Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 999 Hollywood Bazaar

   Ronald is in Washington, DC, in the office of Mrs. Graham, the boss of the Post. Here you can overlook the office building and printing plant of the Post. During the period of the former Jimmy, the Washington Post also encountered a serious strike crisis. However, since the current old Ronald came to power, the economy has developed, and such large-scale strikes have been rarely seen.

"After the ultimatum is issued, the commander-in-chief will re-send special commissioners to mediate. This is the largest strike in his tenure since the strike of the airport air traffic controllers in the first term of the commander-in-chief. The commander-in-chief hopes to start well and end well, leaving a Make a good impression on his American people." Mrs. Graham told Ronald some of her own experience, and it takes patience and courage to deal with strikes, just like a hunter waiting for the right time to hunt.

   "So, what should be done to end the strike as soon as possible?"

"Now your focus is on those screenwriters who are unhappy with the union, are threatening to quit, and are filing charges with the National Labor Relations Board. As long as their proposed repeal of the union rule that prohibits them from returning to work during the strike can be passed, Hollywood's dilemma is lifted."

   Ronald muses, the key to this kind of thing is to disable the union leadership that can organize pickets. The matter has reached this level, and everyone is already excited. The key resistance to mediation comes from negotiator Walton and the public TV stations.

"But this should not be something you consider, little Ronald. You should think more about how to persuade me to lend you the office building of the Post to make a movie. Last time they borrowed it to film our reporter exposing the Watergate incident I didn’t even agree to any of the movies.” Mrs. Graham deliberately put on airs and asked Ronald to convince herself that she would lend the office of the best newspaper in America.

"Haha... Our movies are different..." Ronald smiled, "There will be no short people in our movies, they are all handsome men and beautiful women. I will also be there to supervise and pick the sun to shine in through the windows, the most wonderful day of the day." Time to shoot. So that the Post will look like a true 'Conscience of America' in the minds of the people."

Mrs. Graham was talking about "All the President's Men," a film starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford that, due to its plot, is dark and dark throughout. The Wall Street Journal office, like a prison.

   And what Ronald is going to film is the romantic drama "Chances Are", of course, the post will be shot in the best image. The scene inside the Post is a scene in which the leading actor played by Robert Downey Jr. comes to apply for a job. He and Ryan O'Neill are two handsome guys, so that all young people who are interested in being a reporter for the Post will feel that this is the place. It is a place worth visiting.

   "Hahaha..." Mrs. Graham was very comfortable being complimented, this young man was very clear about his thoughts. Dustin Hoffman's face as a Post reporter will scare away fresh blood.

  The "Chancesare" crew finished filming in Maryland (where the cost is cheaper), and came back to DC to shoot the last two scenes. Their shoot in Maryland went so well that during this time Ronald received few requests for his intervention.

  Emile Adolino was very devoted during this time, and his mustache looked a little tired. When Ronald told him that he had taken care of borrowing the office of the Post, he clenched his fist to encourage himself.

   Watching the director gradually become more confident, Ronald was also very happy, hugging and celebrating with him.

   "Also, I also got the Smithsonian National Museum of History, and they agreed to borrow half a day for us to shoot the auction scene."

   "Hahaha..." Director Emil Adorino was even happier now. Many American children have visited here when they were young. The role of Sybill Shepard in the play is the curator of a museum called the First Lady in this national museum.

  Here is a collection of wax figures of successive first ladies, as well as personal items presented by the first ladies. The most famous is a pair of earrings worn by Eleanor Roosevelt.

  Ronald contacted the current First Lady Nancy, who just wanted to consider making a wax figure for the museum and donating some personal items. Ronald offered to invite her and her husband to give speeches in Hollywood after retirement. So this request to rent the museum was quickly resolved under Nancy's "care".

  The crew had a great time filming in Maryland. This news made them very happy and cheered. Being able to film in real historical buildings is a very good encouragement for actors.

   "How are you feeling, Mary?" Ronald asked Mary Stuart Masterson, the youngest actor on the show, who played his daughter.

"Miranda is smarter than any other character I've played, you know, I usually play the street-smart urchin, pregnant, barefoot." Masterson is happy with the role, no longer the rebellious tomboy image he used to be , but a talented woman from a rich family who went to Yale University.

   "I heard that you did a good job, and Emile always praised you to me."

   "Hey, the high school I went to is very similar to Yale University. It's also like a pressure cooker." Masterson and Deyi, although they didn't go to Yale, are also very experienced in that kind of competitive situation.

   "Eh...", Ronald thought, if you went, you wouldn't say that. Yale is a relatively free place, without the unified values ​​of Harvard, and without the pressure of MIT. It is a school that can work hard and lie flat.

   "Oh oh oh... Mommy is here..."

  Ronald saw the heroine Sybill Shepard, and when she was filming, the two eight-month-old twins were in the crew every day. I also hired two nannies to take care of each other, one person looked after the other. Of course, it's all Ronald's daydream paying for.

  In order to make her different from the image in the TV series "Blue Moonlight Detective Agency", the crew specially hired a top hairstylist to shorten Sybil's hairstyle by a few inches and make it more conservative.

  The costumer also specially ordered several sets of Chinese and Italian fashions for him, mainly in black. This is the main color that Sybill Shepard has never tried before. With his conservative hairstyle, it is unexpectedly dignified and sexy.

   "Where's Robert?" Ronald asked about the actor.

   "He is often late recently, but he is still very aura when shooting." Masterson came over and told Ronald.

  "Talented actors often have their own preparation methods...", Ronald saw that Masterson didn't intend to complain, but a rather naive girl.

"oh…"

   On the second day, when the filming started, it turned out that Robert Downey Jr. was late. It made Sybill Shepard go back to be with the twins first. He was still unwilling to be called out, the child was so cute, and he didn't want to leave them for a moment.

   "All units are ready..." Director Emile Adolino gave an order, and Sybill Shepard, as the curator of the First Lady Museum, walked out slowly...to the surprise of everyone present. This actress who is close to forty is still so charming.

  Even Robert Downey Jr. was stunned, and was obviously taken aback for a moment. But this is obviously more in line with the character's setting, and he remembered things from his previous life.

   "Cut..." Emile Adolino communicated with William Fraker, director of photography, "This print is over."

   "Huh, huh, huh...", amidst everyone's applause, Ronald came over and chatted with the director of photography, Flake.

   "What technique did you use, and why did the light shine on Sybil's body like it was shining?"

Ronald, who was a photographer by training, knew it wasn't a sudden outburst of Sybil Shepard's own charm, but some innovation in the lighting arrangement that he hadn't seen before, creating an enhanced Rembert on Sybil's face. Long-style lighting.

  This lighting method first invented by classical oil painters is usually a close-up of the protagonist's face to highlight a dramatic effect and focus the audience's gaze on the protagonist's eyes.

  But William Fraker's technique is stronger than the general Rembrandt light, as if her eyes are black gemstones in the water, gentle and demure.

"This is a little invention of mine. When I was shooting a L'Oreal commercial for Sybil a few years ago, the manufacturer kept asking me to give clearer eye highlights. I came up with a way to use only a small Improved light path, and some reflective placement... chuck... what do you think?"

  William Flake is a cool technical geek. When Ronald discovered his proud invention, he happily explained it to Ronald.

"After you finish this movie, you can go to my daydream with general manager Eddie with your personal lawyer. Our daydream has worked with many people, such as editor Walter Murch, and your invention patent Authorize it to us, and we can get patent fees and sales dividends.”

  Ronald likes this kind of gizmo very much. Daydream has collected a lot of these little things that can add color to movies, and has become a relatively famous special effects equipment sales and rental company in Hollywood.

   "Huh? Do you think anyone will buy it?" William Flake didn't know that such a small invention could be patented and sold for money.

"No problem. If you don't know how to do it, you can consult a lawyer. You can reimburse the expenses as long as you sign a contract with Daydream to authorize the production." Ronald took out a business card with his company's phone number and handed it to him. give him.

   "Oh..." At this time, the actor Robert Downey Jr. yelled, and then his left foot caught his right foot and fell to the ground.

   "What's the matter?" Everyone stepped forward to see that he was lying on the ground with a painful expression on his face. His manager rushed up, took off his shoes, and helped him up.

   "Dony has to wear these shoes in these close-up scenes, so his feet are worn out with blisters..."

   "Oh", Ronald immediately called his assistant after hearing the news, and also supported Downey to rest. Robert Downey Jr. was only five feet seven inches, and when he played with the tall beauty Sybill Shepard, he had to wear shoes with inner height to avoid showing his flaws.

  Because Sybill Shepard has a bigger card than him, he can't let the actress stand in the dug hole like Tom Cruise in the crew.

"You can't go on like this, Downey. You must stop immediately after filming this movie. Otherwise, I will tell Sarah (Jessica Parker)." The manager helped Downey into the trailer, After closing the door, he started talking about Downey. This man's addiction to alcohol and drugs has reached the point of addiction. If it weren't for his cleverness today, the seriousness would have been exposed by the producer.

   "It's okay, I know..." Downey sniffed, "I'll talk about it after I finish filming."

"Why…"

  …

   After solving some difficulties in filming, Ronald is going back to Los Angeles.

   Those in the Writers Guild Yes, things got complicated when the union negotiators came up with an ultimatum.

  The commander-in-chief appointed former friends in Hollywood as special commissioners to mediate the strike. As a representative of an important small studio, Ronald was also visited by the special commissioner, asking him to exert his influence and end the strike as soon as possible.

   "What can I do?" Ronald shook his head, he didn't want to get involved in this mess.

   "This is Nancy's request. She was also a Hollywood star before, and she doesn't want to see Hollywood shut down any longer."

   "Okay... since it's the first lady's intention...", Ronald agreed in person.

  The correspondent was busy and began to visit some board members of the Eastern Writers Guild.

   Ronald and agent Nisita called to find out the situation.

   “Should I make some calls and see if they can reconcile?”

   "You can call the actor of William Morris..." Nisita laughed, and half-jokingly asked Ronald to dig someone.

   "You bastard...", Ronald hung up the phone and called a few suitable people.

   "Michael, do you think we can do something?" Ronald called Michael Douglas. This is the eldest son of the Jewish leader in Hollywood. It is much more useful for him to come forward than himself, so just follow him.

  Anyway, the screenwriters of the Screenwriters Union are starving to death, and the end of the strike is nothing more than a few weeks more, or a few weeks less.

   "You are calling at the right time, we are going to organize a charity sale to raise some temporary relief for those screenwriters who dare to resist."

  Michael Douglas is not talking about the die-hard unionists who dare to resist the producers' union (he also has a production company and is a member of the union), but the screenwriters who stand up against the union.

  The key to breaking the situation now is those negotiators who threaten the union, and the screenwriters who want to quit the union and return to the TV station. The voices of these people gradually began to be recognized by most union members.

   As long as they keep at it, they will be able to gather more and more voices. And they are going to work for the three major wireless TV stations, so the TV stations will not be unhappy. Grabbing these more than 20 senior screenwriters is the starting point for resolving the strike.

  The most important thing now is to let these people hold on longer. So we need to raise some money for them, so that they can continue to attack the chief negotiator Walton.

   On the 23rd, formal negotiations resumed again under the auspices of federal mediators.

  But the negotiator is still unwilling to give up his own terms, which is the basis for him to continue to gain a foothold in the union.

   On the 30th, negotiations broke down, and the Hollywood production alliance threatened not to bargain further, but to abandon cooperation with screenwriters and concentrate on producing non-union scripts.

   Ronald, who has returned to Los Angeles, has begun preparations for Cameron Crowe's new film "Into the Deep".

   Just then, Michael Douglas sent an invitation for the Screenwriters Guild's charity sale, which will be held this weekend. The other party asked him what exhibits he could participate in the auction.

   “I have a few Andy Warhol paintings, but they’re not worth much.”

   "It's okay, everyone is doing their best. You can take pictures of other people's things when the time comes."

  (end of this chapter)