Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 494 Roger Coleman's Trick

   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 convene a suitable technical team in a day or two, find suitable 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 the other Cannon crews, or else from Israel.

  Ronald was in charge of casting and choosing a suitable location.

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

   "Can you finish filming?" Weintraub did not stop Ronald, but was worried that he could not 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 filming is delayed, I'll hand over the editing to Minahan to be on time for the 'Longwei Kid' editing. "

   "Okay, you end things over there as soon as possible", Weintraub 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 came 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 participation of the agent, Ronald could not have signed with any producer, and their share was a 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 share.

   After two key calls were made, Ronald began to look for the main actors and filming locations.

The reason why    is confident 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 logically makes sense, 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 audio 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.

  The male protagonist didn't know where to go to find the character of the original film, Ronald called "CrazyLegs". 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 wouldn't be in a movie like that. He vulgarizes the meaning of hip-hop. It's a blasphemy to the dance that originated in the Bronx, New York. This story you're telling has nothing to do with the traitors on the west coast who surrendered to Hollywood. the difference."

   "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, this is our ideal."

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

   "The stand-in I was looking for in the last Flash Dance, crazy legs, did he pick up 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 a crazy leg, "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 van for you." Nisita took the call and you can get it when you come to Los Angeles.

   This is a method invented by Francis Coppola to cram all the film and sound editing equipment into a van.

   This car followed the exterior scene, and stopped outside for the interior scene. The film film that was shot every day, after being developed and printed as a working copy, was immediately sent to the studio and edited in the car, so that Ronald could go to the car to guide the editing between shots 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 determine 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 to eat 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.

   "Where's 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 main characters practicing dance."

   "Where do you need a venue for a buffet?"

   "How 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 and Nisita, Richard negotiated a lot of shooting locations, anyway, the "Longwei Kid" time is worthy of the scene, and 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."

  Break dancers are all 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 the main supporting roles have all been confirmed, and the remaining two male protagonists on Ronald's list have not yet been found.

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

   "Do you know an actor who can dance hip-hop?"

   "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 syndicate network and have a good relationship with our CAA. I can ask them for someone to audition."

   "Very good, I'm coming by 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."

   With things arranged, Ronald started packing and then told his aunt that he was going to LA temporarily 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 about it, how should he explain the content of "breakdance" to Aunt Karen?

   "It's actually filming your friend Mrs. Davis, and her son Bud, the story of poor black people, motivated children, who get on the right track by dancing."

   "Ronnie, I'm very happy. You should make more movies like this. The general public sees movies just to get 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, "These are my newly baked cookies. You can eat some when you are hungry when you take them with you."

   (end of this chapter)