"What went wrong?" Ronald asked himself, obviously all kinds of viewers have been considered? There are also content about power struggles in the office, romance, and life back home with parents, but the ratings are dead, and it is just two breaths away from NBC's break-even line, and it can't go up no matter what.
Lawrence Connor and his screenwriting team did not dare to speak. They lowered their heads one by one, not daring to look at Ronald.
"Do you want to film the last four episodes?" Laurence Connor, the director of the Working Girl series, saw that no one had the courage to continue, gritted his teeth and went into battle himself, and asked, both of his eyes were bloodshot, obviously Lack of sleep.
"Let's just shoot it. At worst, we'll sell it abroad..." Ronald looked at the sighing and demoralized team, and finally made the decision to finish filming.
NBC has given an ultimatum. If the ratings don't improve after the eighth episode this weekend, they will consider ending the series midway.
Originally, this series was released as a substitute for another series, but unexpectedly it still failed to break through the passing line in ratings.
Originally, the writers of the first season prepared a length of 12 episodes, but the ratings for the fourth and fifth episodes, which dealt with life with parents, dropped. After revamping the show back to office power struggles and love lines, and reducing the role of the neighbor gardener from Staten Island, the show was released in the fourth and fifth episodes. The ratings for episodes 6 and 7 have rebounded, but they are still not back to the peak of the show's launch.
Thinking that it is still necessary to have a beginning and an end, even if it fails, he must complete the notes so that he can find out the reasons. Ronald felt that even if he lost money, he would still shoot the last four episodes.
After seeing off the team of working girls, Ronald thought about things quietly for a while. He asked Richard to help him find someone to talk to.
…
"Ronald, your new movie is still so exciting..." Cameron Crowe with long hair walked into the room. The "Love to the Heart" director has regained his confidence. Although the box office was average, critics praised his talent. In addition, the video sales were very good, and many film producers have approached him to direct new films.
However, Cameron Crowe did not start a new job immediately. He had been filming youth film and television dramas for seven or eight years, and he did not want to make any more. He was preparing to transform into an adult story. He has made an agreement with Ronald that when he finds a suitable script, he will come to Ronald's Daydream to produce it.
"Is Nancy okay?" Ronald greeted. Recently, his wife Nancy's new album "Bridge" was released and began to promote it across the country. It happened that Crowe accompanied her to New York.
"I have something that I would like to hear your opinion on." After greetings, Ronald told him about the drama version of "Working Girl" about the ratings failure, and then asked him for advice.
"I have no experience, I only have lessons." Back then, Cameron Crowe adapted "Fast-paced Richmond High" into a TV series and used it as a meal. The ratings were also poor. After a few episodes were aired, He was cut in half.
"I don't have any clue, all your suggestions are valuable..." Ronald took out the video tape and asked him to watch a few episodes.
The 30-minute capacity of each episode was quickly exhausted. Cameron Crowe said to Ronald thoughtfully:
"Your dramas seem to be trying to please different audiences. But if you try to please everyone, you may not be able to please anyone, and they will all hate you."
"Huh?" Ronald was shocked when he heard this. This idea was interesting. It seemed to be the opposite of the logic of making a movie. When making a movie, you always have to please as many viewers as possible, but judging from what Crowe means, making a TV series seems to focus more on one type of audience?
But in the past few years, the most popular TV series have been family-friendly and suitable for everyone to watch. Among them, "Growing Pains" and "Family Ties", two TV series suitable for all ages, are the most typical.
Although the number of TV sets continues to grow, have America's TV series really evolved to support those viewers who only like to watch a certain type of series?
"But TV dramas are all about ratings. If we screen out the part of the audience that loves family fun and romantic dramas, the potential audience may be only half of the current one, and it will be difficult to meet the ratings standards." Luo Nader asked.
"Then this is a question of balance... Which is more important to the TV series' ratings? Is it the broad audience base, or is it the specific content optimized for a certain type of audience to attract them to watch?"
Ronald and Crowe chatted for a long time and had no answer to this question, so they had to put it aside for now. He also has to rush to Arizona, where "Firebird" is being filmed, and some problems arise that require him to make a decision.
…
"Ronnie..." Arriving at the airport in Tucson, Arizona, Ronald saw Brooke Shields waiting for him at a glance. She has cut her long hair to the length of a shawl and is wearing an American Army uniform. She looks very handsome. In addition, after signing a new agent in the past few months, she has tightened management of her figure. She seems to have suddenly grown up. .
"Porky..." Ronald stepped forward and hugged her. As soon as a person loses weight, Brooke Shields, who was already in good condition, looks a few years younger and has regained some of her former delicacy.
"I'm so happy to see you again..." Poji hugged Ronald's neck and buried her head tightly on his shoulder. Just when everyone was about to feel abnormal, she suddenly let go...
"It's nice to see you again. Look at you, you are already a very good actor now."
"Ha..." Brooke Shields was also very satisfied with her progress after leaving her mother's control. But I missed too many classes on acting. This time Ronald came and I just wanted to ask him for more advice.
"Emile...Nick..." Ronald then hugged and exchanged greetings with directors Emile Adolino and Nicolas Cage, supporting actor Tommy Lee Jones and others next to him, and then everyone went to Tucson City. Pima Community College, where the crew is based.
"This is the situation. The various filming facilities originally promised by the Army suddenly stated the day before yesterday that they could not be carried out. We were asked to complete all filming within a week, otherwise they would not accompany us." Director Adolino was very angry. This film The movie was originally a collaboration between the Army and the DEA, which provided a lot of equipment and personnel.
If they are not willing to provide it for free, then there are actually other ways as a Hollywood director to achieve these shots, which is nothing more than spending a few million dollars more. But he agreed and then regretted it, which made the crew who had already filmed very passive.
Adjusting the shooting plan would cost an unjust amount of money. This kind of thing requires the signature of a big shot. In addition, it has something to do with the Army's renegade, so we can only invite Ronald to the scene and decide what to do based on the situation.
"Don't worry, I have made an appointment with people from the Army. I will go and talk to them tonight about why the contract was suddenly broken. Don't worry, everyone, even if the Army withdraws, I will make additional investment and complete the filming of the movie."
Ronald first reassured everyone, and then met with Monty Jordan, who served as a helicopter stunt pilot and Army liaison on the set.
"Hello, Mr. Li, Mr. George asked someone to find me. He said I can trust you." Monty Jordan is a middle-aged man, capable, with dark skin, and his specific age cannot be seen. He speaks and walks with a straight face and has a military temperament.
"Hello, Mr. Jordan. I've worked with the Navy on Top Gun before, maybe you've seen it..."
"Of course, those bastard bastards rely on this movie to attract young people to join the Navy. Our recruitment has been declining for several years..." Monty Jordan spoke bluntly.
"Hey, this is what I want to do for the Army. My cooperation with the Navy and the protection of secrets have been praised by the Secretary of the Navy. So why did the Army withdraw its commitment? Can you tell me the bottom of it? You know , making a movie is like fighting a war, if a battalion commander suddenly finds that the supplies promised by his superiors are missing, he will also be angry, won't he?"
"Hey, I like the way you talk like one of us. What I can tell you is that we have military deployment, so we can only film scenes with you for another week. If I were you, I would hurry up... …”
"To the Middle East?" Ronald thought of what happened in Kuwait.
"That is beyond the scope of my authorization... Young people, fighting a war is not as simple as making a movie... It can be solved with one missile... This is the real test..."
"I know that my father is a veteran of the Vietnam War, and my uncle died there."
"Oh, it turns out we are one of our own. I also flew a Cobra in Vietnam... I can put it more clearly. These big guys (helicopters) have to really compete with Soviet tanks and Hinds. So we need time. Training to get these guys in the best shape..."
"I wonder if it can be extended to two weeks?" Ronald began to bargain.
"Ten days at most..."
"Deal..." Ronald shook hands with veteran Monty Jordan.
Ronald knew that the time for these people to enter Saudi Arabia was definitely not that fast, but some people in the army couldn't wait to go to the battlefield in their best condition. These people think differently from Hollywood, where profit is the highest principle. If you can buy more time, it will give the crew one more day to shoot.
So, he went back and started discussing with the crew.
"We will make a new plan and move all the air combat footage to the next ten days to complete. Is there any problem?"
Director Emil Adolino looked at the schedule for a long time, "Only the long shots of the air battle and the scene on the helicopter can barely be finished..."
"Then let's do it. We'll go to the helicopter production base to complete the rest of the shots..."
Ronald was referring to one of the film's sponsors, the helicopter production arm of McDonnell Douglas. They have an R&D and production center in nearby Mesa, also in Arizona.
Originally, the Firebirds would not be moved there until the filming of scenes in which the male and female protagonists played by Nicolas Cage and Brooke Shields were training in a simulator. Now I have to move some scenes over there and shoot them together.
"Monty Jordan is the best helicopter pilot, we have to keep him." Director Adolino remembered something. This Vietnam War veteran pilot is very efficient and can fly any action just by saying it.
"Okay, he will stay with you until the last day..."
The crew began to revise the shooting plan overnight and make various preparations. Ronald treated the leading actors to a feast at the only five-star hotel in Tucson. Surprisingly, although Arizona is a landlocked province, in addition to Mexican food, there is also very good Japanese sushi.
Fortunately for Nicolas Cage and Tommy Lee Jones, Brooke Shields just took a big bowl of vegetable salad to eat there without putting much salad dressing because she needed to manage her figure.
"Let's have some tuna sushi. American girls can't be skinny." Ronald looked at her pity and took a plate of sushi and handed it to Brooke.
"Well..." Many years later, Brooke heard the name America Girl, which was exclusive to her at that time. She smiled brightly for a while and ate two sushi obediently. After eating the well-seasoned sushi, Brooke seemed to be alive and regained her energy.
"I have some questions to ask you..." Brooke took Ronald's arm, and everyone left knowingly.
"Adolino is a very good director. In fact, if you act according to his guidance, there will be no problem."
Ronald and Brooke went up to the elevator and continued chatting in the room. The folk customs here were simple and simple. Only a few fans came over to ask for Brooke Shields' autograph, so they didn't bother them.
"I know, my agent also told me that I need to put down my original acting habits and follow the director's guidance, but I am always afraid that I will not do well enough, and then I will get nervous. If I get nervous, I will always be stopped."
Brooke Shields is now focusing more on acting. She is a girl with a high IQ. As long as she has a direction to work hard, she will quickly realize that her current acting level is actually not very competitive in Hollywood.
"Hmph..." Ronald looked at Po Ji, why did this proud man of heaven start to lose confidence in himself? That's not possible. Brooke's acting skills are supported by her strong belief in herself. In fact, she just needs to be herself.
"Actually, this role is very similar to yours. If you think about it, women who are pilots in the Army Helicopter Aviation Corps have to pass a lot of science and engineering exams, and they also have to have courage and responsibility. In fact, you only respond according to your own reaction. Just show the heroine’s reaction.”
"Like this?" Brooke gestured, pushing her short hair aside with her hands, as if she was imitating Kelly McGillis's movements in "Top Gun."
"Be yourself, Brooke...how do you usually show your charm?" Ronald felt that Brooke was still too deliberate.
"Me? I usually don't show my charm?" Bo Ji seemed confused.
"That's it. You don't need to show your beauty deliberately. As long as you are a Princeton college student, others will look like an intellectual woman, a helicopter pilot, a correspondent..."
"Like this?" Brooke gave up her attempt to imitate. She stood up naturally and took a few steps. Indeed, as Ronald said, after losing weight, Brooke does not need too many performances, and her movements still have the demeanor of America's number one idol.
At least, those male viewers who experienced her golden period during adolescence must still see it this way. This woman's face is a legend when it appears on screen.
"No wonder, my acting coach told me to relax and forget all the rules my mother told me. Just relax and follow your own ideas." Brooke turned around and looked at Ronald with a smile.
"It's time for me to go...I have to fly back to New York tomorrow..." Ronald looked at his watch. It was already getting late.
"What, am I not attracted to you?" Brooke's arms wrapped around her.
"I'm married, Brooke..." Ronald tried to untie her arms.
"Who said I'm going to marry you? Now I just want to be myself and make up for all the things I didn't do when my mother took care of me." Brooke's red lips came up, "Remember the time in Princeton? That night? I shouldn't be afraid of my mother, I should have done it with you more times."
…
"Cut!"
Ronald flew away early the next morning. The crew resumed filming and began filming helicopter-related footage. Brooke Shields and Nicolas Cage both went into battle themselves, sitting in the driver's seat of a real Apache helicopter. In a place invisible to the camera, there were coaches to help them to ensure that the driving movements were correct.
"Poor Kyung, Po Kyi, you performed very well today, which surprised me...Did Ronald tell you some secret last night? I feel like I can finish filming the scene in ten days." Director Adoly Nuo let out a sigh of relief. Brooke Shields was always the one holding back.
"Well, he said to relax and be myself, so he treated helicopter piloting as a career like a model catwalk, and my confidence came back." Bo Ji's skin is also in very good condition today. She seems to be several years younger, and her eyes have also improved. It's very impressive, and it's simply stunning in close-up shots.
"Very good, keep it up." Adolino was convinced. It was Ronald who was so good. Just chatting had such a good effect.
"Mr. Li, Mr. Li, we are about to land..." Ronald, who had dozed off all the way on the plane, was finally woken up by the stewardess.
"Ah, thank you. Continuous flying is really tiring."
I haven’t finished two chapters today, so I’ll postpone them to tomorrow.
(End of chapter)
