Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 163 Is there a problem here?

  Richard sent Ronald back to the hotel and drove away by himself.

  Ronald always felt that this was a bit unreliable. As a young screenwriter with wet ears, even if he wrote a good script, the script he wrote would not immediately have the influence of alarming the Oscar-winning actress.

  The film and television industry is very particular about connections and qualifications, and many producers don’t know why a movie will sell well, but another similar movie won’t. Most people still judge your future value based on your past history of success.

   Unless your own screenplay is nominated for an Oscar, there is still some possibility.

   But he is a little screenwriter who no one knows, even if Ovitz is bragging, it is not necessary.

   Ronald couldn't figure out what Ovitz could covet in himself, so he just called a friend and asked.

   First call Eddie Cohen, his New York-based advertising agent.

   "Have you ever heard a joke, Ronald?"

   "What joke?"

   "How to marry the daughter of the director of Mobil Oil?"

   "You just have to tell the Mobil Oil director that you want to marry her daughter, and say that you are the vice president of the World Bank. Then say that your father-in-law is the Mobil Oil director and apply for the World Bank vice president position."

Ronald laughed, "What do you mean, Ovitz is the young man who was looking for a job? Take my script and go to Jane Fonda to tell Jane Fonda that the studio saw the script and asked her to play, and then go to the studio to tell the story. Jane Fonda wants to film the script and ask them for investment?"

   "Almost? Maybe Ovitz has a better network or a deeper insight into the industry, but I don't know." Eddie replied.

"Is there any chance that Ovitz took my script and pitched it to Jane Fonda, and waited for Jane Fonda to nod, then pitched it to the studio? Like he told me, screenwriter Priority strategy." Ronald asked again.

   "Ronnie. So which answer do you want me to tell you?"

   "Hahahaha..." Ronald laughed and ended the call.

   I am also concerned and messed up. The script has a chance to be starred by the actress, and sometimes I can't think calmly.

   Calls to Michelle Pfeiffer are always unanswered. She simply called Limato, her agent, and told his secretary that she had come to Hollywood to discuss the script with CAA.

   After waiting for a long time, Limato finally called back and said that Pfeiffer was seeing the people of Lux in the past two days.

   Ronald had nothing to do in the afternoon or evening, so he called New World's assistant to the president, Gail, and asked her to meet up in the evening. Then called Jim Cameron, and the three of them were in the hotel lounge, ordered a few cocktails and a few beers, and chatted while drinking.

  Cameron's follow-up exploitative film "Battle of the Stars" featuring special effects photography and model photography has been edited and will be released in September.

"This is a piece of junk, following Star Wars, the so-called budget of 2 million, most of them paid for the two big-name protagonists, very little money for special effects, I even stole a few McDonald's plates to make spaceships interior decoration."

  Cameron is still a quick talker, and he complains a lot about Roger Coleman's stingy strategy.

   "So this movie didn't work well?"

"My job is to make this **** less dazzling." Cameron held the mouth of the beer bottle with three fingers and poured the rest of the beer into his mouth. "The end result should be good, not so bad. I think about it. Lots of ways."

   "Still talk about your fame, I see the movie theaters are out?" Gale turned the conversation to Ronald.

   "Yes, the box office is mediocre. The production cost of 8 million was budgeted, and it was released on a small scale at the beginning. I heard from the producer that there are only less than 20 million at the box office in North America. The cost of copy rental is likely to be unpaid."

   "It seems like everyone's starting to count the gross box office now, not copy rental fees?" Gale, by Roger Coleman's side, was sensitive to these commercial matters.

"I heard from the TV station that film review programs are now live on TV. The audience doesn't understand the meaning of the copy rental fee, so they directly report the total weekly box office, which makes the director and producer very nervous, for fear that the number is not good. It affects the subsequent box office attendance.”

   "Yeah, a lot of people are watching that PBS review show right now, Bald and Glasses," Ronald replied.

   "Hahaha, do you call them nicknames?"

   After chatting about the past, Ronald asked two friends about his script being recommended to Jane Fonda.

   "That's the way it is. I always feel that there is something wrong with this matter, but I can't find the problem, so please help me think about it. Am I thinking too much?"

"It's hard to say, maybe it's true." Gale took a sip of his cocktail, "In Hollywood, it's the male stars who really make the big money. If two or three movies in a row sell out, the studio can often make a lot of money. Ask for $2 million."

"And female stars are paid a lot less. Even if you are like Jane Fonda, if you have two consecutive movies, and you are nominated for an Oscar, you can only get a maximum of 1 million compensation. In short, there is sexism in Hollywood. ."

"Comparatively speaking, the male stars and female stars you see in the media have similar exposure, and female stars are better contacted, and they have higher requirements for scripts. When they see a script they like, they pay for it. It's not impossible to talk to the screenwriter."

   "If it's Ryan O'Neal, or Stallone, I think there's probably something wrong with this. If it's Jane, there's still hope."

  Gail is relatively familiar with Hollywood's inner story, "and Jane Fonda may remember that you belittled the deer hunter on TV, helped her win the Oscar, and maybe you can help her."

   "Hahahaha..." Cameron laughed.

  Ronald also had to agree and smile.

   "What do you think? Jim?"

   "It's very simple, you just go. If it's a lie to you, you beat the agent. If it's true, then you ask Jane Fonda to come out, don't think too much, Ronnie."

"Hahaha…"

   Now Ronald laughed heartily.

   Indeed, it’s useless to think too much, I don’t have any chips in my hand, I’ll just see the situation tomorrow.

   "So are you doing special effects in the New World next?" Ronald asked Cameron.

   "No, Roger won't invest money in special effects films." Cameron shook his head.

   "Why?" Ronald expressed incomprehension, "Is he not optimistic about the box office of Battle of the Stars?"

   "No, Battle of the Stars is very special. Before shooting, he sold the overseas copyright to the upstart Orion Pictures, which is said to be enough to cover the shooting cost of 2 million."

   "Now he's talking to HBO about selling TV rights, which should be close to $1 million," Gale added.

   "Then why didn't Roger continue?"

  Gail explained to Ronald:

   "The good time has passed, whether it is Orion or HBO, they are entering new markets and enriching their film library.

  The founders of Orion are several senior executives who were fired by United Arts. Starting from Love Dingsun Bridge, the films they made have been well received, and they now want to enter the distribution business.

   And HBO's subscription will start to become a 24-hour pay TV station next year. It is necessary to order a batch of movies to play the bottom line, and Roger will have a chance to sell at a high price.

The words after    are based on strength. Only excellent movies at the theater box office can have the opportunity to sell overseas copyrights or TV station copyrights.

   Combined with the recent strike, Roger's new film plans have all been put on hold. "

   "Hey, this unfortunate strike." Ronald also lamented, he could have gone further and became the first assistant director of the Endless Love crew.

   "What do you do, Jim?"

"Me?" he replied while drinking Ronald's new beer, "I'm going to do special effects projects for John Carpenter's new film, Escape from New York, which also has a low budget and needs to To achieve the effect of the plane crashing into the twin towers of the World Trade Center on the screen, and after watching my performance in Battle of the Stars, he called and invited me to come over."

   "Congratulations, Jim. Cheers!" Ronald hurriedly raised his beer bottle and toasted his old friend.

  …

"cheers!"

  Meanwhile, CAA president Michael Ovitz and Columbia Pictures president Frank Price were raising champagne to greet each other.

  Price felt so happy for the first time since taking office.

  Before he came to Columbia Pictures, he worked at Universal Television Network. He has made great achievements in his tenure, launching the blockbuster sci-fi TV series "Battlestar Galactica" and the criminal investigation TV series "Detective Colombo (Columbo, two trump cards.

   But after taking office at Columbia Pictures, he was **** everywhere. Middle-level managers discriminate against him for being in the TV circle, and his will cannot be implemented in many projects.

And Columbia has only enough liquidity for six months. He urgently needs to master some resources of the film industry to organize his own film project. As long as there is a blockbuster film, his authority in his new position can be established. Hit those disobedient subordinates hard.

   And the financing guarantee of film projects is star actors and star directors. Both are with veteran brokerage firm William Morris (WMA), and International Innovation Management (ICM), where Price has little influence.

  WMA and ICM have cost him several times, and his projects have been ranked behind other old relationship studios, so that no film under Price's control has yet started.

   There is only Michael Ovitz sitting opposite. The CAA he represents is also a new player in the industry. Like himself, he urgently needs to make achievements and gain the right to speak.

   "So what's the price you're offering for Jane Fonda?"

  "4 million", Ovitz made a gesture, "There is no war scene in this movie, the biggest explosion scene is a grenade, and the large part of the scene is the emotional scene of the hero and heroine, so Jane Fonda will be interested."

   "Too expensive." Price shook his hand.

"Jane Fonda is my client. According to the rules, I want to go with her to ask all interested parties for the price of the eight major studios." Ovitz approached Price with a glass of wine, and said in a low voice, " The one you get is obviously higher than your peers, and I can guarantee that you will get Jane as the heroine."

   "3.5 million. It's inconvenient for me to approve it if it is higher. It needs to be discussed at the management meeting."

   "Just 3.5 million plus a Columbia-funded movie lead for Sean Connery."

   "Okay, it just so happens that 'WrongIsRight' needs a 007-style protagonist. Deal?" Price asked Ovitz, raising his glass.

   "Frank, give Jane an unprecedented salary, 2 million."

   "You must be joking, Michael." Frank Price was unhappy, "This will destroy the price agreement of the Eight, and it is difficult for me to do it."

   "But isn't that what you want is big news? Mr. Price doesn't need that **** in Colombia to call in the Oscar-winning actress to make a big production. It's a win-win, Frank, think about it."

   "Okay," Price pondered for a moment, "but you have to make sure I get this project and don't let other studios take it."

   "Don't worry, I'm a professional. The movie 'My Brother's Protector' is yours. I never lie."

  Ovitz raised his glass to greet the President of Columbia.

   (end of this chapter)