Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 200 Unexpected acquaintances

   "The first way is to buy a batch of popular music copyrights at the top of the charts and use them directly as the soundtrack of "Son of Grease" to attract fans.

The second way is to persuade the two protagonists of the original work, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, to continue to play the main supporting roles in the sequel, rather than just making cameo appearances. attract their fans.

   As long as we can do any one of the two, this sequel can stand on the qualified line. If we can do both, it may explode. "

   The next day, Ronald found his agent, Rick Nisita. Tell him your choreographer's opinions and your own observations on the script. Hearing that Ronald had found a screenwriting idea, Ovitz was also very satisfied with his efficiency and listened to Ronald's briefing with Nisita.

"There's nothing wrong with the first, Andy Gibb is already a popular singer, and since he debuted with the song I Just Want To Be Your Everything (IJustWantToBeYourEverything), Robert Sterwood has always wanted him to be a part-time actor, and his The BeeGees, formed by the three big brothers, can also provide him with a lot of song support."

  Ovitz and Nisita have no objection to the first.

   Article 2..."

   The two whispered, and Nisita replied:

   "John Travolta has become popular, and he began to seek transformation, and he was unwilling to appear in musicals again, and appeared on the big screen as an American dancer.

  As for the heroine Olivia Newton-John, her new film "Xian Le Du" did not perform well at the box office and in the reviews, we can try to raise it with Paramount. "Having knocked on the table, Nisita decided to propose the heroine first.

Ovitz is already considering whether to recommend directors and actors to Paramount, "You're doing a great job, Ronald. We'll pass your writing on to Paramount and Sterwood. As they finalize the songs and After participating in the star, we will go to interview again to get the contract."

   "You stay in LA for two more days, and I expect an official return soon."

   Ronald, who walked out of the president's office, let out a long sigh of relief. Now that you decide to write a script, you must do the best you can.

   "Ronald, it's you!"

   An unexpected voice called Ronald in the lounge area.

   "Meinahan?" Ronald remembered the owner of the voice, as if it was the Israeli filmmaker Minahan Golan who was about to jump off the building after a failed Canadian movie.

   turned around, and sure enough it was Minahan and his cousin Yoram.

   "Why are you here?"

   "We're here to see Mr. Ovitz, why are you here?" Minahan asked.

   "I'm a contract screenwriter of CAA, this time I'm going to talk about some script projects." Ronald nodded and wanted to leave.

  Meinahan quickly exchanged glances with his cousin, maybe he has to rely on him for the breakthrough?

   "Ronald, we haven't thanked you for your help in Canada, why don't we go to our Cannon Films office? Let's have lunch together." Minahan invited out.

   "Don't you want to see Mr. Ovitz?"

   "Hahaha, he's a busy man. We didn't make an appointment this time. We'll try our luck. If I meet you, let's go to the office to chat first." The two took Ronald and went out.

   "Okay, let me speak to the agent." Ronald went to say goodbye to Richard.

   "Do you think he can help us?" Yoram asked Minahan.

   "Who knows, Ovitz rejected our request, and he hasn't seen us for the past two days. Why don't you ask Ronald, he gave us the idea, maybe he can do anything."

   Ronald walked out of the office, got into the car of the two Israeli brothers, turned a corner, and soon arrived at the office of Cannon Films.

  This is an old office building, open the door of the company, it is the front desk, and there is a logo of another company on it.

   "We just took over this office, and all the furniture was left by the previous tenant. We don't spend any money in these places, all the money will go to the filming of the movie." Minahan said without changing his face.

  There are also two desks in the corridor, which seem to be the seats of the screenwriter. The two screenwriters were typing on a crackling typewriter, and two pagoda-patterned cardboard boxes were on the table, apparently calling for Chinese takeout before they could eat it.

   Walking into Minahan and Yoram’s office, two opposite desks take up most of the space, along with two corner sofas and a small table as a place to entertain guests.

"This is our office, where Yoram and I are discussing the company's film projects." Minahan pointed to various movie posters on the wall, "This is our 'Lemonade' shot in Israel, breaking all Israeli box office record, we were able to come to America to continue our movie dream."

  Ronald nodded, the two of them still made big movies. Not the kind of pure layman who messes around. And this entrepreneurial spirit also makes Ronald feel very friendly, there is not much hierarchy, and the employees are very motivated.

   "So why are you looking for Mr. Ovitz? Can I be of any help?" Ronald simply pointed out the unspoken subtext of the Israeli brothers.

"We," the two brothers looked at each other, and Minahan said, "We remember the advice you gave in Montreal. When we came back, we asked United Art and MGM to discuss the issue of the release of Cannon Pictures. But their president was only interested in Thinking about the editing of 'Heaven's Gate'."

   "What about MGM?"

   "After being acquired by Kerkorian for a 40% stake, MGM has greatly reduced film production output. They now do not have their own distribution channels, but use United Arts' distribution channels."

   "So what are you going to do?" Ronald went around looking for water to drink. This Cannon Films is still a start-up company. The secretary is too conspicuous, and the boss's important guests don't even have a cup of coffee.

Yoram hurriedly went out to pour water, and Minahan said eagerly, "We made initial contact with MGM, and they can use the distribution channels shared with United Arts, but they don't know us and are unwilling to serve a family without Endorsements from companies that have released films in America. They need us to show proof, or find someone willing to vouch for our status as a producer…”

   After listening for a long time, Ronald understood that it was the old problem of entering the industry again.

  Minahan and Yoram are Israelis who have just acquired a small Hollywood studio, and MGM is reluctant to take the risk of signing a distribution deal before a movie is released in America.

   But no distributors bought "Apple", and Minahan was reluctant to make a small-scale distribution by himself, which would make the box office of the bad "Apple" even worse, and no distributors would be willing to represent their films in the future. So much so that their American film journey ended before it even started.

   So the brothers have been going to Ovitz, hoping that he can serve as a recommender, so that the top management of MGM will increase some confidence in the Israelis.

   But your "apples" are so bad, Ovitz certainly doesn't want to ruin his reputation.

As if reading a new voice from Ronald's heart, Yoram, who came back with a bottle of mineral water, said, "Actually, MGM doesn't care about the quality of our movies. They don't have many movies for distribution. , United Art’s distribution channels are also idling now, as long as there are movies, it’s always good.”

"But MGM's executives are reluctant to take risks. They are now undergoing changes at the upper levels. No one wants to become a source of wrongdoing because they signed up for our distribution business, and become a reason for others to attack in the high-level reshuffle. "

   Ronald wanted to understand the key point. In fact, the executives of MGM did not want to take the blame, but they were also jealous of the income of the publishing business. I want to find a formal certifier, so that the decision to sign the contract can be formalized, and I can't make mistakes.

   "I can do nothing, I'm just an ordinary customer of CAA, and I can't influence Mr. Ovitz's judgment."

   "No, we want you to be the referrer," Yoram said.

   "Me? Cough..." Ronald was amused by Yoram's words and choked.

   "Did you misunderstand me?"

   "We've come to Hollywood to find out, you're the famous screenwriter who wrote Jane Fonda's script, and you're on the front page of the New York Times."

   "No-name screenwriter is a big success!" Minahan repeated the title at the time in a heavy Israeli accent.

   "You haven't read the entire report, have you? There's no name for me there." Ronald didn't want to mention the script again, and briefly said that Jane Fonda was the project leader.

   "So it is." The two Israeli brothers looked at each other and sat down in disappointment.

   "But why don't you find a lawyer to prove your strength?" Ronald asked when he saw the frustration of the two.

   "We have also tried the proof materials given by lawyers, but they are unwilling to confirm our release results in Israel, and they discriminate against us a lot." Yoram replied.

"Those lawyers who serve Hollywood don't know that Israel still has the film industry, and they don't want to know more about our distribution performance in Israel. They always feel that no one in Hollywood will be able to auction movies." Minahan Also very uncomfortable.

   "Thank you, Ronald, we'll think about it."

   Didn't we say we had lunch? Ronald complained in his heart.

   "I do know Mitch Canter, the former MGM corporate lawyer. He is now leaving MGM and returning to practice at the law firm. Maybe he will be interested in you."

   "Really?" Minahan grabbed the phone on the desk and brought it to the sofa. "You can call him here."

   Ronald looked at them both without speaking.

   Yoram, who has been working in distribution and sales, understands the business benefit exchange better than Meinahan, who focuses on film production.

   "Ronald, who do you want to be in Hollywood in the future? Is there anything we can do at Cannonball Pictures?"

   "I want to be a director."

   "That's fine. Come to us, we, Cannon Films, lack talents who can direct English-language films." Minahan took the conversation and thumped his chest.

   "Okay", Ronald doesn't really trust these two Israelis, but this matter is not too consuming, he just introduced the business to Lawyer Mitch as usual.

   So Ronald dialed the number on Mickey Kantor's business card and talked about Cannonball's idea.

  Mickey Kanter welcomes this kind of business that is simple and can charge a lot of money. After communicating with Meinahan on the phone, let them go to the office tomorrow, provide materials, and let him contact the MGM distribution manager.

Minahan put down the phone and hugged Yoram happily, "We did it, we did it. We have a firm foothold in Hollywood, and the next thing is to make an Oscar-winning movie! We can go to the awards show next year. ."

   "Oh my God." Ronald covered his face, defeated by the optimism of the two.

   "Ha! It's half past twelve." Minahan thought Ronald was hungry and ran out of the office quickly.

   From outside the door came Minahan's soaring Hebrew voice, and the screenwriter's much smaller defense. After a while, Minahan took a pagoda-patterned lunch box, took chopsticks, and placed it in front of Ronald, "Here, this is Chinese food, it's very delicious."

   (end of this chapter)