MTL - Exploiting Hollywood 1980-Chapter 865 Explosive opening for future big stars

  Chapter 865 The explosive opening of the future big star

   "Coming, Ronald?"

  That night, Joel Silver was on the top floor of the Fox Building waiting for the opening of his new movie "Nothing Lasts (tentative title. He is a little fat, and he didn't want to go to the shooting scene to join in the fun.

  However, Ronald told him that the secret of being a producer is to observe the ability and cooperation of the director and actors on the set on the first day. If everything is OK, then there is no need to stare at it every day.

   "Yeah, it's not too late, is it?" Ronald just arrived at the scene after chatting with his colleagues in New York about the marketing work of "Moonlight Sultry". He greeted Alan Rickman, who played the villain Hans Krupp, already in makeup, and Bonnie Bedelia, who played the protagonist's wife, and they both looked ready.

  Ronald has always remembered Roger Coleman's principle, on the first day of shooting, to confirm the level of the director. If it's okay, then don't be on set too often, or you'll misunderstand cast and crew as to who's in charge.

  The role of the producer is to stand back. If there is no problem, it is best not to let the film crew discover his existence. And when there are problems, they must be able to come out and solve them immediately.

"Where's Bruce?" Ronald looked around, only to see the director John McTiernan and the director of photography John de Bont busy with the lighting, only to miss the leading actor Bruce Willie So ask Joel Silver who has been here for a while.

   "His assistant called back half an hour ago to say that Bruce came from the MGM studio in Culver City and was on his way to the Fox Tower."

   "Oh", Ronald looked at his watch, it should be almost here.

  The filming of the "Blue Moonlight" TV series is still going on. Bruce Willis still needs to switch shifts between the two studios in the past two days. After two days, he will be able to spend all his time here.

   "What did you shoot today?" Ronald asked the production manager, took the shooting schedule and looked at it.

Tonight is the first day of shooting. The filming is about the protagonist John McClane on the roof of the building. In order to avoid being killed by the bomb detonated by Hans Krupp, he wrapped a fire hose around his body and jumped from the roof. The drama of going down and escaping.

   "Why did you shoot such a big scene on the first day?" Ronald didn't understand. Joel Silver, who doesn't seem to understand either, shrugs and points to director John McTiernan.

  Generally speaking, on the first day of shooting, the usual practice is to shoot some less difficult shots, so that the actors can quickly enter the state. Or if you are a big director, you can deliberately pick a scene that requires high acting skills, "torture" those stars, let them tame, and know that you are not easy to fool.

  However, on the first day of filming a scene that didn’t require much acting skills but required a very high level of special effects from the stunt team, Ronald couldn’t figure out why.

  Shots like this require the special effects team and photography, as well as the cooperation of the leading actors, and the effect will be better. Otherwise, the stunt performers and the leading actors do not have a tacit understanding, and the shot may not look like the body, and the explosion scene made by wasting a lot of money wasted.

   But Ronald didn't directly challenge it either, especially since he's a director himself.

  Each director has his own work style. If he asks this kind of question himself, he might not trust John McTiernan.

   "John, is everything okay? Is there anything we need to strengthen?" Ronald walked over, and he planned to chat with director McTiernan.

   "Ah, Ronald. Everything is fine, this is my director of photography Jan de Bont, a Dutch talent in photography."

   "Hello, Yang", Ronald waved to the handsome director of photography, who was making adjustments at the camera position on the stand.

   "Well, Ronald, this is really very exciting, isn't it?" Jan de Bont was very happy to see that it was the producer. He had worked with Dutch director Paul Verhoeven before, and he was very excited to be in charge of a major Hollywood commercial film.

   “The conditions you provided were top notch and the filming was fun…”

   "Looks good?" Ronald chatted with the director of photography for a while, and then turned around to continue chatting with the director. He also wanted to lead the topic to shoot big scenes right after the camera was turned on. It's best to let the director talk by himself.

"Very good. It's rare for me to cooperate with a producer who is a director and knows how to shoot movies. You are my blessing. I have never enjoyed the creative freedom of shooting on the set. Sure enough, you are the producer who knows the best about directors." Filmmaker.” The director liked Ronald’s hands-off attitude.

   "Eh..." Ronald choked on John McTiernan's flattery, and couldn't say what he wanted to say.

   "The start of filming is a big scene? It seems that I was very lucky. I was able to see one of the most exciting scenes in the movie on the first day." Ronald changed his method and reminded the other party.

   "Hahaha, this is a design consideration. We only have the initiative when we shoot this scene from the beginning."

   "Then I'll wait and see, and I won't bother you." When Ronald heard this answer, it turned out that John McTiernan had special considerations. Fortunately, he didn't talk too much, and Ronald walked towards the back of the camera.

   "Bruce is coming", Ronald was reminded by Joel Silver next to him just after he quit the filming circle.

  Bruce Willis is still wearing the iconic top and hat in "Blue Moonlight". Followed by a manager and an assistant, they strode in unsteadily.

   "Hey, Ronald, I'm not late, am I? It's really hard to shoot on both sides."

"Of course not, we came early. Take the time to take a break and watch your performance when the machine starts." Of course, Ronald could only say words of encouragement. The biggest fear of this kind of actor who is on both sides of the set is that he is in a bad mood. Well, it affects shooting a lot.

   "Just watch my performance, today is a big event, you will know Bruce's ability, I also asked Demi to watch my performance, is she here? Demi?"

   "She just called to say she'll be here soon, and we'll let you know as soon as she arrives." Joel Silver answered right away.

   "Very well, I'll go to make up first, Demi doesn't know how brave his man is, today is a good opportunity to show." Bruce Willis walked towards his dressing room.

   "What's the big scene? There isn't much for him today, right? Up to two close-ups of the reaction shots, and the make-up takes longer?" Ronald was puzzled, and picked up the shooting plan again and looked at it.

   It is clearly written above that only a long stunt shot of jumping off a building is the highlight of today's shots. Bruce Willis only had the faceless shot of bringing fire water around himself before, and then a stunt double jumped off the roof in his place, and on another platform below, an inflatable cushion caught him.

   "TV actors, you know, they don't know filmmaking," Joel Silver winked at Ronald.

   Indeed, TV dramas rarely shoot such big scenes. Maybe Bruce Willis doesn’t know how to shoot such scenes of explosions and jumping from buildings in movies.

   "I'm going to take a rest first." Ronald looked around, only to find that his role today is a producer, and there is no chair with his name written on it waiting for him.

   Laughing self-deprecatingly, Ronald simply sat on an apple box, closed his eyes and meditated. After a busy day, I just took a break.

   "Ronald, where's Ronald...Bruce? Where's the others?"

  A woman's voice came, waking up Ronald, who was a little asleep, from the state of closing his eyes and resting his mind.

   Ronald opened his eyes, and a black-haired beauty with a big wavy hairstyle was just a few inches away from him. Shrewd eyes and **** lips almost made Ronald lose his mind.

"Demi, are you here?" Ronald stood up from the apple box, "Bruce was putting on makeup just now, and the crew has just finished setting up the lighting, and they are all getting ready now...Bruce also said that he specially wanted to let you see his bravery tonight." state…"

   "Hehehe", Demi Moore is shaking with laughter, and Bruce Willis likes to say something crude and flirtatious. This is what Willis likes to say in person, to show his conquest of Demi.

  Her eyes fluttered, and when it came to bravery, the one in front of her seemed to be stronger. Although she showed more of a scholar-like temperament on the surface, after taking off her clothes, she was actually very muscular.

The two walked towards the dressing room side by side. Demi and Ronald kept a little distance. The relationship between the two seemed to retreat from the state of that special relationship, and it became a private matter that they could talk about, but they both deliberately Avoid ambiguous flirting.

   "Hey Demi, look at me...don't blink then." Bruce Willis was dressed as a Predator. The bottom is barefoot, wearing a pair of trousers, and the upper body is naked, with only a gun belt and a submachine gun strapped to it.

  Ronald stood and looked at his attire, the makeup made some red syrup on his body, and after adding a few black carbon black, the image of a lonely hero who had gone through a hard fight jumped out.

   "No problem", Ronald nodded. This kind of makeup shows that the director has good control over the makeup, costumes, and props team, and there is no problem with the expressiveness of the picture. And these details need to be consistent with each shot, and they don't wear gangs, which shows that the director also manages the scene notes, photography and other teams very well.

   Experts know how many levels there are as soon as they make a shot.

Ronald looked at his watch. He felt that the director had passed his approval. After watching a few shots of Bruce Willis as a courtesy, it was okay to watch the scene of the stunt double jumping off the building. He could go back and enjoy it. I'm sleeping, and I have to fly to New York tomorrow.

   "Nothing lasts forever, the first scene, the first shot" the scene reporter began to report, and with a "snap", the scene slate was laid down.

   "Action!" Director John McTiernan started filming.

  Bruce Willis rushed into the camera barefoot. He put the submachine gun on his back, then opened the iron box labeled "For Fire Brigade", and pulled out the red turntable wrapped with a white fire hose.

   "Ah..." Bruce Willis roared angrily, and then began to pull the fire hose vigorously, and the red turntable was pulled and rotated. Seeing that the hose was long enough, Willis pulled the fire hydrant and walked to the other side.

   "John...what the **** are you doing here?"

  Bruce Willis walked to a corner of the rooftop and took the fire water to wrap around his body.

  The camera started to zoom in on him, and the director of photography Jan de Bont waved his hand in satisfaction.

  The assistant next to him started blowing wind on Bruce Willis' body with an iron fan, and a white mist like water vapor caused by dry ice was blown there.

   "How the **** are you so unlucky?"

  Bruce Willis continued cursing and talking to himself. When he was blown by the cold wind, the air he exhaled turned into white mist, which was more in line with the Christmas atmosphere in the movie.

   "Cut!"

  The director stopped the shooting, and after checking with the director of photography, he said that this rule was passed.

   "Papa...", Ronald took the lead in applauding.

   "Papa..." Everyone started applauding together.

   Ronald looked at the smile of director John McTiernan and the smirk of Bruce Willis, and laughed himself. These two people are right!

  Bruce Willis's silly blue-collar temperament is completely played in his true colors. It fits perfectly in the role of John McLean. McLean didn't want to be involved in such a terrorist accident. He just came to find his wife for Christmas.

After taking off his shoes, having to step on broken glass, and escaping from an exploding elevator, he is now on his last adventure to free all the hostages, including his wife. .

Audiences will love this kind of hapless real hero, which is the usual scenario in their daily working life, being hapless (at least they think they are), swearing and working hard, and finally having a family Christmas .

   "Very good, make up, make up, touch up Bruce's makeup. Stunt, stunt, set up explosives now, everyone, clear the scene, clear the scene."

  Director John McTiernan waited for the applause led by Ronald to end, and immediately began directing the preparations for the next stunt shot.

  Several stunt personnel responsible for the explosion came over and placed plastic bags one by one in different places on the roof, which were filled with liquid.

  Ronald knew that there was gasoline in it, and all kinds of dangerous items were in the hands of professionals. The arrangement was effective but not too dangerous. The stunt double is a member of the trade union, so there is no problem with his skills.

   "What is this?" Bruce Willis stayed at the scene, he was showing off his acting skills with Demi Moore in his arms. A person from the special effects team came over and applied a large plaster-like thing to him, and then wiped it away with his hands.

   "This is a fireproof plaster to prevent you from being burned by the flames of the explosion behind you when you jump."

"What is this?" Bruce Willis picked a little bit with his fingers and smelled it. It smelled a little bit, but he knew it was to protect himself, so he wiped it on himself in disgust, and then wiped it on Demi's body. a little.

   Before Demi Moore flirted with him, Willis noticed that his girlfriend Demi Moore was making a hand gesture to the producer Ronald, "What is this?"

   "I don't know..." Ronald also panicked, what is this? Bruce Willis in the lead role? How can I get him to take a shot of jumping off a building?

   This isn’t a real action movie he made, isn’t it Stallone’s punch-to-the-flesh style? I chose Bruce Willis because of his temperament, not because of your strong movement ability.

   "What is this? Hey, John, Joel, what is this?" Ronald didn't care about saving the director's face, and walked over to director John McTiernan and asked loudly.

   "This is the most exciting shot? What else could it be?" Director John McTiernan felt strange.

   "I'm asking, why did Willis shoot it himself? A stunt double must be required for this kind of stunt shot."

"Ronald, I have already discussed with Willis. He himself is willing to act in this scene of explosion and jumping off a building. He understands the risks in it. He can also complete this kind of scene, so that the director and the leading actors feel that it is art, and it is also worth it. remember?"

   Ronald looked back at Demi Moore who was coming, and Bruce Willis who had already applied the fireproof material.

   "Yes, I am willing to shoot it myself. It's not a big deal. It's a very simple shot. I often shoot this kind of shot on TV..."

   "Ronald, what is this? You can't let Bruce take risks..." Demi Moore was anxious. This is a life-threatening shooting. She has always made movies herself, and she knows that the scenes in movies pay attention to reality, and it is not something that can be fooled by shooting in TV dramas. Boyfriend Bruce Willis has not yet understood what he is about to face.

  Bruce Willis was very satisfied with his girlfriend's concern for him, but in front of Ronald, he couldn't show any timidity. Demi likes her own bravery, but she can't lose her greatest attraction in front of Ronald, the most masculine person present (except himself).

   "Hey, I'm a professional action actor, are you underestimating me, Demi. Relax, small scene."

  Ronald knew that this was director John McTiernan's gimmick. He couldn't be unaware of the danger of this kind of action, but Bruce Willis, who had never filmed such an action scene, was okay.

   Ronald looked at McTiernan, his eyes stared into each other's eyes, "I don't like people playing tricks..."

   "No one is playing tricks, Ronald, I'm about to shoot", John McTiernan made a please leave gesture.

   "Ronald", Joel Silver came and pulled Ronald. He didn't know much about filming, but he understood from Ronald's resentful eyes that something was wrong.

   "We'd better wait and see, now if... it will be detrimental to the safety of shooting."

   "Do you want me to be ruined like John Landis?" Ronald was pulled away, and he glanced at Silver. Landis, the director who filmed "The Twilight Zone" back then, just didn't pay attention to the safety of the shooting, and finally caused the actor Vic Morrow to be beheaded by a helicopter. Afterwards, all his family property was lost, not to mention, there will be no mainstream commercial production to find on him.

"Don't be like this, I found the special effects team this time, the best in Hollywood. They are very professional. Although I don't know how to shoot, I still attach great importance to safety. No one wants to fall to John Landis that level"

Ronald shook his head, "You don't understand, the safety of special effects shots requires not only the team's arrangement, but also the actor's own experience. This is a redundant shooting scene. Willis has never acted in an action scene before. He I don’t know much about these things. I’m just worried if I fall and get hurt.”

  Ronald is in Xiangjiang, but he has seen a lot of Jackie Chan's martial arts filming. They showed fearlessness at the dinner table. Every year, Jackie Chan's filming team has a death target.

  But now I don’t know about this arrangement in person in advance, and now I go up temporarily to express my opposition, which will have an impact on the mentality of both the director and the actors. Maybe it's okay, but if you think too much and hesitate, something will happen.

   Ronald stood in the corner, biting his lip with his teeth, a bit in a dilemma. I have never been so miserably deceived on the set.

"Fortunately, we bought enough insurance, so don't be nervous... Even if something happens to him, the insurance company will pay for it, not like Landis... Hey, what are you going to do?" Joel Silver was about to continue explaining , suddenly found Ronald's glare, and shut up as soon as he was afraid.

   "Ronald, will Bruce be okay?" Demi Moore was also very nervous, and couldn't help but grabbed Ronald's arm and hugged it tightly, as if this man would give her a little courage to keep watching.

   "Special effects department? Ready for the countdown..."

   "Camera One?"

   "Full Speed!"

   "Camera number two?"

   "Full Speed!"

  …

  Director John McTiernan began calling the shots.

  The pyrotechnicians of the special effects team began to prepare for the explosion.

   "Action!"

   With an order, Bruce Willis climbed up to the railing of the roof, holding the pillar with both hands, and checked the fire hose tied to his body again, "God, don't let me die here..."

   Then he looked back and exclaimed "Ah..."

  The photographers in multiple cameras were nervously grabbing the shirtless actor Bruce Willis to prevent him from running out of the frame.

   "Boom! Boom!..." The special effects team began to blast multiple blasting points on the rooftop.

   "Boom..." The explosion ignited the plastic bag containing the accelerant, and the big flames became angry, and waves of heat came from the corner of the roof.

  Ronald was far away and also felt the incredible thrust of the heat wave.

"It's broken..." Ronald felt that this special effect was added too much. This thrust was added to Bruce Willis' body, which might make him move forward more when he jumped off the building, away from the other two floors below. Air cushions on the platform.

   Ronald and others looked at Bruce Willis, full of regret in their hearts.

  Bruce Willis closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, thumped his legs, and jumped off the railing.

   "SHXT!" Ronald yelled, and rushed downstairs without waiting for the director to stop.

  Worried about what would happen, and sure enough, after Bruce Willis jumped out of the roof, he was pushed forward by the blast wave.

   "Bruce...", Demi Moore didn't know what happened, and ran down with Ronald. Director John McTiernan, aware of the bad news, tossed his headset and ran after him, ending up with a fat Joel Silver, who ran out of breath and almost fell down the stairs with hypoglycemia.

   "Hoo...hoo...wait for me..."

  Holding on to the wall, Silver, drenched in sweat and frightened, finally appeared on the platform below.

   I saw that Bruce Willis hit the very edge of the air cushion, and he would fall out and die if he was one or two meters away.

  Ronald in the inner circle, and the stunt team helped him up.

   "Demi, Ronald, I told you earlier, you see my brave performance...hahahaha..."

  Bruce Willis laughed.

   "You scared me to death", Demi grabbed him, trembling with fright.

   "It's okay, it's okay", Bruce Willis comforted his girlfriend who was worried about him, "Tonight I will show you who is the bravest man in Hollywood."

   "Of course it's you", Demi Moore couldn't stand this, her boyfriend became the most heroic person, and sent a passionate kiss.

   "Good job!" All the on-site personnel applauded Bruce Willis.

   "Phew, it's okay... Ronald, I didn't lie to you, it's okay... I'm pretty sure." Director John McTiernan, who was almost scared to death, also let out a long breath.

   "Hmph... I'm sure, why did you shoot the first scene of this scene?" Ronald glared, "All the jumps, explosions, and all dangerous shots will be left to the double."

   "What a diehard, Die Hard." Alan Rickman, who played the villain, came down with everyone and admired Bruce Willis's heroic performance.

   "What?" Ronald didn't hear clearly.

   "I said he was Die Hard, the kind of guy who never gave up."

  (end of this chapter)