Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 923 Can you change the heroine?

   "There was a small problem. Our shooting last night ended relatively late, and Melanie didn't arrive on time, so today will be delayed a little bit."

   Ronald was in the crew and explained to the high-level executives from 20th Century Fox who came to visit. Ronald was in charge of all the performance-related matters of the crew, and the exposure of such a blatantly late event would only make people feel that he did not have enough control over the crew.

   "I'll go to rest first," the senior man smiled and said nothing.

  The technicians of the production crew are still arranging the camera bracket as usual, and several actors over there have already put on their costumes and come over to step on the stage ahead of time. Seeing the director sitting on a chair beside him without speaking, his face was gloomy and terrifying. They all inquired about what happened.

  The cast and crew are all messing about with each other's gossip. Today's shooting is a big scene, there are many actors playing wedding guests. It was difficult for Ronald to control it like an indoor scene, and the rumors that Melanie Griffiths was playing big names might be hard to stop.

  The filming of "Working Girl" has been going smoothly, but today there is such a big problem. Ronald thought for a long time, this is not an accident that he can predict, it is better to see the trick and deal with it according to the situation.

   "Director," Alec Baldwin, who rejected Melanie last night, came over to be questioned by Ronald.

"After the filming was finished last night, what happened between you? Do you know where she went?" Ronald stared into Baldwin's eyes and invited them to have dinner together last night. Both of them refused abnormally. Invitation, thinking about it now, it seems that there is something wrong with the two of them.

   "I don't know? I went back to the hotel by myself." Baldwin hurriedly separated the relationship.

   "Really?" Ronald felt that the two left in such a tacit agreement, did they make an appointment together...

"Listen, director. I had a female friend in New York last night. We made an appointment to chat for the night. I haven't seen Melanie since I left the set..." Alec Baldwin called Qu, and he had another happy meeting object...

   "Have you heard what she said?" Ronald was inconvenient to continue to inquire about the actor's personal privacy, so he had to ask Baldwin if he had noticed anything unusual about Melanie Griffiths.

"Melanie is an actor who is easily affected by the character's emotions. She kind of regards me as Mick. If you understand what I mean..." Baldwin thought for a while, trying not to reveal his privacy. say clearly.

"Thank you, you can go." Ronald roughly understood what was going on. Melanie Griffiths is a talented actor. She doesn't have much acting skills, but her imagination is beyond ordinary people. .

   Such an actor can use his imagination to find the emotional state of a character when he has nothing, and then throw himself into it, so that he can become that character. This way everything fits the character.

   But the disadvantage of this is that some actors who do not have a stable daily life are more easily affected by the plot, confusing the boundaries between the role and themselves.

  It's like "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" played by Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. Jane Russell has a stable family in Hollywood, and she can enjoy life with her family every day when she goes home. Marilyn Monroe was alone, and she was still in character when she got home. Such a shooting schedule without normal life adjustments quickly made Monroe, who was originally sensitive by nature, become a little mentally abnormal.

   Ronald, who was thinking about how to make Melanie Griffith more stable, was awakened by the art director Polly Pratt who came over.

"Phyllis Carlyle brought Melanie here..." Polly put her hands on Ronald's shoulders and whispered in Ronald's ear, "but Melanie's condition is very problematic, I let them enter from behind You got the trailer, you go there and see her."

   After calling the assistant director to continue preparing for the scene, Ronald and Polly walked quickly to the back of several trailers parked across the road, one of which was dedicated to Melanie Griffiths.

   "Melanie..." After Ronald got into the car, he saw a woman slumped on a small bed in the trailer. It was Melanie Griffiths.

"She is currently under the double influence of alcohol and drugs. I am giving her a lot of water, and it will take some time." The manager, Phyllis Carlyle, covered Melanie's head with a wet towel, and then Keep turning her head to drink water.

   "Fuxk! What's the matter with you? Do you know that a senior executive from 20th Century Fox came over today? I thought you would cherish this opportunity? Your filming in front of you is in good condition. Did it give you the illusion that you can play big names?"

When Ronald saw this picture, he felt a bit relieved. The daily shooting cost of a big production is hundreds of thousands. This mess will disrupt the progress of the shooting, and the loss of money is not a big deal. If the big star's schedule is delayed, then It will be a big loss. Fortunately, there is no role for Harrison Ford today, not counting his schedule.

"Let me tell you, Phyllis, your client has let me down. Just now, Fox executives came to ask me if I want to change people. It's not that I don't have this option." Ronald decided to make the matter a little more serious, otherwise In the future, this little confused actor will make mistakes.

   "No...no..." Upon hearing Ronald's words, Melanie Griffiths, who was lying drowsily on the bed, suddenly woke up and sat up.

"Don't change me, Ronald. I'd give anything for Tess, please, don't change me. I like Tess so much, she's so similar to me, I Guaranteed, I promise this will never happen again in the future."

  Although she was weak, Melanie Griffiths finished speaking in one breath, and then looked at Ronald pitifully.

   "What do you think?" Ronald ignored her, pulling Polly Pratt aside and asking the well-informed Hollywood veteran for his opinion.

"I have seen countless such talented actresses, and they were all ruined by alcohol and drugs in the end..." Polly Pratt criticized Melanie at the beginning, and she knew that Ronald had to bear a great responsibility It's not impossible for her to change this kind of thing.

  Anyway, she and Harrison Ford didn’t shoot many scenes against each other. It’s not without precedent in Hollywood.

   But Polly is also a woman, and she understands Griffith's psychology very well, and she still wants to save her.

   "I want to say that she can still perform in this movie with high quality in her current situation, but if she still indulges herself like this in the future, she will be kicked out of Hollywood within five years."

   "Melanie, Melanie...how should I treat you?" Ronald muttered to himself, looking at her and still made a decision in his heart.

   "Polly, you ask the doctor to come over and show her... By the way, sign the non-disclosure agreement before entering the trailer. I'll go and explain to the Fox executives."

   "Mr. Goldberg wants to talk to you." The Fox executives who came to visit over there have already asked the boss for instructions. Because of jet lag, Fox President Goldberg, who was still sleeping on the bed at home in Los Angeles, had a bad temper after being woken up.

"What's going on, Ronald? Does Melanie Griffiths have an attitude problem? I've been thinking she's not good enough, now contact Michelle Pfeiffer, what do you think? I still think it takes two Stars, this kind of appeal is big enough."

"Mr. Goldberg, today was an accident, and this kind of thing will not happen to Melanie. Of course, the doctor is currently examining her. I don't know if I can catch up today. But I am very happy with the previous samples. Satisfied, you can watch it, it's definitely a top-notch show, and we're going to make it at the box office."

   "Ronald, are you sure? If you give her a vote of confidence, then if something like this happens in the future..."

   "I will be responsible..." Ronald replied without hesitation. Changing Michelle Pfeiffer is definitely not as effective as Melanie, whose appearance can switch between ordinary and sexy, and can make the audience believe in the story. And those chemical reactions that were filmed before are excellent performances that are hard to come across.

  Melanie Griffiths is also thirty years old, ambitious, has not yet tasted career success, and needs a miracle. In a way, she and Tess became one. Whoever replaces her will not be able to perform better than her, as long as I can control her future performance in the crew, and don't drink and abuse drugs again during filming.

   "Okay, okay, you have the final say. I have absolute trust in you, if you think it's okay, then it's okay." Goldberg replied on the phone.

   "You won't be disappointed, I know it, the acting in this movie will surprise the audience."

"Hearing what you said, I can report the progress to Mr. Barry Diller with peace of mind. By the way, I forgot to tell you that Mr. Diller is very concerned about your project, and he always mentions you in every meeting. "

   After setting up the studio, Ronald returned to the church where the filming took place.

  The doctor from the film crew came over and reported to Ronald to check Melanie Griffith's physical condition. He had already given her a shot to undo the combined effects of alcohol and drugs.

   "Can she shoot today?" Ronald asked.

"This situation is the result of a mixture of two influencers. Everyone's tolerance is different. I don't know if she can shoot today. But fortunately, her manager, Felice, discovered it early, and after dealing with it , it will return to normal tonight at the latest. Tomorrow you can have a qualified actress."

   "Thank you, Doctor."

   "By the way, director. If she continues to drink or abuse drugs afterwards, she will be in big trouble. You have to find a way to keep her sober."

   "Is there anything you can do?"

   "You can take a blood test, I can arrange it at a hospital in Manhattan, and the result will be available in two hours."

"very good…"

  Melanie Griffiths turned pale, and with the support of her manager, Phyllis, she came over to apologize again to Ronald.

   "Director, I'm sorry, I promise that things like this won't happen in the future... um... vomit... vomit..."

  Melanie Griffiths ran to the side to vomit, retching, and only spit out some clear water.

  The magic light in the morning could no longer catch up, so Ronald signaled the director of photography to give up the early morning sunlight and shoot with normal light instead.

   "Action!"

  Joan Cusack and the actor who played her new husband came out of the church with a large group of extras. The camera is installed on a high stand, and an action of pulling the lens backwards and upwards gives the scene an epic feel.

   "If only the magic light..." Ronald became angry again.

"Director, I'm sorry," Melanie Griffiths apologized again in the bridesmaid's vulgar and embarrassing green dress, next to another bridesmaid actor, Fatty Ricky Lake, the heroine of "Hairspray", Also wearing ugly skirts to support her.

   Ronald stopped her from speaking with his hands, and went back to confirm with the director of photography.

  The shots of the panoramic part can be used, but with Melanie Griffith’s ghost-like face and her current state, it seems impossible to shoot satisfactory close-ups and close-ups.

   "Come here," Ronald's face was livid, and he waved to Melanie Griffiths. She walked over pitifully, still a little groggy, and couldn't remember the lines clearly.

   "Ask your manager, Phyllis, to come too."

  As soon as these words were said, Melanie Griffiths face turned pale.

   "Oh... no..." Melanie covered her face with her hands, and couldn't help but burst into tears. I debuted at the age of fifteen, and now I am thirty. Finally, there is a movie that may make me a star. I acted so well that I feel that it will become the focus of the news media and critics.

   Just like that, just screwed up by myself...

   "Woooooooooo..." Melanie Griffiths rushed to the trailer and cried to the manager Phyllis.

  Ten minutes later, Melanie Griffiths, whose eye shadow was in a mess, came to Ronald's trailer with the support of her manager, Phyllis Carlyle.

   "Be strong, this is your own destiny, and face it bravely." Phyllis Carlyle also felt very sorry for this client. But an actor is always responsible for his unprofessional behavior...

   Behind Ronald sat Polly Pratt and the executive from Twentieth Century Fox. The three looked serious.

   "Do you know how much damage your irresponsible behavior has caused?" Ronald said to her immediately.

"You can't shoot any of your scenes today, and you have to find another time to make up for it. It's another ensemble show, the church we rented, rebooking the time, and re-emphasizing so many ensemble performances. You alone caused a loss of more than 100,000 US dollars .

  Not to mention, because of your accident, when these actors regrouped for reshoots, their state would definitely not be the same as it is today. what about you? This scene is the part where Tess falls to the bottom and then enters the third act to rise up again.

  The audience needs to empathize with Tess and feel sorry for her. Originally, your continuous shooting today is the best. Now that the audience is on screen, Tess may have missed a Tess at her best.

  Think about it, this is the loss of filming, even more so, the loss of the finished film, and ultimately the loss of the audience. Speaking of you, it is still your own loss. "

   "Oh..." Melanie Griffith covered her face...

   "This is really a very unprofessional performance... I originally wanted to change you, but both Polly and Fox thought that your previous performance was very good. It is a pity to change you because of this accident, so..."

  Melanie Griffiths and manager Phyllis Carlyle both raised their heads when they heard this. The light shone again in the eyes.

   "So I'll give you a second chance..."

   "Oh..." Melanie Griffiths, who let out a long breath, leaned back as if she had collapsed. The huge pressure was instantly released from the body, and the whole person seemed to be flooded with a warm current.

   It's really great to continue playing Tess without being replaced.

   "However, you have to pay the corresponding price. There are conditions for you to continue playing this role..." Ronald said seriously:

   "First, if you delay the shooting again due to personal reasons, then you will leave the crew with immediate effect. There are no conditions to talk about."

   "Sure, I'm sorry"

   "Second, you have to bear the cost of reshooting today. I will deduct one hundred thousand dollars from your salary as the cost of reshooting the wedding scene. Can you accept it?"

  Melanie Griffith's total film salary is only 800,000 US dollars, one-eighth of which is removed at once. The manager, Phyllis Carlyle, clenched her hand tightly, making her agree quickly. If he can become famous with this movie, he will get paid anything in the future.

  Melanie Griffiths nodded immediately.

   "Third, I will arrange for a nurse to supervise you on the set every day. Every morning she will give you a blood test. If you find that your alcohol and drug levels exceed the standard, I will fire you immediately."

  Melanie Griffiths, who agreed to all the conditions, returned to her trailer, drenched in cold sweat.

  A fat woman in a white nurse uniform knocked on the door and walked in, grabbed her hand and took out the blood pumping device...

   "I am the nurse hired by the director. I will come here every morning to draw your blood for a test. Don't worry, my dear, I will be very light." The fat nurse inserted the needle.

   "Aww..."

  (end of this chapter)