Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 528 Expanding the Circle

   "So in your karate competition in the movie, is Daniel's one-hit winning move legal in the competition?" Barbie Wygant asked one last question before the end of the visit.

"Oh, that's legal. There are no uniform rules in karate. It's very clear in the movie that it's legal to hit from the waist and above, avoiding the throat and the back of the head. Concentrating directly on the head is to score three points and end the game. "

   "Okay, thank you, Morita." Barbie Wygant began to pack the headset.

   "It's going to be on Barbie's show on the weekend the movie is out," Ronald said to Weintraub, who was watching alongside him, pausing the tape.

  Senator Inoue did not come forward directly, so Sony took the initiative to approach and place an advertisement for Barbie Wygant's film review program. Barbie reciprocated, and immediately filmed an exclusive interview with Noriyuki Morita, the main actor of "Dragon Power Kid", during a business trip in Los Angeles.

"Very good, so that our movie has a good foundation for the weekend of release. I went to Columbia Distribution and urged them to increase the number of theaters from the early 900s to more than 1,000. Then I added all the theaters. real-life cardboard posters.”

   Weintraub also mobilized all resources for the competition in the summer season.

   "What do you think of the box office prospects?" Weintraub was a little anxious. He didn't expect that two dark horses that were not optimistic before suddenly appeared in the summer season, and they had the momentum to enter the top three of the year.

"I have confidence in the movie," Ronald replied. "The marketing of the movie, money and resources can only buy the theaters when it is released, and the box office after that, how much percentage drop every week, and how long can it be released in theaters, then It's all about word of mouth."

   "Hope you're right, we've done all we can, and we're going to cross our fingers and pray."

   "Yeah, pray."

  Ronald returned home, changed into a light outfit, drove to pick up Cameron and his girlfriend Gail, who were about to start living in the editing room, and went to Dan Aykroyd's house for a party.

   Now that he knew about his social inadequacy, Ronald immediately made amends and called the Canadian gang he knew who was working hard in Hollywood to have a party.

   Ronald also found John Candy, who invited him to watch football, and asked his friend Michael J. Fox to join them, and they all went to the party together.

  Canadian parties are quieter, that is, everyone listens to music, and the wife and girlfriend prepare food and eat it together.

   "Listen to Ronald, the movie you're directing is a special effects spectacle?" Aykroy dragged Cameron and chatted. His fame skyrocketed with "Ghostbusters," and now he's trying to get a little more directing.

   "When are we going to watch football again? NFL or college." Ronald was nibbling on chicken wings, and asked fat comedian John Candy.

   "I've taken on several plays recently, and I'll be busy until the beginning of next year." Candy opened his mouth and ate faster than Ronald.

   "What play, movie?"

   "Yes, there is a film in Thailand, and I work with Tom Hanks." Candy grabbed the napkin and wiped his mouth.

   "Thailand? What theme?"

   "Spoofing comedy, a wealthy child participated in a volunteer operation and strayed into the Vietnam battlefield." Candy said, "I didn't expect Hanks' comedy talent to be very good, and I cooperated well with him when he auditioned."

   "What movie projects do you have next?" asked Michael J Fox.

  Fox's fame has soared recently, and he plays the eldest son Alex in "Family Bonds", an Elephant Party who doesn't fit in with the parents of the hippie Donkey Party adherents, who believes in the economics of the Grand Commander.

Just last year, inflation has been successfully lowered to 3%, and economic growth has reached more than 5%, which has not been seen for many years. More and more people are beginning to like the current commander. The role played by Fox is also Loved by more and more people.

   "Not recently. I'm still in preliminary contact with some projects. I may approach Mr. Spielberg, and maybe make a detective movie."

   "Is there a suitable role for me?" Although Fox became famous on TV series, he still wanted to make a movie. Hearing that it was Spielberg's project, he immediately asked.

   "I don't know yet. His Amberlin has been in the limelight recently. Let's see the outcome of the negotiation. But your role in the TV series is so important that it's hard to arrange your time for filming?" Ronald asked him.

   "I still like movies. If there is a suitable role, I can do both." Michael J. Fox put the cigarette out under his shoes and put it in the ashtray.

   "Here comes the beef," Mrs. Aykroyd, Gail, and Fox's girlfriend, Nancy, brought out the food together. There were French fries next to the beef patty, Ronald and the others had a big appetite, and threw their cheeks to eat.

   "We Canadians will have to meet often in the future, and we have to give Ronald, the organizer of this event, an honorary Canadian title." Aykroyd is excited to expand his circle of friends.

   "That's right, Ronald is more like a Canadian than an American."

   "Hahaha, in fact, my mother's ancestors seem to have the blood of the hair country, maybe they immigrated from Quebec."

  Everyone left happily.

   "A TV actor to shoot a movie part-time? That's not easy." The next day, I came to Spielberg's Amberlin Films and was chatting with an old acquaintance, "Little Monsters" screenwriter Chris Columbus. Speaking of Michael J. Fox's wish.

   "The filming of TV dramas is very busy. Their sitcoms have one episode a week, and they are already very busy, unless they are rushing to shoot during the break between TV series during the summer vacation."

   "It turned out to be like this", Ronald remembered that Tom Hanks was the same, because the TV series had no skills, so he shied away from Ronald's invitation to shoot "fast-paced".

   "Ronald, here you are" Steven Spielberg came out of the room, his assistant Katherine beside him.

"Hello, Steven." Ronald stepped forward and hugged, "Your little monster is really good, Phoebe Cates is very suitable for that movie about Chinese myths and legends." Phoebe Cates originally It is about a quarter of Chinese descent.

   "Ah, yes. That was a successful attempt by Amblin, and Chris's contribution was indispensable." Spielberg patted Columbus on the shoulder.

   "This time, the 'Young Sherlock Holmes' is also the one who wrote the screenplay. You can talk to him first, and we will discuss further cooperation after the release of your movie."

   Ronald shook hands with Spielberg, feeling as if he wasn't as close to himself as he used to be. It seems that there is a chance to step up contact in the future.

   "How did you come up with the idea of ​​writing such a story?" Ronald asked a question after turning over Columbus's script. This story tells the story of Sherlock Holmes solving his first case in college.

   "When I was reading Sherlock Holmes, I always wondered why Sherlock Holmes died alone without a girlfriend.

   So I wrote him a young story, in which Sherlock was very emotional and met the love of his life, so that after the love broke, he began to become the detective we are familiar with. "

   "There is a shot of a knight on the mural coming to life. Why is a statue standing on the ground turned into a real person?"

  Ronald is a little weird, if a statue becomes a real person, then just let an actor get into the armor and act like Lucas' Star Wars.

   Such a mural comes to life, and the whole person is a flat paper figure, which cannot be played by real people. It is difficult to make this kind of paper man without wearing help. "

   "It was Steven's idea, he was going to experiment with computer-generated animation (CGI) in this film, and his friend Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic, would provide support."

"That's it", Ronald also became interested. He shot the MV of "Girls Just Want to Have Some Fun" using computer-generated special effects shots. How realistic.

   "Why don't you direct yourself?" Ronald asked a few more questions, and found that Columbus thought deeply, not only on the set, but also on various plots and performances.

   "My director?" Columbus didn't seem to have thought about this question, "I have no experience."

"No one has experience from the beginning? The first step to becoming a director is to direct a thing, no matter the length or subject matter, so that you can understand what you are lacking in." Ronald passed on his experience. a moment.

  The subject matter of this movie is relatively old, and it is a category of fan movies. And there is not much room to play. Ronald feels that Columbus has talent. If he wants to, he might as well recommend it to Spielberg himself.

   "I don't know, I'll continue to accumulate some experience. I will propose to Mr. Spielberg and participate in the shooting of the next movie." Columbus adjusted his glasses.

   "Ronald, hello!"

   As he was talking, a man with a square face and big ears outside the door walked in, grabbed Ronald and hugged him tightly.

   "Hello, Robert", Ronald recognized the person, it was Robert Zemeckis, the director of "Emerald", which was a big hit at the box office some time ago.

   "Your emeralds just explode. I haven't seen such a wonderful adventure movie since Indiana Jones."

Ronald had just seen this movie a while ago, and in it, Katherine Turner, from a glamorous blonde, suddenly became a dull, introverted nerdy writer, and Michael Douglas started a Mesoamerican drama. Adventure tour.

   This kind of directing skill that breaks through the inherent image is very extraordinary, and it is also very popular with stars.

   "Remember how you helped me change that script a few years ago? Because of the success of Emerald, they are all coming to me now, asking for funding to shoot."

   "Back to the future?" Ronald remembered the adventure story of going back thirty years from now, with his parents in high school.

   "Yes, but Steven helped me last time, this time I will come to him first." Zemeckis was very happy, and finally proved himself with commercial success, and he could shoot the script he wanted.

"That's what it should be." Ronald seemed to realize that there was a circle around Spielberg, and these people would have a hard time getting Spielberg unless he made his Amblin as the production company and then contributed the script to him. Berger's favor as a producer.

   "You also changed that script. Who do you think is suitable for the male lead?" Zemeckis was in a happy mood and asked Ronald's opinion on the spot.

   "Isn't it ready-made Alex?" Ronald thought of Michael J. Fox he had just met. He is a good candidate for such a quirky role. And Fox is not tall, and it is convincing to play high school students.

"We thought of him first, but he had a TV show to do, and the producers threatened to break our legs if we told him the news because they knew Fox would regret not taking it. Movie."

   Ronald shrugs, scheduling conflicts are really hard to resolve.

   "We recently found Eric Stoltz, and I heard that his debut was the director you made. What's your opinion of him?" Zemeckis continued to ask.

  Sometimes, actors' performances are more difficult to see on the screen. That unforgettable scene, I don't know if it is the director's credit, or the level of photography, or the actor's high acting skills.

"I didn't actually give him a few shots. He's a very researched actor, and he mainly uses method." Ronald carefully worded, this kind of opportunity is difficult, don't make the other party too high or because of your own evaluation. Stoltz's acting skills are underestimated.

"He's working on Peter Bogdanovich's new film, 'The Masked Man', I'll ask him when I get a chance." Zemeckis nodded and agreed, "Thank you for your suggestion, if you have any questions about casting in the future, I'll ask him. I will also ask you, who asked you to shoot teen movies. There are too few young actors now."

"welcome any time."

   and Spielberg connected, Ronald and Nisita discussed for another afternoon. Explores the prospects of this "Young Sherlock Holmes".

   Ronald never cast a script to Ambolin. According to Ambolin's typical style of exploiting young directors and screenwriters, Ronald has little chance of giving the directorship just like this.

   "Let's look at 'Longwei Kid' first," Nisita said. Ronald's first three films were all out-and-out low-cost exploitation films. Although they all sold well at the box office, the big studios may still have doubts about him.

   Now let's see how well this "Longwei Kid" with a production cost of 8.5 million can achieve at the box office. That's when it's time for the real big stuff, like Ronald's door to open.

   (end of this chapter)