Chapter 19: Rules of the Directors Guild  

"Don't say you can't name the director, not even Joe Dante." Roger Corman used Joe as an example.

"Because the Directors Guild of America (DGA) stipulates that, except in very special circumstances, only one director can sign a film. This prevents studios from exploiting directors by letting them shoot most of the scenes first, and if they're fired, adding another director's name alongside theirs." 

Roger continued explaining: "Not only that, but for someone to be credited as a film director, the project must be reviewed by the Guild. At least two-thirds of the original shots must have been filmed by that director." 

"As long as you're a registered member of the Directors Guild of Hollywood, your interests are fairly protected. The producer might not grant you final editing rights, but they can't deny you credit. What you film is what you sign." 

"Due to this, the Guild is strict about credits. They don't accept applications; they only proactively invite new directors to join. If I list a new person as the director of *Rock High School*, the Guild will soon invite them to join. And this opportunity is what I leave for Alan Aikush." 

"Oh, Mr. Coleman, you misunderstood. I have no intention of being hired as a director. I just want my name to appear in the end credits. I know that assistants on the crew don't usually get credited." 

"I can add your name under the assistants' column at the end of the film, but why do you need a credit?" Roger Corman was curious. Ronald naively explained, "Generally, audiences don't read credits, and a name only appears for a few seconds, so if you're not paying attention, you'll miss it. In Hollywood movies, the important crew members' names appear at the beginning." 

"That's true, Mr. Coleman," Ronald explained. "My current income mainly comes from taking headshots for actors' auditions, which cost $30 per set. 

If my name appeared in a film shown in theaters, I could raise my price to at least $50 and pay for college while working as a photographer." 

"Does having your name in the credits really make that much of a difference?" Roger Corman was intrigued. 

"Yes, Mr. Coleman. Almost all the actors who come to me for audition photos have never been in a film. They want to act in movies but often have random ideas about how their headshots should look. 

If I've been involved in a film, my advice carries more weight. Not only could I charge more, but I'd also save a lot of time during the shoot." 

"Oh, that's smart. Keep thinking like that. It's a good business mindset. Many good directors don't understand business, but the great ones always find a balance between business and art." 

"Mr. Coleman, do you need a photographer? I can take pictures for *Rock and Roll High School* for free. You'd only need to cover the film and printing costs." Ronald took the chance to pitch his services. 

"Do you have any samples?" 

"Yes, here," Ronald said, pulling a stack of photos from his folder and handing them to Roger. They were all portraits taken in New York. 

"Good. You can come to the set next week to take some pictures. Just remember to keep the receipts." 

"Thank you, Mr. Coleman. I'll take my leave now." 

"By the way, send Jim in." 

Ronald closed the door and walked slowly toward Gale. He had a feeling that Roger Corman didn't want to give him a director's credit. His statements about the Directors Guild might not be entirely true. 

First, not every Guild member can be a director. What about assistant directors? What about second-unit directors? Their rights and interests must also be protected by the unions. Is it really impossible to be part of the Guild without having directed a film? Roger said that Alan Aikush needed *Rock High School* to gain Guild membership. That qualification likely referred to the level of a hired director. 

Second, Roger Coleman paid his employees very little. Forget about college graduates like Gale, who came from well-off families. Why were Joe, Alan, and Jim, who supported their families, willing to work for such low wages? It showed that Roger exploited their talents, allowing these professionals to work for him almost for free. After finishing a film, they could join the union, and once they became famous, they could move on to the major studios. Then Roger would recruit a new group. 

Ronald remembered overhearing Roger Corman tell Jerry Zucker: "If you do this film, you'll never have to work for me again. It's that simple." 

In a way, these professionals exploited Roger, too. Hollywood unions are tough on newcomers like Ronald or Jim. If you're in the union, you enjoy excellent benefits, and union-registered films prioritize union members. If you're not a union member, you need to have worked on a union film for a certain number of days to apply for membership (the Directors Guild being an exception as it operates by invitation). The problem is that non-union members rarely get opportunities to work on union films. 

It's like *Catch-22*, the novel Ronald read in high school. To get hired for films, you need to be in the union. But to join the union, you need film experience. This logical paradox locks you out of the system. The only way to break in is if people like Roger are willing to hire non-union newcomers for union projects. 

Ronald waved at Gale and signaled for Jim, who had been waiting outside. Jim looked relaxed and had been flirting with Gale a moment earlier. 

Seeing that Gale wasn't too busy, Ronald asked, "I brought my camera today and wanted to take some pictures with Jim. If you're interested, I could also take some portraits of you." He pulled out his sample photos and laid them on the table for her to see. 

"Wow, you took some great shots! Would this outfit work?" Gale eagerly began checking her clothes and shoes. 

After she finished looking at the photos, Ronald pulled up a chair and sat next to her. "Gale, you've seen a lot in the film industry. Do you know how the Directors Guild works?" 

Gale looked up, grabbed a sheet of paper, and started writing while speaking: "The Directors Guild works by invitation only. You don't apply. As long as your name appears in a project, the Guild will find it and send you an invitation." 

"The Guild has three membership levels: film director, assistant director, and assistant director/second-unit director. Each level has different membership fees. You can find more details at the library." 

She folded the paper in half, wrote down the Guild information, and handed it to Ronald. 

"Is Alan Aikush a Guild member too?" 

"Yes, of course. He's a second-level assistant director. Joe Dante directed *Piranha* last year and was promoted to full director status." 

Ronald put the document in his pocket, thinking his suspicions were right. Roger Corman's success in producing ultra-low-budget films lay in his ability to spot and use talent. 

Similarly, the two paths Roger offered required years of hard work before gaining the chance to direct an independent low-budget film. If Ronald went to college, Roger had nothing to lose, but if Ronald was committed to his filmmaking dream, it would be hard to resist the path Roger had laid out. 

No wonder Roger's first question had been about his dreams. With his selling techniques, as long as someone had a dream of making movies and came from a lower class with limited opportunities, how could they resist? 

Ronald shook his head. Even if he went to college, he'd probably return to find Roger if his dream persisted. Breaking into the film industry was just too hard. 

Just then, three people suddenly rushed up the stairs and headed straight for Roger Corman's office. 

One of them was Jerry Zucker. The other two looked similar—one with features like Jerry's and the other taller. They were heading directly toward Roger's office. 

Gale quickly stood up to stop them. "Sorry, Mr. Zucker. Mr. Coleman is with guests. Please wait outside." 

"No, Gale, don't stop me. This is between Roger and me," Jerry pushed her hand aside, intent on entering. 

Seeing the commotion, Ronald stepped forward to help Gale hold them back. 

Jim opened the door and stepped out to see what was happening. It seemed Roger Corman had also heard the noise. 

Then, the unexpected happened... 

End of Chapter