Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Get another bed?" Little Bud came to pick up Ronald in the morning and heard Ronald instructing him to buy a new bed. "What will it look like this time?"

"Yes, it needs to be bigger," Ronald pointed to the old bed and said to him, "bigger, wider, longer, you know."

"Uh..." Little Bud scratched his head. In fact, he didn't understand.

My boss is good at everything, he offers a high salary, and he also borrowed an apartment for himself and Lucy. It can be said that he is a boss who is easy to take care of.

The only drawback is that I often like to buy new beds. Since I became his driver, I have bought several new beds. The general trend is to buy more and more, and Ronald seems to have a mysophobia. Every time he changes female companions, he has to buy a new bed.

"If you want to change to new ones, you can actually just change the sheets, or change to a mattress?" Little Bud said a few words, and saw that Ronald's face looked wrong.

"I mean, if you don't want it, can you give it to me? Lucy and I are looking for a new bed."

"Take it, take it. Then get a new mattress and use it yourself." Ronald was embarrassed to say that he changed the bed because he kept falling down. He counted a stack of cash and gave it to Bud, "Let them deliver the stuff today. It must be bigger."

"No problem, buy a big one." Little Bud happily measured the size of the bed. This is already a large bed in a hotel. It is of high quality. Lucy will definitely like it if she gets a new mattress at home. However, Ronald is successful now, and the bed is getting bigger and bigger. How many people will it take to fill it?

Ronald, who got a new bed in the evening, was very satisfied. It would not fall off easily now. Ronald was so happy that he stretched out several times on the bed that was a little bigger than before. This time there was no problem.

After a few days of busy work, Ronald received representatives from Kadokawa from Japan and also contacted Twentieth Century Fox.

It's the weekend again, and the script for the adaptation of "Nothing Is Forever" has been revised by Jeb Stelter. This time he found a taxi and brought the newly bound script to the office.

Ronald and Joel Silver were very satisfied after reading this book, which was published eight years ago, but some of the plots have not kept up with the times. Jeb retained some of the most critical elements very well, such as the protagonist hiding in a skyscraper at the beginning and not being discovered by the kidnappers. There is also a scene where the protagonist ties a gun to his back with tape and deceives the robbers.

However, some specific details have been changed to reflect today's social trends. For example, the police sergeant who picks up the movie downstairs and the driver who picks up the protagonist in a luxury car are all written as black people.

The relationship between the protagonist, the detective, and the company president’s secretary,

The story was changed from father and daughter to husband and wife, and arrangements were added such as two people living in two places, considering divorce but still loving each other, etc., making the plot structure more fascinating.

Of course, there is also Ronald's special suggestion that the president of a multinational company, who was unfortunately killed by gangsters, was changed to Japanese. This fits perfectly with the current situation of aggressive Japanese acquisitions in America.

"First-class work, Jeb, first-class." Joel Silver knew the goods and knew that this script had a good rhythm and that with the right director, it could produce a good action movie.

"What do you think, Ronald?" He turned to Ronald.

"Like you said, it's first-class work." Ronald said, looking at screenwriter Jeb Stewart, who was looking at him longingly.

For screenwriters who are full of desire and passion, Ronald knows that he must first give credit to their work. Because most of these people have little money, they rely on their passion to work day and night, trying to make a comeback and join the ranks of Hollywood's gold medal screenwriters.

Sure enough, Jeb finally had a smile on his face. Ronald, who was nominated for the Oscar for Best Screenplay for his first screenplay, is the idol of all Hollywood screenwriters who write silently with pencils and broken typewriters and try to turn over.

The affirmation from him seemed to make me feel more at ease than the affirmation from the producer Silver. The results of working hard for more than ten hours every day finally paid off at this moment.

"We will adopt this version of the script, and you can wait to receive the initial payment." Silver said to Jeb generously, and then called in the secretary and asked her to prepare the payment paperwork and preparations. Issue checks.

"This... thank you... thank you." It seemed that Silver didn't expect that Silver would directly give the money instead of buying the option. Screenwriter Jeb was very excited about the sudden good news.

Jeb's wife, Ann, was a high school classmate at that time. She married him as soon as she graduated and became a full-time housewife. However, he was supposed to "bring home the bread", but he didn't bring back much bread money, so Ann had to work as a waiter. Earn tips to support your family.

Now that I get 20% of the first installment of script remuneration, I not only don’t have to worry about income for at least half a year, but I can also get a reprieve on my mortgage.

"I really don't know what to say. Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Silver." Jeb signed the document and received his own check. The number on it made him very happy. He went to the bank to deposit it into his account. Should I take my wife to eat steak tonight, or eat the popular sushi?

"You should thank Ronald. If it weren't for the Japanese investment he found, we might not have started filming so quickly. Now as long as the money he promised is in place, we hurry up and finish filming by the end of this year to catch up with next year's summer schedule. "Joel Silver said with a smile why this project was able to be launched quickly.

Yesterday, Ronald had already contacted two investors from Japan. In particular, Kadokawa Shoten was a powerful conglomerate in the publishing and entertainment industries. The vertically integrated group companies in Japan have long coveted America's market and resources.

Steve Bannon, as the matchmaking middleman, inspected Silver's production company with Japanese personnel and felt that his cooperation with Ronald's Daydream was strong. The two's new films "Lethal Weapon" and "Dirty Dancing" are expected to sweep this year's box office charts.

As a test of cooperation between Japan and America, it is very suitable to be able to cooperate with two of the most powerful producers in America today.

Bannon and Ronald will also invest some funds into this project. On the one hand, they can reassure Japanese investors and increase their confidence in the project. On the other hand, they can also participate in the later share of the project.

As for 20th Century Fox, they were really overjoyed to see Ronald's participation. Not to mention the huge amount of Japanese investment he has brought, the production of the film can be brought to a higher level. His participation, experience and vision alone can add a lot of insurance to the film.

In short, all aspects of this cooperation are very satisfied with the partners, and we are still looking forward to more in-depth cooperation in the future.

The new president of Twentieth Century Fox, Leonard Goldberg, who was poached from Paramount Television by the chairman, Australian Rupert, came to personally inquire about the project.

As a TV industry veteran who participated in the development of the hit series "Charlie's Angels" at ABC TV, he had just taken office at Fox and was trying to work on several big projects to accumulate some merit for himself.

"I've heard Weintraub tell you many times that you are an amazing director and producer. I heard that you brought many of the original ideas to The Kid." Come to Leonard Goldber Without waiting to receive the script, Gerard agreed to give the project the green light, but only on the condition that Ronald would serve as the project's producer. Whether directing or not, he oversees the creative and production process from start to finish. So today Silver relied on Ronald's opinion for everything.

"Of course, thank you, Ronald, your affirmation is a great honor for me." Thanks to Japan Capital. Jeb Stewart made the decisive decision to eat sushi tonight.

"Oh oh oh...wait a minute, Jeb. You don't think we can start shooting now, do you?" Ronald smiled and said to screenwriter Jeb, "The big picture of the script is very good, but there are some dialogues, details, and actions. Wait, it still needs professionals to modify it.”

"Ah, that's it..." Jeb Stewart sobered up from the impulse he had just after buying the script.

Ronald knew that he couldn't give too much credit to the screenwriter now, and instead had to find some faults. In the process of film production, the task of the signed screenwriter has been roughly completed by now. Next, he will gradually reveal the production process, most likely participating in casting and chatting with actors and stars about the plot.

"Ronald, will you change some of it yourself?" Of course Joel Silver knew that Ronald himself was a talented screenwriter, and he hoped that Ronald could contribute some content.

"Well...there are indeed a few places that need polishing and fine-tuning."

Ronald opened the script again, told Jeb and Joel a few areas where he felt inadequate.

Based on the plot of his dream, Ronald proposed that the protagonist start flying from New York to Los Angeles. He listened to the advice of his neighbor on the flight, took off his shoes during the break, and fought with the gangsters barefoot. Adding trouble to the protagonist for the action scenes that follow.

Then add some details that put gold on the faces of Japanese people. For example, Takagi Yoshinobu, the president of a multinational company, must not only be kind and righteous, but also stand up from the safe house and face the gangsters to protect the safety of his employees. So that he was finally killed.

Furthermore, he needs to be humane and well-liked by his employees.

Ronald took up his pen and added two words to the script, "watch." It means that at the climax of the rooftop action, the protagonist lets go of his wife’s hand and the Rolex gold watch was given by President Takagi to his right-hand man, the protagonist’s wife.

Then he wrote "luxury car", and President Takagi specially sent a luxury car to the airport to pick up the husband of his capable subordinate Holly for the company reunion. Japanese people value family and treat employees in the company as if they are in a big family. They are completely different from the American vice president who took advantage of the male protagonist's couple's separation and wanted to date Holly. He is a good leader.

"In short, the Japanese character must be very positive and tall, with Japanese culture, and speak like an American business elite." Ronald set the tone for the modification of the Japanese in the script.

"Relax." After Ronald wrote some notes, he found that screenwriter Jeb was a little nervous. After thinking about it, he understood what the other person was thinking.

Only a maximum of three names can appear in the screenwriter column of a movie. If Ronald wants to snatch one of his names away, he has no way to resist.

"The signature is still yours. I will not add my name to the script. The subsequent polishing will only be fine-tuning the details. In short, well done!"

"Understood. In short, let the Japanese CEO Takagi possess all the virtues, and then kill him with one shot." Jeb understood Ronald's intention. When I heard that I would have an exclusive signature on the script, so that I could enter the Screenwriters Guild, I happily picked up a pen and carefully noted down Ronald's opinions.

"A rookie is really lucky to be appreciated and protected by a master." Jeb thought as he wrote.

Ronald saw what he said and nodded with a smile. That's it, the supporting role is made tall and high-level without affecting the main plot. His death can also highlight the brutality of the gangsters. In front of Japan's capital, everything can be explained in the past. .

"Also, I have two more questions." Ronald patted Jeb on the shoulder, "Why did you name the protagonist John Ford?"

"Because I am a big fan of western movies, I think this movie is a reappearance of a western movie. The male protagonist is not a perfect hero, but like the tough guys in the old western movies, he is flawed. Heroes. Through bad experiences, they learn how to become a better version of themselves, not someone else.”

Jeb Stewart now admires Ronald very much and quickly revealed all his considerations in setting up this character.

"It's a good idea, but John Ford won't work. There will be commercial disputes with this name. How about changing it to another one, like John McClain?"

"McLean? I think it's good." Jeb Stewart was very surprised when he heard Ronald's suggestion. He himself was of Scottish descent. He heard the very Scottish name McLean, and thought of the protagonist's kind of dialogue with others. The indifference to difficulties is very similar to the Scottish way of dealing with things.

"Sure enough, he is a master of screenwriting. Every name can fit the character and the plot, making people unforgettable." Jeb sighed in his heart. Some people really seem to be famous when you meet them. You can tell their level as soon as you reach out.

"One more question is, what does the protagonist's phrase "yippee-ki-yay, motherfxcker" mean?" Ronald said this when he saw the protagonist in the script more than once when he encountered difficulties and had to overcome difficulties. talk.

"That's a famous quote from the great Western star Royce Rogers. He always said yippee-ki-yay, kid."

"Okay, then keep it." Ronald understood the thoughts of this die-hard fan of Western movies. Moreover, this mantra was very smooth and had no impact on the movie. I agreed.

After dealing with the movie, Ronald did not accept Joel Silver's invitation to attend a party with many bikini girls in his mansion. Instead, he went straight home.

I don't want to mess around with those brainless blonde bimbo girls on this kind of thing.

Without communication, Ronald always felt like he had paid for it, and Richard and Niceta had also warned many times not to be taken advantage of. Since they were famous now, many girls would secretly leave evidence and then ask for benefits. .

Speaking of which, after gaining some power and fame in the industry, Ronald actually narrowed the scope of selecting female companions. The most suitable ones for him are those female celebrities who are equally matched in the industry, so neither party wants to keep their privacy. Leakage is the safest thing.

"Ronald, did you hear? Shirley Lansing has a new idea?"

Kelly McGillis called as she thought of her girlfriend in the circle.

"What's the matter?" Ronald was a little confused when he answered the phone.

"She auditioned Jodie [Foster] but thought she was too fat and wanted Molly Ringwald to play the victim."

"Molly Ringwald, she seems to be fatter, right?" Ronald said what was in his heart directly. The muse of John Hughes, the young female star who once led the trend of American girls dyeing their hair red, was acting After starring in Godard's super bad movie "King Lear", she quickly gained weight. In the newly released "The Pickup Expert", which she collaborated with Robert Downey Jr., her waist became even thicker.

"Shall I talk to Ronald?" Jodie Foster took the phone. "Ms. Lansing doesn't like me, and I don't like her."

It turned out that after auditioning for "Pear Blossom", Jodie Foster never received the second round of interview notice. It was in the newspapers that she and Kelly saw gossip about Molly Ringwald's potential role.

Both female stars felt the malice of Shirley Lansing.

"There's nothing I can do about this." Ronald heard the plea call from the two beauties and thought that he had no say in this project and could not direct this movie. Jodie Foster's forgotten The road to stardom seems inevitable.

After Jodie Foster hinted that she could accompany Ronald in exchange, but to no avail, she had to prepare to accept the fact that her acting career was closed.

Fortunately, she is a top student and there are other routes she can take. "It seems that I have to prepare to take the GRE exam. There are several literature and psychology professors at Ivy League universities who may accept me."

"Humph...I'm sorry." McGillis also held Judy's hand. Female celebrities just don't have enough bargaining power for this kind of thing.

…

"Ronald, I'm Shirley, do you want to be the director of this movie?"

Ronald was waiting for the new week's box office results for "Dirty Dancing" when he got a call early Sunday morning.

When Ronald heard that it was not a box office result, and that this strange woman called him by her own name, as if the whole world should know her, he blurted out: "Shirley who?"

"Shirley Lansing...l...a...n...s..."

"I know how to spell your name, I just don't know why you called me to see me." Ronald stopped the other party's inexplicable angry words.

"Do you want to direct 'Pear Blossom'?" Shirley Lansing didn't waste any time and got straight to the point.

"No, why...who said I want to..."

"Then don't interfere in the casting..."

"Who the hell got involved..." Ronald cursed.

"You didn't? I was going to invite Molly Ringwald to play the female lead, but you strongly recommended Jodie Foster."

"I don't recommend her, I just think she can audition."

"She is not suitable to play the female victim, she is too fat."

"No, isn't Molly Ringwald fatter?"

"You really still want to intervene."

"I do not want……"

"Whatever, Foster is not suitable to play the female victim at all. The character is a low-level restaurant waitress who is superstitious about astrology and has no college education. And Foster is a top student at Yale."

"No, what happened to astrology? First Lady Nancy also believes in it."

"You don't understand. This is a women's film, speaking for the majority of women... In short, neither you nor Ned Tanin can interfere with my project!"

"It's inexplicable. Who you want to find is none of my business."

Ronald hung up the phone.

He increasingly feels that when women are producers, sometimes they are strong for the sake of being strong. I am just introducing Foster to McGillis for the audition. If you don't want to, just don't want to. It's like I'm forcing interference. You still don’t know what it’s like for me to interfere.

But what was he talking about about Ned Tanin?

"Hey, Ned, what's going on with Shirley Lansing?"

Ronald called Ned Tanin to find out what was going on.

"Hahaha... She wants to use this project to compete with me. I heard that you recommended the child star Jodie Foster. Maybe, maybe, you used your name to reject her idea..."

Like Lansing, Tanin, who is also Jewish, laughed shamelessly on the phone.

"Fuck, you owe me this once, what the hell are you doing with Lansing?"

"I owe you once." Ned Tanning also laughed, "What else is going on? She wants to replace me as the head of Paramount."

"What else is going on? This woman is too ambitious. What are your plans? Stop using my name in vain."

"Actually, I don't dislike ambitious producers, but this matter is a bit complicated. Come and talk with me? Maybe I can make your female companion Foster realize her wish."

"If you don't go, Judy is not my female companion."

"Come on, I have some good wine here, and what you are interested in is the Oscar nomination for Best Director next year. Do you want it?"

"Keep talking..."