Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

"Today, I'm going to present the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award to my great co-star and good friend, Brock Peters. He now needs no defense from me, having starred in the two most recent Star Trek films. Admiral Cartwright, this also illustrates the progress of affirmative action in our country..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoosh..." After a burst of applause, Gregory Peck presented the trophy and certificate to the actor who starred in "To Kill a Mockingbird" on the stage at the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award Gala. The actor who plays the wrongly accused black man, Brock Peters.

"Gregory will always be a good friend of mine. Last year I got a few traffic tickets and needed a lawyer. I picked up the phone and called him..."

Everyone in the audience burst into laughter. Brock Peters is a very popular black actor. Many black people in the industry have received help and support from him. White people were also impressed by his performance in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Therefore, this is the first time that the Guild Award was awarded to a black actor, and he was selected as the winner. Ronald also clapped and laughed in the audience. He sent Gregory Peck to present the award because scenes of the actor who died of illness in "Other People's Money" were re-edited, requiring Peck to re-dubbing a line.

"Thank you for your kind words to Yimou." After the awards were given, Ronald personally drove Gregory Peck to his mansion.

The School of Film Technology and Arts was a little impatient that Yimou would not come. This kind of thing is not what a big organization like them likes. Ronald had a chat with Carl Malden, and the chairman was honest with him. Most of the directors had objections to this, and some even proposed to cancel his nomination.

After asking Director Wu to testify, Ronald persuaded Karl Malden that this was probably not Yimou's original intention. In order to persuade the old directors, Gregory Peck was also hired as a lobbyist.

Fortunately, Parker had deep connections among the older generation of Hollywood actors, had been to the mainland many times, and had maintained good friendships with the filmmakers there, so he readily agreed.

The dredging effect was good, and the college no longer cared about it. Ronald also asked Director Wu to find a way to get in touch with them and tell them not to do such rude things again. If you don’t want to participate, or if you don’t want a certain movie to participate, don’t submit it.

"You are very good. You don't have to think anything about these people. You can't rely on public relations to win an award. I was there when the first Oscars were held. The appointment of the boss of the film company is often useless. Waiting for the opportunity, When the time comes, they will come up to you and beg you to receive the award.”

Gregory Peck invited Ronald to sit in the garden of his home. He obviously saw Ronald's resentment about not being nominated for Best Director, and told some past Oscar gossip to comfort Ronald.

"I know it's hard to vote." Ronald accepted the old man's kindness. This year's Oscar for Best Director will most likely go to Martin Scorsese.

The most influential professional awards in the industry, such as the National Society of Film Critics Awards, awarded Best Director to Scorsese and praised it as another masterpiece since Taxi Driver and Raging Bull.

Of course, American associations are built from the bottom up. At first, film critics associations in various cities were established, and later there was a national film critics association. Therefore, although this association is called the National Association, its influence may not be as great as the film critics associations in individual cities such as New York and Los Angeles.

In addition to these two cities, there are Boston, Chicago, and even Dallas, where the Film Critics Association Awards have a certain degree of popularity.

The awards of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association have always been regarded as a compass for Hollywood because many people are closely related to Hollywood.

This time, they all turned to Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas." The film won Best Picture, Scorsese won Best Director, and Joe Pesci won Best Supporting Actor.

Kevin Costner lost in both Best Director and Best Actor. He even lost the Next Generation Filmmaker Award, which rewards newcomers, to Jane Campion, a New Zealand female director, and only won the third award. Two consolation prizes.

This award is somewhat similar to the Young Director Award or the Actor Award. It is a good encouragement for budding directors or actors, but for an already famous actor like Costner, this consolation award is actually of little significance. On the contrary, after not getting it, there was a sense of humiliation.

When presenting the award, Kevin Costner, who was dressed in a white suit and had a graceful demeanor, didn't show anything, but he still complained to Ronald for a while afterwards.

He said that he felt like he was back at Meg Tilly's house, because all the scenes he participated in were cut by the director, and he was insulted by the actors who appeared in "The Big Chill". There was even a line where the main cast members had A gift of cashmere scarf was not given to him in the evening.

Two frustrated people talked about the unsatisfactory aspects of life, and they were also filled with bitterness. Ronald took out the brandy imported from China, and the two of them drank one glass at a time.

"Hey, Hollywood is really a dog-eat-dog place. If you, Ronald, hadn't taken a fancy to me, I might have continued to be a carpenter for several years." Kevin Costner was having a good time drinking.

"Don't mention it. Back then, I was also a small director who no one wanted to invest in. I'm lucky to have a good actor like you willing to act."

"Hollywood is so big, but there are not many real friends..." Kevin Costner wanted to drink, but the bottle was empty, "More?"

"Good guy, I drank them all. I didn't bring back a few bottles from Paris... Well, there is also a box of spirits that Chinese people like to drink here. Do you want to try it?"

"What wine?"

Ronald pulled out a white porcelain bottle of Maotai from the wine cellar, with a five-pointed star logo on it. "Want something to try?" Ronald poured two glasses into the whiskey glass.

"What kind of wine is this?" Kevin Costner frowned when he smelled it.

"Let me tell you, when Dr. Kissing and Commander-in-Chief Richard went there,... and... they drank this at the state banquet. After they came back, I heard that only distinguished guests visiting the White House were served a small drink. "

"Ah, it is indeed a good wine." When I heard that it had such a good origin, I couldn't say anything bad. Kevin Costner took a quick sip.

"what……"

"Ah...it's really a good wine."

"well……"

Both of them were drunk at the end, so they couldn't say that they were not good drinkers. After drinking too much alcohol, my tongue was numb and I couldn't taste much, so I drank more than half of a bottle of white wine. Both of them were a little drunk.

"You can definitely win an Oscar. You have directed so many good movies. There is no precedent for the judges not to recognize good directors. Unlike us actors, many good actors have not won Oscars. Even Chaplin and Barbara Stanwyck nothing."

"You can definitely win an Oscar. Hollywood likes your appearance best. I'm sure you will win it."

"You take it first."

"No, you take it first."

Ronald and Costner were holding Moutai bottles as if they were holding Oscar statuettes, pushing each other to each other. But when the other party really wants to take it, they are reluctant to let it go.

"What's wrong with the two of them? Are they like kids in kindergarten, grabbing each other's toys?" Costner's wife came home after missing her husband, so she made a phone call and came here.

"I don't know that they still have such a side." Diane covered her face.

"Men are all children. Hum..."

Finally, it was Costner's wife, Cindy, who, with the help of a maid, dragged her husband into the car and drove him home.

……

"Are you awake?"

Early the next morning, Diane looked at Ronald who had a headache in bed and quickly brought him lemonade to sober him up.

"What did I do yesterday? Why can't I remember it at all?"

"You were drinking with Costner last night and they were both crying over not having an Oscar."

"Nonsense, I have an Oscar statuette, and it's still at my aunt's house in New York."

"Your song is the best original song, and it has nothing to do with the director." Diane covered her mouth and smiled. Ronald was actually a little uncomfortable inside, and he was drunk just to vent it out.

"I didn't really cry, did I? Not really, not really..."

"Then you have to bring back another little golden man, and you have to put one at home." Diane also picked up the phone and asked the kitchen to send a Chinese breakfast.

"Well, you'd better go to New York. Ang Lee's film is on. You have to go and see it. By the way, there's also the New York Film Critics Association awards there. Let's see how lucky you are there. In fact, every year the New York Film Critics Association awards The compass effect is more accurate than the one in Los Angeles.”

Seeing that Ronald was feeling uncomfortable, Diane let him go to New York to relax. “Oh my god, how come my Moutai was drunk...” Ronald just picked up the porridge and saw the open bottle of Moutai on the table. This was given by the leader after the women's volleyball team won the championship, and I didn't have many bottles.

Diane could only roll her eyes...

……

In Staten Island, New York, not far from Ronald's home, there is an old wooden house, which was used as the filming location for the house where the young couple lived in "Push Hand".

Ang Lee stood there, wearing a suit. Today was the first time since his graduation that he picked up the guide tube of a theater movie. He was very energetic.

Ronald was watching him from the side, observing his directing skills. He learned this from Roger Corman, observing the director's quality on the first day of filming, and then deciding how to handle it and how much power to give him.

Ang Lee chatted with the director of photography for a long time, and the actors also came to rehearse before finalizing the storyboard.

"Action!"

Helen Slater in the foreground, with Long Xiong practicing Tai Chi in the background. This is a special scene that reflects the differences between Chinese and Western cultures. Lao Zhu, played by Langxiong, finally came to America and lived with his son and daughter-in-law. Because the wooden house is not soundproofed, the work and rest times are different, which creates conflicts.

It is normal for two generations to have conflicts because of their different living habits. If they are both Chinese or foreigners, it is not difficult to resolve them.

But because of Chinese culture, the old father believed that direct communication from the younger generation was disrespectful. In fact, both of them are not bad people and are very kind, but due to various conflicts, their son is pinched in the middle.

"Cut!"

Ronald stood in the back and nodded frequently. From the first shot Ang Lee took, you could tell that he was extraordinary. Whether the director has artistic ability can be clearly seen in one or two shots. With such a simple shot, he can also design it to make the audience realize that the biggest barrier between the two sides is cultural differences.

Some directors are instigating a few minutes of shooting, but they may not be able to express the scene clearly. Ang Lee can let the audience understand it immediately with one shot. This is magic and talent.

It seems that I don't have to worry anymore, I just need to delegate the power to him.

After staying for a while, Ronald ran to the rest trailer and waited for Helen Slater to come over while she was resting. The two hadn't seen each other for a long time, but when they met today, maybe it was because they were happy, and Helen's acting skills seemed to have improved to a higher level.

However, after waiting for a long time, Helen did not come, so Ronald ran to the scene again. Is Ang Lee so diligent? Don't tire out the actors.

When I arrived at the scene, I saw that Ang Lee was talking to Lang Xiong and Helen Slater again. This is a relatively complex movement shot. The camera first focuses on the two people, and then pans to the other side, where the daughter-in-law played by Helen is in her room, and the father played by Langxiong is on the other side.

This is another metaphor, Eastern and Western cultures, just in the east and west bedrooms.

However, this shot was shot several times but was not captured properly. In addition to the actors' coordination, the movement of the camera itself is also quite complex. First, you need to shoot at a hyperfocal distance, then pan, add a mid-range shot and a moving image, and then change the focus drastically.

There are many places here that need to be clearly explained to the audience, which tests the director's scheduling ability and the technical ability of the camera crew.

Ronald soon discovered that this crew didn't have much money, and the people they hired actually had technical skills that might not be enough for such a complicated movement. And Ang Lee doesn't have much experience in directing complex scenes, so he is a bit overwhelmed.

"Ahem..." Ronald coughed twice. Suddenly the scene fell silent, and everyone looked at him, as if he was the director of the scene.

This is not good. Ronald immediately smiled and said, "The morning's shooting was very good. This crew is one of the best small-budget film crews I have ever seen. But I said, is it time for a break? Our budget is very small." It’s enough, it seems like there’s no need to rush, and it wouldn’t be good if the union observers saw that we were violating the rest regulations.”

"Hahaha……"

Suddenly everyone laughed. Ronald also handed Ang Lee a cup of black tea, and then motioned for him to say a few words alone.

"How do you feel? It's been a long time since I've seen a director who was so calm when making a movie for the first time. You're very good."

"Hey, I'm actually quite nervous."

"What are you afraid of? As long as you show confidence, they will respect you."

Under Ronald's deliberate praise, Ang Lee's confidence was greatly enhanced.

"Do you have any suggestions? I feel that some complex scenes are still a bit difficult." The unique Chinese humility in him emerged again.

"You did a great job, I can't complain. But if you find it difficult to move the camera, you might as well use some still shots, you know, even Billy Wilder, in his early movies It also has a lot of still shots and relies on post-production editing.”

"I will consider it." Ang Lee knew, but, but, the following is the key point.

Soon, he re-storyboarded it. A complex moving shot was split into three still shots. Putting the camera outside the door and filming the scene with the two actors through the window replaced the complex movement of the camera to express the cultural divide.

With the fixed pane dividing the two people, the cultural gap between the two is presented in the frame formed by the pane. In fact, the expressiveness is no worse than the original plan.

……

"It's Marty who won the award again. It seems that his Oscar for Best Director this year is very secure."

Helen Slater couldn't leave the set at night, and Ronald was here to keep her company. Ronald was in the hotel, talking to Richard on the phone. The just-awarded New York Film Critics Circle Awards were also announced.

Robert De Niro won the best actor, Scorsese won the best director, Joanne Woodward won the best actress, and Goodfellas won the best movie...

The New York awards, Dances with Wolves, and Costner didn't even come in second place. completely annihilated.

New York's Oscar compass is all focused on the Italian gang this time.

"Huh, they just like to give awards to filmmakers born in New York. I think Scorsese won the award this time. Next time they should favor you." Helen is more familiar with the New York film circle and she can tell at a glance. problem lies in.

Even veteran movie queens like Joanne Woodward were awarded the Best Actress award. It's all just for the sake of fellow villagers. The current New York film scene is getting further and further away from Hollywood.

"Well, this is just a compass. There are also the Boston Film Critics Circle, the Writers Guild Awards, and the Directors Guild Awards, which are also very compass-like."

Ronald stopped thinking about the troubles, turned over, hugged Helen and kissed her.

……

"The Boston Film Critics Society Awards were announced, and Marty Scorsese won the Best Director Award. Best Picture went to Goodfellas, and Best Actor and Actor went to Jeremy Irons and Anjelica Huston respectively. get."

Sure enough, Helen's statement was confirmed, and Boston no longer favored actors born in New York. But Goodfellas still won two awards: Best Picture and Best Director.

The next Writers Guild Award, jointly presented by the New York and Los Angeles Writers Guilds, awarded the Best Adapted Screenplay to Michael Blake for "Dances with Wolves". This is also the first time a film in which Ronald participated has been recognized by the Compass Awards.

The best original screenplay went to Rain Man director Barry Levinson, who wrote and directed his new film Avalon. The screenwriter of Ghost and Pretty Woman has never been better than Barry Levinson.

This result is even more directional. Screenwriters generally prefer a famous director like Barry Levinson. Bruce Joel Rubin and L. Lawton are both unknown screenwriters. The Writers Guild itself doesn't like them very much.

Ronald, who returned to Los Angeles, no longer had high hopes for his few movies. He edited "Other People's Money" in the editing room and left the public relations and awards matters entirely to Michael Gray.

"The Directors Guild, we would like to invite Ronald Lee to attend this year's Directors Guild Awards."

One day when he returned home, Ronald saw an invitation from the union. This is one of the last few Compass awards as the Oscars approach.