Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 265 Signing a special shooting contract

   On the fifth day of the filming, after the crew had been running in, the shooting speed accelerated again. Except for the NG caused by the actor's performance issues, everything went well technically.

  Ronald asked the director of photography, Matthew, between shots, "How is the effect after changing the camera battery these two days?"

"Mr. Alonso's judgment is right. After the battery is replaced, it will not mistakenly show that the power is sufficient when the power is lacking, which will cause the film to jam. When the power is insufficient, the indicator light will automatically flash, and the things of the Eastern Ying people will not be displayed. The quality stability is very good." Matthew replied.

   "Very good, we're going to the next one."

   Next is the shot of Stacey and Linda, taking the stairs to go home from get off work after proofing in the mall, after the elevator and escalator stopped operating.

  There is no changing room for employees to change clothes in the department store. Two working middle school girls, each wearing a personal coat over the red and white arrow shirts, walked down the stairs.

  The Steadicam, held by a staff member of the inventor Garrett Brown Company, is below Jennifer and Phoebe, shooting backwards.

  This small and easy-to-use machine has been a big success in Hollywood. Basically, every crew has to rent it for two days to add a few shots to the movie that follow the movement of the protagonist.

The scale of the company is also expanding. The inventor, Garrett Brown, has hired several large employees to operate the camera stabilizers in various crews. It is no longer the same as when he ran the "Famous" crew and held the camera himself. .

"Did I show you this? Linda. The man who looks like Richard Gere gave me a business card." Show her the business card of the handsome man.

   For a high school girl, a guy with a business card like asking her out is already a huge success. Even if he's just a salesman selling speakers in a stereo store.

   "Ron Johnson, sound consultant. Maybe we should find a frame to frame it..." Linda teased her good friend Stacey.

  A cleaning crew walks past the camera with a broom and dustpan, and he suddenly turns his head and glances at the camera.

   "Cut, Cut, Cut!"

  Ronald stopped the filming quickly, pointing at the group performer and shouting, "Why are you looking at the camera? Didn't Al explain it to you just now?"

   "Ronald, I think there should be a movement to look at the corner here, the cleaners will look around for garbage..."

   The black group actor started chattering about his understanding of the play.

   "Fire him, get another." Ronald instructed 1st Assistant Director Al.

   "You have been fired, please leave the filming site immediately." Al stood up and shouted at him.

   "Hey, you're racist, Hollywood is occupied by you white supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan, it's not fair."

   "First of all, the crew is not obliged to explain the reasons for your dismissal. Second, you can complain to the Actors Guild if you are dissatisfied. Finally, your salary will be paid, and you will go there to sign and settle."

  El neatly kicked the group show out of the shooting location. The first assistant director has to have the aura of being in the town. In many cases, he is the sergeant major of the crew, ensuring that the director's ideas can be implemented.

   "Director, let me play this role?" Nicholas Coppola took the initiative to stand up and said that he could play this role instead of the group, so that there was no need to hire another actor.

   "This character has no facial shots, just a back."

   "I can, Director."

   "Okay, let Nick come and take him to change into the cleaner's clothes." Ronald acted decisively and let Nick put on the cleaner's clothes for another shoot. That way you don't have to look for an extra on a one-day contract.

   "Do you think Long will call me on the weekend?" Stacey said to Linda on the stairs.

  The Steadicam is gradually backing away, keeping the two actors in the center of the frame.

  Nick walks through the front of the frame with a broom, it's perfect.

   "Why didn't you call him?" Linda replied.

   "I can't take the initiative to call a man."

   "Of course you can, men like women taking the initiative the most."

   "Really?" Stacey asked Linda nervously and in disbelief. In her traditional education since childhood, girls did not have the option to call boys on dates.

   "Sure, you're 15, so what are you waiting for? I've been dating since I was 13."

   "Giggle", Stacey laughed nervously, "He's really handsome, isn't he?"

   "Of course, if I hadn't had the perfect boyfriend at the University of Chicago, I'd have sex."

   "Cut!"

  Ronald stopped filming, and all the scenes in the mall a week before were filmed.

   "Yeah", everyone in the crew shouted together and began to applaud and celebrate. The fast food restaurant in the mall brought out the prepared food and let everyone have a small party to celebrate the successful conclusion of the first week of shooting.

  The high efficiency of Ronald and the crew allowed the first half of the scenes in the mall to be filmed one day ahead of schedule. The two producers who came to supervise the array were also very satisfied.

   "Director, director, and cast list doesn't match." The second assistant director came to Ronald with the actor's work schedule. The daily work schedule needs to be turned over to the Actors Union. All names confirmed by signature will be recorded by the Actors Guild against the list provided earlier.

   All actors who have received the minimum wage of the union can apply to join the actors union after a full day of performance in the crew.

   Ronald gave Eric Stoltz, Nicholas Coppola, etc., the wages stipulated by the union, and they could join the Screen Actors Union.

   "Who's wrong?"

   "Nicholas Cage, there is no such person on the set."

   "Nick", Ronald waved Nicholas Coppola to him, "Did you sign this signature? Why did you change your name?"

   "I don't want to go to Hollywood with Coppola's surname. If it wasn't for this surname, I would have gotten the protagonist Brad, right? You won't check my birth record."

"Whatever you want, I won't interfere with your stage name. But this time on the list handed over to the Actors Guild, your surname is still Coppola. If you want to change your name, get this temporary union card and officially join the Actors Guild. I'll change it at some point, you know?"

   "Okay, Director."

After dealing with the scene, Ronald took Hecklen, Al, and the director of photography, Matthew, to find Jennifer Jason Lee, and met a middle-aged woman who was waiting beside him. to the office to talk things over.

  This is Jennifer's mother, Hollywood screenwriter Barbara, who lived with her two daughters after her divorce from her husband, actor Vic Morrow.

   The group came to the office. Ronald took some papers from his bag in the corner and handed them to Barbara and Jennifer herself.

  The scene on the paper is to be shot in a week. The above Jennifer has two **** shots. Ronald's sketches make Jennifer very vivid, which makes Jennifer a little shy.

"As usual, we will notify the actors of the **** scene a week in advance. Although Jennifer is an adult, I know that you and Jennifer are very close, Barbara, so we also invite you and Jennifer's agent to participate in this meeting. ."

   "Is it necessary to be positive?" The agent spoke first. The contract has been signed, and no matter how you shoot it, it will be the same remuneration. His task is to get as little **** as possible for the client, unless the actor himself is willing to sacrifice for the sake of art.

   This is the trouble with filming passion scenes in America. The union guarantees the actors' rights very well. Even though contracts are signed, the actors can raise objections according to the situation at the time. For example, too much nudity, too many unrelated people watching, etc.

   Ronald and Hecklin looked at each other, as they expected, he motioned to Hecklin and asked her to explain.

"It's a shot that shows the protagonist's expectations and fears of growing up. Nothing like an X-rated movie, their expressions are embarrassed and scared, the shot is very short, and the focus is on their facial expressions. Both The plot requires, no deliberately long takes, and any unnecessary…”

   That's why Ronald moved Heckling. The same is a woman, the same words she said will be much more credible than her own.

   "We'll clear the set and the gaffer will leave. Besides me, the director of photography, and the female makeup artist and hair stylist, Heckling will be the first assistant director.

   I do all the board-playing... In short, we will reduce the number of people on set to a minimum, and if you feel uncomfortable, we can also ask the sound engineer to leave the scene, and this scene will be dubbed later.

   Ronald quickly supplemented his shooting location arrangement after Heckling finished speaking.

   "I'm just a little worried, will Jennifer be positioned as a character like Brooke Shields after filming this scene, not relying on acting skills, but a vase?"

  Jennifer's mother raised her doubts.

   "Do we want a frontal shot? If we can shoot from the side, it can also show the beauty of Stacey." The agent took the opportunity to request.

"No, no, Ms. Barbara. The point of this scene is that girls have fears and expectations about getting along Fearing that my idea would be rejected, I quickly explained it.

   The feeling of this girl's angle, not a woman, really can't think of it. So Ronald asked her to communicate with Barbara. Barbara, who has also experienced teenage years, understood this emotion and was almost convinced. She turned back and asked her daughter, "Jennifer, what do you think?"

   This kind of scene is like this. Actors who promised before may also go back when things are approaching. Under the protection of the trade union, there is no other way than to replace her or replace her with a substitute.

  The movie has been in the making for a week, and swapping is not an option. If Jennifer goes back on it, she will only have to go to the stand-in. Moreover, Hollywood's labor union system stipulates that the use of stand-ins for cross-editing must also be approved by the original actor.

   So this time Ronald and the others brought two sets of plans to discuss. Let's talk about a plan for Jennifer to play by herself, and if it doesn't work, come up with a stand-in plan.

  Jennifer was also a little hesitant. She looked at the people opposite and asked Ronald directly, "Ronald, if it was you, how would you choose?

  I'm not afraid of **** scenes, but I think what my mother said is also true. If this scene is remembered, I may receive many similar roles and scenes in the future. "

   Ronald smiled, "Your concerns are very reasonable. But if it was me, I would consider these after I became famous."

   "Hee hee hee", Jennifer smiled.

  Yeah, the movie hasn't finished filming yet, so I think so much. If I can become famous, it will be my trouble after becoming famous.

   "Okay, I'll sign it." Jennifer cast an inquiring look at her mother Barbara. With Barbara's approval, she took the contract and prepared to sign the special filming contract.

   At this moment, with a bang, the door was opened by a man.

   "No, Jennifer, I disagree!"

   "Who are you?" Ronald stood up and looked at the person coming.

   "Dad." Jennifer said, "I'm 19 years old and I can decide what I want to do."

   It turned out that the person who came was Jennifer Jason Leigh's father, the well-known actor Vic Morrow.

   "No, I don't agree." Morrow refused, "I refused the previous biography of Yanwa and Blue Coral Reef. My daughter wants to enter the show business and does not need to act in this kind of play."

   Morrow said, glancing at everyone in the room. He glanced back and forth between Hecklin and Ronald a few times, and finally said to Hecklin.

   In his opinion, Ronald was too young to be a director.

   "Vic, you don't have to decide about Jennifer's affairs. I am her guardian. You have been busy filming and making new girlfriends all these years. Have you ever cared about Jennifer?

   And now that she's an adult, it's not time for Yanwa and Blue Reef. Your opinion has no effect. "

   Apparently, the divorce of Jennifer's parents was not pleasant and still has emotional scars. Barbara mercilessly rejected Vic's intervention.

   "You!" Vic Morrow still smelled of alcohol when he spoke. He is a Jewish actor in New York with a wide network of connections in Hollywood and TV. "You watch it, even if it is filmed, I will not let it be released."

   "No, it's my own decision..."

  Whoever thought of Morrow's words provoked Jennifer's revolt, "I won't listen to you this time." She picked up the special shooting contract and signed her name on the spot.

   "You!" Vic was furious, and he was going to teach his daughter a lesson in the past.

Ronald jumped up from the stool and stopped Jennifer, "Mr. Morrow, first of all, Jennifer is an adult. Second, she's shooting an orthodox teen romantic comedy, and I assure you, it will never be sensual. Thrilling X-rated movie."

"Who are you?"

   "I'm Ronald Lee, the director of this film."

   "Boy, I remember your name." Vic looked at Ronald's body, guessing that he was not an opponent, he turned around and walked out of the room after putting down his harsh words.

   "Huh..." Hecklin next to him let out a sigh of relief.

   "Huh..." Barbara and Jennifer also let out a sigh of relief. Vic Morrow is often drunk and makes trouble. It seems that he hasn't drank too much today, to the point of being irrational.

   "Huh..." Ronald also let out a sigh of relief and signed a Jennifer, as well as a male lead Robert Romanus, and a female lead Phoebe Cates, who have special shooting contracts to sign.

   (end of this chapter)