Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 346 Associate Producer

   Ronald comes to meet producer Don Simpson with an experimental videotape made by Adrian Lane.

  Don Simpson was always with his partner Jerry Bruckheimer and greeted him with a warm hug when he saw Ronald.

   "Ronnie, what do you think? Would you like to take over this movie?"

   "Look at this tape first." Ronald took out the wet dance of the stunt dancer that Ryan had taken.

   "Okay, let's see what you brought?"

   There was a beautiful girl dancing wetly on the TV, especially when the dance double was half lying on the chair and pulled down the rope, and a large bucket of water was poured on her. Ronald saw Don Simpson's Adam's apple move, and he swallowed visibly.

   "If this shot was on motion picture film, the temptation would be increased tenfold." Ronald took the opportunity to lobby.

   Then there is the scene where the dance double shakes his hair in a big way, and some water droplets are thrown onto the set next to him with the action. This time, even the relatively calm Jerry Bruckheimer's eyes lit up.

   "Imagine, here is a clip of the reaction of the audience in the bar." Ronald described his idea, and several audience members in the bar were thrown by the water droplets from their hair, and they were all excited.

  Don Simpson was completely captivated by the idea of ​​Ronald portraying, "Fuck, is this Adrian shot?"

   "It's director Ryan's test tape. He wants me to explain some technical details to you." Ronald pressed the pause button and pointed to the light source on the TV to explain to the two producers.

   "Pay attention to this spotlight, the backlight hits the actor to give a contour light, and then matches the smoke on the scene, the reflection of the ground, and these splashes of water..."

  Ronald pointed to a few lighted points, then pressed play again.

"It's a traditional British technique, and I've seen it on the set of 'Famous Around the World'. They like to put smoke or use a stove to heat incense powder, and very small particles are suspended in the air, allowing a single point of light to appear in the air. The effect of the beam of light..."

Ronald pointed to a beam of light on the TV and explained to them, "Then there is a reflection on the very smooth ground, and the reflection of the actors can be seen, forming an ambiguous ambient light, which is all a single point light source plus specular reflection. the benefits of."

   "So this effect can only be used with a single point light source?" Don and Jerry had already stood up from their chairs and surrounded Ronald.

   "I'm not a professional director of photography, I just know that it would be very time-consuming to simulate this effect with the traditional American multi-light source lighting. In this shot, the dance doubles are dancing in a big way, with a large range of motion.

   If you are lighting with multiple lights, you will need to relight whenever she moves out of range. In this way, the face of the stand-in is more likely to be captured by the camera, and editing will be a hassle.

  My suggestion, if you are satisfied with this effect, still find a way to let Director Ryan use his own photography team to solve this problem with a single light and smoke.

  If it was me, without the cooperation of a good director of photography, I would not have the confidence to shoot a shot of this level. "

   "Ryan still showed his ability, this old slick." Don Simpson whispered. If director Ryan had explained the lighting issue himself, it might not have been as convincing as Ronald, a third person with a successful film.

   After all, Adrian Lane's last Hollywood film was "Little Fox" three years ago, and the box office was not high, so it didn't have much impact.

  Tang and Jerry exchanged glances and understood each other's thoughts. Don Simpson said to Ronald:

   "Ronald, we trust you, this movie is about to start shooting in Pittsburgh, we want to hire you as an associate producer of the movie, and watch the filming progress with me."

   Ronald saw that Don Simpson was going to hold him on a business trip and just wanted to refuse.

Don Simpson grabbed his hand, "Don't rush to say no, just listen to our terms. I know you have a new script now, and it won't take you long. It only takes you a week or two at the beginning of the set. , explain to me and Jerry some of the technical details of the director.

   We are not distrusting director Ryan, the video he showed today clearly shows us his thinking and design.

   But we're not familiar with the way British directors work, you just start staring at the scene there, we need a Hollywood guy.

   After the quality of the daily dailies has stabilized, and we have a good idea of ​​what director Ryan is doing, you can fly back to Los Angeles, I promise. "

   "What about the cigarettes that Director Ryan requested? How do you plan to solve the problem of the union?"

   "Our main shots were all shot in Pittsburgh, where the unions were weak, and there was always a way." Jerry Bruckheimer, who is mostly responsible for things other than art in the duo, answered Ronald's question.

   Ronald saw the sincerity they said, and going to watch the crew for a few days for a short period of time did not hinder his other work. He called his agent and asked him to handle his contract and prepare to go to Pittsburgh.

   "Adrian, they agreed to use it, but on one condition." Ronald first returned to director Adrian Lane's office and told him the good news.

   "What conditions?" Director Ryan stopped talking with a young man, turned around and asked Ronald.

   "I didn't know you had guests." Ronald glanced at the actor, a little familiar, as if he was the "carpenter" who auditioned for various heroines.

   "I'll go out first, Director Ryan, I'm indeed an actor, and I cooperate well with your heroines, right?" He withdrew from the office and closed the door.

   "Don Simpson said yes, you could use your own camera crew or set off cigarettes on set, and Jerry Bruckheimer promised to help you out of union trouble.

   The condition is that I will be an associate producer, and I will go to the Pittsburgh set and be responsible for communicating the technical details with them.

   Of course, I won't do anything to interfere with you, I think they just want to buy an insurance and have someone explain to them what you are doing. I expect to be able to leave in a week or two. "

   "I welcome!" Adrian Lane embraced Ronald with open arms before he could finish.

   "Actually, they are superfluous. Artists always speak with their works. Anyone who sees your commercials and test videotapes can see that your finished film will be very exciting." Ronald explained.

   Ronald actually knew in his heart that as soon as the expert made a move, he knew where the level line of Director Ryan was.

   But since someone paid to see the show, I just took the opportunity to learn some British lighting and shooting methods.

   "I want to thank you anyway." Ryan was polite.

"You don't know what they were thinking. I turned down the project twice, I thought the script was kind of silly, and they didn't bother me after that. It wasn't until recently that Brian de Palma left to shoot another 'Scarface' people', they came to me again.

   I've been off for over two years, and the third time they came to me, I said to myself, Adrian, don't be perfect. There are not so many perfect scripts in the world, waiting for you to direct.

  This 'Lightning Dance' can at least capture the dance scene beautifully, don't shirk it any more. So I agreed. "

   Ronald then understood the complete ins and outs of the matter. Perhaps after a few shirks, the two producers also had some doubts about the level of investment in Adrian Lane.

  The trust between the producer and the director is very fragile. If there is no mutual trust between the two sides, it will cause a lot of unnecessary suspicion and trouble.

   "Don't you write the script yourself?" Ronald asked Director Ryan.

   "I've only written two short screenplays. In Britain, directors don't traditionally act as playwrights."

   "Oh, yes."

  Ronald found another difference between the British film industry and Hollywood. They are more like Broadway, with a clearer division of labor between playwrights and directors.

   In Hollywood, being a screenwriter is often the shortcut to get your first director job.

   Adrian Lane in front of him, Alan Parker, who is familiar with him, and Ridley Scott, who has only seen the movie, are all directors and less involved in screenwriting.

   Alan Parker, who has a little writing ability among the three British directors, also mainly revises the scripts of others.

   Even Hitchcock, the most famous British director, often just wants a prototype for a story, and has few opportunities to write the entire script.

   "Maybe they've been doing Shakespeare plays and don't need extra plays," Ronald thought maliciously.

   "Director Ryan, I formally studied acting, and carpentry is just my part-time job."

  Just as he and Adrian Lane decided to go out for a drink, Ronald found the carpenter waiting for Lane to come out at the door. He looks a little tall and looks a few years older than himself. Although he is begging for help, he is neither humble nor arrogant.

   "Kevin, I can't give you this job as a carpenter, I can only choose actors. We've already cast Nick Nouri for the male lead, and I can only say I'm sorry."

  Lane, with a peculiar British courtesy, refused to give the "carpenter" who claimed to be an actor.

   "Sir, I'm really an actor." The carpenter started talking to Ronald.

   "I'm not the director of this movie." Ronald shrugged helplessly at him.

   The carpenter was a little discouraged and turned to leave. Maybe he wanted to maintain his dignity and didn't want to beg for help.

"Adrian, Ronald, thank God, you've finally reached an agreement. With Ronald as an associate producer, you will definitely not abandon us." Opposite Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer Come on, yell at Director Ryan.

  The big event is finalized, and a few people are going to go to the bar to have fun.

   When picking up the car in the parking lot, Ronald saw that the carpenter was also in the parking lot, and felt a little lonely.

   Ronald's car was right in front of him, and he nodded to him as he passed by.

   "Sir..." The carpenter spoke again.

   "I heard Adrian call you Kevin, don't be discouraged, the movie industry is like this, and the first step into this industry is always the hardest."

   "Thank you, Sir. My name is Kevin, Kevin Costner"

   Ronald was called Sir by someone who looked older than him, which was a little uncomfortable.

   "Call me Ronald, you're just out of luck, keep auditioning, I think you look good for an actor, kind of like a mix of James Dean and Harrison Ford."

   "Thank you, are you also the producer of Flash Dance?"

   "Actually I'm a director, Ronald Lee."

   "Oh, Shxt, I've seen the fast pace of your director." The carpenter exclaimed.

   "Actually, I've acted in movies. I played the leading role in 1979, but it's just bad luck that the movie wasn't released."

   "Looking at your appearance and your previous experience, you shouldn't be acting in a movie." Ronald was a little surprised when he heard his experience.

   "I just want to play the lead role."

   "Try to start with supporting roles, some supporting roles are easier to be remembered by the audience."

   (end of this chapter)