Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 559 Three Scripts

   "This script is also based on real events?" Back in Los Angeles, the first thing to do was to meet with Nisita and Richard's two agents. They handed over a script outline from Katzenberg, the COO of Paramount's tube production.

   "Yes, the script is based on an interview in last year's California magazine by Ehud Jonai. He interviewed a lot of people in Miramar, the Naval Air City, next to Naval Base San Diego.

   This story is based on the lives of Navy aviation photographer, Lieutenant "The Heater" Heatley, and some fighter pilots at the air station. "Richard handed over a magazine from last May with a photo of the aerial photographer on the cover.

   "How is it? Does it match your family background?" Nisita put away the Italian salami and the red wine from the Coppola winery, and let Ronald eat and drink while reading the script.

"Katzenberg is very optimistic about you, your last movie 'Long Wei Kid' was adapted from a newspaper report, so this time he also wants to give you the script adapted from this magazine report. You can make any changes based on the first draft of this script.”

   Ronald ate a few slices of sausage, drank a sip of wine, recovered from the exhaustion of the long journey, and then quickly flipped the script, as if checking if there was a bill in it. Then he took out the magazine report and looked at it.

   "To tell the truth, it's not very good." Ronald spent half an hour reading the script outline and magazine interview, and told the truth in his heart.

"how?"

   "The original story of the Longwei boy is actually very dramatic. A kid who was bullied, successfully counterattacked after practicing and defeated his opponent. But this interview... a little bit of touting a naval pilot."

Ronald took a sip of Nisita's refilled red wine. "This interview is a story from small to large, starting with the aerial photographer and telling the story of the pilots and technical experts in the base. Nice interview, but he has no drama.

  Our navy is very professional, the pilots are very competent, no more. "

Ronald put down the magazine and picked up the script, "This adaptation is even worse, it seems to stretch a boring story five times, and fill it with more boring details. How many people want to see the pilot. How to overcome high G-forces?

   There is also the aviation analyst Kristin Fox, who has neither a romantic love story with the protagonist nor the mysterious identity of a female soldier. I doubt the audience will fall asleep watching her talk about aerodynamics on screen. "

   "So it needs to be revised, right? To reduce the technical details of the heroine and add more romantic love stories?" Nisita asked.

   "You did it on purpose?" Ronald responded.

"Hahaha, yes, Katzenberg meant to ask you to write another draft." Nisita rejoiced, then lowered the volume, "It's good for your career, we'll talk privately, this secret You don't tell the fourth person."

   "What secret?" Ronald asked curiously.

"Paramount's president, Barry Diller, has made a deal with Twentieth Century Fox to go there and run the company. The most consistent executive producer here at Paramount for many years is Michael Eisner, and the Senberger duo. So they are very likely to take over Paramount.

   That way, 1985 was the first year the duo ran the big titans, and they'd put in all sorts of resources to justify the board's choice. So you are their best card.

   Young directors are favored and entrusted with important tasks. For the first time, a film with a budget of tens of millions can be a great success. It's a win-win for them and for you.

   So I say good opportunity. "

   "The chance may be good, but what this script needs is not revision, but a complete overhaul and reconstruction." Ronald was a little reluctant to do it. "Without a good story core, I have to rethink the characters and stories, which is very troublesome."

   Besides, I didn’t dream about the clip, and I don’t know if this movie was made in the end, and what kind of story it was.

   "You can rest for a while and enjoy life." Nisita said with a smile, the young director suddenly succeeded, and he definitely wanted to enjoy a period of time comfortably, and was not willing to do the screenwriting work that racked his brains every day. Besides, the client was young and handsome, and had just hooked up with the talented Yale woman Jodie Foster.

   "By the way, is there any progress in the Chinese novels I asked you to find?" Ronald asked.

   "There is a novel written by Robert Daly. It's called 'The Year of the Dragon'."

  Richard handed over another novel.

   On the cover is an oriental golden dragon with sharp claws and a huge dragon head breathing out the words "Year of Dragon".

   "Is it a police detective story?" Ronald flipped through it quickly. The author is a best-selling author. In the early 1970s, he also worked as the deputy director of the NYPD in New York City (appointed by the mayor, not a business position).

   He is quite familiar with some of NYPD's operation techniques, and there are many real details in the book. "Year of the Dragon" is about a NYPD detective who went to New York's Chinatown to investigate cases and battled wits with the triad boss there. The boss was very smart and did not leave any evidence for bad things. In the end, the detective used a bigamy charge and sent him to prison.

  Ronald felt that this strange trick was quite similar to the arrest of Chicago gangster Al Capone back then. There was no evidence, and he was finally convicted by the IRS.

  It has a Chinese background, a detective story, and some romantic stories about the daily life, customs and habits of Chinatown, the three-way fight between two gang bosses and police detectives, and a love affair with a beautiful woman. On the contrary, he felt that the novel, after being adapted into a script, would be very exciting.

   "Who is the adaptation right now?" Ronald looked at the publication time in 1981, and knew that after the best-selling author published the novel, the adaptation rights of the movie had generally been sold.

   "The adaptation rights are now in the hands of the famous Italian producer Dino de Laurentiis. If you are interested, we will contact him."

   "Oh, it's him." Ronald knew this man's name. He is a rare and successful foreign producer in Hollywood.

  Before David Lynch, the reason why he gave up "fast-paced Richmond High School" was to shoot the sci-fi blockbuster "Dune" for Dino. In addition, Cameron's new film "Terminator" starring Schwarzenegger is famous for his "Conan" series. There is also John Carpenter's famous "Moonlight, Panic" series of horror films, which he also invested in and produced.

  Speaking of Ronald, he still likes his films very well. In fact, he already has a preference for the two scripts in his heart.

   "By the way, that dune is finally finished, right?"

   "Hey, don't mention it, Lynch cut the four-hour version, and was ordered by Universal to cut it to two hours and fifteen minutes. He's making trouble, and it probably won't work. In the end, he may sign Alan Smith's pseudonym."

"Ah, hahaha..." Alan Smithee is a famous pseudonym, the director's union allows directors to use this public pseudonym when they think the original intention of the creation has been distorted by the studio and are unwilling to sign the work. Avoid embarrassment.

   A feeling arose in Ronald's heart, if Lynch hadn't rejected "fast-paced" directors, would he still be writing scripts for people like Cameron Crowe?

"However, let me remind you that Dino de Laurentiis is not a fuel-efficient lamp. He is very good at squeezing creators through various conditions and making them agree to other conditions. You want to make this 'Year of the Dragon' so badly After he sees it, he may be hit hard."

   "Then don't I rely on your CAA? If you can't, then bring out the name of Mr. Michael Ovitz."

   After temporarily dealing with several intentions for the next movie, Ronald went to the Weintraub house.

   He has invited Ronald over many times to check the box office report on the one hand, and chat about the shooting of the sequel on the other hand. The box office has passed 70 million, and it is time to prepare for the sequel.

   "This is our box office situation. After the Labor Day weekend, the box office has declined. Now it is still more than 4 million per week at the box office, and it is expected to be shown for more than eight weeks."

   Ronald finished the box office report. Weintraub's secretary, Susan, was very capable and put the film's producer, distributor, various creators, and a silhouette of a crane kick on the report. They will use this result to attract investors for the second part.

   "What company is this?" Ronald saw a strange name in the list of producers—Delphi Phase II. Doesn't look like a company name.

   "It's a Wall Street fund," Weintraub replied.

   "Can funds also invest in movies?" Ronald knew that for the sales of brokerages, he often called Aunt Karen to persuade her to buy various funds, but she refused. She also learned from Ronald, bought a little Coca-Cola, and McDonald's stock, and took the dividends as living expenses every quarter.

   "Yes", Weintraub explained, this Delphi fund is a fund specially sold to retail investors, mainly investing in Colombia and film projects released by the newly established Samsung company.

  The second phase means that the first phase of this fund has been closed and the second phase has been released. The third phase is also about to be completed, and we will start looking for investment in potential projects under Columbia.

   "So the second part of Longwei Kid can also get Delphi's investment?" Ronald asked.

   "Yes, they have an agreement, and they will invest a certain proportion in the projects they think are suitable, and never occupy too much share, so as to spread the risk."

   "Are you interested in writing the second book?" Weintraub came over, took the report out of Ronald's hand, and asked him.

   "If you have a suitable candidate, I will authorize it." Ronald, as the author of the first film, has the copyright of the movie characters. If Weintraub wants to find a new person to write the screenplay, he must sign and agree.

   But most screenwriters would agree.

"Well, you should take more vacations. We will discuss when the first draft comes out. Now is the time for you to enjoy your success. I have thought about your idea for two sequels. Let's find someone to write the story of Miyagi-sensei first. ."

   (end of this chapter)