"He has a really good eye.That is really innate, something you can't learn. He also has street smarts. He solves problems in ways no one sees coming," Roger said, removing his glasses.
"What? He's eighteen. He's trying to earn money for college..." Julie Corman exclaimed softly, dropping the idea of hiring Ronald permanently. "But I see great qualities in him. He's proactive, responsible, and a team player."
She looked at her husband. "Maybe you should talk to him. Help him if you get the chance. Whatever he does, he'll make a mark."
"Indeed." Roger wiped his glasses with a microfiber cloth and slid them back onto his nose. "You might not know this, but Ronald was the one who proposed that he continue as temporary director."
"Why did you agree?" Julie asked. "He was just a Production Assistant. He had never shown any directing talent."
"Because he made me an offer I couldn't refuse," Roger smiled.
"What was it?"
"He reminded me that we had already paid for the day's location and extras. If we didn't finish the pages that day, we'd have to pay for a reshoot... crew, equipment, permits. He argued that the takes he shot were approved by the DP, so we might as well let him continue. If the footage worked, we'd save thousands. If it didn't, we'd only waste a few hundred feet of film."
"Ha!" Julie laughed. "So you appreciated his cost-consciousness?"
"Absolutely." Roger grinned. It was a proposal after his own heart. "Most first-time directors only care about their 'artistic vision.' Maybe one in three thinks about the cost. And those who can actually execute their vision within a budget? Less than ten percent."
"When you put it that way," Julie mused, "Ronald might be suited to producing. Many producers today know nothing about the physical reality of a set."
"So, I plan to give him two choices..."
"That's fair," Julie said, standing up. "Though I think you'll be disappointed. He has his heart set on college."
Ronald sat on a faux-leather couch outside the President's office, sipping a cup of lukewarm Nestlé instant coffee.
He looked up to see Gale Anne Hurd typing at lightning speed. The clack-clack-clack of the IBM Selectric typewriter had a hypnotic rhythm.
Ronald watched her fingers fly. In his "past life" memories, he could type like that, too.
Gale sat in the outer sanctum. The inner door was closed. Roger Corman was currently meeting with the Producer of Rock 'n' Roll High School. Before that, Jerry Zucker, the Second Unit Director, had gone in. Before him, Julie Corman.
Roger was efficient, twenty minutes per person, like clockwork.
It would soon be Ronald's turn. He put down the Styrofoam cup and rubbed his damp palms on his jeans.
He was a young man overflowing with hormones and adrenaline, waiting for a stroke of life-changing luck. He tried to rehearse how to ask for a screen credit, but his mind went blank.
He closed his eyes. The scenes from yesterday's shoot floated back. "Roll sound... Speed... Action... Cut."
Strangely, the memory calmed him.
The door opened. The Producer walked out, clutching a binder.
"Gale," Roger's voice floated out. "Please send Ronald in."
Ronald straightened his shirt, picked up his folder, and walked in.
"Close the door," Roger said cheerfully. "Sit down, Ronald. You surprised me. The dailies looked great."
"Mr. Corman. Thank you for your trust."
"I asked you here to talk about your future," Roger said, leaning back. "What is the ultimate goal you aim to reach in this industry?"
Ronald hadn't expected the direct question. He couldn't just repeat what he told Gale about "making money." He pondered for a moment.
"I only have a high school diploma," Ronald began. "I love movies, but I don't really know the business. My original plan was to work on a set to network, to get more clients for my photography business so I could save for college."
Roger nodded. He knew the backstory.
"But," Ronald continued, his voice gaining strength, "after ten days on Rock 'n' Roll High School, and especially after yesterday... my dream changed. I love the process. I hope to direct a film someday. A real film that audiences will enjoy and remember."
"Good," Roger said. "In this field, whether directing or producing, you need time to hone your craft. You have potential, but you lack experience."
Roger held up two fingers.
"I'll give you two choices. First: Be my Executive Assistant. You'll handle everything. You'll sit in on meetings with investors, distributors, and producers. You will learn the business of cinema from the inside out. Once you have a suitable script, you can secure financing and direct it."
Roger paused for effect. "Francis Ford Coppola was my assistant. He took that path. He did everything from dubbing foreign films to rewriting scripts before he made The Godfather."
Ronald nodded vigorously. He knew the legend, but hearing it from the source was different.
"Second:," Roger continued, "Stay on Rock 'n' Roll High School. I'll move you to the Post-Production department as an Assistant Editor. A film is truly made in the editing room. That is where you learn pacing, structure, and storytelling. Once you grasp that, you learn to write."
"Martin Scorsese took a similar route," Roger noted. "He edited Woodstock. When he came to me, I knew he understood how to put a movie together. That's why I let him direct Boxcar Bertha. And when Jack Warner saw that picture, he saw the talent and gave him the distribution for Mean Streets."
Roger looked Ronald in the eye. "Which do you pick? The Office or the Editing Room?"
Ronald sat stunned.
He was being groomed. Ronald Lee, hand-picked by Roger Corman.
But the reality of his bank account crashed the party. Going to college was his mother's dying wish, Aunt Karen's expectation, and the instinct of his pragmatic soul. If he couldn't get into an Ivy League, he had to at least get a degree from a State University.
Roger saw the hesitation. "You don't have to decide right now. Tell me tomorrow."
"No need, Mr. Corman," Ronald said. "Thank you for the offer. But... I want to apply to a film program at a university. I need the education."
He took a breath. "However, until the acceptance letter arrives, I would like to stay on the crew and learn editing."
Roger smiled, as if he had won a bet with himself. "Gale told me your story. That's a fine choice. If you need a recommendation letter for film school, come to me. You're applying for the fall semester? Good. You can work for New World until then."
"Thank you, Mr. Corman." Ronald was genuinely grateful. A letter from Roger Corman was a golden ticket.
He stood up and shook Roger's hand. "I have one small favor to ask, if you don't mind."
Roger gestured for him to continue.
"I'd like a credit on Rock 'n' Roll High School."
"What?" Roger's smile remained, but his eyes turned to steel. "Absolutely not."
Authors Note:-
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1 more bonus chapter today.