"Well, she is Stella Adler. There are also short-term training courses for actors." Julia Taylor picked up her notebook and copied a number to Ronald: "Here is the phone number. You can ask
ask."
"The agent?"
"Meg doesn't have an agent? You can ask her to call Eddie. You have to choose your own agent." Julia Taylor copied another phone number of her agent Eddie and gave it to Ronald.
"Thank you, Ms. Taylor."
As soon as he turned around, producer David Da Silva also came to see Ronald.
David da Silva is a tall, middle-aged man, with most of his head bald and a mustache on his upper lip. He wears relatively rare suspender trousers, which is very old-fashioned.
"Ronald, Alan asked me to sign an agreement with you. He will hire you as a casting assistant, in the name of driver and car rental, for $200 per day for one month. If the casting is not over yet, it will be postponed.
."
"Thank you, Mr. da Silva."
"But I still have my conditions. Have you read the script?"
"I have not."
"Here is the latest version of the script. Take it and read it carefully. All eight protagonists must be focused on. If Director Parker tries to choose an actor who is obviously inconsistent with the script, you must notify me. Do you understand?"
Producer David da Silva said to Ronald seriously.
"What?" Ronald thought to himself, why is there so much intrigue in this crew? When he was at New World Company, the crew was very harmonious?
"Remember who pays you, Ronnie. I've talked to Julia and I know you're a smart kid."
David da Silva spoke threateningly, and Ronald had no choice but to obey.
"Okay, Mr. da Silva, I will do what you ask. After all, I am working for you, sir."
"You are very nice. Let's sign the agreement. Take this check and remember to give me a copy of the receipt for the car." Da Silva took out a check for US$6,000 and handed it to Ronald.
"Remember to buy a nicer one, Ronnie."
"Am I a double agent?" Ronald thought to himself.
"Read the script carefully, Ronald." Director Alan Parker came over to guide him again.
"Remember your gut, this movie is a realistic movie that reflects the real dark side of high school life. Should David have told you about his request?"
"Yes, Director Parker. He asked me to stay true to the script." Ronald hinted.
"You are very nice. I like to deal with smart people." Alan Parker understood.
"But always remember that the script is just a creation on paper. When the director selects actors, he must have imagination and rely on his own intuition and judgment to imagine the actors and the final effect of performing the script. After all, the audience is going to the cinema to watch the film.
, instead of reading the script.”
"So when selecting roles, the director's judgment should prevail, rather than exactly following the description in the script. Do you understand?"
"Okay, Mr. Parker, I'll do whatever you ask. After all, I'm working for you, sir."
"It's three sides now."
Director or producer, which one of these two is more effective?
I called and asked about the actor training class at Stella Adler Studio. You can join it even if you have no basic knowledge. The fee is 260 yuan/8 classes, which is not expensive.
Then call the agent named Eddie.
Eddie was very positive. After asking about the situation, he offered to come to sign the contract tomorrow. Ronald finalized the time with him and then went to the car market to look at the car.
Since the political turmoil in Persia caused international oil prices to soar, the price of gasoline at gas stations has increased by more than 50%. Ronald wanted to choose a fuel-efficient European car, just like the Volkswagen Hare.
But at the newsstand next to the subway station, Ronald saw the back cover advertisement of Time Magazine.
"Honda Accord, a new generation of four-door compact car, power steering, central trunk switch, electric windows."
It seems that Japanese cars are also pretty good.
I took the subway to the dealer and took a look: the four front headlights are very powerful. Although it is a compact car, the interior space is very large.
It was just him. He exchanged US$5,600 for a light green Honda Accord, and Ronald drove it back to the artist's apartment.
Parking the car downstairs, Ronald first went to ask Meg to have dinner together, and then planned her agent and acting classes together.
But Meg also had a plan, and she started talking about her arrangements as soon as she saw Ronald.
After a long phone call with her sister Jennifer in Los Angeles, Jennifer arranged for Meg to have an agent from William Morris through her own connections. She will come to sign the contract tomorrow.
"This...don't you discuss this with me? I asked Julia for advice and have already found an agent named Eddie to discuss it in detail tomorrow."
"William Morris' agents are very well-known in the industry, and I have already made an agreement with them." Meg saw Ronald's expression turned ugly as she spoke, "Are you angry? Ronnie, I can't find him at once.
When it comes to you, I agreed when I heard the name of William Morris."
"I'm not angry. Your sister introduced you to a big company. It's just that I have to apologize to Eddie tomorrow for making his trip go in vain." Ronald was relieved after Meg hugged her arm and shook her twice.
Already.
"What about your acting training class?"
"Jennifer told me a lot of common sense. She said that it is best to learn method acting when making a movie. If I were in Los Angeles, she would introduce me to an acting teacher named Paige Fury."
"Los Angeles..." Ronald frowned again.
"As for New York, she suggested that I go to the Actors Studio."
"I've heard about that place. Some people say it's the best." Ronald heard Natasha Kinski say. "I'll send you to sign up when I have time."
Seeing that Meg had taken care of everything, Ronald was not unhappy at all, but felt that he had not done any good, "Fortunately, I didn't help her sign up for Stella Adler's training class."
The two of them began to talk about each other.
The next day, Eddie, who was introduced by Julia, came to visit the artist's apartment as scheduled. Ronald invited Eddie in and apologized to him straightforwardly:
"I'm sorry, Mr. Eddie... I didn't know that Meg had found a William Morris agent through her sister to sign. It was my mistake and cost you a trip."
Eddie is a small man with a very approachable appearance, which is a very big advantage in a profession like an agent.
"It doesn't matter, just call me Eddie. I represent a small independent agency. Actors often jump to William Morris after becoming famous. We actually have nothing to do. The law stipulates that we can only sign contracts with actors for a maximum of three years."
"If a big company is willing to pay to buy the actor's contract in our hands, we will not object. Because more famous actors need more powerful agents to fight for resources."
"Julia and I talked about you. Actually, I'm more interested in you today."
"Me? I'm not an actor." Ronald said.
"But you may become a director in the future." Eddie was very frank.
"Directors are the scarcest resource in the industry, and even a TV commercial director is something we value very much."
"I have many young actresses who have just entered the industry. If you can support one or two in future films, it will be a huge help to our business."
"You seem to be too honest, Eddie." Ronald said with a smile, "It's rare for people in this business to make mistakes."
"But wouldn't an antique dealer who takes the initiative to point out the cracks on the bottom of his porcelain win the trust of his customers?" Eddie also smiled. "This is not a difficult secret. I try to maintain an honest quality."
Ronald felt that Eddie was a very interesting person. He also represented some centerfold girls for men's magazines, but his business was strictly separate from that of actors.
I drove Eddie back to the office and bought a few copies of the new daily variety show and Hollywood Reporter on the way. Ronald was gradually developing a good habit of reading industry news every day.
"Rock 'n' Roll," which opened in Georgia to a weak box office, is another classic Roger Corman-esque teen exploitation film that may have to rely on the East and West coasts to find a bigger audience."
Rock 'n' Roll High School is out now?
Ronald called Gail, the assistant to the president of New World, "Gail, I heard that Rock and Roll High School is being released?"
"Ronnie, it's good to hear your voice."
"Yes. Rock High School didn't do well at the box office in Georgia and Arizona, and Roger may cancel California and New York plans."
"This is so bad, I'm still waiting to invite my family and friends to see it."
"It's not impossible. It depends on the performance of the next few states. What are you doing now, Ronnie?"
"I'm waiting for school to start, and I'll be working as a casting assistant for the new film directed by Alan Parker."
"That's great. The Midnight Train he directed last year was a hit at the box office, and he is now a celebrity in Hollywood."
…
After hanging up the phone, Ronald began to read the script of "Hot Lunch" carefully and drew portraits of the protagonists in his dream. If he comes across them during casting, he can recommend them to director Alan Parker.
As for the script of "Hot Lunch", it is very interesting. The few scenes I dreamed about were all singing and dancing, but this film is not an old-fashioned orthodox musical film like Hollywood.
The singing and dancing part actually has a plot. A certain kind of music plays, and a group of art students start dancing spontaneously. This makes sense in life, and it does not mean that they dance when they disagree.
Old-fashioned musicals, such as "Grease", use singing instead of dialogue and dance instead of action.
The new generation of young people seems to be less and less fond of the old-fashioned orthodox musicals and dance dramas.
In life, if a person does not speak, but sings what he means; if he does not walk, but dances all the way, it is really embarrassing.
Then the next day, it was time to go to the Performing Arts High School in New York to discuss the audition with the school's senior management. Ronald first picked up director Parker and then went to the Performing Arts High School.
Margery from the casting studio, Howard Fehr, a partner at Fehr and Lizer Casting, and producer David DaSilva, were already waiting in the large conference room.
Ronald took out his notebook and waited in the back row to take notes after the meeting started.
The door was pushed open with a bang, and the principal of the performing arts college and several teachers walked in.