Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Cyndi Lauper, a female singer born in 1953, previously served as the lead singer in the Blue Angels. After the Blue Angels disbanded, Portrait Records just signed her and is preparing to release her solo album this year. The first album 'She's So Different'.

I was surprised after receiving your inquiry. My client's song has not charted on the radio yet, nor has it been officially released. Why do you know about it? "

A half-bald lawyer wearing a handmade suit, Elliot Hoffman, asked Ronald to discuss the licensing of the song "Girls just want to have fun" in a coffee shop. .

Wearing a pair of old-fashioned round glasses and a mustache on his lips, he elegantly picked up the coffee cup and took a sip.

“I heard this song as one of Michael Jackson’s back-up dancers, and as soon as I heard it I thought it fit a scene in my movie, Mr. Hoffman. It’s two young girls trying on things in a department store. Wearing all kinds of high-end women's clothing...doesn't it fit in well with this song?"

"That makes sense. MJ's company is Epic Records, and my client Cindy's company is Portrait Records, a subsidiary of Epic Records. On behalf of my client, I'm here to talk to you about this licensing matter."

Lawyer Hoffman's beard is very similar to the protagonist of the detective "Polo". It also has sharp corners on both sides. When drinking coffee, you have to be especially careful not to let the coffee get wet on the beard.

"Polo" Hoffman wrote a number on the paper and pushed it to the other side of the table, "This is our offer."

The agent Niceta, who was sitting next to Ronald, helped pick up the note from the table, frowned, and handed it to Ronald.

Then he helped Ronald negotiate the price, "This number is too high. Generally speaking, the total price of the interlude and soundtrack will not exceed 10% of the total shooting budget of the film. Your price, my client will definitely It's unbearable. I think we'll just have to find other songs."

Hoffman touched his beard and said nothing.

Ronald saw him secretly squinting at him and knew that the other party actually wanted to sell. He thought for a while and said, "Mr. Hoffman, my movie is a small production, but I really want to use this song." The song is used as an interlude.

I really can't afford this price, but I think the release of my movie will also play a role in marketing Cindy's new song in the future. I once wrote the lyrics for the theme song and interlude of "Famous". I know very well that after the song is promoted by the movie, it will have a very strong sales promotion effect.

It's a win-win thing. "

"You are right, a win-win situation. But Cindy's new song will also have a marketing effect on the release of the movie, so the promotion you mentioned is actually a two-way street." Hoffman responded.

"I don't deny that what you said is right, so we should join forces and coordinate at the time when the movie is released and when the song hits the charts, so that both the single and the movie can benefit from it." Ronald continued to lobby the other party to reduce the price.

"You know, Mr. Young Director. In the past year, the most important exposure of many singles has been transferred from radio stations to television stations, especially those that broadcast music TV 24 hours a day.

I have done some research and found out that the first music video with a plot and sensation, "The Amazing Stains", was directed by you. "

At this point, Hoffman stopped talking and looked at Ronald with his eyes through the small round lenses.

"Mr. Hoffman, you might as well speak more clearly. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"In this way, if you can direct a music video for Cyndi Lauper's new song, the song can be licensed for use in the film for free, and then I will convince Portrait Records to coordinate the marketing of the single and the film. , broadcast in large quantities in the same period, to achieve better results for both parties."

"Please let me discuss it with my agent."

Ronald and Niceta avoided Hoffman and whispered to each other.

Niceta said, "My client can provide you with directing services in exchange for licensing the song. We need to see the budget of the shooting, the script, and then draw up a contract."

"Not only the director, but also the editing. Finally, it will be made into a music video that can be played in Taiwan."

"It's acceptable." Niceta and Ronald discussed a few more words and agreed to the request. Anyway, the shooting of the music video is relatively simple, so Ronald just changed his mind and shot a short video.

"Plus the selection of scripts and actors."

"You must be joking, Mr. Hoffman. I would rather go directly to the record company to buy the license."

Ronald was angry because he knew he wanted this song and was trying his best to get it. The movie's interludes can be the icing on the cake, but the quality itself is fundamental. Otherwise, why write a script and shoot a 90-minute music video for a song and it will be a hit?

Simply change the song, or find a way to find a new singer, buy the cover rights, and sing it again, so as to drain the firepower.

When Hoffman saw Ronald standing up and preparing to leave, he quickly held down Ronald's hand with one hand.

"Wait, Mr. Director."

"In this way, I will arrange for you to meet Cindy. It is not easy for her. I have no other way to propose this method. I hope to give her some help in her career. This girl only needs a chance."

"Okay, Mr. Hoffman, I hope we can all be honest. If you have any ideas, you can talk about it and stop making such excessive demands."

Hoffman waved his hand to indicate that he would no longer ask for excessive prices. He told Ronald about Cyndi Lauper's situation.

It turns out that this female singer has been in the industry for a long time, but she has been imitating other famous singers or playing in bands. She has been rebellious since she was a child. Her mother is of Italian origin. After her parents divorced, she could not stand the domestic violence of her stepfather and ran away from home before finishing high school. He has been supporting himself by singing in bars and clubs all over the place.

Hoffman became Cyndi Lauper's lawyer after she quit the band to pursue a solo career and signed with Portrait Records. After seeing her a few times, I was conquered by her unique and high-pitched voice and decided that she would become a singer. Decided to invest in her and bet on her future.

The record company didn't take Cyndi Lauper too seriously and only gave her a total filming budget of $35,000. With this kind of money, you can probably just find a random director, let Cyndi Lauper dance and lip-sync indoors, and then call it a day.

In order to gain greater exposure for this single, Hoffman even used his own private resources to find the producer of the comedy talk show "Saturday Night Live (SNL)" who was also his client, and rented it for free. Filming and editing equipment, used for MV shooting.

Later, he heard Ronald come to talk about copyright. He learned a little bit about it and knew that Ronald Lee was the director who created the trend of music videos with plots. He immediately decided to talk in person, hoping to exchange copyright authorization for Ronald Lee. Nader's services.

Only then did the two parties meet and negotiate. Hoffman wanted to repeat the same trick and get Ronald to direct the song's music video for free.

Just seeing Ronald agreeing so readily, lawyer Hoffman's occupational disease broke out and he wanted to extract more value, which annoyed Ronald.

"Well, I can provide directing and editing services, and you will take care of the other actors, equipment, and staff. I also require that you must be present during the filming. If there is any shortage of resources, you can take care of it on the spot. This is my last bid."

After hearing this, Ronald felt that he could use his personal ability in exchange for the license, so that he could squeeze out some money and make the special effects part better. Although he suffered a bit, for the final effect of the movie, he did not care about these small things. Account settled.

"That's great. I'm going to call Cindy and tell her the good news."

"where is she?"

"She's in New York."

"Huh? Then I still have to go to New York to shoot?"

"You agreed, Ronald. Besides, Cyndi Lauper wrote her creative idea for the music video, which happened in New York." Hoffman paid for the coffee and took out some coins from his wallet. Make a tip.

"That's okay. I'll just go back to New York during my two-week vacation." Ronald turned to Niceta and said, "Can you help me discuss the details with Mr. Hoffman? Two days of shooting, plus editing. I have the final responsibility for art.”

A few days later, Ronald, who signed a contract to shoot the "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" music video, returned to his hometown of New York.

Hoffman had already returned to New York in advance. He sent a luxury car to pick up Ronald at the airport to discuss the filming of the music video with Cyndi Lauper.

In Hoffman's office, Ronald finally met the song's lead singer, Cyndi Lauper.

Cyndi Lauper is not tall, but she is definitely recognizable in a crowd. The fiery red and orange hair, like the tail feathers of a rooster, grows messily, but looks very energetic.

Moreover, the clothes she wore were also very colorful and weird, making Ronald feel that she was not wearing clothes, but an impressionist painting.

"Miss Lauper, this is Ronald."

"Just call me Cindy, cindi, not cindy"

Cyndi Lauper herself is not as neurotic as she appears. She has been singing in bars since she was a child, so she can deal with all kinds of people with ease.

In front of Ronald, she also put away her carefully crafted eccentric image, and instead revealed her true nature as a singer. In fact, she is a quite smart person.

"I heard from Mr. Hoffman that you have some creative ideas for your own music video?"

"Yes, Ronald. This song was actually written by a male singer in 1979. It is what a man says to a woman. After I took over, I revised the lyrics and changed them to be narrated from the perspective of a girl. A girl Absolutely, like men, they should enjoy all the opportunities that men can enjoy."

"So, this is a girl's ridicule and cry for the lack of opportunities for women in society?" Ronald read the lyrics again, and indeed the idea explained by the creator himself was more accurate.

"Yes, if you are a high school student, parents usually won't say anything if a boy comes home late, but if a girl comes home late, the parents will be very anxious and even scold them and ground them..."

"Is this because New York is a dangerous place? Public security is so bad, what responsible parent wouldn't be more careful?" Ronald complained in his mind about the other party's strange angle.

“But for this song, it’s a really good angle to tell the story about this girl coming home late, or staying out all night, and driving her parents crazy.”

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