Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Gary Tierges was the director of photography on the film "Sticky Fingers," directed by Kathryn Bigelow. He mainly makes a living as a photographer on small-budget films and advertising projects, and as a second-unit photographer on some large projects.

Bigelow, Helen and Ronald say Gary Tirchis is more impressive as a photographer than a photographer.

Low-cost productions often have to rent second-hand equipment. Many very old cameras have many mechanical problems. He can use them very smoothly with just a few fiddles.

What Bigelow will never forget the most is that Gary Tierchis made a camera attachment himself. After adding it, it will be very convenient when shooting long shots of sports.

Before the crew started shooting, Ronald had to finish the long aerial shots at the beginning and the end. Gary Tierchis was invited by him to jointly discuss the issue of stabilization of heavy aerial cameras.

When Ronald was filming "Top Gun" before, he encountered a big problem with aerial photography. That time it was because it was impossible to use any bracket to fix the camera outside the fighter jet flying at high speed to capture the aircraft's own image.

Later, Grumman engineers modified the aircraft's camera gun and installed an ultra-small camera in the cockpit to solve the problem.

The difficulty of using a helicopter to take aerial photography this time is different from the last time using a jet. On a helicopter that is constantly moving, it is necessary to ensure that the focus of the aerial photography lens is as close as possible to the Statue of Liberty in the center of the screen.

The camera stabilizer (Steadicam) commonly used in film shooting can only solve the jitter problem caused by the photographer's own up and down movement. In this aerial photography, the jitter in the picture was mainly caused by the acceleration of the helicopter's hovering.

So the effect of using a Steadicam on a helicopter is just to slightly stabilize the camera lens. Keeping the Statue of Liberty always in the center of the picture still depends on the photographer's own strength and experience. When shooting with the hatch open, the wind at high altitude is a great test for the photographer.

"In the long shot at the beginning of Sticky Fingers, we needed to keep the center aligned with Helen's footsteps in the long shot that was constantly moving. Then after more than ten seconds of tracking, we had to perform a push-and-pull operation to move the camera back to her and her A close-up shot of the other heroine’s upper body, and finally a full-body mid-shot.”

Gary Tierchis used a viewfinder to simulate the motion of the camera. Explain your little invention to Ronald.

"We laid the track. When filming, the camera was not directly fixed on the rail car, but a cross slide rail was used, which gave it two-dimensional freedom and allowed it to perform push-pull and pan movements within a certain range. , while doing the action, always follow the movement and rotation of the target.”

Gary Tierchis used a small cross-shaped slide on the viewfinder

"So, this thing can help us always aim at the target of motion tracking in the general direction, and then also make the camera push, pull and pan in a small range?" Ronald figured it out, "Your system, generally Can photographers do it? Or does it require special training?”

"In physics, this is a superposition of two action systems. Of course, our operation will not be so complicated, just like..." Gary Tierchis thought about how to explain, "Do you have a dog? Walk it. When he is a dog, he will follow you. This is his main movement. Then he will look back and forth to see if there are other dogs. This is his own small range of freedom.”

"But a dog doesn't need to understand physics to follow me?"

Ronald was not at ease, so he asked Gary Tierchis to install the system on a pickup truck of the crew, fixed his Sony camera on the system, and then asked the driver to drive out and follow Little Bud in front of him. .

I took a lot of experimental footage on the road, and when I returned to the hotel, Ronald played it on the video recorder, and sure enough, the footage was perfect. There is no shake in the picture, and the Mercedes-Benz driven by Little Bud is always in the center of the picture.

Then Ronald pushed, pulled, and moved himself, which was also well reflected on the screen. Finally, Ronald used a zoom to zoom directly to the back of little Bud's head. The picture is always very stable.

And Ronald had no difficulty when operating it by himself. The weight of the camera is borne by Gary Tierges's little invention. You can move the camera by yourself with only a small amount of force.

Photographers can focus all their energy on how to frame and focus. People like Ronald who are not professional cinematographers can still shoot very good pictures.

In this way, when taking aerial photography, you no longer have to rely solely on the photographer's arm strength to move the camera, but use his arms to keep the camera's movement trajectory smooth and stable.

"What a useful invention. Have you applied for a patent?" Ronald decided to rent this system for aerial photography.

"Yes, I just applied for a patent. If possible in the future, I would like to open a company to manufacture this kind of machine and rent it to photographers. You know, camera stabilizers (Steadicam) are a big business now, almost everyone The crew will use it. The applicability of this thing is not that strong, but it is not a problem to start a small business. I am a member of the Cinematographers Association.”

"Oh, then you can add the name of ASC."

Ronald said to himself that he never expected that Gary Tierchis, who was making a low-budget film, could also join the American Cinematographers Association. This was a remarkable achievement for his career as a photographer.

The American Society of Cinematographers is not a labor union, but an honorary technical association. Members do not organize strikes, but exchange cinematography techniques with each other.

In the early days, the association was established to solve the problem of white streaks on the screen due to static electricity in the camera. Later, the first famous Chinese-American cinematographer in Hollywood, James Huang, invented a technology that made blonde and blue-eyed actors no longer look empty in the black-and-white film era.

This technology also benefited many blonde and blue-eyed beauties and handsome men, making the monopoly of brown-haired and brown-eyed beauties in Hollywood a thing of the past.

Since James Huang, the Cinematographers Association began to publish the "Cinematographers Manual" for reference by photographers in the industry. Every time the technology is upgraded, it will be revised. Now it is the fifth edition of the modern republished manual.

To join this association, you must have served as a cinematographer for feature films for the past five years, and you also need the recommendation of three cinematographers associations. Generally, only senior cinematographers will use the qualification of adding the words ASC (abbreviation of member of the Society of Cinematographers) after the subtitle name.

But Gary Tilches is a technical inventor, so it shouldn't be difficult to find an introducer.

"But it takes a lot of money to produce this kind of equipment. I'm still working as a photographer to make money. When I raise enough money, I'll entrust a prop manufacturer in Hollywood to produce it, and let my wife open a rental store in Burbank. I personally prefer to be a cinematographer."

"If that's all you want, I can help you realize your dream in advance." Ronald smiled. Isn't this a good opportunity for industrialization?

"Maybe you don't know that many crews and Broadway use flashlights that are produced by my company. I also produce new tapes for editing. If you're willing, we can cooperate, with your technology and the production capacity of my Staten Island factory.

You want to use technology to invest, or collect patent fees for each piece of equipment. We can let the lawyer come up with a condition that is beneficial to both of us."

"Oh yeah? So you produced that flashlight? Many low-cost horror films like to use it now, and it's much brighter than the original flashlight." Gary Tilches had seen that thing in the crew. It flashed for a while, and it was not much different from the sunlight during the day.

"Yes, we are still improving the technology and preparing to upgrade the high-voltage devices. By next year, we can produce a lightning that can produce satisfactory effects on film even in the daytime."

"That's great. I'll let my lawyer come and discuss the agreement with your lawyer. I just want to have such a factory to help me take care of all production issues." He shook hands with Ronald again to confirm the cooperation.

"Do you need my help with your aerial photography this time? I am most familiar with my inventions." Gary Tilchis was in a good mood and began to help.

"Which regional union are you from? 644 or 666?" Ronald asked. He also wanted an inventor to help him operate this small machine.

"I am 666 in the Los Angeles area."

"Sorry, this movie is the territory of 644, the New York Photographers Union."

"Understood." Gary Tilchis stood up and said goodbye to Ronald.

The code name Ronald mentioned is actually the code of the local technical trade unions under the International Alliance of Theater Stage Employees. This is different from the ASC association that Gary Tilches said he joined. This 666 is a union with the same nature as the Actors Guild and has compulsory power.

Unlike the three national union organizations of directors, screenwriters, and actors, the unions of technical workers are all local, and then the local unions join the International Union of Theatre Stage Employees, a large alliance composed of all technical and behind-the-scenes unions, to protect their rights.

Why are there differences between the national and local levels of these two types of unions?

This is because, in the budget table of Hollywood producers, there is a horizontal line in the middle of the salary budget to distinguish between two types of personnel.

One type is on the horizontal line, called online workers. They are three types of people, screenwriters, directors, and actors. These people need to make a budget before filming, and their remuneration cannot be simply measured by working hours.

In other words, these people are artists and creators. The price of one person acting for a day may be much higher than that of another person acting for a week.

For example, in Working Girl, although Melanie Griffith is the number one character in the movie. But her salary was only $800,000, far less than the $1.5 million of the second female lead Sigourney Weaver, and not even comparable to Harrison Ford's $6 million.

And these remunerations are often determined by the box office of the film, whether there are additional dividends and bonuses. The film is screened nationwide, and the dividends received by the stars and the remaining dividends of the union distributed to other ordinary actors are all percentages of national income.

In this way, these three types of work are combined into a national union.

Most of the people who are decentralized are not artists, and their wages can basically be simply calculated according to their working hours and their own level. Including but not limited to photographers, sound engineers, makeup rooms, costume designers, prop masters, stuntmen, and even the crew's production staff have special unions.

The photographers are in the three major regional unions. The code for New York is 644, and Los Angeles happens to be assigned 666, which many people think is the devil's code. This is very consistent with many movie photographers deciding whether the heroine is beautiful or ugly.

Because "Working Girl" was filmed in New York, the photography team invited local union members in New York. Gary Tilches of Los Angeles 666 could not participate in the project production without permission.

Anyway, this aerial shot was completed by a special photographer, the second group who often engaged in aerial photography, so Ronald did not go to the trouble of asking Gary Tilches to join.

On the day of the scheduled shooting, it was a rare good day, just like the weather conditions in history. The sun shone on the water outside Manhattan, shining with layers of golden light, which was very poetic.

Seven o'clock in the morning was just the best time for shooting. Ronald was waiting for the photographer at the helicopter landing pad. Gary Tilches had already installed the bracket in advance. Ronald went up and operated it himself, and the equipment was debugged very well.

The driver was still the old man wearing sunglasses. He was very familiar with Ronald and handed him a cup of instant coffee.

"Thank you..." Ronald took a sip. It was really comfortable to have a sip of hot drink in winter.

"Where is your photographer?" asked the driver.

"Isn't he here?" Ronald pointed at the local union's aerial photography expert who was walking over.

The man was big and strong, about the same height as Ronald, and he was a good hand who could carry a camera.

"Director, we can't shoot today." But what the man said was very unpleasant.

"Can't shoot, what the hell are you talking about?" Ronald frowned. Why is this movie so unsuccessful? Let's hear his reasons first.

"This is the regulation of the New York Photographers' Union. The wind speed exceeds the standard. If you shoot aerially, it is risky for the photographer to open the cabin door in such a strong wind. This is for our safety."

Seeing Ronald's bad face, the photographer added, "In this temperature, the strong wind will not only make the helicopter unstable, but also make our body temperature drop. We will definitely shiver, and I'm afraid it won't be usable after shooting."

"Don't worry, I installed this good thing." Ronald took him to the front of the helicopter and pointed to the installed cross device - Ronald named it "dog head" for commercialization.

"With this, you don't have to worry about shaking." Ronald looked at the pilot again, "Can you fly today?"

"No problem, our pilots will not stop flying because of this wind speed. You know when I was in the army, the machine gunner had to open the hatch to operate the Gatling."

"See? This rule is probably for the previous shoulder-mounted shooting. Now with this thing, this wind speed will not pose an additional risk." Director of photography Michael Ballhaus also helped to speak.

Ballhaus wanted to go up by himself, but according to the rules of the 644 and 666 unions, the director of photography himself could not touch the machine. He could only do the overall artistic control. There must be a special job to operate the camera.

"I can't do it. If you force me to go, I will call the union representative. Sorry, director, this is not a personal grudge. If we violate the union rules, we will be reported. We may be kicked out of the union and have no jobs in the future."

"BullShxt!" Ronald cursed. There are only a few people here. Who will report to the union?

"Michael, are you a union member?"

"I'm not 644, but I also joined the union in Germany and enjoy the same treatment as members of the International Union of Photographers. But who cares, I'll take pictures for you." Michael Ballhaus said.

The Photographers Union is different. Perhaps it's because Hollywood introduced many European photographers in the early days, so it is the only American film practitioners' union with the word "International" in front of its name.

Michael Ballhaus is nominally treated the same as the International Union of Photographers, but if he breaks the rules, 644 can't punish him with coercive measures.

"You can't do this, it's against the rules." The photographer shouted loudly in the back.

"Who cares about you?" Ronald was so angry that he said.

The two prepared for a while, and Michael Ballhaus became familiar with the operation of the dog head and praised it.

Just when the two were about to take off for aerial photography, the photographer and another man in a suit and carrying a briefcase came over.

"Hello, I am a representative of the 644th Union. I received a report that a foreign photographer is violating the union regulations and is going to take aerial photos in wind speeds exceeding the standard. According to the union law in New York, we have the right to prohibit his behavior."

"E on, he is not your member?" Ronald was anxious, and he jumped off the helicopter and shouted at him.

"Sir, I am not saying this casually. This is the law of America and New York State. For people who do the same job in other states or foreign countries, we have the right to give them priority in work when there are other employees with the same qualifications. What you did is against the law of New York State. You can choose to wait for a less windy time to shoot. You just lose some costs."

"I..." Ronald was anxious. The best shooting time was about to come. "This is not a matter of money. I applied to the New York City Hall for two months for this half-day helicopter aerial photography! I don't know how long it will take to apply again."

"Sorry, if you want Mr. Ballhaus, a photographer with the same qualifications as our members, to get on the helicopter, I will call 911 and ask them to stop your illegal behavior."

"Fuck you!" Ronald gestured to the camera.

"Fuck you!" The photographer responded with a smirk. Anyway, shooting was not allowed, and the salary had to be paid.

"The law is the law. I'm sorry and sympathize with you. But someone reported it to us, so we must protect the legal rights and interests of union members. Mr. Ballhaus has the same qualifications as our members..." This union representative often deals with such things. As an old-fashioned person, he knows that there are many interests involved in such things. He just wants to handle things impartially.

"So, if there is someone who doesn't have the same qualifications, it doesn't count as stealing his job, right?" Ronald took out sunglasses from his pocket and put them on himself.

"Hey, you're violating the rules!" The photographer was anxious.

"Fuck you!" I don't have the qualifications. I just went up to test the equipment.

Ronald got on the plane, fastened his seat belt, patted the driver's seat, and signaled the pilot to take off.

The rumbling rotor turned quickly, and the helicopter took off from the ground with a force.

"Just like that, just like that, circle around the Statue of Liberty, fly a spiral, and then fly towards the ferry." Ronald whispered to the pilot in the headset.

The retired pilot flew very steadily, and Ronald happily completed the shooting task.

"Thank you, you flew very well."

After landing, Ronald said goodbye to the pilot, and the director of photography Ballhaus came to ask Ronald about the situation.

"The equipment was debugged very well..." Ronald smiled.

"He has left, and the union representative said that a fine may be issued."

"I don't care about him so much, as long as I can take pictures. It is not easy to get a permit for aerial photography in downtown Manhattan, and the helicopter rental fee is also very expensive. They can think of not letting them fly when the wind is a little strong."

Ronald cursed.

"Ronald..."

Someone was calling him, and Ronald turned around and saw Sigourney Weaver sitting in the car, greeting him.

"Just right, you're on time." Ronald looked at Sigourney Weaver, who was wearing a very nice snow-white mink coat. She had just returned from Kenya to reshoot the gorilla expert's biopic, and was just in time to shoot the first shot of "Working Girl".

"A!"

The team was ready, and a camera crew prepared the camera, aiming the lens at the helicopter whose rotors were still spinning.

Sigourney Weaver got off the helicopter, holding a very large gorilla doll that was more than one person tall. Holding the doll, she also pinched the doll's neck with her hand and turned it sideways according to Ronald's request.

"Cut!"

To make the best use of it, Ronald took the time to shoot this shot.

"Why such a big gorilla?" Sigourney Weaver asked with a smile.

"To celebrate your return from filming the gorilla expert." Ronald replied with a smile. He bought it from the most famous doll shop in Manhattan, and it was very expensive.

"No, you must have other reasons. Is it about the characteristics of the character of Catherine? Do you want to remind me?"

"Think about it yourself." Ronald replied with a smile.

"I thought of it..." Sigourney Weaver, who had been thinking about what Ronald wanted to remind her after returning to the hotel, had a dream after falling asleep and woke up with a scream.

"I thought of it, Ronald is really amazing, it turns out that he wants to find inspiration from the classic movie King Kong."