Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"It's interesting, I didn't expect this kind of good stuff out there."

Ronald brought in the technically imaginative Walter Murch to work on improving the Lightning Lamp.

Murch turned to the back of the lightning machine, set a time sequence of lightning, and then flipped the switch to light up the entire room.

"The lightning at night can be simulated well, and the high voltage of 50,000 volts is still a little insufficient. My engineer is going to transform it into 80,000 volts of alternating current."

"The most important thing for this kind of equipment used in the field is to be solid. It is best to make the power supply interface thicker and put on rain protection. Your lightning lamp will take a long time to dissipate heat, and you can consider adding it to the lampshade. A few metal sheets that dissipate heat can block rain and increase heat dissipation."

Walter Murch himself is a master at modifying equipment and machines. Under his guidance, the engineers soon had new ideas and went to prepare for the modification.

"I got two prototypes from there, and then I went to a lighting factory to make some AC models. This time, I happened to take it to Hawaii to try it out in the new film. If it's good, you can introduce me to some business. "

"Hahaha, I don't need it. The director will like your stuff." Walter Murch smiled. The director likes to use some special equipment, so that his crew can shoot some scenes that others can't. This was the case when the previous Steadicam camera stabilizer was launched. Many people did not have a lightning scene. I am afraid that they will add a scene to use this lightning lamp.

"Francis will come later, we'll know if we ask him."

Walter Murch has temporarily put aside his dream of directing and started earning money to support his family since his debut film "Back to Oz" was not a hit at the box office. On the one hand, Ronald asked him to come up with ideas, and on the other hand, he also meant to give him some extra income.

"The famous Hollywood actress, Lock Hudson's friend Elizabeth Taylor, said that she will hold a star charity meeting, and she will invite her friends in the circle to participate. The audience who go to the Los Angeles Stadium will have the opportunity to have close contact with the stars."

The latest news came on the TV.

After a few days of precipitation, a large number of mosquito coils were purchased and distributed. Now the stars are very panic, and many people secretly flew to the University of Maryland and the University of Baltimore, two places where blood tests can be done.

High-end clinics in Los Angeles are also quickly introducing testing technology.

"What the hell is going on here? Walter, you live in San Francisco, is there any reliable news?" Richard was also panicked, and he asked Walter Murch for advice.

"Indeed, there are a lot of men's bathrooms in San Francisco, and there are a lot of people who are recruited. I heard that it is easier for men and men to spread, and on the contrary, it is very rare for men and women to have normal relationships. And there is a rumor that it is basically fine with safety measures. "

"Really? You can rest assured if you say that." Ronald was about to put away the lightning lamp when Coppola's hearty laughter came from outside.

"Huh, Walter, you're here too, just in time."

Several people hugged each other and greeted each other. They were all old friends and old friends. Ronald asked Coppola, who was very happy sitting down and drinking wolfberry tea, and asked, "What the hell is going on with that project?"

"It was a short film for a new project at Disneyland, shot on 65 film with Disney's newest 3 camera"

"?" Murch called next to him. This is a Canadian invented film format, 65 film.

"No, it's a widescreen, 22-to-1 aspect ratio," Coppola replied. "It's a new technology developed by Disney, and only two 3 cameras have been built."

Ronald had no experience with 3 technology, so he had to sit beside and listen to two tech madmen talk about ancient times.

It turned out to be mainly a 145:1 aspect ratio, and not necessarily a 3 shot.

"This is a project that George Lucas got, but he wanted to work on his new film, so he found me. I also took the new film Peggy Sue to get married, and it was already in the preparatory stage, so I thought of you Ronald. , you also come to take a share,

You know Eisner well anyway, and he won't object. "

Of course Ronald agreed, this kind of thing, even if the three axes of Coppola, Lucas and Ronald are combined to make money from Disney. Eisner didn't object anyway.

With more than 20 million shooting funds, as long as a short film of less than 20 minutes is shot, the total cost is more than one million yuan per minute, setting a record for the most expensive film shooting in Hollywood.

"But it's time for a new film, and I have to go to Hawaii to shoot. Why not?" Ronald tilted his head and gestured to Walter Murch.

"Would you like to? A short film, the director's signature is that Ronald and I have joined together, and I can give you a technical title. Of course, the remuneration is generous." Coppola knew that Murch had never given up his dream of directing.

"Of course, the most important thing for me right now is to make money."

In a few words, the cooperation and fraudulent money was finalized. Coppola stood up satisfied, took the mosquito coils and wolfberry from Bard, and was ready to leave.

"What kind of lamp are you? Haven't seen it before?" Coppola saw the AC version of the lightning lamp that had been improved by engineers on the ground.

"I'll show you the demo, don't blink your eyes." Ronald is particularly keen to get to the salesman now.

"Whoa"

"Huh, this simulates lightning? It's too bright." Coppola was tricked by Ronald, and looked at the light bulb with wide eyes, and his eyes were flashed by the bright light.

"You're renting this thing, right? Why don't you use it for me?" Coppola remembered that in the new film, Peggy Su was going to travel back to high school, and the scene of lightning and thunder was very appropriate.

"I only have two prototypes. I'll take one and leave the other. You can call Nisita if you want."

"Okay, not bad, not bad. You are indeed Walter's apprentice. Our filmmakers in San Francisco like to innovate in equipment. George also recently praised you, saying that your casting vision is very poisonous, and several heroines you recommended are all very suitable."

Coppola looked left and right next to the lightning light again, and experimented with programming and flipping switches several times. He laughed so hard that he was able to get the magic lightning first. The new film will definitely be able to compare others. The family has to praise themselves again.

"Hey? Your lamp is a xenon lamp, right?"

Coppola saw the shape of the light tube and thought of the white light with good color rendering he emitted, and suddenly asked Ronald.

"Yeah, the long arc xenon lamp, this is my exclusive product. Except for me, only the Solver Alliance may sell it in the world, but their products are not as good as mine, and the price is also expensive." Ronald began to boast. Fan.

"Do you have extra bulbs? There just happens to be a place to use them."

"This is the 3-camera?" It was Ronald's turn to fumble around in surprise.

"Yes, the angle of the two cameras side by side is the angle of the human eye. The film taken in this way has a slightly different angle. Using polarizers, after restoration in the cinema, you can see the three-dimensional scene."

Coppola introduced him to the latest Disney 3 widescreen camera.

"Look here," Coppola pointed to the camera to show Ronald.

This camera is very interesting. He has two openings for the film magazine. After loading 11 minutes of full film, the whole camera is a bit like Mickey Mouse's two big ears.

"Because it has to accommodate two camera systems, and they are very close together, the light bulbs here often overheat. I think you are using a very rare long-arc xenon lamp. If you have stock, give Disney engineers a try, can you solve this problem? overheating problem.

It turns out that this machine will overheat after 20 minutes of shooting, and it needs to rest for 10 minutes. If you use a xenon lamp like yours, which is easier to control, you may not need to take a break from overheating.

I'm just tired of patting and stopping like this, so I don't want to direct it myself. "

Soon, the engineer from Daydream, brought in by Ronald, had a speculative chat with Steve Hines, who was in charge of Disney's 3 project.

"Mr. Li, not only the camera, but also in the projection hall of Disneyland, we also need your xenon lamp as projection light, we can achieve higher brightness and better playback effect. I wonder if you can supply it for a long time. ?"

"Of course no problem, we are the exclusive supplier to America and can supply Disneyland for a long time."

Ronald rubbed his hands together, another long-term deal.

"Ronald," Walter Murch pulled him aside after seeing that he had negotiated a supply agreement with Disney.

"I've never worked with a superstar like this, is he easy to work with? What should I watch out for?"

"Hey, this, I actually haven't worked with him too much. But he's a bit like a child, and he often likes superheroes in comics, so it shouldn't be difficult to cooperate. Even if he has a temper, you should coax him like a child. "

"Hello. Xiaoyan? You asked the factory manager in Minhang to work overtime. I need a lot of goods here, or long-term supply."

"What? They don't want to work overtime? Why can I pay a bonus?"

"Not in line with the system? Can't pay bonuses? What, what do you say? Give me some mung bean soup? Give me some pork tickets? Cloth tickets? Sugar tickets? Help me get it done, and I'll send the money to you."

After finalizing the production and supply agreement, Ronald said to the newly recruited script assistant David Simkins, "You can help me screen slowly. If you have a good script, fax it over."

Next door to Roger Coleman in West Hollywood, Ronald, who rented a few offices, put his assistants to work here first, and was adding various office supplies. We also rented a large house as a warehouse, long-arc xenon lamp bulbs, and lightning lamp products, which will be placed here in the future, and some technicians will be recruited to follow the equipment to the crew to operate.

In the future, the lightning lights produced by his factory, like the Steadicam camera stabilizer, are only rented and not sold.

"Hey, Ronald, I heard from Francis that you have a lightning effect light? I'm going to use it for the new film. You can save me some when the time comes."

George Lucas heard about Coppola's new toy and called to ask for it.

"No problem, when you turn it on, my new model is ready to use. You can use as many as you want. I will send the technicians with the highest level of operation to your crew."

"Business is good, Doug. Your Staten Island factory is going to be ramped up. I guess the rental business of the Lightning Lamp will be good after Lucas's new film is released."

Ronald called Little Douglas. The Staten Island Lightning Lighting Factory, jointly established by the two of them, has already selected the land and started recruiting engineers and personnel to customize the lampshade from the lighting factory and the control panel from the electronics factory. The assembly business can begin.