Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 1467: Unprecedented Bus Speed

“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”

Ronald used some shots that were not edited into the feature film to edit a different version of the trailer. At the beginning of this version, Forrest Gump took out a box of chocolates on a bench opposite the bus stop and asked two fellow passengers to taste them.

"You are just like everyone else..." Forrest Gump's mother said to her son earnestly, and then the camera turned to the principal of the local school, "Your child is different from others..."

This is a trailer broadcast in the southern states, so the story that takes place in Forrest Gump's hometown occupies more space, while the trailer previously sent for broadcast on the East Coast increased the length of the plot at the Washington Monument.

In short, the trailers broadcast on TV stations across the country will be broadcast in different versions according to the region. We hope that with the warm-up of The Lion King's large-scale hunger marketing, it can maintain a certain level of exposure.

Ronald also wanted to learn from The Lion King and cooperate with some restaurants to launch the Forrest Gump-Bob Shrimp Set, but it also suffered a shameful failure. Compared with the famous Disney cartoons that are sure to attract many children and families, the movie Forrest Gump did not attract the interest of chain restaurants at all. Even McDonald's and Burger King, with whom Ronald has a good relationship, said they would consider this matter after the movie was released.

Only Nike was satisfied with the product placement of the classic Cortez running shoes, and said that once the movie became popular, they would immediately re-sell the replica of Forrest Gump's 1972 classic model, and then give some rewards to the Forrest Gump project, which made Ronald laugh and cry.

This also made Ronald realize that people nowadays still have no idea about the movie Forrest Gump. What is needed is the good word-of-mouth from the first batch of audiences when the movie is released as the main marketing force. The budget allocation for marketing in the future needs to be based on this.

……

On this day, Ronald came to the Century Freeway (I-105) viaduct in Los Angeles, which had just been completed but not yet opened to traffic, to join the "Speed" crew. Today was the last shot before the film was shut down.

Director Jan de Bont didn't know whether it was because of his high skills or just a coincidence, but this shot was completed today and all the budget of the crew was spent, without a penny left.

Ronald got on the bus first to check it out. In Hollywood, no one had ever done a stunt shot of a big bus jumping over a gap. In the storyboard, the bus driver played by Sandra Bullock drove the car to jump over a section of the viaduct that had not yet been closed. This stunt was too dangerous. After director Jan de Bont proposed it, it was favored by 20th Century Fox and Ronald, but no one knew how to really make a big bus jump over the gap.

Ronald had experience in the filming of Forrest Gump, and finally he came up with the idea of ​​flying over flat ground and eliminating part of the road surface in the middle with computer special effects. So today's leap is actually a long shot of flying over a wooden slope, flying a certain distance, and then landing.

A big bus is not really a suitable vehicle for stunt jumps, so the special effects team's big sister, Debbie Evans, who had been a stuntman on a motorcycle in Ronald's first film, brought out all her more than ten years of experience.

First, they reduced the weight by removing all the rear seats, then installed special shock absorbers on the buses, and used a series of modified racing car techniques. The two buses on site could reach a speed of 110 miles per hour (about kilometers per hour).

In addition, for the driver's safety, the driver's seat was moved back about 15 feet to the middle. This allows the stunt driver to observe the ramp built for the leap from the middle of the vehicle to ensure the correct direction. On the other hand, if there is an accident, there is enough buffer between the driver and the front windshield and the steel frame to avoid a particularly serious accident.

The real driver's seat (the original bus driver's seat is still retained, and a dummy is placed on it to avoid being exposed during filming) is not welded to the floor, but uses a suspension system and a four-point seat belt to help the driver, and is finally suspended in the air, just like the modified cars in the Indy 500 race.

"This is what I specifically requested. Although it's expensive, it ensures the safety of the stunt driver. When I was a kid, I watched my father do movie stunts. I don't know how many cases of spinal injuries and compression fractures caused by car jumps have I seen."

Debbie Evans, the person in charge of special effects, explained it to Ronald and invited him to sit on it and experience it for himself.

"Have these two buses been modified like this? If there's anything that needs to be strengthened, just tell me. If the money is not enough, I can add more. We need to ensure both the leaping effect and safety. Safety comes first." Ronald was rich, so he felt that he had to pay this small amount of money. Even if 20th Century Fox was not satisfied with the budget, he still had to ensure the safety and excitement of the final car crash scene.

"We have done our best within the scope of our experience, but, Ronald, anything can happen during the filming of special effects scenes..."

"Is there a risk?" Ronald turned around and asked.

"We don't have special effects people, but your director is taking risks. Car crash scenes are always difficult to control. Maybe two buses are not enough, and your director has no money... Generally speaking, we will do some tests on the first bus, but if the budget is limited..."

"That's not a problem. Safety first..." Ronald nodded indifferently. The climax of the movie was this car chase scene. The bus jump had never been done before in Hollywood. It not only gave the audience something new to see, but also shocked his peers in the industry.

"This is the ramp I made based on my previous experience. Below is a base made of I-beam paper. It weighs 80 tons, so it can withstand the reaction force of the bus taking off. It keeps it stable before the rear wheels leave the ramp, setting the angle for the bus to take off...

That's the ambulance over there. After takeoff, the bus can stop only after it passes the orange mark. If anything happens, the ambulance is right beside you..."

Debbie Evans explained all the elements of the scene, and Ronald nodded as he walked towards the camera crew, where many cameras were prepared to shoot simultaneously, hoping to capture enough footage for later editing.

"We have nine cameras here in total. Everyone listen carefully. If everything goes well, I will remain silent. If something goes wrong and the bus loses control and drives towards you, I will use the horn to yell three times, 'Run, run, run...' There is a separation wall behind each camera. You run to the isolation wall and climb over it to be safe... We also have ambulances and paramedics here. Even if you are unlucky, you will not die."

Debbie Evans' words made the people in the camera crew a little scared. The special effects boss didn't understand the camera crew's reactions when they heard about this, and thought they were the desperate people from the special effects union.

Ronald also came out to comfort them, "It's okay, I'll be with you. Debbie Evans is the best stuntman in Hollywood. She will make sure nothing happens to us, and she will also be able to shoot a picture that will shock everyone in Hollywood..."

Finally, everyone's morale improved a bit. Daniel, Ronald's bodyguard, was a little dissatisfied. He came up to Ronald and said, "We'd better go to the back of the ambulance. Even if something happens there, it won't be affected..."

"You are now responsible for a lot of people who work for you, their families, as well as your wife and children..." Daniel's salary has increased a lot now, and he also manages a team of bodyguards. He will never compromise on Ronald's safety.

"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you. Let's hide behind the director. He's so skinny that he can't outrun us, and he can also help me block a wave..."

Ronald joked and ran to talk to director Jan de Bont. Daniel also felt that the location was far away from the scene and safer than the back of an ambulance, so he didn't say anything more.

"How is it? How do you feel about making history?" Ronald walked over and asked the dazed Jan de Bont.

"I'm a bit overwhelmed. All the money has been spent. If something goes wrong..." Jan de Bont is taking a gamble. If the two buses crash today and the filming is not done well, then the movie will be over.

“Why are you worried? If it breaks, I’ll give you money and you can continue shooting. As long as you ensure safety, you can accumulate experience until you get the results you want…”

"Hey? Then I don't have to worry about anything. I've laid tracks here, and the camera will follow the bus to shoot..."

Ronald gave Jan de Bont a shot of adrenaline, which immediately changed the Dutchman's mentality. He stood up and introduced Ronald to his nine camera positions...

The most important camera position is opposite the big bus. Use a long-range lens with a wide focal length to shoot the angle of the bus flying towards the screen. It can be said to be the most thrilling shot.

“Isn’t this enough?”

Ronald squatted behind the camera and looked at the viewfinder. Because of the focal length, this lens can only capture a relatively narrow range of images. Just like when an audience member uses a telescope to watch an opera, he can see the movements and expressions of the actors on the stage, but unlike when watching with the naked eye, he can not see the surrounding scenery and other actors. He must move the telescope to see the actor who is acting opposite him.

The same is true for this type of camera lens, which is only aimed at a certain distance above the take-off slope. If the bus does not fly high enough, or flies a little too high, it will run out of the camera's range, and the shot will be wasted.

With such a big scene, such an expensive disposable bus, and so many stuntmen working hard, it would be a shame not to catch it.

"It's a pity that I only have nine cameras..." Director Jan de Bont scratched his head. The budget had just run out. He knew it was not because of his careful budgeting, but because the male protagonist's depression lasted too long and he could only barely keep it going.

Ronald extended his hand to the bodyguard Daniel, who immediately put the mobile phone in his hand and said, "I need two cameras. Please write down the models and lenses... Send them to Century Expressway..."

Ronald signaled the director to stay calm and immediately called two cameras of the same model from Daydream to save the situation.

……

After waiting for an hour, the two cameras filled in the missing angles, and Ronald was at the starting point, chatting with the brave stuntman.

"Mr. Brown, how do you feel?"

"I don't want to think about anything else. My mind is calm now..."

Geoffrey Brown is a pioneer of black stuntmen in Hollywood. His father and brother were among the first to work as stuntmen in Hollywood. Geoffrey Brown himself was once selected by the Boston Red Sox because his father loved baseball, but he did not have many opportunities to play later. After retiring, he came to Hollywood to continue his ancestral career.

"Two minutes to get ready!" The director announced...

……

"Action!"

The silver bus began to accelerate from a long distance away, and then rushed towards the take-off ramp...

"Shxt!"

Director Jan de Bont cursed. The bus seemed to be accelerating very slowly, and it seemed impossible for it to accelerate to the planned speed of more than 65 miles per hour before driving up the slope.

"The bus looks slower than it actually is..." Ronald was also very nervous. He used a telescope to watch the speeding bus. There was dust flying behind it, but the speed did not seem to meet expectations. He put down the telescope and looked at the assistants around him. The latter had a speed measuring instrument in his hand, and the number on it was only 61 miles per hour.

"Woo..."

The front of the bus lifted high and flew out from the slope. Ronald seemed to feel a gust of wind blowing in his ears. It was very strange. He only saw the scene through the telescope. Normally, the sound of wind could not reach here, but this gust of wind seemed to have traveled through time and space, making Ronald feel very real. He seemed to even look at Joffrey Brown, the stunt driver in the bus.

Then, everything seemed to slow down. The rear wheels of the bus left the slope. Then something unexpected happened. The front of the bus continued to rise. The angle of the flight was far beyond expectations. The height of the flight from the slope was also much higher than expected. It suddenly rushed out of the original framing range set by the director. If it weren't for the two cameras that were added later, this shot would have been out of frame.

boom……

With a loud bang, the bus fell heavily to the ground, then shook violently twice, the front wheel was punctured, the metal wheel hub flew out, and then the front door was thrown off.

The other wheel at the rear of the car also flew out, the oil line was squeezed and a puff of black smoke came out. But the entire bus continued to move forward according to the scheduled route, leaving the end mark where Ronald was...

"Wow, wow, wow..." The people at the scene began to applaud and rushed forward, spraying fire extinguishers at the smoking rubber tires.

"everything fine?"

Debbie Evans rushed to the driver's seat and yelled at the driver, Geoffrey Brown, who was wearing a helmet and gave her two fingers.

……

"If it weren't for the two cameras Ronald temporarily brought in, we would have had to use this lens in the end..."

A day later, sitting in a screening room at 20th Century Fox, director Jan de Bont briefed Fox executive producers on the final day of shooting.

"It's so spectacular..." The executive producer was also very excited, or pretending to be excited, after all, it was a shoot approved by big boss Ronald Lee...

"Get a rough cut out as soon as possible, and we'll find an audience to test-screen it. Maybe this movie can really become Die Hard on a bus..."