Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 220 Meeting with old friends
"Do you approve of the Screen Actors Guild's negotiation package that would increase the daily minimum wage from $225 to $315 and the weekly minimum wage from $785 to $1100?

agree. "

Diane Lane fills out a union ballot on whether to end the strike on a couch.

"Is the Screen Actors Union's strike coming to an end?" Ronald wore a new coat and had a routine weekend dinner at his aunt's house.

The time has come to the new year, Ronald is going to Los Angeles earlier, and before the Golden Globe Awards, he will have a good chat with Universal about the script of the movie.

Cameron Crowe's new book is selling well, hitting the New York Times teen bestseller list.Universal's interest in "fast-paced Richmond High" is growing.

"Yes, I heard that the new commander-in-chief has a tough attitude towards the union. This time, the Producers Union has agreed to a one-time increase in the minimum wage by 40%. Most actors want to accept it as soon as they see it."

"But I heard that the future commander-in-chief was once the chairman of the Screen Actors Union. Will he oppose the union's strike?"

"Who knows? I heard it from others, anyway, it's none of my business." Although Diane Lane is not yet 16 years old, she already earns $[-] for a single film , These minimum wages actually have little to do with her.

The six-month long strike is finally coming to an end. This time the minimum wage has been raised, and the bottom members who account for the largest number of members of the actor's union are very satisfied. In addition, the candidate general who has an unclear attitude is about to take office.Therefore, they are not obsessed with the specific terms of pay TV and video tape income, and are ready to compromise with the management.

Ed Asner, the union's chief negotiator who insisted on a tough attitude, also became famous and became a hero who led the workers' struggle. Now he is preparing to compete for the next chairman of the Screen Actors Guild.

On January [-], Ronald came to Los Angeles.The agent, Richard Lovett, came to visit as usual and talked about some problems that Ronald needed to deal with.

"Universal's production department is very satisfied with the sales of Crowe's new book, and is stepping up contact with David Lynch. They hope that you can join the talks, discuss your script with Director Lynch, and increase the sincerity of the invitation...

'Famous' producer David da Silva has invited you to meet and say he wants you to chat with him about the script for the Famous TV series.He's taking Erin Cara around on TV shows, singing that 'Fame' every time...

The composer of Fame, Michael Gore, also asked you out, saying that he has invited him to draft episodes of many film and television dramas, and hopes to work with you...

Finally, Jane Fonda, she also invites you to meet at home..."

"It seems that I am quite popular?" Ronald laughed.

"Ronald, I also wanted to talk to you about this. After all, the center of the film is still in Hollywood, and your script will start this year. Are you considering moving to Los Angeles?" Richard asked this question solemnly .

"I know you still have to finish your studies at NYU, but there are many people who have graduated from film and television majors and can't find a job. Now that you have a good foundation, why don't you just move to Los Angeles?

There is a lot of news that there are the most opportunities in Hollywood, and the confirmation of various projects also requires interviews.If you are in Hollywood, those people can find you at any time, instead of accumulating in my place, waiting for you to come to focus on processing. "

"I know, Richard. I'd consider moving here if you could get me to direct. I'm still in college and have two more years to graduate, which is what my aunt expected of me. "

However, on the first day in Los Angeles, Ronald didn't see any of the people Richard arranged, but ran to chat with his old friends James Cameron and Gail Hurd.

Cameron had just returned from scouting in Santa Monica and Venice, and Roger Corman asked him to do special effects production design for his new film "Deus Out of the Galaxy".This position is a step further than the special effects engineer of "Escape from New York" before. He is not only responsible for managing the production of special effects models and special effects makeup, but also designing the background and props of the set, so that he can blend in with the style of the special effects models.

Gail Hurd will also serve as a production assistant for "Out of the Galaxy", working with the associate producer (associate producer) who supervises the daily production on the set and reports Roger Corman's daily progress.

"I don't know when we can become directors?" Ronald and Cameron raised their beer glasses and clinked them, and drank them down.

"Who will direct your new script?" Cameron asked.

"Universal wants David Lynch."

"His 'Elephant Man' is the most popular Oscar this year, will he still direct this kind of youth exploitation film?" Gail asked, flipping through the novel Ronald gave him.

"That's not something I'm thinking about," Ronald shrugged, "My agent has already made a request to Universal, and they will consider giving me the title of assistant producer, studying on the set, and reporting the daily progress to Producer.

However, the producer Art Linson also wants to be a director, maybe he will go to the crew to watch and learn directing skills, just like I want to do. "

"David Lynch is indeed a good player. His elephant man and special effects makeup are very good, and they look very realistic in black and white films. But if he uses color negatives, there are still many flaws in his makeup..."

Cameron brought the topic to special effects again.

"What about after this movie breaks out of the galaxy? Which crew will you go to for the next one?" Ronald asked.

"Roger is considering a sequel to 'Piranha,' but Joe Dante, the director of the original Piranha film, is doing the werewolf movie 'The Howling,' so maybe it'll be another sci-fi horror 'Xenomorph.'"

"Maybe after making one or two films, Mr. Coleman will give you the opportunity to direct independently, just like Joe Dante did back then." Ronald comforted his old friend.

He was a little bit emotional. If he hadn’t gone to college at that time, but continued to work in New World Films, he might be working as an assistant director, editor, etc. now, waiting for Coleman to give him a chance to make a small-budget movie. If he can make money , there will be a second part and a third part.

"Actually, I'm not in a hurry. The technology of special effects production is very deep. When I helped Roger do 'Clash of the Stars', I needed more realistic special effects synthesis than the old movies. I also studied Kubrick's 2001 Space Roaming' front-end projection," Cameron said.

In the golden age of Hollywood, the most commonly seen special effects shots were foreground and background composites.The protagonists sit in cars or motorcycles, blowing against a large electric fan to make their hair float.

On the screen behind him is the background picture of the pre-filmed drag racing scene, and the scenes on both sides are rapidly receding.In this way, shooting with the camera together, the audience will feel as if the protagonist is racing.

This method not only allows ordinary actors to shoot drag racing shots, but more importantly, it speeds up the shooting efficiency.The protagonist doesn't need to take difficult locations, as long as the second team takes the stunt team to shoot some usable background pictures.

This kind of background picture, the method of shooting behind the actors, is called the back-end projection method.The disadvantage is that the perspective ratio of the background picture projected on the screen is wrong, and the audience can easily tell that it is a picture taken separately, and the protagonist is not really driving or charging on horseback.

Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey", the opening scene is that some apes are fighting with bones, and the background is a wilderness.These actors wearing leather cases and doing hair special effects makeup can only be filmed in indoor studios, and they need to touch up their makeup at any time.

After Kubrick projected the wilderness background on the screen with a rear projection method, the effect was very fake.So he came up with a new method, using a projector to project onto the screen behind the actors on the same side as the shoot.

In this way, the perspective ratio is correct, and the picture seen by the audience is much more real.But because the projector is located on the side of the camera, there is a lot of interference, and the camera will shoot the projected light together.

Kubrick solved this problem by using a very complicated single-way mirror, turning the projector ninety degrees, and projecting from the side.

But after "2001: A Space Odyssey" was released, there were no other sci-fi projects.Many of Kubrick's inventions, including front-end projection equipment, were dismantled at Pinewood Studios in Britain for the next film.

In order to reproduce this realistic shooting effect, Cameron just restored this technique from the principles of magazine reports at the time collected in the library.He is also one of the few special effects designers in America who knows how to use the front projection method.

"I don't think I'm short of work, but Ronald, you became a screenwriter, and you may turn into a director sooner. I worked in several crews, and I realized more and more the importance of screenwriting to film directors. Screenwriting is not just a director. , the only one who knows what the finished film wants to achieve before shooting. This kind of imagination that has an overview of the overall situation is a necessary step for advanced directors."

Cameron, in turn, envied Ronald's screenwriting choices.

"Let's encourage each other, and wish our dreams come true as soon as possible and become film directors."

"And you, Gail, I wish you an early career as a producer."

Ronald asked Gail again about what an assistant producer does.

"The job of this position is actually determined according to the game between the producer and the director. If Cimino has the power of life and death for the crew, then the assistant producer is just an assistant to the crew, filling out forms every day.

If the producer attaches great importance to the crew and comes to watch the progress every day, then the assistant producer becomes the producer's personal assistant, helping to make coffee and prepare lunch.

Only those crews where the producer lets go and the director doesn’t get power, the assistant producer can watch the production progress every day, veto the director’s unreasonable reshoots and reshoots, and get involved to a considerable extent in casting, shooting, etc. Waiting for work, because he is the only source of information on the crew to report the progress of the filming to the studio.

You've seen the way Roger works on set, if he trusted the director, he wouldn't come to the set every day.But if the assistant producer informs him that the progress has been delayed, he will rush to the crew and tear up the script that is too late to shoot..."

"Hahaha..." Ronald was reminded of working in the New World. It seems that what he can learn in this position depends on each person's ability and opportunity.

Back at the hotel, Ronald turned on the TV, and NBC was still replaying the inauguration ceremony of the Grand Commander that day.His speech voice is very vigorous, and his pronunciation is fast and slow, so that people can understand the content of his speech without any effort.Unlike the former commander-in-chief who just left office, TV speeches always use big words, and their speech is not charming.

I don't know what kind of chance made a B-grade movie actor become the leader.

Ronald's opportunity came quickly, and Universal found Ronald and novelist Cameron Crowe the next day, and arranged for them to attend a meeting between President Tom Mount and David Lynch.

(End of this chapter)