NOVEL WEB Exploiting Hollywood 1980.
Chapter 32 New Jobs
Chapter 32 New Jobs
In 1979, it was the first day of work after the holidays.
At 8 o'clock in the morning, Ronald returned to the office building of New World Production.Immediately felt that it was right for me to choose to give up the portrait photography business.
Seeing the movie posters in the hallway, he was excited and couldn't wait to get to work.Sometimes people's rational thinking is not as real as the body's reaction.
As soon as he came to the office building of New World Production, Ronald felt his body was eager to try.Something in the veins is waking up, resonating with the filmstrip, impatient for them to be exposed to light, developed and played according to their own wishes.
It's better to go to the assistant to the president on the second floor to inquire about the news.Seeing that Gail was already busy in his seat, Ronald hurried forward to say hello.
"Hi Gail, happy new year. You look great."
Gale wore a new professional dress and still sported the Sassoon bob.There are a few new photos on the desk, including a single photo of herself, a photo with Cameron, and a group photo of the three of them, all taken by Ronald.
She was happy to see Ronald, "Ronald, are you here? How was your vacation?"
"Very good, how about you?"
Ronald and Gail chatted about the movements of acquaintances.
Filming of "High School of Rock" was partially completed, and the crew immediately dispersed and went their separate ways.The actors have already rushed to the next crew, as have the technicians such as photography and recording.
The real filming time of the film is actually not long, throughout the entire preparation, and the long post-work, only the director.That's what boss Roger Corman said, the film was shot long at the ends and short in the middle.The part of shooting that costs a lot of money should be done as soon as possible, and the post-production editing and mixing can be done slowly.
But that's just Hollywood philosophy.No, more precisely, the philosophy of low-budget exploitation film mogul Roger Corman.
Polanski has been filming "Tess" back and forth for more than 6 months, and the filming has not yet been completed.I don't know how he fooled investors?And investors can bear him doing foreign work like this?
Gossiping with Gail, Ronald found that several of his acquaintances also went their separate ways.
Cameron went to the new science fiction film crew and started a new job in the design and manufacture of special effects models. Roger Corman gave the new movie the name "Battle of the Stars".They are going to follow the path of copycat "Star Wars" and also engage in space operas.
PJ Souls went to Warner Bros.'s big production, the $1500 million-budget "Private Soldier."But it's a pity that she still didn't become the leading actress in the blockbuster movie, and this time she played a supporting role for the popular star and Oscar winner Goldie Hawn.
But the most surprising thing is Changji Jenny, who actually became a screenwriter and went to revise the script for the movie "Black Horse".This was cast by Francis Coppola's "Diorama" company. I heard it is very artistic, and it was directed by Coppola's senior brother, Carol Ballard.
"Wow", Ronald couldn't help sighing, why didn't he have his share in such a good thing?
Gail saw the envy in his eyes and reminded, "Jenny's name is Rosenberg."
Ronald was taken aback for a moment, and then realized that Rosenberg was a common Jewish surname.It seems that Jenny has a bit of a family background, and she has hooked up with the most powerful Jewish circle in the film and television industry.
……
"Are you here to report to the editing room today? I'll take you there"
Gail took Ronald and knocked on the door of an editing room. Director Alan Aikush was already inside. When he saw Ronald coming, he stood up and greeted him, "Ronald, you are here, welcome. "
Allen's height was close to 2 meters, which put a lot of pressure on Ronald, "Hello, director, what do you need me to do, please tell me."
"Joe, Joe? You take Ronald to familiarize himself with the equipment, teach him how to load film and tape into the machine, and then teach him how to synchronize audio and video." Allen asked Joe Dante to teach him how to get started.
"Hi Ronald. Glad to have you in the editing room and we can continue working together."
Joe Dante stroked his hair, revealing the receding hairline.He took Ronald to the film cabinet in the corner of the room, and brought out a few reels of film.Then, according to the number on the film, I found the same-time recording tape.
It was the first time for Ronald to see a movie recording tape, which is 35mm wide like a film, except that the middle is empty, and there are only some lines on the sides, which are the lines that record the sound magnetically.
The final recording of the audio tape will be added to both sides of the movie film in the laboratory, and the sound will be synchronized with the image when it is shown.
There is a table in one corner of the room.There are two spinning wheel-like plates on it, and a handle.
"This is a film winder. Load the film and shake the handle to pull the film up." Joe Dante demonstrated it to Ronald.
"Then put the tape on the second reel in the same way, and attach the sound playback head, so that when the handle is cranked, the image and sound will advance together." Joe Dante motioned Ronald to try.
"The speed at which you shake the handle is best kept at 24 frames per second, which is the standard speed of film projection." Joe reminded Ronald.
"Okay, stop here."
Ronald stopped the crank, and so did the film and tape.
"Did you find out? This frame is the recorder Jenny playing the board, but there is no such sound on the tape. Do you know why?" Joe asked, pointing to the frame on the film.
Ronald still remembers that every time a film is shot, the tape recorder is turned on first, the camera is turned on later, and the director finally calls Action.
"Because the tape recorder was turned on first, the recording took longer than the film."
"Yeah, your job is to cut out the tapes that didn't record anything at the beginning, and keep them in sync with the film."
Joe Dante didn't talk nonsense, and immediately brought a bunch of tools.
"This is your friend at work, white tape, scotch tape, and guillotine. First, stick a 10-foot-long white tape on the beginning and end of the film and tape, write the lens number, and the content."
Ronald did as he did, taking a fountain pen and writing "Rock High School Scene 2 Shot 3"
"Then put the movie film and audio tape on the rollers, find the frame where the scene notes are printed, and then find the "snap" of the audio tape, and cut off all the extra parts in front. Do you understand?"
Ronald tried it out, he found it very quickly, and immediately succeeded in a test.
"Throw away the extra film and audio tapes. Then connect the useful parts. The film film uses scotch tape, and the audio tape uses white tape to ensure that the lens and sound of the slate board are synchronized. Very good!"
"I show you how to use the connector, which is much faster than sticking tape by hand."
Joe Dante holds a small connector.
"Put the end of the film in this grid, put scotch tape on it, put the other end here, put the tape on the other side, and..."
As he said that, he pressed down the pressure lever of the connector, snap!
Ronald picked up the film and took a look, and sure enough it fit perfectly.
Then Ronald did it himself a few times with scrap film.
Joe Dante saw that Ronald got started quickly, observed that he found a few times to play the board, and after receiving a few times of film, he let him be responsible for the synchronization of audio and video.
Director Alan nodded in satisfaction when he saw Ronald enter the working state. Before the audio and video synchronization was completed, the director had nothing to do in the editing room. After staring for a while, he went out to play with Joe Dante.
After completing the audio and video synchronization of a reel of film, Ronald handed over the film to Larry, a senior editor of the film.Watch him do the first cut job.
The editor, Larry, cut the large roll of film that Ronald had synchronized, cut it one by one according to the shots, and rolled each shot into a small roll, so that it can be loaded into the editing machine and assembled into a movie.
The film was shot for 25 hours, with a total length of 12 feet (3.8 meters). Synchronizing it with audio and video is not a small project, and it is very boring to repeat the same work every day.If Ronald didn't want to learn editing techniques, he really couldn't bear it.
Editing is a job that is almost always done by women in major studios in the golden age of Hollywood.The reason is that women are meticulous and make few mistakes.In this editing room, except for Ronald, the other two assistants are girls.
Soon, Ronald found that he was completely incapable of this kind of meticulous and repetitive work.Compared with the two assistants, he made more mistakes and his work efficiency was much lower.Editing assistants pay attention to three shifts, people rest, machines do not rest, and work 24 hours a day.
Ronald's efficiency is low, so he can only work more night shifts, instead of fighting for machines with two female assistants.Going back and forth again and again made me turn upside down day and night.
After working continuously for two weeks, the condition got worse.During one night shift, I made three mistakes in a row.Ronald finally couldn't take it anymore, and he proposed to Director Allen to take a day off to adjust his state.
……
After a good sleep, I woke up naturally.Ronald goes out to shop for televisions.He needs a change of mind.
After a while, he brought back an old-fashioned color TV from the second-hand electrical appliance store and put it on the cabinet in the living room.
Connected to the power supply, pulled out the antenna, changed several channels, CBS, NBC, ABC three major channels can receive, the signal is not bad.There is also a public education TV station, PBS, which broadcasts some science and education programs.
Ronald began to switch channels randomly, enjoying the fun of watching TV alone.
"Persian unrest continues to fester as Shah's family leaves Persia in private jet for England..." ABC's "International News Tonight"
"The Persian National Petroleum Corporation announced the suspension of oil exports. International oil prices are expected to rise. Persia's crude oil production accounts for 10% of the world's total output..." NBC's economic commentary
"Don't do this to me... JR, you are also a member of the Youying family".It's CBS' prime-night drama "Dallas."
Ronald stopped turning the channel dial, and sat on the sofa to watch the TV series "Big Family".It's about the feud between two big oil tycoon families in Dallas.
Ronald basically didn't see any impressive shots.Watching a lot of film films, my taste is a bit picky, and watching TV shows means looking at beautiful actors.
The plot is more exaggerated, the camera is a bit rough, but fortunately there is a beautiful heroine, Ronald watched for half an hour until the end of this episode.
Yawning, Ronald got up and turned off the TV.There is really a TV, and there are no good-looking programs.I have to go to work tomorrow and continue my boring work.
(End of this chapter)
In 1979, it was the first day of work after the holidays.
At 8 o'clock in the morning, Ronald returned to the office building of New World Production.Immediately felt that it was right for me to choose to give up the portrait photography business.
Seeing the movie posters in the hallway, he was excited and couldn't wait to get to work.Sometimes people's rational thinking is not as real as the body's reaction.
As soon as he came to the office building of New World Production, Ronald felt his body was eager to try.Something in the veins is waking up, resonating with the filmstrip, impatient for them to be exposed to light, developed and played according to their own wishes.
It's better to go to the assistant to the president on the second floor to inquire about the news.Seeing that Gail was already busy in his seat, Ronald hurried forward to say hello.
"Hi Gail, happy new year. You look great."
Gale wore a new professional dress and still sported the Sassoon bob.There are a few new photos on the desk, including a single photo of herself, a photo with Cameron, and a group photo of the three of them, all taken by Ronald.
She was happy to see Ronald, "Ronald, are you here? How was your vacation?"
"Very good, how about you?"
Ronald and Gail chatted about the movements of acquaintances.
Filming of "High School of Rock" was partially completed, and the crew immediately dispersed and went their separate ways.The actors have already rushed to the next crew, as have the technicians such as photography and recording.
The real filming time of the film is actually not long, throughout the entire preparation, and the long post-work, only the director.That's what boss Roger Corman said, the film was shot long at the ends and short in the middle.The part of shooting that costs a lot of money should be done as soon as possible, and the post-production editing and mixing can be done slowly.
But that's just Hollywood philosophy.No, more precisely, the philosophy of low-budget exploitation film mogul Roger Corman.
Polanski has been filming "Tess" back and forth for more than 6 months, and the filming has not yet been completed.I don't know how he fooled investors?And investors can bear him doing foreign work like this?
Gossiping with Gail, Ronald found that several of his acquaintances also went their separate ways.
Cameron went to the new science fiction film crew and started a new job in the design and manufacture of special effects models. Roger Corman gave the new movie the name "Battle of the Stars".They are going to follow the path of copycat "Star Wars" and also engage in space operas.
PJ Souls went to Warner Bros.'s big production, the $1500 million-budget "Private Soldier."But it's a pity that she still didn't become the leading actress in the blockbuster movie, and this time she played a supporting role for the popular star and Oscar winner Goldie Hawn.
But the most surprising thing is Changji Jenny, who actually became a screenwriter and went to revise the script for the movie "Black Horse".This was cast by Francis Coppola's "Diorama" company. I heard it is very artistic, and it was directed by Coppola's senior brother, Carol Ballard.
"Wow", Ronald couldn't help sighing, why didn't he have his share in such a good thing?
Gail saw the envy in his eyes and reminded, "Jenny's name is Rosenberg."
Ronald was taken aback for a moment, and then realized that Rosenberg was a common Jewish surname.It seems that Jenny has a bit of a family background, and she has hooked up with the most powerful Jewish circle in the film and television industry.
……
"Are you here to report to the editing room today? I'll take you there"
Gail took Ronald and knocked on the door of an editing room. Director Alan Aikush was already inside. When he saw Ronald coming, he stood up and greeted him, "Ronald, you are here, welcome. "
Allen's height was close to 2 meters, which put a lot of pressure on Ronald, "Hello, director, what do you need me to do, please tell me."
"Joe, Joe? You take Ronald to familiarize himself with the equipment, teach him how to load film and tape into the machine, and then teach him how to synchronize audio and video." Allen asked Joe Dante to teach him how to get started.
"Hi Ronald. Glad to have you in the editing room and we can continue working together."
Joe Dante stroked his hair, revealing the receding hairline.He took Ronald to the film cabinet in the corner of the room, and brought out a few reels of film.Then, according to the number on the film, I found the same-time recording tape.
It was the first time for Ronald to see a movie recording tape, which is 35mm wide like a film, except that the middle is empty, and there are only some lines on the sides, which are the lines that record the sound magnetically.
The final recording of the audio tape will be added to both sides of the movie film in the laboratory, and the sound will be synchronized with the image when it is shown.
There is a table in one corner of the room.There are two spinning wheel-like plates on it, and a handle.
"This is a film winder. Load the film and shake the handle to pull the film up." Joe Dante demonstrated it to Ronald.
"Then put the tape on the second reel in the same way, and attach the sound playback head, so that when the handle is cranked, the image and sound will advance together." Joe Dante motioned Ronald to try.
"The speed at which you shake the handle is best kept at 24 frames per second, which is the standard speed of film projection." Joe reminded Ronald.
"Okay, stop here."
Ronald stopped the crank, and so did the film and tape.
"Did you find out? This frame is the recorder Jenny playing the board, but there is no such sound on the tape. Do you know why?" Joe asked, pointing to the frame on the film.
Ronald still remembers that every time a film is shot, the tape recorder is turned on first, the camera is turned on later, and the director finally calls Action.
"Because the tape recorder was turned on first, the recording took longer than the film."
"Yeah, your job is to cut out the tapes that didn't record anything at the beginning, and keep them in sync with the film."
Joe Dante didn't talk nonsense, and immediately brought a bunch of tools.
"This is your friend at work, white tape, scotch tape, and guillotine. First, stick a 10-foot-long white tape on the beginning and end of the film and tape, write the lens number, and the content."
Ronald did as he did, taking a fountain pen and writing "Rock High School Scene 2 Shot 3"
"Then put the movie film and audio tape on the rollers, find the frame where the scene notes are printed, and then find the "snap" of the audio tape, and cut off all the extra parts in front. Do you understand?"
Ronald tried it out, he found it very quickly, and immediately succeeded in a test.
"Throw away the extra film and audio tapes. Then connect the useful parts. The film film uses scotch tape, and the audio tape uses white tape to ensure that the lens and sound of the slate board are synchronized. Very good!"
"I show you how to use the connector, which is much faster than sticking tape by hand."
Joe Dante holds a small connector.
"Put the end of the film in this grid, put scotch tape on it, put the other end here, put the tape on the other side, and..."
As he said that, he pressed down the pressure lever of the connector, snap!
Ronald picked up the film and took a look, and sure enough it fit perfectly.
Then Ronald did it himself a few times with scrap film.
Joe Dante saw that Ronald got started quickly, observed that he found a few times to play the board, and after receiving a few times of film, he let him be responsible for the synchronization of audio and video.
Director Alan nodded in satisfaction when he saw Ronald enter the working state. Before the audio and video synchronization was completed, the director had nothing to do in the editing room. After staring for a while, he went out to play with Joe Dante.
After completing the audio and video synchronization of a reel of film, Ronald handed over the film to Larry, a senior editor of the film.Watch him do the first cut job.
The editor, Larry, cut the large roll of film that Ronald had synchronized, cut it one by one according to the shots, and rolled each shot into a small roll, so that it can be loaded into the editing machine and assembled into a movie.
The film was shot for 25 hours, with a total length of 12 feet (3.8 meters). Synchronizing it with audio and video is not a small project, and it is very boring to repeat the same work every day.If Ronald didn't want to learn editing techniques, he really couldn't bear it.
Editing is a job that is almost always done by women in major studios in the golden age of Hollywood.The reason is that women are meticulous and make few mistakes.In this editing room, except for Ronald, the other two assistants are girls.
Soon, Ronald found that he was completely incapable of this kind of meticulous and repetitive work.Compared with the two assistants, he made more mistakes and his work efficiency was much lower.Editing assistants pay attention to three shifts, people rest, machines do not rest, and work 24 hours a day.
Ronald's efficiency is low, so he can only work more night shifts, instead of fighting for machines with two female assistants.Going back and forth again and again made me turn upside down day and night.
After working continuously for two weeks, the condition got worse.During one night shift, I made three mistakes in a row.Ronald finally couldn't take it anymore, and he proposed to Director Allen to take a day off to adjust his state.
……
After a good sleep, I woke up naturally.Ronald goes out to shop for televisions.He needs a change of mind.
After a while, he brought back an old-fashioned color TV from the second-hand electrical appliance store and put it on the cabinet in the living room.
Connected to the power supply, pulled out the antenna, changed several channels, CBS, NBC, ABC three major channels can receive, the signal is not bad.There is also a public education TV station, PBS, which broadcasts some science and education programs.
Ronald began to switch channels randomly, enjoying the fun of watching TV alone.
"Persian unrest continues to fester as Shah's family leaves Persia in private jet for England..." ABC's "International News Tonight"
"The Persian National Petroleum Corporation announced the suspension of oil exports. International oil prices are expected to rise. Persia's crude oil production accounts for 10% of the world's total output..." NBC's economic commentary
"Don't do this to me... JR, you are also a member of the Youying family".It's CBS' prime-night drama "Dallas."
Ronald stopped turning the channel dial, and sat on the sofa to watch the TV series "Big Family".It's about the feud between two big oil tycoon families in Dallas.
Ronald basically didn't see any impressive shots.Watching a lot of film films, my taste is a bit picky, and watching TV shows means looking at beautiful actors.
The plot is more exaggerated, the camera is a bit rough, but fortunately there is a beautiful heroine, Ronald watched for half an hour until the end of this episode.
Yawning, Ronald got up and turned off the TV.There is really a TV, and there are no good-looking programs.I have to go to work tomorrow and continue my boring work.
(End of this chapter)
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