers. Do you know a show called 'Soul Train'?"

Soul train? Ronald remembered seeing this show before, which was dominated by blacks and Latinos, and danced some blacks from beginning to end.

"They're on the national syndicated network and have a good relationship with our CAA. I can ask them for someone to audition."

"Very good. I'll be here on a red-eye flight at night. You'd better arrange it for tomorrow."

"No problem, they have this chance to be a pie in the sky. I'll call you all the people on the Soul Train show."

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

"What subject are you shooting this time? You have a new job so soon?" My aunt was a little surprised and started to help Ronald pack his luggage.

Ronald thought for a while, how should he explain "breakdance" to Aunt Karen?

"Actually, it's filming your friend Mrs. Davis, and her son, Bard Jr., the story of poor black people, motivated children, and getting on the right track by dancing."

"Ronnie, I'm very happy. You should make more of these kinds of movies. The general public sees movies just to have a little relaxation and a little dream. You can listen to my advice and make movies for them. You are a good director."

Aunt Karen was very happy and hugged Ronald, "Here are my newly baked cookies. You can eat some when you are hungry when you take it with you."