Chapter 273 Debut dance

   Back in New York on vacation, Ronald lived comfortably and had a nice Christmas dinner with his aunt and cousin on Christmas Eve.

Perhaps because of the long preparation and directing of the filming, Ronald was a little out of touch with real life. He moved to the apartment where his aunt lived, stayed at home for many days, talked and chatted with his aunt every day, and used the warmth of the family to temporarily forget the film he just shot. .

   Early this morning, Ronald was in the living room watching TV again.

  In order to watch the speeches and new developments of the general at any time, Aunt Karen paid for the cable TV at home. In addition to local channels and the three major wireless TV stations, the TV at home can also watch dozens of channels from all over the country.

   This method of moving local channels to the national cable TV network so that all cable TV subscribers across the country can watch it is called syndication. Many TV shows that were originally only local, became popular after being syndicated.

  Ronald picked up a small rectangular box and pressed it against the TV, and the TV changed channels following his gestures. This is a remote control device that comes with the cable TV box. You can change the TV channel while sitting. Ronald likes it very much.

   "Hey, what is this?"

  Ronald found that a picture of Apollo landing on the moon appeared on the TV, but the flag on the moon was replaced from a national flag to a flag with a capital M on it.

   Then a beautiful host began to broadcast "Welcome to MTV, the world's first music TV channel. During the day and night, the stereo will play the best pop music in the world for you."

Then the screen changed, and MTV began to play Lord Stewart's music video, and Ronald became interested. This kind of music video, which is much shorter than normal TV programs, is very interesting, and it changes every few minutes. head.

  The rhythm of their editing is much faster than movies, and much faster than TV dramas.

Ronald stared at MTV and watched a few MVs of popular songs on the charts, and found that he had no difficulty in understanding this fast-paced plot. Perhaps it was because of the music and lyrics that helped the audience understand the plot. The understanding of the film does not need to be prepared for a long time like a movie.

   "Next is the latest concert scene of the Rolling Stones," said the host.

   "Oh, Ronald, you should go out for a walk instead of staying home watching TV."

  Aunt Karen couldn’t stand Ronald staying at home every day, eating, sleeping and watching TV, so she came to drive him off the sofa, “Go out and buy a New York Times, it’s good for you.”

   "Okay", Ronald got up from the sofa, put on his coat and prepared to go out.

  At this time the phone rang, and Aunt Karen answered it, then handed the receiver to Ronald, "It's you, Ronald, it's a girl."

   "I'm Ronald, who is it?"

   "I'm Helen, Helen Slater, I did a chewing gum commercial, do you remember me?"

"Of course, hello Helen." Of course Ronald remembered that before the filming of "Fast-paced Richmond High School", Ronald also wanted to let this girl audition, but her father on the TV station, Gerald, called Helen. Under 18 refused.

   Speaking of which, the New Year is coming soon, and Helen is now an adult.

   Sometimes among the factors that affect a movie, there are many seemingly insignificant ones. If Helen had been a few months older, or if the movie had started shooting later, maybe Helen Slater would have been in the cast too.

   "Ronald, I would like to invite you to be my male partner at the "Debiao Tonte" dance, would you like to?"

   "What?" Ronald didn't understand the name of the ball.

   "It's debutante, which means "first appearance" in French. This is a kind of dance where American girls appear on social occasions for the first time. They must have a male companion."

   "Prom? I have no experience. Didn't Gerald arrange other suitable candidates for you?"

  Gerald Slater, who was listening to the phone next to Helen, couldn't bear it any longer. He took the receiver and said, "Hi, kid. My daughter wants you to be her boyfriend. Is there anything else you don't want?"

"Gerald, hello. That's not what I mean. I haven't attended a debutante ball, and I don't know how to perform my duties. Helen said it seems to be a very formal occasion." Ronald was born at the bottom of the class, and he didn't understand this kind of high-society tone. Not very interested.

  Gerald was relieved when he heard the reason given by Ronald. It seems that this lucky fool still attaches great importance to his daughter's coming-of-age ceremony.

  “It’s not so formal, it’s a small-scale ball in our TV and film circles. The real international debutante ball is held every even-numbered year, and princesses from many European countries will come to participate.

  We want to create an environment for our children, where young people who are interested in entering the show business, can meet some people in the industry when they are adults. Helen thought of you first when she invited you, and you can also meet some young people in the circle. "

"It's my pleasure."

   "Remember the concierge's request, the debut ceremony in the morning, and the guest party after lunch..."

On the day when the children of film and television senior practitioners made their adult debut at the dance, Ronald wore a dark blue navy double-breasted metal button suit with a dark red pocket square, gray trousers, and combed his hair neatly. Aldorf Hotel.

  This old-fashioned hotel is the place where the International Adult Dance Party is held every even number of years. Gerald and the others also decided to hold the dance here, with the intention of raising the class of their daughters.

   Arriving at the hall where the ball was held, Ronald felt a little regretful. The male partners who came here are not well-known people in the industry, most of them are second-generation stars. He also saw the second-generation star at New York University who wanted to pull himself into the fraternity.

  The debut dance is very slow paced, each girl walks down the stairs individually, and each has a 10-minute appearance time. The host introduces the girl's family background information, and the family background of the male partner. Then show the dress to everyone present.

   After waiting for more than two hours, when it was almost noon, the host finally announced Helen's name.

   "Miss Helen Slater, her father is Gerald Slater, Senior Vice President of PBS Television..."

  Ronald quickly stood up and looked up at the top of the stairs.

  I saw a girl about five feet eight inches (1.73 meters) appear at the exit of the corridor on the stairs. She was wearing a milky white gown, a small white hat in the style of the 1920s and 1930s, and a pair of bright blue eyes.

  There are two sparkling drop earrings on the ears, and a string of pearl necklaces around the neck.

   It was Helen Slater whom Ronald hadn't seen for a long time.

   Haven't seen each other for more than a year, only through a few phone calls. Ronald felt that he didn't know Helen a little bit.

  America girls, at this age, are undergoing rapid changes in appearance. Except for the eyebrows and eyes, Helen was still as charming as before, and her figure was even more outstanding, which made Ronald feel like a girl next door had suddenly grown into a great beauty.

  Helen walked down the stairs slowly, looking around, looking for her male companion Ronald. She saw Ronald dressed in a navy uniform, with trimmed hair and beard, and she was obviously very satisfied, and she came to take his arm.

  After the host's introduction, it was the photographer's photo session. Ronald faithfully acted as Helen Slater's male model and took several sets of photos. Then the two went to their seats and sat down.

   "You are outstanding today, Helen. You can be said to be the most beautiful girl at the ball." Ronald felt that when he praised the girl for the first time, he did not add any exaggeration.

   "Giggle..." Helen smiled, "You are also very handsome."

   The two looked at each other and smiled.

   "Have you been waiting here for a long time?" Helen asked.

   "Exactly. Fortunately, I saw you last, so I didn't waste time. You are in the upstairs lounge, do you want to wait?"

   "Yes, but we have spies, giggling..." Helen laughed again, "We have friends who keep peeking at the door and tip us off on whose male partner is the most handsome."

   After talking and laughing for a while, the two continued to wait for the remaining girls to go down the stairs.

   "Don't you feel bored? Let's go first?" Helen waited for two or three girls, and said to Ronald beside her.

   "Didn't you say there will be guests this afternoon?"

   "A few very boring people are the son and nephew of the former commander JFK. I heard from my father that they want to enter the showbiz and become actors."

  Ronald is a little unbelievable, the former first lady will not allow his son to be a movie actor. Although there are news footage of Kennedy Jr. going to college on TV, he is indeed good enough to be a leading actor.

   "Why, do you want to meet him?" Helen asked seeing that Ronald didn't move.

   "No, I was just wondering if that would be rude."

   "Don't think about it, this is not a real international adult dance party, we can sneak out through the back door, wait for me to change clothes first."

  Helen took Ronald and sneaked out through the back door of the hotel lobby. She secretly took out a bag from behind the door, and went into the bathroom to change.

  It seems that she has already planned to slip away.

  Changing out of the dress, Helen changed into jeans and a men's coat. The necklace was also put into the bag, leaving only two earrings. From the celebrity style just now, she suddenly became a common high school **** the streets of New York.

   "I want to go to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, will you accompany me?"

   "Okay, the task Gerald gave me is to accompany you for a day."

   "Hahaha, don't you want to?"

   "Of course, it's my honor." Ronald crossed his arms for Helen, and the two walked out of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

  The New York Museum of Modern Art is very close to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, and it only takes ten minutes to walk from Lexington Avenue. After passing Rockefeller Avenue and Fifth Avenue, you can see the distinctive appearance of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

  This is an upscale area of ​​New York. There are many fashionable beauties and handsome men along the way. The pace of walking is much slower than that of the elites in downtown Manhattan.

   "Actually, I don't want to come to this dance, but I have to perfunctory Gerrard." Helen walked all the way, talking non-stop. "He promised me a gig on ABC if I wanted to come, but my mother encouraged me to find it myself."

"Gerrard also got me an agent, but he kept telling Dad everything about me. My mother told me to find another agent so I could get rid of his tyranny. But I didn't want him to be sad. "

  Helen looked at Ronald, the director who directed her first TV commercial and made her debut on TV, she felt a little kind in her heart, and said all the troubles of entering the showbiz.

   "Actually, an actor can hire more than one agent. There is no law prohibiting this. I am like this."

"Really? That's good." Helen nodded, and changed the subject again, "Is my dress beautiful? My mother helped me choose it. There are many second-hand dress stores in New York. Many women will wear a brand-name dress once. Bring them in and sell them."

   "Why buy a second-hand dress?" Ronald knew that Helen's father was a high-level TV station, and her mother was a lawyer, so her income would not be very low.

   "Because of environmental protection, my mother said that those flashy things are vanity and illusion, and we should focus on substance. If everyone abandons vanity, the earth's resources will not be exhausted due to abuse."

"you're right…"

   The two quickly walked to the Museum of Modern Art in New York. This is the largest museum in New York other than the Metropolitan Museum. There were still a lot of people near noon, so Ronald bought a ticket to enter.

   "I went to the exhibition of modern artists last time. Which modern artist do you like?" Helen pulled Ronald and asked while walking in the hall.

   "I don't understand this..."

"You're too humble, aren't you a film director? Last time my dad didn't allow me to audition, I had a fight with him, and then my mother came forward to talk to him once, and he promised me that I could audition for the film freely , but report to him.”

  The two walked into an exhibition hall, and Ronald also looked at the modern art paintings on the wall.

   "This is Van Gogh's Starry Night, this is Monet's Water Lilies, this is Dali and Cézanne..."

  Helen Slater was very familiar with these famous paintings, and Ronald also stood close to look at the works of the masters, admiring them one by one.

   "If you feel bored, why don't you go to the modern installation art exhibition you are interested in first?" Ronald felt that Helen was already familiar with these paintings, and he was afraid that she would be bored.

   "It's okay, I'll watch it again with you, a masterpiece is always worth appreciating repeatedly."

  Ronald patted Helen's hand to express his thanks, and the two of them looked at the paintings one by one.

  Ronald has not studied any paintings, but just as an ordinary audience, looking at the masterpieces. In front is the work of another master, "Red, Yellow, Blue" by the Dutch painter Mondrian.

  As soon as Ronald saw this work, he felt a strange sense of familiarity in his heart. He stopped and stared at the painting for a long time.

   There are no figures or scenery in the painting, just some simple black lines that divide the canvas into several cuboids. There are also some rectangular color blocks filled with red, yellow, and blue colors.

  Helen looked at Ronald strangely, none of the paintings he had looked at before was so engrossed. Next to Ronald was a Chinese, dressed as an art student, wearing a pair of old-fashioned glasses. He is holding a paintbrush and copying this work by Mondrian on the easel next to him.

   "What an interesting rhythm." After a long time, Ronald muttered to himself.

   "Why, can you see Mondrian's rhythm?" The Chinese student glanced at Ronald and asked.

  “Yes, although these are lines and color blocks, it gives the impression that the painter is narrating a rhythm.”

   "Are you studying painting?" The Chinese student sized him up, not like him.

   "No, I make movies. My name is Ronald."

   "Just call me Chen." The Chinese student reached out and shook his hand.

   "Few laymen can see that Mondrian painted rhythm. They all think that Mondrian painted living room decorations."

Chen pointed to Ronald Mondrian's paintings, "Actually, they don't understand the greatness of the master. Look at the brush strokes. His lines are all freehand. Different blacks have different shades. Let the lines There is a three-dimensional feeling."

   Ronald looked in the direction of his fingers, and there were indeed the same black lines, one seemed to float above the other. Although the picture is simple, it has a strong appeal. This kind of simplicity can only be achieved by overall design and attention to details.

   "It seems that simplicity is not so easy to achieve." Ronald sighed. Art is all connected. Many people say that Hitchcock's film narrative is simple, but it is not so easy to achieve this simplicity. Many people cannot imitate his style.

   "It seems that you have a good sense of art. The store at the door sells printed reproductions. You can buy one if you like." Chen pointed him out.

   "Thank you, do you sell your copies?" Ronald took a fancy to Chen's copied oil paintings.

   "I can't sell it. Mondrian's paintings are hard to copy, and my paintings don't look like them at all." Chen shook his head.

   Ronald shrugged, and went back to Helen to continue to visit her favorite installation art.

   After watching the exhibition, Ronald and Helen ate hot dogs on the street. Now a license is required to set up a stall in Manhattan. The hot dog with sauce tastes very good, and Helen is especially happy to eat it.

   "Thank you, Ronald. I had a great time today. I will listen to you and ask my mother to find me another agent. Maybe your next movie will be there, and I will audition."

  Sent Helen back home, Ronald took the prints of Mondrian's paintings he bought, and went back to his aunt's house.

  After the New Year's holiday, Ronald returned to Los Angeles. He put the reproduction prints of Mondrian's paintings on the table in the editing room, reminding himself to pay attention to maintaining the rhythm when editing.

   "This is Eric, the editor of this film, these are his two editing assistants, and this is the director Ronald." Producer Art Linsen introduced the editing team to Ronald. In the next two months, it will be up to Ronald and Eric to edit and edit the finished film.

   "Hello, Ronald, the sound and picture synchronization is done, shall we watch it from the beginning?"

   "OK, thank you Eric, let's get started."

  (end of this chapter)