Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Chapter 46 The Director's New Toy

After Barry Miller suffered a double whammy, Ronald told producers about the skirmish.

Producer David knew that the director had disclosed his relationship with Maureen Tiffie, so he arranged for Ronald to continue to keep a close eye on Barry Miller to observe whether he behaved abnormally after being hit.

Fights caused by jealousy among the crew are not uncommon in Hollywood. However, Ronald didn't think that Barry had the guts to compete with the director. After Allen's relationship was revealed, he obediently confessed.

After that, Barry Miller became cooperative, and the filming progressed very quickly.

Although most of the famous scenes are indoor scenes, there are some outdoor scenes for the leading roles of the acting department. It mainly shows the daily life of the three acting protagonists.

This morning is an outdoor scene, the scene is very simple:

Doris, a Jewish man, is good friends with gay Montgomery, and the two practice acting on the streets of Manhattan. Doris, disguised as a blind man, held Montgomery's hand, and the two walked towards the camera while chatting.

Pedestrians did not realize that Doris holding a blind stick was a fake blind person. The last pedestrian was even persuaded by Doris' acting skills that she thought she was really blind. She took out a few coins and threw them into the stainless steel in Doris's hand. in the cup.

Producer David da Silva applied for permission to shoot on the street for a total of 2 hours. Police helped seal off both ends of the street, and DP Michael Serresin directed assistants to line up the tracks.

As the two actors approach the camera, the camera pulls back, creating a feeling that the camera is gradually following the actors.

"You should wait for your new toy to arrive before taking this shot, Ellen," says DP Michael Serresin.

"That way we can have the rhythm of the opening scene of Saturday Night Fever."

Ronald has seen "Saturday Night Fever," where John Travolta walks through the streets of Brooklyn to the disco beat of the Bee Gees after the opening.

The camera closely follows his shoes, as if someone was carrying the camera over his shoulder to follow the rhythm of Travolta's walk.

It was not unusual to watch a movie as an audience at first. After the crew had been together for a long time, it was extremely difficult to know this group of shots.

Carrying the camera on the shoulder can easily cause the lens to shake. Slow follow-up to keep the picture from shaking requires amazing arm strength, and photographers who can do it can charge a high price.

To follow his footsteps without shaking the camera, Ronald couldn't figure out how to shoot it. Now listening to the director of photography means that there is a special equipment to shoot this kind of shot.

"This toy is for rent, not for sale. Now only the inventor can operate it. Stan has used him for months before it's my turn. He'll be in New York tomorrow."

"Oh? Kubrick is really a tech freak, using so many new technologies in the new movie Shining?"

"You know him, our fellow Englishman, loves new toys the most."

“How long can we use that toy?” the director of photography asked.

"It's only been rented for one day, and you'll be able to see it then."

...

"Attention of all departments, the actual shooting will follow." The first assistant director took the electric horn and began to call all the group performers to take their places.

Although it is an ordinary street scene, all the pedestrians are extras. America is a society under the rule of law, and if the faces of passersby are filmed in movies without permission, it is possible to get a lawsuit for the right of reputation.

Besides, the crew is not short of this money.

Working girls from the left... men in caps from the right... girls with pigtails bumping into Montgomery... ladies giving change three, two, one...

"Dang bang bang..." The coin fell into the stainless steel cup.

"Cut! Very good."

...

Garrett Brown was a tall man with a stick in his hand and a camera above it,

Below the stick is a rectangular iron block for balancing.

"Is this the one that filmed Stallone climbing the steps in 'Rocky'?" Alan Parker asked.

"No, that's a first-generation device, this is my latest and improved second-generation Steadicam." Garrett Brown clapped the device in his hand.

Steadicam means camera stabilizer. He can convert the vibration caused by the photographer's violent running and use the damper to buffer it into a slow motion, so that the lens captures the picture softly and clearly.

Like now they're going to shoot Doris and Ralph Garcia going down the stairs from the subway entrance and onto the subway car.

The photographer can follow along with the Steadicam, and the picture is clear and not shaken. Since the scene of Stallone climbing the Philadelphia monument in "Rocky" shocked the industry, many directors want to include it in their films.

In order to ensure that there were no crowds during the filming, the producer went to the New York Subway Department and determined a station without a bus at night, and opened an extra subway specifically for the filming of the movie.

After the subway operation ends, the subway will open one more train, and there will be only one train.

This only gave the crew a chance to shoot, no matter how good or bad the performance and photography were, it was only for a while,

This site has two relatively high steps. Garrett Brown practiced twice and was ready to shoot. Lighting, actors, cinematography, all strive to be ready, the first time.

Maureen Tiffie, and Barry Miller, both descended from the subway entrance. Garrett Brown, holding the Steadicam, stepped back down the steps while shooting at the two actors.

The two play a couple who talk about the success of Ralph Garcia's stand-up comedy along the way.

After descending from two floors of stairs, the two stood at the place where the subway was waiting. Garrett Brown shot from the front to the back of the two, and there was no obvious shaking.

"Uuuuuu..."

The last subway to be opened, roared.

The wind blew up Maureen Tiffey's hair. The two said goodbye with a smile, Doris entered the subway, the door was closed, and the two were still talking about their longing for the future across the door of the subway car, the Amelica dream that only belonged to them.

"Cut!" Alan Parker and Garrett Brown, who was operating the camera's stabilizer, confirmed the footage and declared the shooting a success.

Ronald looked at this amazing toy and wanted to play with it a few times.

Gart LeBron saw his mind and took out a business card and handed it to him. "If you have other needs in the future, you can contact me."

"Whether it's hand-held, mounted on a car, or aerial photography, my camera stabilizer will get you to the desired frame."

"He's such a curious, energetic guy, isn't he? Ellen," Maureen Tiffey said.

"Yeah, very energetic," Alan Parker narrowed his eyes.

The next sentence stuck in my heart: "Maybe the curiosity is too strong."

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