NOVEL NEXT Exploiting Hollywood 1980.
Chapter 49 Ronald Lee Audition Portrait Studio
Chapter 49 Ronald Lee Audition Portrait Studio
After a few days of repairing at his aunt's house, Ronald went to the Richmond Savings Bank in town to pay off a one-time $[-] housing loan.
It happened that the account manager was Ronald's high school classmate, and he extended the remaining repayment plan, so that Aunt Karen could pay a lot less money every month.
However, the tuition fee for the first year of New York University is 3300 US dollars, plus rent, books, and equipment rental fees that are essential for film majors, and Ronald's savings are about to shrink sharply.
The immediate priority is to reopen the portrait studio in Manhattan.
I found a real estate agent in the classifieds section of the New York Times.Ronald called and talked about his needs: 1. Near New York University. 2 There must be a room for photography.
The agent came to pick up Ronald at the ferry pier the next afternoon, and showed him three listings in one go.
The first is a studio in Soho, a 1200-square-foot (110-square-meter) studio that costs $1250 a month.
It's a whole big empty room, perfect for a real photography studio.However, it is not suitable for both commercial and residential use.Besides, the rent is also expensive, and the pressure of doing business every month is not small.
The second is a small apartment in Brooklyn, with two bedrooms and one living room.Rent is only $2 per month.Although the distance is a bit far, there is a subway connection, and it is only a few stops to New York University.
The agent boasted that it was a historic house, and the landlord also equipped it with a modern kitchen and bathroom.
Ronald felt that the rent was cheap, so he was a little tempted, and agreed to go to the site to have a look, but was disappointed.
It turns out that modern decoration means that the gas and hot water are connected, and the sense of history means that the house is already very dilapidated, and water leaks on rainy days, leaving traces on the walls.
The third house is on the east side of New York University, at the junction of NOHO and East Village, an artist apartment on 2nd Avenue.The house is also older, but well maintained, and it is a three-room apartment.
Outside the door are restaurants opened by various ethnic minorities, including Jewish, Italian, Ukrainian, Japanese, and Chinese.
Across the road is a Kodak printing shop, next to a deli, grocery store, life is very convenient.Wells Fargo is a block away.Ronald fell in love with the environment here immediately.
The house was a low-rent house built by the government for the poor in the past, but now it has become a rental apartment, so instead of paying attention to the rational layout, pay attention to the rate of occupancy.
The intermediary said that this type of room is called a train apartment, just like three train boxes, the three rooms are connected back and forth, without corridors and entrances.It's the same as the shotgun room at my aunt's house.
The entrance is a house that Ronald intends to use as a living room and reception room for photography.The second largest room in the middle is used as a photography room.The last one serves as a bedroom and study.
After haggling, Ronald rented the train apartment on the second floor for $500 a month.There is no elevator, but fortunately, there is no need to climb too high.
I chatted with the janitor. This kind of house does not have separate water, electricity and gas meters, so it is shared by each household.After paying the deposit and opening the phone, Ronald began to prepare to open a photography studio.
There are some artists in the apartment, the kind who don't mix well.Of course, it's not too bad, not reduced to living in Hell's Kitchen.Ronald found a Czech painter and asked him to do a simple decoration of his small apartment in exchange for taking portraits.
Demi Moore, in particular, and a portrait of Natasha Kinski, enlarged and hung on the reception room wall, opposite the door.In addition, a photo of Demi Moore was enlarged and pasted behind the window on the second floor, with a few artistic words of audition photography written next to it.
Ronald was very satisfied, and went to buy a typewriter and a Sony TV, which was considered to be a home in New York.
"The 29th West Berlin Film Festival, the Soviet delegation, and delegations from various eastern camps collectively withdrew from the film festival to protest Michael Cimino's film 'Deer Hunter', which slandered the North Vietnamese People's Army..."
Seeing Fatty, an old acquaintance on TV again, Ronald smiled, and he still walked on the road with his feet first.
Using a typewriter, he typed out an advertisement for taking audition photos. After the modification was satisfactory, Ronald went to the copy shop and made hundreds of copies. He will try to distribute it around the neighborhood tomorrow.
Went out to the Abe-LeBervour deli around the corner across the road and picked up some meat.Then I went to the grocery store to buy some bread, cigarettes and red wine.Ronald asked a Czech painter and invited some artists in the house to have a party at home.
They are all artists, and they began to comment on the audition photos of the two beauties taken by Ronald.The unanimous opinion is that Ronald is very good at capturing the moment when the beautiful woman expresses her mood, but his artistry is not good, and he does not show the beauty of the beautiful woman's body.
"I'm casting for the director of the movie, you don't understand." Ronald scolded with a smile.
Distributed some of his advertising leaflets to all the "artists", and Ronald hoped that business would come to his door tomorrow.
Sure enough, at noon the next day, someone came to the door to take audition photos.
It was a beautiful brunette who knocked on the door. When Ronald opened the door, she seemed to be startled.
Like a frightened rabbit, the beauty shrank back instantly, then smoothed her hair with her hands, "Are you the photographer who took the audition photo as said in the advertisement?"
A pair of eyes moved flexibly, trying to look into the room. Compared with the flyer in his hand, he didn't seem to believe that Ronald was a photographer at such a young age.
Ronald got out of his way and opened the door wide, allowing the beauty to see the situation in the reception room.Pointing to the two samples on the wall, he said, "I am the photographer Ronald on the flyer, and this is my audition portrait studio."
The beauty watched as Ronald opened the door, and there was nothing unusual in the room, so she entered the room cautiously and observed the two audition photos on the wall.
"Tea or coffee?" Ronald said, opening the kitchen door to get the kettle.
"Coffee is fine. Did you take these two photos?" The beauty's voice came from the living room.
"Yes, one is the German actress Natasha Kinski, who played the female lead in Polanski's 'Tess'. The other is Demi Moore, who has not yet landed a role in the film , but I think it will be a matter of time."
While chatting, Ronald made a cup of instant coffee and served it to the other party.Seeing the beauty gradually relax while drinking coffee, Ronald began to ask: "Is this your first audition photo shoot, or do you want to update?"
"First audition photo shoot."
"Do you want to shoot in color or black and white? For a drama or a rom-com audition?"
Ronald asked, filled out the form, and handed it over: "Take a look, is it what you want, an audition photo, for the main drama, in color, 20 copies. The total is 60 dollars."
The beauty took the form and looked at it carefully, and Ronald had the opportunity to observe the beauty's appearance carefully.
Her shoulder-length black hair was neatly combed behind her ears, revealing two silver earrings.A black velvet turtleneck top set off her snow-white skin.
The beauty is still comparing the project names and explanations one by one, and seems a little embarrassed to ask.A pair of dark eyes stared at the form, as if the choice between a drama or a romantic comedy stumped her.
Looking at the beauty's black hair and black eyes, Ronald's heart moved, and he suddenly blurted out: "Do you have Chinese blood?"
"How do you know?" The beauty jumped up from her seat, "Who told you?"
"Relax," Ronald was taken aback by the beauty's movement, and quickly got up to apologize, "I just have an intuition, and I think your face lines are very Chinese, very beautiful. I usually only show you in magazines. I have met people from China before, so I asked you, no offense intended."
There is a belt around the beauty's blouse, the belt buckle is inlaid with blue lapis lazuli decorations, and the lower body is jeans and sneakers.Dress in a bohemian style, wearing cheap clothes and jewelry with a very elegant temperament.
The beauty smiled, also, this photographer has just moved here, so he won't know his situation.So I held out my hand, "I'm Meg Tilly, nice to meet you."
After "Ronald Lee" shook hands, the two sat down again.
Meg seemed to have let go of her burden and was no longer nervous, and began to confirm with Ronald one by one on the columns on the form.
Then Ronald grabbed the Nikon and started taking audition portraits of Meg.Meg is not very skilled in facing the camera, but she has a very good figure. Standing in front of the camera, she has an upward momentum.
"Are you a dancer?" Ronald wondered.
"Yes, I used to be a ballerina." Meg smiled, raised her left leg, performed a standing split lightly, and put her foot on the wall.
"Oh, this pose is not easy, I have to take a picture. I can give it to you for free." …
After returning from Kodak printing, Ronald handed over the large audition photo with Meg's name written on it, "You can put your resume on the reverse side, and then you can show it to the agent."
Meg took the photo, but didn't leave immediately. She looked at Ronald for a long time with a smile on her face, swept her eyes to the ground, and raised her head again, "Ronald, I see you are taking an audition photo for Natalie Kinski , you also know how to take audition photos to impress the director, are you from the film and television industry?"
"I used to work in a film crew in Hollywood, and now I am a freshman in the film department of New York University." Ronald liked to talk to this elegant girl, "I think your body is in good condition, and your face is more photogenic. You should There will be a place in the film and television industry.”
"Really? But I haven't entered the industry yet." Meg began to look at her feet again, and smiled shyly.
"Of course, I have also worked as a director of the second group in the film crew. I know who is suitable for the film." Ronald said with a smile, "Why don't we have lunch together, and I will slowly explain to you some requirements for entering the industry."
"Are you asking me out, Ronald?" asked Meg, smiling, with her head on one side.
"Of course, I formally invite you, Miss Meg Tilly, to lunch with me."
The two found an Dongying restaurant and began to chat about each other's situation.
It turned out that Meg Tilly's father was a Chinese businessman named Chen.Her mother divorced her biological father when she was three and took her and her sister to Canada.
Canada, like America, has looming discrimination against Chinese, and there will be fewer opportunities.So Meg kept the secret that she was half Chinese.It was only when Ronald made it clear just now that he was taken aback.
She studied ballet since she was a child, and then received a full scholarship at Skidmore College, a famous private dance academy in New York.Under the tutelage of the former head of the New York City Ballet, dance master Melissa Hayden.
She had been accepted by the Connecticut Ballet last year and was supposed to embark on a career as a ballerina.It's a pity that in a training before going to Connecticut Ballet, I accidentally fell when being lifted by my male partner, and suffered a serious back injury, so I can no longer engage in dance career.
The toughness in her character supported Meg to stay in New York and wanted to switch to an acting career, but no matter whether it was movies, TV, or Broadway, she couldn't get in.
If there is no new job yet, Meg, who doesn't have enough savings, may move to the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan to rent an apartment next month, and continue her dream while working as a waitress.
The two chatted more and more happily, and Meg told Ronald all about her predicament.
"I heard that all the actresses under 30 in New York are crazy now. MGM is going to cast a youth drama with 10 starring opportunities. All the agents are selling young actors under their own to the casting studio. ’ said Meg Tilly.
"Where's your agent?" Ronald thought to himself, this is the second time he's heard of this casting studio.
"I haven't got my Screen Actor's Card yet, so I don't have an agent," said Meg timidly.
"It's okay." Ronald held Meg's hand to comfort him. "Tomorrow I'm going to the casting studio. Come with me to see if there is a chance to recommend you."
(End of this chapter)
After a few days of repairing at his aunt's house, Ronald went to the Richmond Savings Bank in town to pay off a one-time $[-] housing loan.
It happened that the account manager was Ronald's high school classmate, and he extended the remaining repayment plan, so that Aunt Karen could pay a lot less money every month.
However, the tuition fee for the first year of New York University is 3300 US dollars, plus rent, books, and equipment rental fees that are essential for film majors, and Ronald's savings are about to shrink sharply.
The immediate priority is to reopen the portrait studio in Manhattan.
I found a real estate agent in the classifieds section of the New York Times.Ronald called and talked about his needs: 1. Near New York University. 2 There must be a room for photography.
The agent came to pick up Ronald at the ferry pier the next afternoon, and showed him three listings in one go.
The first is a studio in Soho, a 1200-square-foot (110-square-meter) studio that costs $1250 a month.
It's a whole big empty room, perfect for a real photography studio.However, it is not suitable for both commercial and residential use.Besides, the rent is also expensive, and the pressure of doing business every month is not small.
The second is a small apartment in Brooklyn, with two bedrooms and one living room.Rent is only $2 per month.Although the distance is a bit far, there is a subway connection, and it is only a few stops to New York University.
The agent boasted that it was a historic house, and the landlord also equipped it with a modern kitchen and bathroom.
Ronald felt that the rent was cheap, so he was a little tempted, and agreed to go to the site to have a look, but was disappointed.
It turns out that modern decoration means that the gas and hot water are connected, and the sense of history means that the house is already very dilapidated, and water leaks on rainy days, leaving traces on the walls.
The third house is on the east side of New York University, at the junction of NOHO and East Village, an artist apartment on 2nd Avenue.The house is also older, but well maintained, and it is a three-room apartment.
Outside the door are restaurants opened by various ethnic minorities, including Jewish, Italian, Ukrainian, Japanese, and Chinese.
Across the road is a Kodak printing shop, next to a deli, grocery store, life is very convenient.Wells Fargo is a block away.Ronald fell in love with the environment here immediately.
The house was a low-rent house built by the government for the poor in the past, but now it has become a rental apartment, so instead of paying attention to the rational layout, pay attention to the rate of occupancy.
The intermediary said that this type of room is called a train apartment, just like three train boxes, the three rooms are connected back and forth, without corridors and entrances.It's the same as the shotgun room at my aunt's house.
The entrance is a house that Ronald intends to use as a living room and reception room for photography.The second largest room in the middle is used as a photography room.The last one serves as a bedroom and study.
After haggling, Ronald rented the train apartment on the second floor for $500 a month.There is no elevator, but fortunately, there is no need to climb too high.
I chatted with the janitor. This kind of house does not have separate water, electricity and gas meters, so it is shared by each household.After paying the deposit and opening the phone, Ronald began to prepare to open a photography studio.
There are some artists in the apartment, the kind who don't mix well.Of course, it's not too bad, not reduced to living in Hell's Kitchen.Ronald found a Czech painter and asked him to do a simple decoration of his small apartment in exchange for taking portraits.
Demi Moore, in particular, and a portrait of Natasha Kinski, enlarged and hung on the reception room wall, opposite the door.In addition, a photo of Demi Moore was enlarged and pasted behind the window on the second floor, with a few artistic words of audition photography written next to it.
Ronald was very satisfied, and went to buy a typewriter and a Sony TV, which was considered to be a home in New York.
"The 29th West Berlin Film Festival, the Soviet delegation, and delegations from various eastern camps collectively withdrew from the film festival to protest Michael Cimino's film 'Deer Hunter', which slandered the North Vietnamese People's Army..."
Seeing Fatty, an old acquaintance on TV again, Ronald smiled, and he still walked on the road with his feet first.
Using a typewriter, he typed out an advertisement for taking audition photos. After the modification was satisfactory, Ronald went to the copy shop and made hundreds of copies. He will try to distribute it around the neighborhood tomorrow.
Went out to the Abe-LeBervour deli around the corner across the road and picked up some meat.Then I went to the grocery store to buy some bread, cigarettes and red wine.Ronald asked a Czech painter and invited some artists in the house to have a party at home.
They are all artists, and they began to comment on the audition photos of the two beauties taken by Ronald.The unanimous opinion is that Ronald is very good at capturing the moment when the beautiful woman expresses her mood, but his artistry is not good, and he does not show the beauty of the beautiful woman's body.
"I'm casting for the director of the movie, you don't understand." Ronald scolded with a smile.
Distributed some of his advertising leaflets to all the "artists", and Ronald hoped that business would come to his door tomorrow.
Sure enough, at noon the next day, someone came to the door to take audition photos.
It was a beautiful brunette who knocked on the door. When Ronald opened the door, she seemed to be startled.
Like a frightened rabbit, the beauty shrank back instantly, then smoothed her hair with her hands, "Are you the photographer who took the audition photo as said in the advertisement?"
A pair of eyes moved flexibly, trying to look into the room. Compared with the flyer in his hand, he didn't seem to believe that Ronald was a photographer at such a young age.
Ronald got out of his way and opened the door wide, allowing the beauty to see the situation in the reception room.Pointing to the two samples on the wall, he said, "I am the photographer Ronald on the flyer, and this is my audition portrait studio."
The beauty watched as Ronald opened the door, and there was nothing unusual in the room, so she entered the room cautiously and observed the two audition photos on the wall.
"Tea or coffee?" Ronald said, opening the kitchen door to get the kettle.
"Coffee is fine. Did you take these two photos?" The beauty's voice came from the living room.
"Yes, one is the German actress Natasha Kinski, who played the female lead in Polanski's 'Tess'. The other is Demi Moore, who has not yet landed a role in the film , but I think it will be a matter of time."
While chatting, Ronald made a cup of instant coffee and served it to the other party.Seeing the beauty gradually relax while drinking coffee, Ronald began to ask: "Is this your first audition photo shoot, or do you want to update?"
"First audition photo shoot."
"Do you want to shoot in color or black and white? For a drama or a rom-com audition?"
Ronald asked, filled out the form, and handed it over: "Take a look, is it what you want, an audition photo, for the main drama, in color, 20 copies. The total is 60 dollars."
The beauty took the form and looked at it carefully, and Ronald had the opportunity to observe the beauty's appearance carefully.
Her shoulder-length black hair was neatly combed behind her ears, revealing two silver earrings.A black velvet turtleneck top set off her snow-white skin.
The beauty is still comparing the project names and explanations one by one, and seems a little embarrassed to ask.A pair of dark eyes stared at the form, as if the choice between a drama or a romantic comedy stumped her.
Looking at the beauty's black hair and black eyes, Ronald's heart moved, and he suddenly blurted out: "Do you have Chinese blood?"
"How do you know?" The beauty jumped up from her seat, "Who told you?"
"Relax," Ronald was taken aback by the beauty's movement, and quickly got up to apologize, "I just have an intuition, and I think your face lines are very Chinese, very beautiful. I usually only show you in magazines. I have met people from China before, so I asked you, no offense intended."
There is a belt around the beauty's blouse, the belt buckle is inlaid with blue lapis lazuli decorations, and the lower body is jeans and sneakers.Dress in a bohemian style, wearing cheap clothes and jewelry with a very elegant temperament.
The beauty smiled, also, this photographer has just moved here, so he won't know his situation.So I held out my hand, "I'm Meg Tilly, nice to meet you."
After "Ronald Lee" shook hands, the two sat down again.
Meg seemed to have let go of her burden and was no longer nervous, and began to confirm with Ronald one by one on the columns on the form.
Then Ronald grabbed the Nikon and started taking audition portraits of Meg.Meg is not very skilled in facing the camera, but she has a very good figure. Standing in front of the camera, she has an upward momentum.
"Are you a dancer?" Ronald wondered.
"Yes, I used to be a ballerina." Meg smiled, raised her left leg, performed a standing split lightly, and put her foot on the wall.
"Oh, this pose is not easy, I have to take a picture. I can give it to you for free." …
After returning from Kodak printing, Ronald handed over the large audition photo with Meg's name written on it, "You can put your resume on the reverse side, and then you can show it to the agent."
Meg took the photo, but didn't leave immediately. She looked at Ronald for a long time with a smile on her face, swept her eyes to the ground, and raised her head again, "Ronald, I see you are taking an audition photo for Natalie Kinski , you also know how to take audition photos to impress the director, are you from the film and television industry?"
"I used to work in a film crew in Hollywood, and now I am a freshman in the film department of New York University." Ronald liked to talk to this elegant girl, "I think your body is in good condition, and your face is more photogenic. You should There will be a place in the film and television industry.”
"Really? But I haven't entered the industry yet." Meg began to look at her feet again, and smiled shyly.
"Of course, I have also worked as a director of the second group in the film crew. I know who is suitable for the film." Ronald said with a smile, "Why don't we have lunch together, and I will slowly explain to you some requirements for entering the industry."
"Are you asking me out, Ronald?" asked Meg, smiling, with her head on one side.
"Of course, I formally invite you, Miss Meg Tilly, to lunch with me."
The two found an Dongying restaurant and began to chat about each other's situation.
It turned out that Meg Tilly's father was a Chinese businessman named Chen.Her mother divorced her biological father when she was three and took her and her sister to Canada.
Canada, like America, has looming discrimination against Chinese, and there will be fewer opportunities.So Meg kept the secret that she was half Chinese.It was only when Ronald made it clear just now that he was taken aback.
She studied ballet since she was a child, and then received a full scholarship at Skidmore College, a famous private dance academy in New York.Under the tutelage of the former head of the New York City Ballet, dance master Melissa Hayden.
She had been accepted by the Connecticut Ballet last year and was supposed to embark on a career as a ballerina.It's a pity that in a training before going to Connecticut Ballet, I accidentally fell when being lifted by my male partner, and suffered a serious back injury, so I can no longer engage in dance career.
The toughness in her character supported Meg to stay in New York and wanted to switch to an acting career, but no matter whether it was movies, TV, or Broadway, she couldn't get in.
If there is no new job yet, Meg, who doesn't have enough savings, may move to the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan to rent an apartment next month, and continue her dream while working as a waitress.
The two chatted more and more happily, and Meg told Ronald all about her predicament.
"I heard that all the actresses under 30 in New York are crazy now. MGM is going to cast a youth drama with 10 starring opportunities. All the agents are selling young actors under their own to the casting studio. ’ said Meg Tilly.
"Where's your agent?" Ronald thought to himself, this is the second time he's heard of this casting studio.
"I haven't got my Screen Actor's Card yet, so I don't have an agent," said Meg timidly.
"It's okay." Ronald held Meg's hand to comfort him. "Tomorrow I'm going to the casting studio. Come with me to see if there is a chance to recommend you."
(End of this chapter)
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