Exploding hollywood

"Cut!" 

The director shook his head helplessly. "NG! (Not Good, meaning Not Qualified)." 

The staff let out a collective sigh. "Ugh!" 

This scene takes place at the Whiskey a Go Go bar, rented by New World Productions to film the movie *"Rock of Ages"*. It was already late Friday afternoon, and the team had attempted the final shot four times, but the fifth attempt still failed. 

There was no chance of wrapping early, and tensions were rising. The crew directed frustrated glances toward the rock band Ramones, who were featured in the film. 

Director Alan Arkush stood up, heading toward the band's manager to replace Dee Dee Ramone, the bassist, who kept making mistakes. Meanwhile, co-director Joe Dante sat, trying to figure out what had gone wrong. The scene was supposed to be straightforward: the guitarist, bassist, and drummer enter the backstage lounge carrying pizza boxes, with Dee Dee exclaiming, "Pizza's here! Let's eat!" 

But after five takes, it still wasn't right. Dee Dee kept messing up—saying the wrong lines, dropping pizzas, or knocking over a table. 

Ronald Lee, a production assistant, observed the entire process from behind the camera. Something seemed off. Dee Dee wasn't slacking—on the contrary, he seemed determined to get the scene right, shouting his line with all his might. 

Yet, every time the band opened the pizza box, Dee Dee made some clumsy mistake, as if... yes, as if it were deliberate. 

The three band members slumped in their chairs, worn out from repeated failures. Seeing their spirits drop, Ronald grabbed three paper cups from a nearby table, filled them with Nescafé's "delicious" instant coffee, and handed them over. 

Among the band, Dee Dee was the most aloof. He accepted the coffee lazily without a word of thanks, casting a sideways glance toward the other side of the room. A faint sneer curled at the corner of his mouth. 

Ronald followed his gaze to Joey Ramone, the band's lead singer, who had finished shooting earlier and was now chatting with a fan. 

Looking back at Dee Dee, Ronald noticed him drinking coffee with his back turned to the other band members. A suspicion stirred in Ronald's mind. 

He quickly approached Joe Dante and whispered, "Mr. Dante, I think Dee Dee isn't too happy with Joey." 

Joe Dante's eyes brightened. "Are you sure?" 

"Not entirely, but it's worth a shot." 

Just then, Alan Arkush returned, frustrated from failed negotiations with the band's manager. "No way. The manager insists all four members must have equal screen time, and they won't let anyone else deliver Dee Dee's line." 

Equal screen time… 

Ronald and Joe exchanged knowing looks. They felt confident. 

Joe Dante leaned toward Alan and murmured, "Why don't we try a different filming approach?" 

"You're right!" Alan exclaimed, quickly coordinating with the band's manager. 

Joe explained the new shooting plan to Dee Dee, calling over the makeup artist to touch him up. 

Ronald, standing by the camera, exchanged glances with the curious cinematographer and smiled. "The director's changing the shot plan." 

Soon, everything was set. 

"Action!" Alan shouted. 

Dee Dee Ramone burst into the scene first, carrying a stack of pizzas. He placed them on a small table and shouted, "Pizza's here! Let's eat!" 

The drummer and guitarist entered in sequence, and the three band members opened a pizza box, each grabbing a slice and taking a bite. 

"Cut! That's a wrap!" 

Cheers erupted from the crew, and everyone applauded—the scene was finally complete. 

… 

After the shoot, Ronald collected signatures from the cast to confirm their work hours and handed the form to Jim, a fellow production assistant. 

Jim had long hair parted in the middle, a beard, and a Beatles-inspired look. As two of the "weird kids" on set, Ronald and Jim worked closely and had become good friends. 

Jim tucked the form away and, glancing at the departing Ramones, asked quietly, "So, what did you tell the director to get Dee Dee through that shot?" 

Ronald grinned. "When I gave Dee Dee his coffee, I noticed he was upset with Joey. The previous shot was a close-up of Joey, but this one had all three band members in frame. So I suggested giving Dee Dee his own moment." 

The two shared a knowing smile. Whether in film sets or rock bands, status matters. 

Ronald checked his watch and stood to leave. 

"You're not coming to the party?" Jim asked, surprised. That night, the crew was hosting a weekend party at the Whiskey a Go Go. 

"No, I have to call my aunt in New York." 

"Don't forget, we're filming at Van Nuys High School tomorrow morning. Call time's 5:30 AM," Jim reminded him, handing over a map with directions. 

Taking the map, Ronald left the bar, got into his car, and drove out of the parking lot. 

As he passed the crew's van, he honked twice to acknowledge the cameraman directing the load-in and turned onto the main road. 

It was December 15, 1978, in Los Angeles. Daylight Saving Time had ended, and although it was just after 6 PM, it was already dark. 

Ronald knew his aunt Karen was waiting for his call. With the three-hour time difference, it was already 9 PM in New York. He stopped at a nearby phone booth, pulled out a handful of coins, and dialed: 1-718-317-7157. 

After a single ring, the line connected. 

"Hello, Aunt Karen, it's Ronald." 

"Oh, Ronnie! How are you?" 

"I'm doing well. I've been working on set for the past two weeks and met some great people in the industry. Once filming wraps next week, I'll take some headshots for auditions. 

"There are so many people here in L.A. trying to break into film and TV. The market is huge. I've figured that in three months, I'll earn enough to cover tuition, books, and housing for my first year of college with just $50 worth of headshots." 

"That's amazing, Ronnie. I'm so proud of you. Your parents would be too." 

Aunt Karen grew emotional, recalling her late husband, Steve, who had died in Vietnam, and Ronald's parents, who were killed in a car accident. Ronald sighed. 

"Don't worry, Aunt Karen. I'll make enough this year. If I attend a public university in New York, I'll even get a tuition waiver." 

"I wish I could do more," Karen said sadly. 

"You've done plenty," Ronald reassured her. "You raised Donna on your own, took me in, and covered my medical expenses." 

After chatting for a while longer, Ronald ran out of coins. "I love you, Aunt Karen," he said. 

"I love you too, Ronnie." 

Ronald hung up, collected his remaining coins, and drove toward his rented apartment. 

As he drove, he reflected on his life. Aunt Karen and his cousin Donna were his only family in *this* world. 

Three years ago, Ronald Lee had been Chinese. One night, he went to sleep and woke up in an American hospital. When he opened his eyes, Aunt Karen was the first person he saw. 

In this life, his parents had died in a car crash, leaving him as the sole survivor. Aunt Karen had brought him from the hospital to her home in Staten Island, New York, where she nursed him back to health. 

With these thoughts in mind, Ronald pressed the accelerator and headed toward his home near Venice Beach. 

End of Chapter