The biggest problem with "Break Dance" is that time is tight. At present, every day wasted in setting up the shooting team and selecting actors, the shooting time will become tighter. If there is a delay in casting, it will basically declare that the film cannot beat Orion.
"Hot Street Kid" was done before.
How to assemble a suitable technical team, find suitable actors, and immediately start filming a movie in a day or two?
This task had to be completed separately. Minahan decided to fly back to Los Angeles immediately and transfer technical teams from other Cannon crews, or if not, transfer people from Israel.
Ronald was responsible for casting and selecting suitable filming locations.
Ronald's first call was to Weintraub. This matter had to be approved by the producer of "The Kid".
"Can you finish the filming?" Weintraub did not stop Ronald, but he was worried that he would not be able to finish the filming during the three-week vacation, which would affect the progress of his film.
"Haha, I'm a Roger Corman graduate. I can shoot it in two weeks and have one week left to edit. If the shooting is delayed, I will hand over the editing to Minahan and edit 'The Kid' on time.
"
"Okay, you end things over there as soon as possible." Weintraub had heard Roger Corman's name and understood that Ronald wanted to make a quick buck this time. Anyway, the exploitation film that was screened in a small scale was not
Will affect its own Colombian release.
Then came the two agents from CAA. Ronald told them about his salary and dividends, and hoped that they would help with technical personnel and casting.
I heard that if you don’t work, you will get a share. The two agents hurriedly expressed that they would provide emergency help in Los Angeles. All the talents, actors, and venues that Ronald needs will be solved according to the most urgent needs.
Although it is impossible for Ronald to sign a contract with any producer without the participation of an agent, and their share of the share is pie in the sky. But when the contract is renewed, if services commensurate with the share cannot be provided, Ronald can always choose
Another agent.
After the two crucial phone calls were made, Ronald began to look for the main actors and filming locations.
The reason why he was so confident that he could get the actors and locations in a short time that would have taken a month for normal production was because when Ronald was working for Roger Corman, he saw and heard a lot of science.
Mann's trick for quick shots.
Roger Corman's greatest achievement was when he shot a movie called "Little Shop of Horrors" in two days. In short, the most important thing about this kind of fast-shooting exploitation film is not to stick to the original idea. Be flexible in everything.
.
For example, try to shoot exterior scenes as much as possible and reduce the lighting time. For interior scenes, everything is improvised. If there is no suitable set, then the script will be changed. If there are sets that others have used, then use them.
If there are no suitable actors, then find an old partner who has worked with you before. If the role requires strong acting skills, then choose actors close to the personality of the character and let them play the role. In this way, the performance will be familiar and there will be no need for repeated rehearsals and reshoots.
Are there no real actors who are close to the characters?
Then change the script and change the character to the actor's personality!
This is not an art film to compete for Oscars. As long as the character makes sense logically and it doesn’t matter what his personality is like, it’s pretty much fine. The key is to do it quickly.
If you don’t have time to edit slowly, you will shoot samples every day and synchronize the audio and video immediately. Once all the scenes are shot, you can immediately enter the editing and assembly process.
Then came the actors. For the heroine, I chose the heroine of my dreams, Lucinda Dickey, whom Minahan had signed with Cannon. Anyway, it was obvious that she had dancing skills and decent acting skills.
The actor didn't know where to find the character in the original film, so Ronald called "Crazy Legs". The actor refused to shave his beard, but shaved his legs to dance for the "Flashdance" heroine.
The break dance master of hip-hop is a dance troupe in New York.
"I will not star in this kind of movie. He vulgarizes the meaning of hip-hop. This kind of dancing is simply a blasphemy to the dance that originated in the Bronx, New York. What does the story you told have to do with the traitors on the West Coast who surrendered to Hollywood?
the difference."
"This time is different from Flashdance. I invite you to play the leading role!" Ronald emphasized. Crazy Legs wouldn't give up this opportunity to become famous, right?
"You can't bribe me, this is our ideal."
Ronald knew that crazy legs were a bit ideal, but he didn't expect his obsession to be so serious, or...?
"The stunt double I photographed last time for Flashdance, Crazy Legs, has he taken on any jobs recently?" Ronald called his agent Richard to find out.
"Crazy Legs, are they from that Manhattan dance company? Richard quickly found out the truth from all the movie-making schedules on the big blackboard at CAA. He is making a movie invested by Orion that reflects hip-hop culture.
He plays himself in the movie."
“But I’m inviting the protagonist!”
"He is not necessarily short of money, but for Latino and black street dancers, being able to leave their real name in a movie that reflects street dance will, to a certain extent, make him a veteran in the industry.
Yes." Richard explained.
"Damn it." Ronald regretted that he was too hasty to find crazy legs. "In this way, you continue to contact his agent on my behalf and don't stop."
Gu Ling
Since there is no way to poach him, he should continue to confuse his competitors so that they do not realize that he is secretly filming.
"By the way, Ronald, we have arranged a Coppola-style mobile editing van for you." Niceta answered the phone and you can get it when you come to Los Angeles.
This was a method invented by Francis Coppola, where all the film and sound editing equipment was crammed into a van.
This car followed the exterior scenes and was parked outside when shooting interior scenes. After the film films were shot every day and developed and printed out, they were immediately sent to the studio and edited in the car, so that Ronald could edit them in the car during filming breaks or at night.
, you can go to the car to guide editing. This greatly improves work efficiency.
"What about the scene I asked you to find? What did Princess Leia's mother say?" Ronald continued to confirm the location for filming the interior scenes.
"Ms. Debbie Reynolds is willing to lend you her dance studio again. She has just renovated it and there are no students yet."
One of Roger Corman's special skills was to eat two fishes with the same set. He used a set built with other people's investment to make his own movie. Ronald was going to copy it.
"Where's the apartment?"
"In the apartment in Venice, the parking lot where the karate master used to live has not been demolished yet. You just used it to film the three protagonists practicing dance."
"Where is the venue needed for the buffet?"
"How about choosing the mansion at Ali's house? The owner has a large lawn and can shoot the scene you want. He can directly find a party company for you."
…
Ronald, Niceta, and Richard agreed on a lot of shooting locations. Anyway, the "Longwei Boy" time was too good. Being familiar with the road is very important to save time.
"Have you found the handyman I asked you to find?" Ronald began to care about the extras again.
"I found it. Eddie Rodriguez is a very interesting person. He promised to gather all the students to contribute to your movie. He only needs to give them a little pocket money and a lunch. If there is any spare money, he will finally
Give a lot and they will eat it at night."
Those who breakdance are all poor people, mainly Latinos and blacks. Ronald agreed immediately, there are so many group performers who can breakdance, and there is no one more suitable.
The heroine and the main supporting roles have been confirmed, but the remaining two male leads on Ronald's list have not yet been decided.
"Ronald, do you want me to recommend some people to you?" Niceta asked on the phone.
"Do you know an actor who can dance hip-hop?"
"No, I only know some dancers. Do you know a show called 'Soul Train'?"
Soul Train? Ronald remembered watching this show before. It was mainly black and Latino people, and they danced some black dances from beginning to end.
"They are broadcast on the national syndicated television network and have a good relationship with our CAA. I can ask them for people to audition."
"Very good. I'll take a red-eye flight over tonight. You'd better arrange it for tomorrow."
"No problem. It's pie in the sky that they have such a chance. I'll call you all the people from the Soul Train show."
After arranging things, Ronald started packing his luggage, and then told his aunt that he was going to Los Angeles temporarily to shoot a low-cost movie, and the vacation was over.
"What subject matter are you shooting this time? Are you getting a new job so soon?" The aunt was a little surprised and started to help Ronald pack his luggage.
Ronald thought for a while, how to explain the content of "break dancing" to Aunt Karen?
"Actually, it's about photographing your friend Mrs. Davis, her son Little Bud, and the others. They are the story of poor black people, progressive children who rely on dance to get on the right path."
"Ronnie, I'm very happy. You should make more movies like this. The general public just wants to relax and dream a little bit when they watch movies. You can listen to my advice and make movies for them. You are a good director."
Aunt Karen was very happy and hugged Ronald, "These are my newly baked cookies. You can eat some if you are hungry while taking the photo."