Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 708 Scorsese teaches the experience of working with stars

   Holding Cher's contract in his hand, Ronald felt as if he had bought something from the TV shopping. When he got the goods by post, he realized that the goods were not the correct version.

  It is impossible to terminate the contract, not to mention that she is the protagonist of Xueer in the dream, because of one thing in other movies, I have to terminate the contract with the actor of another movie, and I don’t have such a capricious capital.

   But anyway, you still have to prepare in advance. It's very troublesome for celebrities to play big names.

   The big drama between the actors of "Witch of East Town" is even more exciting than the story of the movie. If this kind of thing happens in one's own crew, then... it's better not to appear.

   Since Ronald started filming as a director, most of the actors he chose were newcomers who just debuted. In exchange for a place in the industry, these people will basically try their best to do what they want them to do.

   But star actors who already have fame and status seem not to be so easy to deal with.

   For her acting career, Cher deliberately chose a role in the movie that would make her more famous. In order to let her participate in the role, the director and producer actually agreed to her in private regardless of the role they had promised to others before.

   At the same time, they resigned in anger because they were afraid that the role of Susan Sarandon would be robbed. So I deliberately didn't tell her, and it suddenly attacked when I turned on the phone.

   This schedule has been determined, unless he admits that the schedule is wasted, Sarandon has no choice, and is forced to play another female role.

  How to deal with these stars, he has no experience, Ronald wants to chat with a director he knows well and learn Hollywood tricks.

  So, instead of going back to Los Angeles immediately, Ronald went to New York to meet his teacher at the university, Martin Scorsese.

   Scorsese was changing the script in his studio and was pleasantly surprised to see Ronald.

   "Why are you here, Ronald?"

   "I'm here to ask for advice." Ronald handed over the high-end red wine prepared by his manager and handed it to a lady, "Hello, Barbara."

   This lady is Scorsese's new wife, Barbara Finner. She looks weak and bookish, but she's actually a strong woman, the producer of Scorsese's new film "The Color of Money."

   "Hello, Ronald." Barbara took the wine and prepared them some coffee. She also took advantage of the situation to sit down and also participate in the conversation and chat. Her voice is also very delicate.

   "What script are you changing? Marty?" Ronald glanced at the paper with the personal name "Mary Magdalene".

   "It's the movie I've been making for a long time. Fortunately, with the help of Barbara and CAA, we can start shooting soon."

   "Oh, congratulations." Ronald had heard of the movie, and it was Scorsese's favorite script.

   "The current salary increase for actors is unreasonable. My original actor Aidan Quinn, because I postponed the filming of 'The Color of Money', he is sitting on the ground and increasing the price. I can only find new actors."

   "The recent star salary has risen sharply. The huge salary that Stallone got, everyone is jealous. Even Stallone can get so much, why can't I."

   "I can only choose him, Willem Dafoe." Scorsese took out a photo of the actor who played the villain in Diane's "Rage Street".

   "You know him? How is his acting? Have you seen his performance on set?" Scorsese asked Ronald when he saw that Ronald seemed to know Dafoe.

"I've seen him on the set of 'Rage Street' and he's probably the only one of the actors who has acting skills. Stone, Oliver Stone used him in that new movie, and he asked me about it before we started shooting. , you can give him a call."

   "Marty..." Barbara gave Scorsese a wink, Ronald came to the door to have something to do, how could he talk about his own affairs.

"Ronald and I have an old relationship, and we don't need to be polite when we talk." Scorsese smiled, or turned the topic back to Ronald's intentions, "What's the matter with you? The phone said you had a problem. ask me."

"My new film has signed the heroine Cher. This is the first time I have directed a star actor. I saw some not-so-good phenomena, and I was a little worried. I would like to ask you how to deal with big stars on the set. "

   "Hahaha, why do you think like this? I don't know how to deal with big stars." Scorsese laughed. After he got married again, he was much better physically and mentally than before.

   "Your last movie, The Color of Money, didn't you find Paul Newman?"

   "Paul is different." Barbara Finner interjected.

   "Yes, Paul Newman is the most professional among the stars, and he is also the star who pursues the most acting skills. So when dealing with him, just treat him as an actor with a good audience.

   If there is anything to be careful about, it is not to dig into his private parts. If your role is similar to the star's own experience, some scenes that expose the star's privacy should be handled carefully and not involved. ' Scorsese talked broadly about his experience working with Paul Newman.

Ronald couldn't understand what he said. "What do you mean Paul is different?" He turned to Barbara, the producer's wife, and maybe it would be better to ask the producer who has a lot of stardom. .

"Ronald, you've made a lot of movies, and when you're filming a dialogue scene, when you're using an over-the-shoulder camera, the actor behind the camera, talking to the actor you're filming, needs to be there. Do you play the role yourself, right?"

   "Yeah, if the actor is not behind the camera, and the opponent who shoots the frontal shot is in the scene, the opponent will not be able to enter the scene." Ronald didn't know why.

   "Have you ever experienced a stand-in?"

   "Of course, for some high-value actors, when arranging the lighting and positioning, they will let a stand-in of similar height and weight take their place and prepare their roles."

"It seems that you have never directed a real star. Generally, a star will not shoot an opposite scene for another actor. When shooting an over-the-shoulder shot of a dialogue scene, behind the camera, the dialogue with the actor is specialized. Conversation doubles."

   "Hey? Is there such a situation?"

   Whether Ronald was an assistant on the set or an assistant director, he had never encountered a big star.

   Tom Cruise, the biggest actor he has ever used, will not use this so-called dialogue double on the set. Maybe Cruise sells himself a face, maybe he is more dedicated?

In the shooting of the second part of Longwei Kid, Ralph Mazio, who is already a star, and Morita Noriyuki are a little afraid of themselves. Dare to do this on the Longwei kid studio.

   "Very common." Barbara nodded affirmatively.

   "Did Paul Newman do the same thing in terms of money?" Ronald asked Scorsese.

"No, that's why I say, Paul is different. He is very dedicated when he is behind the camera, and he personally cooperates with Tom Cruise who is shooting the opposite scene. Of course, the reverse is also the case. ."

   "So Paul Newman is a special case?"

   "Do you remember the 'Hell's Pioneer' I showed you in college?" Scorsese talked about the past.

   "Of course, it was a typical **** detective movie. A masterpiece of the sixties."

   "Do you remember, the bad guy Robert Wagner in the movie, there was a scene where he couldn't help crying because his beloved woman was vilified by the detective played by Paul."

"Crying, ah... I remember. Wagner's acting was good, and he showed his true feelings." Ronald thought for a while. This is the scene he still remembers in this movie. Robert Wagner was obviously crying, and his emotions were obvious in the close-up shots. , by no means a fake cry replaced by eye drops.

   "You know why he was crying so well, because Paul Newman was across from him. Newman was already a big star at the time, and he was still behind the camera for Wagner, who was still a nobody, but he was moved to tears."

   "Ah? Then the real star came to play this kind of dialogue scene and found a substitute to read the lines, what should I do?" Ronald was worried. Does the director star depend on luck? If it is Paul Newman, a star with good art and morality, even if it is picked up?

  However, seeing Cher's scramble for roles on the set is definitely not a kind like Newman.

"You probably have two ideas." The producer Barbara saw Ronald's worried look and made a suggestion, "Either you can conquer them artistically, and let the stars feel that they can use the film to make a difference in art or star status. Break through, and they'll deign to shoot some important scenes in person at your request.

  Or, you just accept the fact that the star doesn't do the opposite. Either find a dialogue stand-in with good acting skills, so that the actors in the opposite play will not be unable to enter the play.

   Or find an actor with great acting skills to play the supporting role of the star, the kind of actor who can perform the feeling you need to face a puppet. "

   "Looks like I have to do both," Ronald thanked the Scorsese.

   The first thing is to find a good casting director. In the script, the heroine Loretta has many opposite scenes, including her father, mother, fiancé Johnny, lover Ronnie, and uncle and aunt, a big family.

   These are all looking for capable actors.

   The second thing is to find a way to impress Cher, she will get a lot of benefits from participating in this movie.

   If the box office can be satisfactory, or the film critics can praise her performance, she can make a higher salary in the future, receive a better script, or be more dominant in the future crew.

   In short, it is to make Xue Er feel that in the "Moonlight Sultry" crew, by temporarily giving up the privilege of playing big cards, she can play bigger cards on the set in the future.

   After thinking about the countermeasure, Ronald called his agent Nisita.

   "Hello, Ronald." Nisita was not in Hollywood, his secretary called him, and Nisita called Ronald back.

  "It's me", Ronald told Nisita some of his thoughts and asked him to recommend some actors with excellent acting skills. He also helped himself to come up with ideas to convince Cher.

   "Your idea is very good and very valuable. Ronald, you always surprise me. How long will you be in New York? We can meet in New York or in Los Angeles. It's better to talk about it in person."

   "You're in New York? I'm waiting for Diane's new movie 'Monsters in Chinatown' to come out. I promised Kurt Russell and director John Carpenter's."

   "I'm in New York. When I finish my business here, I'll go to your hotel to chat face-to-face in the evening. I'll take you to meet those good Broadway actors tomorrow. For the acting skills you need, Broadway actors are the most suitable."

   "Where are you now? Why don't I find you." Ronald couldn't wait.

   "I am helping a client of CAA to solve the problem. He has a little conflict with the distributor Orion because of the marketing of the new film. I am helping to solve it."

   "Give me an address and I'll find you."

   (end of this chapter)