"No, you have to wrap tape around the outside of the film compartment of the camera before you can start shooting." Ronald stopped a red-haired female classmate.
"Why?"
"The school's equipment is very old. If there is a light leak in the cover of the film bin, your film will be accidentally exposed and nothing will be captured."
Tisch College's film and television major is relatively poor and can only give each undergraduate student 1 minute of free film, allowing them to try out the basic operations of a camera, such as pushing, pulling, shaking, and moving. Each action lasts 10 seconds and is handed in as homework.
Ronald hasn't taken photography lessons yet, but he has experience rolling around on set, as many upperclassmen know. He is often invited to be a photography assistant. It's called an assistant, but it's actually a guide.
Facing a machine like a camera, many people feel intimidated at the beginning. Even if they know how to operate it, they will forget it or be in a hurry.
At this time, with Ronald sitting next to him, he seemed to have some confidence. Ronald took the opportunity to get to know many of his classmates, including some in the master's class.
"Don't be alarmist. Those exploitation films you shot in the New World all used German Arri cameras, so there was a problem that the lid could not be closed. We used Panavision, made in America. "
The speaker was the son of a film industry insider, who was also sent to New York University to study. So I know some details about Ronald.
Ronald shrugged and spread his hands: "I'm just a reminder. It's up to you to decide how to shoot." In fact, in the "Famous" crew, in addition to the two main cameras, they also rented a Panavision The camera, the director of photography Seresin didn’t have to wrap it with tape several times every time.
The red-haired female classmate thought for a while, then picked up the tape that Ronald handed over and wrapped it around the edge of the lid. It was not very troublesome.
Then put the camera on the gimbal.
"You have to remember to wait two seconds after turning on the camera before you start panning the camera," Ronald said again.
"Why?" the red-haired female classmate asked.
"Generally, it takes a second or two for the camera to start up and reach full motor speed. If you start shooting as soon as you start, the film will not roll fast enough in the first two seconds, and the shot will look like fast motion."
The red-haired female classmate looked embarrassed: "How do I know when the motor is at full speed?"
"Don't worry, the sound of the motor will tell you when to start, and I will remind you."
"Don't believe his nonsense. He is just a crew assistant. We only have 1 minute of film in total. If you wait like this, the beginning and end of a shot will be gone for 3 seconds. What else are we shooting? Saving film is the most important thing." That Hollywood second-hand man Dai began to object again.
"Of course, this is your homework, you decide for yourself." Ronald saw that the second-generation young master was interested in the red-haired female classmate and wanted to be a hero. He said that he was an assistant and maybe he knew Alan Parker, a Briton.
The red-haired female classmate asked the second-generation son to be an actor, ran several times in front of the camera, and completed her homework. "Thank you, Ronald."
"No, help each other."
After helping, Ronald went back to find his agent Eddie.
…
Sitting in Eddie's small office, he drank black tea brought by the female secretary.
"I remember you prefer black tea." Eddie is a qualified agent who remembers all aspects of his clients' preferences.
"What, has anyone asked me to shoot a commercial?" Ronald wanted to start a directing career, even as a TV commercial director. Despite having been involved in two films, one an exploitation film showing in midnight theaters and the other due out next year, Ronald is now a relative unknown in the industry. Even a second-generation young man can despise him.
"Don't worry, Ronald. I'm already sending out the footage you directed, all we need is an opportunity and a little bit of luck."
"What opportunity are you referring to?"
"Many manufacturers have now launched a new generation of sugar-free chewing gum, which tastes better than the old ones, so at the same time, 3-4 advertisements will be finalized and started shooting. All we need is to find one."
"I trust you, Eddie, is there anything I can do to help?"
"You just need to keep your status and wait for my notification. We will have an interview together then. As long as the creative director of the advertising company and the marketing director of the chewing gum factory approve of you."
"Okay, I'll wait for your news."
"How's your search for a screenwriter's agent going?" Eddie asked.
"It's not great. I don't have a script for them to evaluate. Famous has not been released yet, so they are a little hesitant."
"How is that possible? Being famous all over the world is a project of MGM, so why are you still hesitating?" Eddie was puzzled, "Which brokerage companies are you looking for?"
"Art performance agency, Abrams Arts Agency, I called around according to the directory."
"You should try a West Coast agency, especially if you have a new script. Many of the East Coast agencies serve Broadway."
"So, I should also join the Western Writers Guild?" Ronald thought about the union issue. The Writers Guild in America is divided into the Eastern Union and the Western Union. To draw inferences from one example, the Western Union is close to Hollywood, and I should join the Western Union to have a better chance.
"Yeah, the same thing." Eddie admitted with a smile.
"Hi, Eddie, are you here?" A gentle female voice came from the opened door. A tall blonde girl came in. She has light blond hair and an explosive figure. What's especially rare is that the girl speaks in a very pleasant voice. She doesn't have the boldness of an American big girl at all. Instead, she speaks like a person with a good high school education.
"Sorry, Eddie, I told Miss Dorothy Stratten that you were having guests." The secretary hurried in to apologize.
"Ah, it doesn't matter, my door is always open to Dorothy."
Eddie stood up and hugged the girl, "Why, Dorothy, are you finally willing to get rid of Hugh Hefner and return to my arms?"
The girl chuckled and glanced at the stranger Ronald.
"I forgot to introduce you, this is Dorothy Stratten, a Canadian who came to the United States to make a career. She was my client for a short time and later went to Hollywood. This is Ronald Lee, my The client is a young and promising advertising director.”
"Hello, Miss Stratten" Ronald said hello and stood aside.
The girl nodded to him and continued talking to Eddie, "I'm here to see you, Eddie. I want to be the cover girl of Playboy's October issue."
"Congratulations, Dorothy." Eddie stood up again to congratulate.
"I don't know if this is a good thing. My boyfriend tried his best to let me work as a model for Hugh Hefner. After more than a year in the United States, you were the only one who really thought about me and let me work as an operator for a Canadian telephone company. I won’t be cheated, and it also gave me the opportunity to be an advertising model for the first time.”
Ronald saw them talking about personal matters and wanted to say goodbye.
"No, no, don't disturb you because of me. I'm very pressed for time. I'm going to the location soon. My boyfriend Paul is still waiting for me outside." With that, the girl said goodbye and left.
"A stunner, isn't she?" Eddie sighed. Her boyfriend, Paul Snyder, was a bad guy, and he encouraged her to break up with me and become a model for Playboy magazine. Can you imagine a man asking his girlfriend to shoot for Playboy? "
"Dorothy is not yet 20. She is a bit naive. This road is not so easy. Her boyfriend will still lie on her body and suck blood from now on."
The two gossiped for a while and agreed to go to an advertising agency on Madison Street for an interview if there was an opportunity for a chewing gum advertisement.
…
"Hey, is this the San Francisco Opera Hotel? Yes, yes, I'm looking for Antonia Franceschi from the American Ballet Company."
"What? You can't answer the phone without the director's permission? Then I'll call the director, Ms. Makarova."
"She's not here? Then when will she come back? I don't know? I'm Antonia's... um, relative, and I want to talk to her."
"Can't talk? What if I come here in person?...I'm in New York...yes, come by plane. They are leaving tomorrow?...Where to go? I don't know?"
Ronald hung up the phone angrily. It felt really uncomfortable to be an unknown person. Everything is done according to procedures, and there is no room for accommodation.
Antonia is very busy. The West Coast tour schedule organized by the American Ballet Company is very tight, and she has little time to contact herself. Sometimes long-distance calls have not been made after the agreed time. Ronald didn't know what to do. Maybe he should go to the west coast to surprise her.
…
A few days later, agent Eddie called. He had some prospects for his first advertising director job, and the advertising company was willing to talk to him...
