Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 483 Dividend Order on Comet Night

   The karate final in "Longwei Kid" was on December 19th. The shooting date was very close to the date of the story in the script. After shooting all the shots, it was almost Christmas in 1983.

   showed up at the packing party, and Ronald took the film to Weintraub's office.

   "I need two weeks off, Jerry," Ronald told Weintraub about his editing theory. He needs a two-week vacation to completely remove his mind from "Longwei Kid" and do something completely different, so that he can view his screenwriter and director's film from an objective perspective.

   "In these two weeks, you can let the editor synchronize the sound and picture, and then cut each shot into a separate roll, so that when I come back from the New Year's vacation, I can immediately start editing."

"Don't be kidding, it's Christmas and New Year's holidays, where can I find editors who are willing to work overtime at this time." Weintraub put his hands on Ronald's shoulders, "You take a good rest for a month. , come back and cut the film at the end of January, and I will prepare what you say."

   Ronald also thought that in Los Angeles, where the film and television union is strong, to find an editor to work overtime during the Christmas and New Year holidays, which is equivalent to openly inviting the editors union to impose a fine.

   "I wonder if no one will make movies in Los Angeles in the future." Ronald shook his head.

"Where are you going for Christmas? Do you want to come to my house? Susan will come with her, and Jane agrees with her to live with her at home." Weintraub is now enjoying the life of one wife and one concubine, and Jane Morgan unexpectedly told Susan Ai Kins wasn't very hostile. Two women can spend Christmas at home with their kids and go to the kitchen together.

   "I have to go back to New York, I haven't seen my aunt for a long time." Ronald was envious of Weintraub for resolving family conflicts so well. But he's going back to enjoy family reunion, and Diane is filming in New York.

   "Okay, I've prepared a first-class ticket for you, enjoy it." Weintraub took a ticket and handed it to Ronald.

   "Who are you going to get to score the film?" Weintraub asked.

  "I'm going to find Michael Gore", Ronald thought of his old partner, Gore, who won the Oscar for Best Interlude with him in "Famous".

   "Then I'll wait for your news."

   Ronald got bad news the next day.

  Michael Gore called himself back, and after finishing the soundtrack and theme song for Paramount's new film "Terms of Endearment," he took a long vacation, started enjoying life, and trying to break into the pop music scene.

   The mother-daughter film, played by Deborah Winger and Shirley MacLean, just hit theaters nationwide. Michael Gore's lyric-free theme song broke into the top 100 hit singles on the charts, setting a record for a movie soundtrack.

  The industry is expecting Gore to win a second Oscar, as well as the Grammy's newly created Interlude Award.

   had no choice but to continue looking for a composer. Weintraub reached out to a scorer, Bill Conti. He was on the soundtrack for "Rocky".

   "I think he is a good candidate. Anyway, Daniel LaRusso's story is similar to Rocky's, both are stories of underdogs counterattacking." Weintraub said to Ronald.

"Don't say that, Rocky is a gangster gangster, and Daniel is a motivated young man without a father. It's completely different." Ronald didn't like Stallone, and didn't want to hear someone compare his movie to "Rocky" .

   "Well, you're right. But if only we could get Rocky's success."

"hope so".

  "Rocky" once won 110 million North American box office with a budget of less than 1 million in 1976. Weintraub is very hopeful that "Longwei Kid" can also reach such a height.

   Ronald has one more thing to do in Los Angeles before returning to New York. That is to go to the Atlantic company and ask when "Night of the Comet" is released in China, when the profit dividends that can be shared can be obtained.

Arriving at the front desk of the Atlantic Company, Ronald heard a familiar voice shouting from inside, "Where's my money? Where the **** is my money? Every time you say it's ready to pay, it's ready to be paid. Now, every time I drag it and don't give it."

   is talking about the second boss of Cannon Films, Minahan's younger brother Yoram. His figure also began to develop rapidly towards his cousin's appearance, gradually turning into a spherical shape.

"Don't be like this, I can't help it. The bosses of the movie theaters always pay by the deadline of the contract. It is common practice in the film industry that this deadline is one year after the movie is released. And they often have to wait until we file a lawsuit. Pay later."

   "You can't do that, Tom. We sell film copies in Europe, hand-to-hand, hand-to-hand. When can you pay?"

   "Right now, as soon as we get the money from the cinema, it will be paid to you."

   Yoram opened the office angrily, "You bastards... um, Ronald."

   "Tom, Yoram." Ronald was poking his head outside when he saw Yoram and Atlantic President Tom Coleman.

   "Ronald, you came just in time." Seeing him, Tom Coleman waved Ronald to come in too, and communicated with Ronald about the movie's box office situation.

   Since the release of "Night of the Comet", the first round of screening in the North American market has won a total of 27 million box office results. In the first round of screenings, the producers and the theaters generally divide the film into 50-50. As for the second round of screenings that have already started, the share we get is much less, only less than 10%.

   In this way, the Atlantic Company has obtained a total of about 13.5 million shares. And minus Atlantic's marketing costs, $5.5 million.

   "So are we paying dividends according to the profit of eight million?" Ronald was very happy, so that he could receive two million dollars, which was the first huge sum of money he had received since he started his career. It's not impossible to put it off until next year.

"It's not like that, Ronald. In addition to marketing costs, we also have to spend on distribution costs, and the distribution costs in major theaters across the country are not low, and the total cost is a million dollars. Plus the hundreds of dollars we have to produce It costs $2 million to make copies and ship them all over the place.”

   "So it's 25% of 5 million?" Ronald thought, more than 1 million dividends is not bad, plus his director's remuneration, there is 1.45 million. After paying taxes in this way, a movie can make nearly a million dollars on its own.

   "That's not true, Ronald. The movie box office is divided according to profit."

   "Yes, didn't you count? Is the profit five million?"

   "No, no, this is the total profit. First of all, as the producer, Atlantic Company will be the first to withdraw the profit of two million US dollars, and the remaining three million US dollars will be the basis for the calculation of your share."

   "So I can get twenty-five percent of the three million?"

   "Yes, the total dividend is $750,000, minus the director's remuneration we paid in advance, you can get at least $550,000 from your dividend."

  Ronald's mood was a little unhappy, just now it was two million, one million. "

   "I'll have to discuss the accounts with my lawyer and accountant, I hope you can provide it."

   "Of course," Tom Coleman handed a list of documents. "We'll send all the accounting information to your accountant and attorney."

"I have another proposal," Tom Coleman added. "I know you investors always want to get your share early, but the movie industry has a long billing period. So we can provide early settlement. Option, we will give you your dividend before we receive the money back.

   Of course we charge a little discount. In this way, you can now get a total of about 500,000 yuan. As for the share of the second round of screenings, and the wrangling between us and the movie theater when the payment was settled, it has nothing to do with you.

   In order to show our sincerity, because the film far exceeded our expectations, Atlantic also decided to give you an additional bonus of $100,000, so that you can walk away with a cash check of $600,000, once and for all. "

   "I have to think about it." It was the first time Ronald encountered such a thing, and he always felt like he was at a loss. In New York, you can have a good chat with Miss Attorney Lindsay Dole and Accountant Lawrence Wang.

"certainly".

   Ronald walked out of the office and found Yoram waiting for him at the door.

   "Come on, let's go have a drink and talk."

  Ronald did not refuse, and the investment of Cannon Films also has the right to share. Everyone can form an alliance.

   "Where are you in the order of dividends?" Yoram found a cafe and asked Ronald impatiently after sitting down.

   Ronald's heart skipped a beat. This dividend order seemed to be kept secret in the contract.

   Immediately, he reacted. Those who distributed dividends first would have a larger profit base when calculating dividends. The first point in the Atlantic was calculated at five million, and Ronald only had three million left.

  So, when it comes to the cannons of Yoram and Minahan, at most there are only a little over two million? No, they're in charge of overseas distribution, and Roger Coleman, with his friend Douglas Jr., seems to be ahead of him.

   Calculated like this, didn’t they only get a hundred thousand?

   "Hey, you know, I'm just a director, and my name is in the dividend qualification..." Ronald began to play stupid.

"Hey, I know, I know. Many artists are exploited by these producers, and when it's their turn, there is often only a nominal dividend left." Yoram also sighed, " We're just a little bit better than you..."

   "It seems that Yoram needs this money very much", Ronald was suspicious, didn't Cannon get a big loan in Europe?

   "Why didn't Meinahan come with you?"

   "He went to New York, and encountered some problems with the release of 'Sahara', he went to coordinate, and asked Brooke Shields to promote it by the way. Hey..."

   "What happened to the movie? Don't you guys have a long-term distribution agreement with MGM?" Ronald remembered that he had introduced MGM's distribution department to the Minahan brothers.

"They've got a new president, a distribution deal with Cannons...to face a new...well...continue to scrutiny. You know, Ronald, you executives at America, always like to be on the job. Revisiting your ex's co-op. You guys are too much into office politics."

   "Anyway, you don't want to continue the distribution agreement with your Cannonball, right?" Ronald thought to himself, "I don't know if it's because your movies are so bad that people can't stand it."

   Back home, Ronald called Roger Coleman again, "Roger, Atlantic said to settle the dividends with me in advance, is this right?"

"Oh, they also talked to me, and I suggest you agree to them. Distribution is a very troublesome thing. You have to communicate with each of the theater owners, and you have to call them to remind them. Get a lawyer to sue. It’s always good to get the money sooner. Frankly, it usually takes more than a year for a movie to be paid back, and it’s a question of whether Atlantic still exists.”

   "I see..." Ronald put down the phone, it seemed that it would be better for him to pocket it earlier, and to get the money after he went to New York to discuss with the lawyer and accountant.

   (end of this chapter)