Chapter 22 Director's Union Card

  Ronald walked out of the administrative office and saw Gail, whose eyes were no longer tearful, talking with Jim.

   "Hey Ronald, do you know martial arts? You can take down two Zacks easily."

   "I was on the wrestling team in high school."

   "Oh", Gail imitated Ronald's tricks and gestured twice, "Then will you still take pictures of me today?"

   "Wait for me for a while, I will take a photo with the camera, and then I will treat you to dinner."

   "What? Anything to celebrate?"

   "Yes, Mr. Coleman put me in charge of the remaining second group of directors."

  …

   "Give me a mood, Gail", Ronald was instructing Gail to pose and make expressions, "Think about anything, be happy."

   "No, no, the thing you just thought about is a bit bad, think about it again."

   "This thing is good, I like it, keep it, good."

   Gail seemed to suddenly think of something happy, and gave the camera a beautiful smile. Ronald quickly pressed the shutter and captured it.

  Jim walks up to Gale from behind Ronald and offers coffee.

   "I took a picture with Gail."

   "Let's put it aside for a while, don't stain my lipstick."

   Ronald clicked the shutter a few more times, both of them had good expressions.

  Then set the shutter to the timer and took a group photo of the three of them.

   Ronald put away the camera and tripod. The three walked out of the office and got into Ronald's car to eat.

   It didn't cost Ronald too much, and the three of them found an ordinary restaurant to eat. Ronald felt that the environment was very similar to the one where Aunt Karen worked in Staten Island. Bright large windows, sofa booths, not many people eating, maybe because of Sunday.

  The three of them sat in the booth, and the waiter brought the menu for them to order. It serves Italian food such as pasta, meatballs, pizza, and pure espresso.

   After eating the staple food, the three of them began to chat about what happened just now.

   "...Roger asked me to take charge of the shooting of the second group, and then asked me to ask you for the photographer's contact information to take charge of the photography." Ronald briefly talked about what happened just now.

   "Without the original second set of photographers from 'Rock High School'?"

   "Roger asked me to find him to shoot together, we will finish the second group, but not continue Jerry Zucker's shooting schedule"

   "So you set up a second second group to shoot the rest of the shots?"

   "Then you are not...", Gail stopped and looked at Jim next to him.

   "It's okay, Jim and I are friends." Ronald took the coffee brought by the waiter and pushed it across to Gail and Jim.

   "Union member?" Jim asked.

   Ronald nodded.

   "I have already been", Jim said, took out his wallet, and took out a membership card and put it on the table.

   Ronald picks up, "TRUCKERS..."

   "Oh, not this one, it's my other union."

  Jim searched again, took out one, and handed it to Ronald.

   This is a hard card, the upper left corner is the logo of the directors union, an eagle about to fly. Below the logo is the words 1978-1979, indicating the valid time of this card.

   Directly above is the words of the Directors Guild of America, below is Jim's name and address typed on a typewriter, and at the bottom is the signature of the Chairman of the Directors Guild.

   It’s just such a mediocre little card, with it, you can even enter the industry in Hollywood.

   "Is that what you applied for with that short film?" Ronald asked.

   "Yes, my short films were made by dentists for tax refunds, so they must be filed with the major labor unions in Hollywood to get a tax refund certificate. The directors' union will send you application materials after seeing your filing."

  Gail took Jim's directors' union card from Ronald and looked curiously.

"Afterwards, you need to find three members of the directors' union to endorse you, then take the application materials to notarization, and send them back to the union. After they approve, they will send you the membership information. You then write a check for the membership fee Give it to them, and you can get this membership card."

   "Sounds complicated."

"Yes, and the membership fee is not cheap. Short film directors like me belong to a relatively low level. Like commercial directors, documentary directors, director assistants, and drama scene managers, they pay a membership fee of 750 US dollars. Oh, yes, every year There is a $60 renewal fee."

   "But there are also advantages. They will help you pay for medical insurance, and there is no need to pay extra for the lowest level. Compared with other industries, the trade unions in the film and television industry have done a good job."

  Ronald is a little envious, he doesn't have medical insurance yet. But next year he should be able to get the membership invitation, and he has to work hard to make money and pay the membership fee.

  Jim took back the directors guild card Gail was playing with and put it in his wallet. "Tell me about your college application, have you decided?"

"I have already applied to two public universities in New York. However, I would like to apply for some more film majors. I just asked Mrs. Coleman for advice. She said that the film majors of several universities in California and New York are worth considering, and she also said that I can find her. Write letters of recommendation with Roger."

   "Then you have a great chance. Mr. Coleman knows some people in the circle, and his recommendation letters are of certain value." Gail is a Stanford graduate and is familiar with these.

   "However, the tuition fee is not as cheap as the public school. I heard that you need to pay for it yourself when you go to college to make a film."

   "Don't be too superstitious about those university professors." Jim said, "You can read the books there and make some friends. But those professors have never made movies themselves. How can they teach you? It's nothing more than following the textbooks."

  “Instead of spending money to learn how to shoot movies from professors, it’s better to work and study here at New World Productions. You can get into the industry. Few of those film graduates can shoot like me.”

   "Can't say the same," Gail still leans toward college. "Look at the newly emerging directors, they all graduated from college. Lucas who made 'Star Wars', Francis Coppola who made 'The Godfather'..."

   "But Steven Spielberg dropped out of college for Jaws," laughs Jim.

   Gail slapped Jim's hand, expressing his dissatisfaction with his backlash, and giggled non-stop.

   "Gail, can I use the company's copier? I want to prepare the application materials today. Please help me mail them tomorrow. I will start shooting the second group tomorrow, and I am afraid I will forget things."

"No problem, you can prepare the envelope for the recommendation letter, and I will remind Roger for you tomorrow. Today is the 17th, and it is not far from the Christmas holiday. Don't send the post office express letter, it's not fast at all. Or find the A FedEx company, the documents they send can arrive within two days, guaranteed to be before the deadline.”

   "Thank you so much, I'll give you the postage first," Ronald turned to Jim's direction, "Jim, do you want to come to the second group to help me? Or would you rather learn from the crew and Alan."

   "I'll help you," Jim agreed, "Most of Alan's scenes will be indoors. I think there's also an exterior motorcycle chase in the script. Is it your second team filming?"

   "Yes, then I will let you shoot this scene." Ronald knew that Jim was interested in stunts and was also a motorcycle enthusiast.

   "There are still some introductory empty shots. For those without actors, we still need to find a prop design to make a school sign." Ronald began to calculate the manpower needed.

   "No, I can just do it, I know these things." Jim said, "What other scenes and props? Let's think about it together."

   There is also a telephone booth scene, the sunrise scene on the mountain, and the scene at the entrance of the concert, all of which are trivial and scattered. We can go back to the office and review it in detail.

   Drinking the espresso in one gulp, Ronald put down the slightly excessive tip, and the three of them returned to the office of New World Production.

   After consulting the office phone book and film industry directory, Ronald found the addresses of the admissions offices of four universities. Gail helped him type several blank envelopes, and asked Roger Coleman to write a letter of recommendation tomorrow.

   "Mr. Coleman pays more attention to his own recommendations, and he writes them all by himself." Gail said.

   "By the way, is your short film in the company? We just have time to watch it today." Ronald said.

   "Oh, I put it at home, I will remember to bring it next time."

  (end of this chapter)