"This dance is really good, and it makes me very creative." Michael Gore, the film's composer, praised the enthusiasm of the dancers.
"The melody of the song Hot Stuff is really great. You know what? Ronald, every time I write, I need to listen to some classic pop songs. This Hot Stuff makes my creative juices flow. Maybe I I was able to get nominated for an Oscar for this song.”
"Shouldn't the song win a Grammy?" Ronald was an outsider in the record industry. He only knew that the Grammy was an annual music industry award, just like the Oscars are to the film industry.
"No, the Grammy only awards for Best Score for a Motion Picture. The theme song I'm writing now is a song, and only the Oscars have an award for 'Best Original Song'."
"So that's it." Ronald sat on the stool and looked at Alan Parker in the distance directing the camera crew to move the camera.
The time has come to the third day of filming on 46th Street, which is also the afternoon of the last day of closed filming that the producer applied for.
Two days ago, Ronald beautifully solved the accident caused by the driver, allowing Lucy and the other three extras dancers to have a front-on appearance in the final graduation performance.
Lucy is a blessing in disguise. Although her ankle is sprained, she will be in the front row of the choir, sing a line of lyrics at the graduation performance, and have a single front-facing scene for one second.
The producer was also very satisfied. Ronald used his little prestige among the group performers to get the dancers to agree with his solution of compensating money, adding more scenes, and expelling the driver who caused the accident. This prevented the crew from falling into the hell of overdue filming caused by a strike.
The only one who seemed dissatisfied was director Alan Parker. Without the driver who dared to carry out a surprise attack, it can be said that the street dance scene did not satisfy his personal artistic aspirations, as it lacked a confrontation scene between a dancer and a passerby driver.
In fact, this shot may be on the screen for less than a second. However, Director Allen is a tyrant on the set. Any crew member who disobeys him will be scolded by him until you do what he wants.
After so many days of filming, this was the only time Ronald didn't let him realize his wish, and he didn't bother Ronald afterward.
Ronald felt that things would not go away so easily. Instead of thanking him for solving the accident two days ago, Alan Parker looked at him strangely. Ronald always felt that there was a gloomy side to this British guy's character. He should avoid it if he could, and don't provoke the director again.
In this crew, I am just accumulating qualifications and learning experience. There is no need to have a big conflict with the director. Speaking of which, being "famous" not only gave him a stepping stone to join the screenwriting industry, but also gave him the qualifications of the Screen Actors Guild. Ronald was really satisfied with this.
So Ronald stayed away, far behind the camera, discussing the theme song "Fame" with composer Michael Gore.
"What, you don't believe that I will be nominated?" Michael Gore looked at him a little absent-minded, thinking that he didn't believe in himself.
"Of course I believe it. I'm just a little surprised by your confidence. Why are you so sure? The movie hasn't been finished yet." Ronald was indeed a little surprised by Gore's confidence.
"This is the law of the industry." Gore's sister is a famous singer in the record industry. He knows more about records and movies than Ronald.
"Best Original Song and Best Soundtrack, these two awards are not eligible for all movies. They usually fall on dramas, musicals and other movies. The theme song of Grease won it a few years ago. Nominated. In fact, the quality of the song is very average."
"Ronald, please write the lyrics for my theme song. Let's work together again. My sister wrote the lyrics for another solo song by Irene Kara. I feel that your lyrics are better than hers. Your lyrics There is a kind of poetic feeling, it would be great if we collaborate on another song and beat her."
Composer Michael Gore was educated by his sister since he was a child. In his career, his sister Leslie was also more successful than him.
"Of course, do you already have the melody?" Ronald played back a piece of the theme song in his mind. The fragment in the dream happened to include the entire theme song, so copying it down would not be a problem.
"There's already a section, let me play it for you." Gore pulled Ronald and ran to the rehearsal room of Harlan High School next door, and told Ronald his opening melody on the keyboard synthesizer.
“Beep, beep, beep… beep… beep, beep”
The sound produced by the synthesizer was a bit sad. It's like an art school student talking about his experience with tears in his eyes.
“Baby look at me.
Tell me what you saw?
You haven't seen the best of me yet.
There is more inside me,
Waiting for your relief.
I can hold the moon in my hands,
Don't you know who I am?
Remember my name!
He will be famous all over the world!
…”
Ronald sang the lyrics smoothly.
"Oh oh oh, you are such a genius, Ronald. How did you do it? Why did you sing the lyrics in real time when you heard me play the melody for the first time? I always heard that Bob Dylan could do this , singing and writing lyrics at the same time, but this is the first time I’ve seen a real person do this. You are so awesome!"
"Well, I just feel that this is the way this song should be sung." Ronald couldn't explain his impatience.
"No, no, geniuses are different from ordinary people. The lyrics and music of some songs were written in just ten minutes. I felt that I had inspiration, as if the melody was there. I was just inspired by you and the dancers, and I dreamed This song, just copy its notes."
Gore played the entire melody. Ronald compared it and found that Gore's first draft was incomplete in some places, but it was almost the same as the original song in the dream.
Since Gore also had a sudden inspiration, Ronald simply wrote the lyrics of the entire song on a piece of paper, signed his name and date, and handed it to Gore.
Gore sang as he talked and also corrected the unnatural transitions in the melody. He wrote the melody down on the music paper and handed it to Ronald, instructing him to copy the lyrics under the notes. The two signed their signatures at the end and recorded the time to commemorate this happy cooperation.
Gore wrote on the letterhead of the music paper:
"To my friend, Ronald Lee. In memory of our two collaborations on 'Famous.' You are the most gifted lyricist I have ever seen." - Michael Gore.
"Oh, thank you, Michael, this is too high a compliment." Ronald took the music paper, carefully folded it in half, and put it in his notebook. "I have to keep it well."
"Should you let your beautiful lawyer sign the contract?" Gore asked.
"Yeah, I can't find a music agent to sign me," Ronald joked.
"Want me to introduce you to one?"
"No, my focus is still on making movies. I don't know how much dividends these two songs can give me. In addition to legal fees, can I earn some money for filming movies after I graduate from college?"
Ronald started thinking good things. The two songs may earn several thousand dollars in lyricist dividends, which will relieve some financial pressure on myself.
"Well, you don't necessarily get much money from this. There are not many cases where movie inserts make it to the charts. I think you should look forward to the awards. Maybe you can get your first Oscar nomination. The nomination for the insert is shared by the songwriters ” Gore explained to Ronald.
"I'd rather be nominated for Best Original Screenplay so I could have a chance to make my own movie." Ronald and Gore started bragging to each other.
"Ah, Ronald, you are here. The producer and director are looking for you. Go to the filming site quickly."
An assistant came up, saw Ronald, and hurriedly pulled him to 46th Street, where the filming was taking place.
"No, why are you looking for me?" Ronald was confused. He was already keeping a low profile, so why were he looking for him?
"The director and the producer had a quarrel because of Gene. Let me ask you something." The assistant didn't know much about the details, only that it was related to Gene's play.
…
"Impossible, Allen. The role of Leroy is the protagonist of the TV series version of 'Famous' that I have booked." Walking into the set, I heard producer David Da Silva shouting loudly.
It's a bit of an anomaly, as it's rare to see producer David da Silva and director Alan Parker speak with such loud voices. In fact, David has always been coaxing the director to satisfy his artistic pursuits.
"I don't understand this plot setting. What's the problem? Isn't the character Montgomery also out of the closet?" Alan Parker narrowed his eyes and asked disdainfully.
"This is different, Allen, this is different. I have invited you to participate in the TV series version a long time ago, but you refused. You promised me that you would not ruin my business." David Da Silva was very excited, Speak very quickly.
"LeRoy is the number one leading actor in the TV series, and half of the ratings among teenage viewers depend on him. Today, he suddenly changed his background to a two-way plug who came out. This is killing LeRoy's character. .I absolutely disagree."
"But if you write him as a heterosexual who is popular with girls, it really emasculates the dramatic conflict of Leroy's character. This is my movie, I have the final say."
"Today, Alan Parker temporarily proposed to add a coming out scene." Choreographer Louis Falco quietly walked up to Ronald and told him the whole story of the conflict.
It turns out that the director and producer had a conflict over a scene that was added to Gene's Leroy today.
Leroy took dance classes, wore tights and leggings, and was laughed at by his neighborhood kids in Harlem. Call him a sissy, a fag, and a midnight cowherd.
In the end, Leroy had a fight with those boys, and even said something on camera, a confession about himself with a two-way plug, and he is also a human being.
Ronald felt that the scene was a bit redundant. The character Montgomery already had a scene where he came out in an acting class and revealed his deepest secret - that he was gay. Ordinarily, this sensitive subject already has enough dramatic conflicts, so why does Gene also need to have a scene?
"Hey, Ronnie, you're here. Allen said you can understand his intention in this scene." David Da Silva saw Ronald, "Isn't this scene redundant?"
"It's a bit redundant indeed," Ronald was about to answer.
Alan Parker expressed his opinion first in a cold tone:
"Don't you want to fight for equal status for yourselves, Ronald? You and Gene have always been 'good friends'. I added this scene specially for you. You have to make him braver and stand up for him in the movie. Speak up for yourself.”
Ronald felt that he was being targeted by this venomous snake. The cold, slippery British viper spat out the message without any warning and tried to bite him on the neck.
