Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Richard, it's nice to see you again." Ronald met Richard Lovett, his agent who came specially to see him, in a hotel in Los Angeles. As soon as he got off the plane and checked into the Holiday Inn, agent Richard came to visit him. Ronald was very satisfied with this efficiency.

"This is my new business card. CAA has changed the style of business cards. Take a look." Richard handed over a brand new business card.

Ronald took it and looked at it. On the front was Richard Lovett's name, and the title below was changed to "literary and talent agent."

“I remember that your CAA’s talent and literary agency came first, right?”

"Yes, Mr. Ovitz's new strategy of using screenwriters to lead the way, and then packaging and promoting directors and stars has been a great success. Now the name of CAA has been changed to include literary agents first."

"A great thing! No matter for me or for you." Ronald was very happy.

"Yes, we can go to Columbia Pictures today to sign the contract and get your check." Richard said with a smile.

Ronald liked his agent's attitude of being anxious about his clients' needs. There was no pressure on him when getting along with Richard. He understood the client's thoughts very well and was always the first to ask the questions he wanted to ask. Answer.

Unlike Ovitz's professional attitude that makes people uncomfortable, always serious, reserved, and slightly aggressive, Richard is more like a good friend.

"You also have offices in London and Rome?" Ronald found that under the name of caa company, there was also a new label "New York·London·Rome" printed on it.

"That was Mr. Ovitz's idea. In fact, we only have partners' offices in London and Rome, but we have an agent based in New York."

"Global layout, huh?" Ronald joked.

"Yes, a global perspective. Mr. Ovitz often said that a real star can only be recognized by a global audience. So our agents must also be based on the world." Richard Lovett said with a smile.

"We can go to Columbia Pictures in the afternoon to pick up the check. Do you want to take a day off, or go today."

"I follow your arrangements."

The two of them took a short rest,

In the afternoon, Ronald arrived at the office of Columbia Pictures. Ronald met the producer under President Frank Price, a die-hard who followed him to the film industry from television.

"Mr. Li, this is the contract for Columbia Pictures to purchase the 12-month option on your script 'My Brother's Keeper'. Please sign here." The producer pointed to the place where the signature was signed, "Sign this check." You can take it.”

Ronald glanced at it and saw that it was a cash check with a light blue background from the Bank of America. Below it was the signature of President Frank Price. It said that it was payable to Ronald Lee, and the amount was US$35,000.

Missing a zero?

Ronald and Richard Lovett looked at each other and found that the other person was also a little confused.

Take another look at the numbers in the check. Thirty five thousand and ; and 00 cents.

It was indeed thirty-five thousand, not the promised $350,000.

what happened?

The producer seemed unaware of all this, with a professional fake smile on his face, "If you have any doubts, you can call Mr. Ovitz for consultation."

"Thank you. Is that okay?" Ronald asked if he could take the script contract with him to study it. "I need to discuss it with my lawyer."

The producer raised his hand from the contract, indicating he could take it.

Ronald intuitively sensed a hint of danger from this sudden attack without informing him of the details of the signing. Just like the last famous battle for script signatures, there may be some conspiracy waiting for you.

Be careful before signing.

Ronald's first call was to attorney Lindsay Dole in New York. She was not in the office and left a message for Rebecca at the front desk asking the lawyer to call her back.

The second call was to Michael Ovitz.

"Mr. Ovitz, I got the script purchase contract from Columbia Pictures, and it seems to be different from what I thought...Richard doesn't know the reason for the change. ...Yes, purchasing the script became an option purchase, and The price is only one-tenth of the original price.”

"Ah, a twelve-month script first option, that's common practice in the industry. Richard was fresh out of the mailroom, and he had no experience with script contracts.

In fact, not many CAAs have ever been exposed to script contracts. Let's put it this way, the studio will not buy the rights to the script until the day before filming begins.

They all pay about 10% of the price to buy a preemptive option. Then pay the full amount the day before the shooting starts. "

"This is new information to me too, would you mind if I consulted with my attorney?"

"This was an oversight on my part, Ronald. I forgot that you are also a novice screenwriter. Your script and your serious attitude towards your work made me forget that this was your debut." Ovitz apologized repeatedly.

"Of course I don't object, in fact I suggest you do this. You can ask Richard to send you to the CAA office, and we can figure this out together."

With the contract in hand, Ronald returned to the hotel first and asked Richard to wait in the room. He went to the business center and faxed the contract to the law firm in New York, and connected with the lawyer.

"This is indeed a common practice in Hollywood. Ronald, since I took you as a client in the entertainment industry, many people from other industries have also come to me for consultation. I have read many relevant contracts. The contract you faxed, There is no legal problem. But whether there is a specific business problem, I can't answer you."

Call New York advertising agent Eddie Cohen.

"Normally there is no problem with this kind of contract, but your story has been announced to the media, and several major studios are bidding for your script. In this case, the possibility of Columbia buying the script in one go will increase. Bigger.

But it’s not impossible to buy options first. I can't tell, Ronnie.

If you feel there is a problem, you have to think about whether there is anything unusual in the past two days. Who is on your side? Who might be at your expense? I don't believe in any so-called 'coincidence'. "

Eddie was also unfamiliar with the situation, but his words opened up Ronald's thinking.

I am just a small screenwriter and I know nothing about the traps everywhere in Hollywood. It is like a person sailing in the fog, knowing that there is a storm in the distance, but not knowing in which direction.

I lack the information I need to make a decision, and I also lack the time to think before making a decision. If you make the wrong decision, you may not only lose money, but you may also lose a valuable opportunity to participate in a big-budget film.

The ones you can rely on are those who are in the same boat as you. You must first figure out whose interests are consistent with yours and who will sacrifice yourself for the greater good.

His main agent, Richard Lovett, is undoubtedly in the same boat. He has no other customers except himself. His check is missing a zero, and his is also missing a zero.

This is not necessarily the case for Ovitz. He has many stars on his behalf. If the interests of anyone in this project need to be given priority, it is not impossible to sacrifice himself.

So who is this person who needs to be prioritized?

Ronald returned to the room and took Richard with him to analyze.

"Ronald, this was an oversight on my part. I didn't expect Colombia to propose a right-of-first-refusal contract."

Ronald waved his hand to stop Richard who wanted to criticize himself.

"I believe you. We have the same interests. There must be a problem somewhere that we don't know about."

"Thank you for your trust, Ronald." Richard rubbed his hands and sat down. Just now, Ronald left him alone in the room and did not let him participate in the communication with the lawyer. It seemed that he was also a little uncomfortable.

"What's Jane Fonda up to these days?"

"She got a filming exemption and joined the crew of 'Golden Pond.'" Richard's eyes flashed, obviously thinking about the possibility of a conflict of interest.

"Have there been any recent developments in the 'My Brother's Keeper' project? I mean other developments besides the New York Times report."

"Progress?" Agent Richard was lost in thought, "Ms. Fonda went to New Hampshire to shoot on location on Golden Pond. Her producer partner Bruce Gilbert also went there after we finalized the director."

"Director choice?"

"Yes, it's James Bridges who worked with Jane Fonda on 'China Syndrome'. His new film 'Urban Cowboy' not only did well at the box office, but was also well received by film critics. Sought after home.

Bridges is the new hot thing in Hollywood right now, with every studio trying to get him to direct a new movie. And he..."

"What's wrong with him?" Ronald saw an anger on Richard's face, which was rare in him who always worked hard and was polite.

"Fuck, now Rapke's after him."

Agent Richard Lovett got himself a glass of tap water and drank half of it in one go. Then we sat down and talked to Ronald about what the problem might be.

Not long after Richard graduated from college, he joined CAA. He worked in the mailroom, where the elimination rate was high, the salary was low, and the work intensity was high. Unless he was spotted by a formal agent, he would have to stay there for a year or two. .

Jack Rapke, a formal agent who had switched from William Morris, approached Richard and hoped that he could read the script to him every weekend and then write a plot summary, so that he could get away from the heavy reading process. Free from script work and spend more energy on clients.

Richard helped him read the script conscientiously and responsibly, and the synopses he compiled were of high quality. Rapke asked him to read more and more every weekend. In return, whenever there was a vacancy, Richard would be promoted from the mail room first. graduate.

But Lapke broke his promise and jumped in to promote another celebrity relative with connections in the industry, leaving Richard in the mailroom. The next Monday morning, Richard threw the script back to Rupke and asked him to read it.

"I said to him at the time, you broke your promise and I no longer trust you, so our deal is cancelled. You can read the script yourself in the future. I helped Rick Niceta, one of your agents, read a few more Months of writing scripts, and I just graduated from the mailroom.”

"So Lapke wants to sign Director Bridges, but why is he messing with my contract?" Ronald vaguely thought of the key, but there was always a bit of confusion, "If you only sign options like this , it was impossible to film in Colombia.”

Richard said word for word, "Director Bridges is also a screenwriter and he previously wrote the script for 'The Hitchcock Hour'."

Ronald turned his head sharply and stared at Richard, "How dare they do this?"

"I'm afraid so. Remember, Ronald, your name never appeared in that New York Times report."

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