Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 983 Three movies advance at the same time

   "Ronald, is Herbert's matter going well?" Ovitz called to communicate with Ronald. Samsung Pictures agreed to release Steel Magnolia produced by Ronald. Columbia used the signboard of Samsung Pictures, which was on the verge of bankruptcy before being acquired, to help Ronald release two films at once, which made him want to recruit for Sony. The rumor that Ronald will be the general manager after the merger is even more believable.

"It's going very well. Mr. Ross is very excited about the preparations that are about to start. He plans to spend two months on preparations, start the machine in July, and pack it in September. This will just coincide with his wedding with the former first lady's sister." Ronald Answered Ovitz with a smile.

  Caroline Lee Radziwill, no, soon to be Caroline Lee Rose's "Princess," is a socialite whose interest in Herbert seems to be waning. So it would be good for Herbert Ross to reinvigorate his masculinity by letting his fiancée see him directing a movie with a large number of stars as soon as possible.

   "If you have any difficulties, you can call me directly." Ovitz rarely communicates directly with the company's customers like this. This time, Steel Magnolia can give opportunities to many actors under CAA. "Also, don't forget that you gave William Morris the leading actress this time, and don't forget the CAA client actress I asked you to do last time. Don't forget her if you have a good chance."

"This role is a substitute for Michelle Pfeiffer, I can't use her well," Ronald explained, "Actually, I have another female lead in a movie here, and I am going to let her audition. In addition, I need help with something."

   Ronald was referring to the cast's accent problem in "Steel Magnolias." Except for Dolly Parton who has a southern accent, the other actresses all have some accent problems. Shirley Maclean and Sally Field, who have experience playing Southern women, needed a little refresher.

   The more difficult ones were Olympia Dukakis and Diane. Ronald struggled with not knowing where to find a top accent coach. It just so happens that Ovitz is the most powerful agent in Hollywood, and his connections are sure to be fine.

"I will give Stern a call, he is the best accent coach." Ovitz agreed, "Don't forget your promise... When you go to New York, I may be there, we We can get together more."

   "Mr. Stern, hello." Ronald quickly received a call from Ovitz's assistant and arranged a meeting with the accent coach.

"Director Li, hello, I'm looking forward to working with you, it will be an honor for my Accent Correction Lab." David Alan Stern, a slightly bald man, used several The accent is similar to that of Scarlett Scarlett in Gone with the Wind for a while, and closer to southern farmers for a while.

   "Haha, you've convinced me." Ronald was very happy. This person has excellent professional qualities. He attaches great importance to accent training, because Steel Magnolia's accent is very important to southern audiences, so Ronald didn't just find an actor with a southern accent, such as Dolly Parton (she is a typical southern accent) to teach others.

"Dolly Parton's accent tends to be that of the town's agricultural population, so I will train Diane Lane to speak this accent as well, trying to be as close to Dolly as possible. Olympia Dukakis is the richest town woman, so I trained her to be close to the rich 'plantation' style. The characters of Sally Field and Shirley Maclean have seen the world, so they have a lighter southern accent and more special flavors. Overall Close to a Midwestern accent."

  David Alan Stern demonstrated the accents that several actresses should handle, which not only fit their roles, but also resembled their own characteristics, and read out the subtext in some stories. For example, spiritually, Dolly Parton and Diane Lane's characters are similar to the psychological position of mother and daughter.

  This not only helps local actors learn regional dialects, but also helps taillight actors remove the special English accents of Australia, South Africa and other places, or the accents of European actors who speak other native languages.

   After chatting with the accent coach and scheduling his training, Ronald met with screenwriter Robert Haring again. He's a native of Natchitoche, Louisiana, the place where the story is set, with a lot of history. This is the earliest white settlement in Louisiana, and there are many plantations that have been passed down for a long time.

  Robert Haring is regarded as the biggest artist who came out of that town. The last time someone came here to shoot a movie was John Wayne's movie "Horsemen" 30 years ago.

"Many friends in my hometown are very excited. The trustees of Northwestern Louisiana State University (NSU) proposed to provide us with a shooting location for free, and also allowed us to set up a temporary studio on campus, all free of charge. "Robert Haring was very excited. This movie could capture his hometown and show the simple style of the south. Many old friends were very excited and rushed to provide him with various conveniences.

   "Then what, can the college students come to work as extras and assistants in the crew?" When Ronald heard that there was still such a good thing, he immediately pushed forward and asked for more benefits.

"No problem, most of the state university is local, and they are very proud of their hometown to be on the screen. My friend journalism professor Tom Whitehead is an expert in colonial history, and he will help coordinate the filming at the university. It will help us choose houses and locations that are more in line with the history of the time."

Robert Haring said with a smile, in fact, this is a win-win situation. During the filming in his hometown, it is expected to bring almost four million dollars of investment to Louisiana, and there will be many job opportunities, even if the wages are very meager. It is also precious to agricultural states.

He is very happy to be able to continue to contribute to the filming, especially Ronald respects him very much when it comes to filming and casting, which makes him feel that a Hollywood producer like Ronald is almost extinct. animal. Maybe because he is a director himself? So special respect for artists.

   "How is the location of your hometown Natchitoche? Is Herbert still satisfied?" Ronald knew that director Herbert Ross had already gone there to survey the scene.

"My friends are very enthusiastic, and Herbert is very strict, but it doesn't matter, everyone in the town will free up their houses for filming, as long as the director likes it. In addition, all actresses can live in where they want The house, the town council has passed a resolution to provide Hollywood stars with a home away from home."

"Hahaha, it seems impossible to make this movie without you." Ronald rubbed his hands happily, and he didn't know how much money he could save. If local people participated, the movie could save a lot matter.

   In this way, I only need to drag two more mobile toilets and a few trailers. With Harlem helping to coordinate, the film was a far better film than Diane's rush on "Lonely Dove."

  …

  After finishing preparations for "Steel Magnolia", Ronald went to the preparation office of "Deep Love" again, and held a meeting with producer Polly Pratt and director Cameron Crowe as an investor.

   "How is the casting situation?" Ronald asked immediately.

  Diane got a supporting role in a big production, Helen Slater, and Ronald recommended it to Cameron Crowe. The heroine in this "Love to the Depths" has no difficulty in acting. A rich girl, not involved too deeply, was moved by the enthusiasm of a poor boy. Finally, after her father cheated and went bankrupt and went to jail, she still had a scholarship and money. Father's pre-segregated property.

  The most important thing here is not acting skills, but the heroine should have the kind of temperament that has been well protected since childhood, and the kind of beauty that everyone in high school admires. Helen meets these conditions very well.

"Now there are more troubles. I have seen more than 30 actors, but I haven't found the right one yet." Crowe was a little anxious. Being a director for the first time made him excited, but he also wanted to do everything. most.

   "Huh?" Ronald thought, I said "recommended", do you really take it as a recommendation? If he directs this movie, regardless of personal relationship, Helen Slater will be the heroine.

  After Catherine Bigelow’s advice before, Helen seems to have gotten the hang of it, and she can say that she has gotten started with film acting, at least she won’t act awkwardly.

"Cameron is very worried about the male lead and the role of Helen's father. One is an enthusiastic boy who dreams of being a karate champion, Long Wei Boy. When he sees Helen's role, he feels that he wants to be with her. The other is usually kind and open-minded. , a scammer who communicates with her daughter on an equal footing. It will take some serious picking."

Polly Pratt next to    saw Ronald's displeasure and came over to explain. Crowe became a director for the first time, and he was a little overjoyed. He didn't even understand the subtext of Ronald's question, and he really started to talk about the difficulty of casting.

   "Ah, fortunately I have Helen Slater as my trump card. She fits very well with the heroine in the script. But if there is a suitable candidate, the film will be improved as a whole."

"Give me your requirements, and I'll go to CAA and Julia Taylor to register you." Ronald thought to himself that it was his first time as a director, so nervousness was inevitable. Fortunately, Crowe was worried about the perfection of the film. This kind of moderate tension is actually helpful to his performance.

   "Do you have any suitable candidates?" Ronald asked Polly Pratt next to him. He knew that Pratt had been in Hollywood for many years, so she must have her own unique insights, but as a producer, she would not be the first to say some things.

   "Do you remember the actress who played Tess's friend Shin when we did Working Girl?" Polly Platt asked Ronald.

   "Joan Cusack from Chicago, I admire her very much, and her performance is very natural." Ronald thought to himself, if she hadn't had a protruding chin, she would have become a star long ago.

"I plan to ask her to play the leading role's older sister, the older sister who cares about her younger brother but also puts her mind on her own little family." Polly Platt did not tell the truth, she has experienced peaks and valleys in Hollywood, I have long understood that even if you have the truth in your hands, don't over-produce your knowledge in front of those who pay you. It's best to make them feel like they came up with it themselves.

"Huh?" Ronald saw Pratt's meaning in his eyes, and his heart turned, "I remember she has a younger brother who made a guest appearance in Working Girl?" Ronald had to say that. It is said that Cameron Crowe is the first time to be a director, and no one knows what kind of temper he has when he is a director. It is better for this kind of recommender to come from Ronald, the person who supports him.

   "Yes, it's John Cusack." Polly Pratt took out an audition photo, with a blue-faced face on it, not too handsome, but it was considered pretty among ordinary people.

   "Would you like to give it a try? It looks good in appearance, and that look looks like a leading actor." Ronald pushed over and asked Crowe.

   "Of course, Polly, you should have recommended him earlier, which made it so hard for Cameron to find someone."

   "Hahaha, I just thought of it too." Polly laughed.

   It seems that Cameron Crowe is still the gentleman with a good temper and gentleness. Ronald felt relieved, Kobe was much easier to "manage" such a director than Herbert Ross.

  Polly's idea inspired Ronald, and he began to think slowly among the actors he had worked with in the past, who could play this sanctimonious fraudster's father.

  Looks very elegant, talks elegantly like a university teacher, and has an affinity. How about Roger Coleman?

   No, he wasn't bad enough inside. The role of the father, in the end, he swallowed a large sum of pension fraud money from retirees and did not hand it over, which was to be left to his daughter. It's hard for you to imagine that Roger Coleman can be so ruthless, he'd better make a guest appearance as the high school principal.

   "By the way, do you remember the university professor who flirted with Olympia Dukakis in Moonlight Sultry?" Ronald suddenly remembered the supporting role in Moonlight Sultry, John Mahoney. In Moonlight Sultry, he plays a university professor who picks up his female students. Later, he and Olympia Dukakis have a good impression of each other because of their witty dialogue. This kind of middle-aged man has affinity from old ladies to young women. , just like a fraudster.

   "Mahony? Hahaha, he really looks like a scammer." Polly Pratt also appreciated it, saying that she would send out an invitation for an audition.

  The two roles that were difficult to choose have all been settled. Ronald asked them what difficulties they had.

   "Our budget is limited, so it's not easy to find the heroine's classmates and locations in Los Angeles." Polly Pratt was also polite, asking for money and resources.

   "This is indeed a problem", Ronald felt that he did invest a little less money, and this kind of group performance is also very important to the quality of the film. Although the budget is not much, it is not a B-grade movie, and any supporting role must match the image and temperament.

   But it's not like I haven't made low-budget movies. Ronald quickly came up with a plan.

   "Ask Nancy if there are any children of stars in the music industry who want to enter the industry. I also ask my friends in the industry if there are any children or nephews who want to enter the industry."

Ronald naturally remembered that Weintraub did this when he was filming "Kids of Dragon Might". He got a lot of children of movie stars, and he could market for free and save money. These second-generation stars, I usually have a certain acting ability under my ears and eyes, but I don't care about the salary in order to enter the industry.

"The problem with the venue, you go to these people." Ronald wrote down the names of a few people on the paper, the dance classroom opened by Debbie Reynolds, the mother of Princess Leia of Star Wars, and Daryl Vidal. Karate dojo, these people will be happy to provide a location for shooting for their own sake.

  …

   After solving the practical problems of the "Deep Love" crew, Ronald met with the screenwriter of another untitled romantic love movie that he invested in, Nora Ephron's.

"I want a salad, the tomatoes shouldn't be in the greens, they should be on the side of the plate, the salad dressing shouldn't be in it, **** it. Damn the strike, we're going to postpone it again. Michelle Pfeiffer can't play again, It's really distressing." Nora Ephron came to Los Angeles, complained about the waitress at the restaurant who couldn't make the salad she asked, and then opened fire on Ronald.

"Then what, give me a glass of dried **** water, and another sandwich from your counter." When Ronald heard that Nora Ephron was so picky, he was afraid that the back chef would spit on the food on his table, Quickly ordered some food that was available on the counter right outside the cafe.

   "No problem, Director Li. We are all fans of your movies." Fortunately, the waiter recognized Ronald, so he didn't think he would spit.

  Different from the previous two films, this untitled film was established after the strike, so it cannot be exempted from the strike. Nora Ephron can't blatantly modify it now, and can only chat quietly with Ronald.

Michelle Pfeiffer, one of the original candidates for the leading role, has been involved in scandals again, and the strike does not know when it will end. The special negotiator sent by the Grand Commander for the second time will call a second emergency meeting. Negotiations should not be prevaricated.

   However, the conditions of the Screenwriters Union and the Producers Union are too different. This time the industry is generally not optimistic that they can reach an agreement.

"Actually, I found a suitable candidate for you and Rob (Reiner, the director)." Ronald saw that the waiter recognized him. Take out the audition photos. "We'll find a place later, and I'll show you my secret weapon."

   After saying this, Ronald found that the old lady at the table seemed to have misunderstood what he meant, and cast a look that you are such a person, I understand....

   "Then what, I didn't mean that..." Ronald murmured after half a sentence, and now he couldn't speak clearly.

   "Meg Ryan." The two moved to the battlefield, and Ronald took out the audition photos in his bag. That's what CAA's Ovitz suggested.

   Meg Ryan's boyfriend, Hollywood lover Dennis Quaid, is a client of CAA, and Ovitz is very optimistic about it. Not only does he look like a Hollywood actor, but he also has extraordinary skills in dealing with women. Such a male star has indescribable benefits to the agency.

  But Ronald made a comparison and left that opportunity to Julia Roberts. There won't be much benefit from being completely tied to CAA, because they already have some veteran Jewish collaborators. And there are many disadvantages. Complete binding in this industry means that other brokerage companies will no longer have sincere interest in their projects.

   Fortunately, I have a lot of projects, and the opportunities rejected by "Steel Mulan" can be provided here.

   "You find time to find a chance to meet Rob (Rainer) in New York. She is now accompanying Dennis Quaid to practice piano in New York, and her boyfriend is going to play early rock star Jerry Lee Lewis."

"Good, where did you find this actress?", Nora Ephron was very satisfied looking at the sweet girl in the photo, Meg Ryan, who was a little pouting, was indeed the most like that angle, and herself Same, perfectionists.

"Remember the silly country wife in Top Gun? She played it, but that's not her nature. I think she might be more suitable for a professional woman in the city." Ronald looked at the photo of Meg Ryan eyes said.

  (end of this chapter)