Exploiting Hollywood 1980

In a small hall of a large multiplex movie theater in Los Angeles, the movie "The Lost Ark of the Covenant" has finished playing the ending of the reunion between the male and female protagonists, and along with the theme music, the subtitles have begun to play upwards.

This new ending was suggested by Martha Lucas. The final emotions of the hero and heroine did not give the audience an emotional climax. Spielberg cast Harrison Ford and Karen Allen as the two leading actors, and took a day to reshoot the reunion scene on the streets of Los Angeles.

Paramount is very satisfied with the newly added ending. One week before the release, small-scale secondary test screenings were arranged in theaters across the country in order to obtain sample survey feedback from the audience and use it to strive for better film schedules from the theaters.

This is a special private event. There was no other audience in the small hall, only a few people sitting there. In addition to the film's director Spielberg, there are several managers from Universal Pictures and CAA, as well as Ronald.

Heading among them is Sidney Sheinberg, the president of Universal Pictures' parent company, MCA.

Sheinberg is busy, with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer recently acquiring United Artists and acquiring the latter's distribution channels. It turns out that cic, an overseas film distribution company jointly established by Paramount, Universal, and MGM, is facing the problem of dissolution.

Fortunately, Sheinberg cooperated with Eisner of Paramount Pictures, allowing lawyers to find loopholes in the original joint venture agreement and prohibiting MGM from withdrawing from the joint venture.

But before I could take a breath, I was angered by the news that Spielberg's new film was preempted by Columbia.

Tom Mount, the young tycoon who came from an MCA background and took over the production business of Universal Pictures, does not report directly to himself.

After 1941 failed at the box office, Mount may have felt that Spielberg would soon fade away and become a mediocre film director. Decided not to participate in the project financing of "et", the sequel to "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".

As a result, et's project is now signed by Frank Price of Colombia. Let Shenberg shake his head inwardly.

Sitting next to Sheinberg was director Steven Spielberg.

After 1941, he no longer had complete decision-making power over new projects as before. Many "senior managers" within Columbia Pictures also came out to offer various opinions, and everyone wanted to teach him how to make movies.

He misses Sheinberg, who discovered him when he was just starting out on "Jaws." A good boss like that is only responsible for investment and operations, leaving the rest to himself. It's a pity that after he was promoted to mca as president, Tom Mount, who took over, had his own ideas.

Next to him is Michael Ovitz, the president of CAA.

There was opposition within Columbia to President Frank Price giving the green light to the ET project, and Ovitz wanted to return ET operations to Sheinberg's Universal. Take the opportunity to do Spielberg a favor and see if there is a chance to sign him.

"Wonderful, Steven, you are still so imaginative." Shenberg liked this movie very much and it will definitely achieve a breakthrough at the box office. For marketing purposes, Paramount's Eisner even showed it in every major theater. There were models of two camels, a horse, and a poisonous snake.

With this movie, Spielberg will soon become one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood.

"Steven, how about we work together again, just like Jaws did back then." Sheinberg said to Spielberg, "I heard that your ET encountered resistance in Colombia?"

Spielberg wiped his small round glasses and said, "Yes. It was mainly the head of the marketing department. She believed that ET was aimed at the younger market and had limited potential, so she voted against it. In addition, their head of overseas distribution also voted against I felt that the script was not scary enough and it would be difficult to attract young audiences.”

In front of his boss and his most tacit partner, Spielberg did not hide his opinions.

"The script is not scary enough." Shenberg smiled. These executives recruited from the TV station did not understand the difference between the big screen and the small screen. "The script of Jaws back then was also very bland and not scary at all."

Spielberg also smiled. Yeah, the script for Jaws isn't scary either. The secret to this kind of movie isn't in the script.

Sheinberg continued, "Steven, remember? The model of Jaws was broken at that time. The crew doubled the shooting schedule and overran the shooting budget by 30%. They all said they were going to replace you, but I insisted. , you know what you are doing.

After going to the set once, I didn't care. Sure enough, that summer vacation, we made a legend in the history of American movies.

Frank Price is a television expert and a script expert. He doesn't understand the secret. Why don't you come to Universal to continue ET's project? "

Sheinberg was still trying to persuade Spielberg to come to Universal with the ET project.

"I already have an agreement with Colombia." Spielberg said helplessly.

"Price put ET on the turnover list, as long as Universal is willing to buy it out..." Ovitz, the president of CAA, answered.

"Put it on the turnover list? Price is a veteran and will not be sold so easily." Sheinberg shook his head, and then said to Ovitz, "Are you willing to make an offer to Price for me and Steven?" ?”

"Of course, no problem." Ovitz agreed.

If Universal purchases Columbia directly, it will arouse the suspicion of veteran Price and re-evaluate the prospects of the et project. If proposed through a broker, it is more like a normal move to promote a project.

"Price, the senior script reader, always judged the prospects of the project through the script, and the movies directed by Steven can always break through the constraints of the script. If I called him directly, he would be suspicious. ." Sheinberg said.

"Of course, only you can trust Steven absolutely." Ovitz complimented.

"Hollywood knows that I trust Steven, but they don't understand why I can trust Steven." Shenberg was very proud. "I dare say that it's useless for you to know why, because you can't find the second one." Steven."

Looking at Ovitz and several subordinates and assistants sitting in the back row, each of them looked puzzled, Spielberg pushed up his glasses, smiled and said to Ronald, who was sitting among them, "I remember you. I was asked a similar question about et's script. Now that you have read The Lost Ark of the Covenant, can you answer it? Ronald."

Ronald and Niceta also went to see a preview of "The Lost Ark of the Covenant" together. The movie really shocked Ronald and left him speechless.

Ronald, who originally watched with a learning attitude, was deeply attracted by the story soon after the opening, and unknowingly became an ordinary audience member, worrying and cheering for the protagonist in the story.

Niceta brought him here to recommend her to direct "Fast Times" while Shenberg was present. Now that Spielberg recognized Ronald, it was easier to handle.

Ronald opened his mouth and said unhurriedly, "I think this movie, like Jaws and Star Wars, has unimaginable spectacles on the screen. It's difficult to reflect the splendor of these spectacles in the script. From the script to the final film, there is a huge gap..."

He finally understood why when he read et's script, he felt that "it's just that" came from.

Just like in "The Lost Ark of the Covenant", Dr. Indiana Jones accidentally triggered the mechanism in the ancient tomb, and a huge stone ball rolled down the track, crushing all creatures on the road.

The script only contains the words "a huge stone ball". Who would have thought that the stone ball would be so huge and its orbit would be so long? Dr. Indiana Jones is so skilled that he narrowly avoids stone balls?

Such a large stone ball, if it is made of heavy materials such as stone, would be in danger for the actors during filming. But looking at the shots on the screen, Harrison Ford clearly went into battle on his own, at least in the panoramic shots. I really don’t know how Spielberg filmed it.

If it is made of lightweight materials, how can it produce the heavy rolling feeling of a stone ball?

All of this requires extraordinary imagination and the skills to turn that imagination into convincing images on the screen.

That's why Shenberg said that knowing the secret is useless. Only a few directors, such as Lucas and Spielberg, are sure to realize the spectacle on the screen.

This is really true, I tell you you don’t even know how to plagiarize.

"... To cross this gap, we need extraordinary imagination as rocket fuel to make a leap." Ronald finished the answer he understood.

"That's very good. Is this your new apprentice? Steven?" Shenberg was a little surprised when he heard the answer given by Ronald.

"No, Ronald is a very good screenwriter. I asked him to read ET's script and gave me very good opinions." Spielberg replied.

"He happens to be trying to shoot a film for Universal." Niceta seized the opportunity and talked to the president of mca.

"Are you a colleague of Ovitz? I remember meeting you. What do you mean by striving for it?" Shenberg knew Niceta's purpose and asked him what he wanted.

"We want a fair chance, Mr. Sheinberg." Niceta arranged for Mount to interview Ronald for two weeks, and then found out that someone was looking for an agent for herself, claiming that she would be able to get the director's contract within two weeks. Things were said once.

"Let's do this. You take my business card, contact my secretary, and arrange an interview when I'm free. Let your client come with Heikelin. Mount and I will interview together and make the final decision. Who will be the director?"

Sheinberg handed Niceta a business card with his secretary's direct phone number. He recalled the time when he met the young Spielberg. After chatting for a while, he was impressed by his talent and enthusiasm and gave him a chance to direct a TV movie.

"Just let's see if this kid is good enough to be another genius." Shenberg said the good things, got up and left.

Niceta got Shenberg's contact information and achieved her biggest purpose. He held the business card in his arms and discussed the next move with Ovitz.

Niceta will first contact Colombia to negotiate the price, and then Ovitz will act as a backup. The two discussed how to contact Frank Price, the amount of money to buy the et script, the method of payment and other trump cards.

Ronald felt relieved. Since it was a fair competition, he had room for his own performance and would not be afraid of competition from a related household.

He is still full of curiosity about the production of this film. Seeing Spielberg present, he didn't want to miss the opportunity, so he walked up and asked:

"Mr. Spielberg, can you tell me what material that stone ball is made of? Why does it look like a real stone when rolling? How to solve the safety problem of the actors."

Spielberg smiled and replied, "There is nothing that cannot be said. It will all be revealed in the documentary. The material of the stone ball is fiberglass..."

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