Chapter 3 Magic Rays
Ronald drove to Van Nuys High School early in the morning.
Last night's dream was not like a dream, but rather like a memory from a past life. The first three minutes of the image were extremely clear, as if a TV was playing in his mind.
In the dream, he was not watching "Rock High School" in a movie theater. There were far fewer people sitting there than in a movie theater, and the screen was much smaller. The black box that the machine spit out at the end seemed to be a VHS tape, a new toy invented by a Japanese company.
It seems that the movie "Rock High School" must be quite successful, otherwise it would not be released overseas. It's a pity that the movie was interrupted after only 3 minutes... Ronald thought as he filled in the shooting log.
Date: Saturday, December 16, 1978 Location: Van Nuys High School in Hollywood, Los Angeles
Assembly time: ... Raised his wrist to check the watch, it was 5:30, and continued to write in the log: 05:30. Los Angeles is not cold in winter, he only wore a jacket over his white T-shirt, and a waist bag hung around his waist. He put the ballpoint pen into his waist bag, took out a small notebook, and turned to a folded page. On it was the sunrise time he had inquired about from the weather station yesterday - 06:45.
Ronald looked at his watch again. It was 5:30. He frowned and said, "The director hasn't arrived yet.
" He walked to the first assistant director of the crew: "Ahem..." Ronald cleared his throat and was about to speak.
Jim ran over from the opposite side and asked what he wanted to ask first: "Where is Director Alan? Where is Joe Dante?"
The director of the crew was Alan Ekush, but in fact the two were co-directors. Sometimes Joe Dante could even make the decision on how to shoot. There were even rumors on the set that they were "good friends".
The first assistant director shrugged and said he didn't know where the two were. This assistant director was a little weak and would only do what the director told him to do. Ronald pouted and was about to speak when Jim pulled him. After the two walked aside, Jim whispered, "You didn't come last night. I saw the director go to the Roxy Bar with the Ramones after the party last night. I heard they had a lot of fun there." Jim told a piece of gossip circulating in the crew. There are always a lot of gossips in the crew, some true and some false. If you want to get along in the crew, you must prick up your ears. And make friends widely.
Ronald is not used to Jim's "Beatles" style long hair. He cut a shorter 3:7 split, but he hasn't shaved his beard for a long time since the filming of the movie started. Now he has a full beard. Although his image is similar to that of a "literary and artistic circle" person, he doesn't smoke with the crew (maybe they smoke other things), and he doesn't like to talk about spirituality, anti-nuclear, yoga... and other topics. So when it comes to gossip, he is not as well-informed as Jim.
"Well, it seems that the director will be late today," Ronald said, taking out the shooting log and handing it to Jim. Jim took it, and the two compared today's shooting arrangements and confirmed them one by one.
After checking the diary, Ronald took out a few pencil drawings and handed them to Jim.
"What is this?"
"The storyboards I drew last night." Ronald replied. These were the first three scenes of the movie that he drew according to the inspiration in his dream after waking up last night. Storyboard drawings, abbreviated as storyboards, are pictures of the contents described in the script, just like an enlarged picture book. Directors will use them as references, set shooting schedules, guide post-production editing, etc. If filming a movie is likened to building a house, then the storyboard drawings are the blueprints of the building.
Jim was very impressed and praised Ronald for his good drawings, saying that he could just follow them to shoot. The two were not ordinary assistants who came to do things, but wanted to enter the film industry through this. So they came early and left late, and observed and learned while making coffee.
The two directors saw this and did not regard the two as ordinary crew assistants. In addition to doing odd jobs, they also let the two participate in some filming-related matters.
Jim usually followed the director and observed the director explaining the scenes to the actors; Ronald was responsible for a lot of chores, such as organizing the rehearsal of the extras, filling in the shooting log, helping the director shout commands, recording the number of people eating lunch, etc. If there was time, the two directors would give them some tips and talk about shooting techniques and experiences. "The two directors haven't come yet. Today we have to take advantage of the light before and after sunrise to shoot. We have to prepare first, otherwise we will miss the shooting time window." Jim looked at the time on the shooting log and said. He always thought about problems as if he were a director.
"OK. Let's go and talk to the assistant director... Forget it, it's not very useful to find that obedient assistant director. Let's go find the director of photography first."
Ronald said and went with Jim to find the director of photography Dean Cundey.
The director of photography was the head of the photography team and was installing the camera arm with three strong guys under him.
Ronald asked, "Mr. Condie, the director hasn't arrived yet. If we don't start rehearsing now, we won't be able to catch up with the sunrise. Will the shooting be delayed?".
The director of photography was reluctant to answer such a basic question to the two assistants, but he had seen Ronald's magical performance yesterday, so he pursed his lips and signaled his first assistant photographer, who was also the focus puller and the chief camera pusher, a red-haired guy, to answer.
"Only 20 minutes before and after sunrise is called magic light. During this period, the sky is bright, but the sun is not shining directly, just like nature has helped you with the background lighting. After this time, you can't shoot that kind of picture."
"Then we must start preparing for the shooting now. I will go to coordinate the rehearsal with the extras, Jim will ask the three female protagonists to move, and Mr. Dean, you will start preparing the camera. Is this arrangement okay?" The bearded director of photography was not talkative and waved his hand to indicate his approval of Ronald's arrangement. Ronald looked at Jim, "OK!" Nearly 30 extras came today, all of whom were students from Van Nuys High School. The filming was of the opening of the high school, with the drama club, science club, football team and others setting up a stage to welcome the new students, and there were also some dancing scenes.
Ronald picked up the bullhorn and began to speak to the extras: "Boys and girls from Van Nuys High School! Thank you all for coming to "Shake..." and the filming of the "High School Life" movie. What we are going to shoot today is welcoming the new students. Are you all ready to show your faces on the screen?" "Ready!" "Okay, now I will divide you into groups. You, you,... stand over here; you, you... stand over here; those who wear skirts, two of you who wear skirts stand in the front row; those from the football team are here...; you, you, you, the four good-looking ones stand behind the stage of the drama club; those of you who look like academic masters and wear glasses stand in the science club...
Okay, do you all know your position?" "Those from the football team, just pick up one of our actors who plays the new student, and carry him along this road... The rest of you should talk to each other at your reserved booths."
"Let's rehearse it again..."
"Very good, remember, don't look at the camera! I repeat, everyone, don't look at the camera! We are shooting you talking to each other, not shooting you looking at the camera and smiling foolishly. If anyone looks at the camera, I will cut his picture, understand?".
"If you want to be in the movie, if you want your parents and your boyfriends and girlfriends to see your faces in the cinema, if you want to be the most popular person in the class, don't look at the camera! Let's practice it again..."
"Very good, now everyone go change clothes, girls go touch up your makeup. It's 5:45 now, I'll give you 10 minutes, 10 minutes later, that is 5:55, everyone wear the prescribed clothes and gather here." Temporarily disbanding the extras, Ronald hurried to the group of people gathered by the camera, "Who has seen the script supervisor? Has anyone seen the script supervisor Jenny?"
"Ronnie, I'm here." A female voice came from behind. Ronald turned around and saw Jenny holding the shooting log in one hand and writing in a large notebook with the other.
The script supervisor is also called the consistency supervisor, who is responsible for ensuring that the props and costumes of each scene are consistent to prevent mistakes. This is a meticulous job.
Ronald walked over, picked up the clapperboard, pointed at the words on it and lowered his voice: "Jenny, the title here needs to be changed. It can't be called 'Rock and Roll High School', it has to be called 'High School Life'."
(End of this chapter)