Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Honey, I want to be honest with Jane about what's going on between us. I love you and I've never felt this way before, Susan."

"No, don't do that. I don't want to destroy your family, Jerry. As long as I can be with you all the time, I'll be satisfied."

"In this way, for this 'Longwei Boy', I will appoint you as the on-site coordinator of the crew. When I am not on the crew, you have to tell me everything that happens on the set."

"I will, it's like a dream to me, I never imagined that I would be working for a man who is so intelligent, or in the film industry."

Jerry Weintraub and his secretary Susan Akins returned to Los Angeles from their weekend getaway in Palm Springs. The two talked sweetly in the office and settled the next work arrangements for "Longwei Boy".

"Mr. Weintraub, Ronald Lee and his agent will come to visit you in the morning. Their appointment time is coming soon." Susan's secretary position was replaced by the original front desk lady. She knocked on the door and came in to announce.

"Invite them in when they arrive."

After a while, Ronald and Niceta, who had just arrived in the office, were welcomed in by their secretary.

"Hi, Ronald," said Weintraub, in good spirits after a relaxing weekend away, and offered Ronald a hug.

"Honey, find some coffee." Weintraub turned around and asked red-haired Susan Akins to prepare the coffee, and then kissed Susan on the mouth.

Ronald noticed all this, and he and Weintraub chatted about recent changes in the film industry. Susan brought a tray from outside with three cups of coffee on it.

"Ronald, Rick", Susan quickly served coffee to the two guests, followed by sugar cubes and milk for them to mix themselves.

"Jerry", when it came to the third cup, Susan added a cube of sugar to this cup, stirred it with a spoon, and handed it to Weintraub.

"I came today to ask Mr. Weintraub about the progress of the project. I have several young actor friends and a friend who is an expert in karate and Chinese martial arts. I would like to know if there is a chance to participate in 'Longwei'." Brat's project production."

Ronald used the pretext he had discussed to make his request and inquire about the other party's progress.

"Actually, you just need to call me for this kind of thing." Weintraub was very satisfied with Ronald's respect for him. "I just appointed Susan as the on-site coordinator of the crew.

For these matters, you should contact her directly next time. Auditions and jobs for your friends, she will arrange them directly. "

"Thank you, Mr. Weintraub. Thank you, Miss Akins." Ronald turned to look at Susan, an ordinary-looking secretary.

"So, how is the casting process going? When can filming start?" Ronald looked back and continued to inquire about the news.

"We are a little stuck on the choice of the protagonist." Weintraub also admitted to Ronald, the screenwriter, "Avelson has his own ideas about Master Miyagi, and in my opinion this casting is definitely not good."

"Oh, who is it?" Ronald heard that Avelson had made a choice for Master Miyagi, and wanted to know who it was.

"That's Arnold." Weintraub put down his coffee. "That Japanese actor who makes jokes in sitcoms. How can such a person play a karate master?"

"Which Arnold?" Ronald didn't know what was going on. He looked at Niceta and shook his head when he saw him.

"That's the Japanese actor Pat Morita, who plays the supporting role of Arnold in the sitcom 'Happy Days'." Susan Akins knew that Weintraub was talking about the character's name and It's not the actor's name, explained on the side.

Seeing that Ronald still didn't grasp his idea, Weintraub simply stood up, took a videotape and put it into the video recorder.

A short Japanese actor with a clean shaven chin and a mustache appeared on the TV. He spoke very articulately and introduced himself to the camera.

"My name is Pat. Pat Morita. I used to play Arnold on the sitcom 'Happy Days'..."

"What do you think? Is he suitable to play Master Miyagi?"

Ronald thought for a moment, "There's not much problem with his appearance, and it fits the description in the script of not being amazing. But his lines are too American. Master Miyagi is a first-generation immigrant, so it's impossible for him to be like this." His fluent English level doesn’t fit the character’s personality. I don’t know if he can play the role..."

"That's right, that's the problem." Weintraub was very happy to hear that Ronald supported his idea.

"He is in a sitcom. Although Master Miyagi is humorous, he is not a clown? I don't know why Avelson insists on using him. But as long as I am the producer of this movie, I will never Let him star."

Weintraub started talking and told Ronald a lot about the crew's preparations. Avelson invited his old partners from the filming of "Rocky", the director of photography, and the assistant director to join the crew.

Several actors from the villain "Cobra" dojo who fight against the protagonist Danny have also been confirmed, and they are all second-generation stars.

The most famous of them is Chad McQueen, the son of the late tough guy actor Steve McQueen and his first wife.

However, Master Miyagi's difficult delivery left the two protagonists Danny and the main villain Ali's ex-boyfriend Johnny uncertain. Because they need to audition with Master Miyagi to determine whether there is a chemical reaction.

To be honest, Ronald didn't know why Averson fell in love with Pat Morita. However, experience tells him that the director's observations are generally more reliable than those of the producer, let alone Avelson, who won the Oscar for Best Director. Maybe he saw something he didn't see, the qualities of Morita?

But this cannot be said directly to Weintraub. Ronald still remembers Avelson himself saying that in order to convince producers, they must package their ideas as if they came up with them themselves. Although Avelson himself didn't handle it very well.

After chatting for a while, Ronald and Niceta stood up to leave. Weintraub and Avelson had some conflicts over casting, but their relationship was relatively harmonious and not to the point where they couldn't cooperate.

For a Jewish tycoon like Weintraub, Niceta believes that the best strategy is to make him feel that you are not using tricks to deceive him. Or simply play a bigger trick. After deceiving him, he still feels that what you said makes sense and that cooperation with you is the right choice. So this time, Ronald didn't mention his replacement.

The two of them returned to the CAA office a little disappointed. This matter still needs to be discussed in the long run. Depending on the stalemate over casting, there may be a turn for the better in the future.

"Ring ring ring ring..."

There was a ringing sound and Niceta grabbed the phone.

"Huh? Well... ok, he is in Los Angeles, he can..."

Niceta put down the phone and looked Ronald up and down, "When did you and Ned Tanin become good friends?"

"Who? Ned Tanin?"

Ronald was also surprised. He remembered that when filming "Fast-paced Richmond High", he first embarrassed himself, then supported himself in the struggle for office politics, and finally had to remain neutral when voting. The former Universal Vice President resigned.

"No? I haven't seen him for a long time."

"Anyway, he called and invited you to visit his new office. He said he wanted to talk to you about the new film and listen to your opinions."

"What does he want to see me for?" Ronald was confused. "Did there be any personnel changes in Bad Ball?"

The next day, Ronald and Niceta were invited to the Universal Studios.

After Ned Tanin left his position as Universal's vice president, he opened his own production company. His office is still a bungalow inside the Universal studio. It was those humble offices when Ronald was filming "Fast Times."

Ned Tanin was very enthusiastic about Ronald and took him around.

Ronald already knew the reason for Tanin's sudden enthusiasm for him. Yesterday Universal announced the new president in charge of its film division, Frank Price, the original president of Columbia.

Although he failed in the battle with the Coca-Cola Gang, he was kicked out of Columbia Film. But Frank Price's level is well known in the industry. He was the only studio executive who read the script himself and could provide practical input.

Sidney Shenberg, who secretly flirted with Spielberg and transferred "ET" from Colombia, has been promoted to CEO of the parent company mca. He knows this old rival very well.

Columbia's profits last year, including Price's 5 percent share of "E.T." alone, exceeded those of all other studio films combined. So after Price left, he was immediately poached to Universal as the president in charge of the film business.

As soon as Price took office, Ned Tanin immediately went to establish good relations. Because of his production company, the distribution contracts for several movies that will be shot soon are in the hands of Universal.

At Price's place, Tanin heard Ronald Lee's name again. His new screenwriting work has been launched in Colombia. Although he doesn't know who can make a blockbuster movie, Frank Price does.

Tanin immediately called caa and got to know Ronald first. Even if the two of them had no chance to cooperate for the time being, he was a young director that President Price was optimistic about. There was no harm in getting close to him and doing some social activities.

“This is the office of the first director I signed. Like you, he was also a screenwriter and originally worked as a creative copywriter in an advertising company.

I was interested in his screenwriting skills, but he had never directed a film independently. I didn't dare let him directly direct the film he wanted to direct, so I asked him to practice on another exploitation film he had written that had more commercial potential. Practice. "

Tanin pushed them away, "John, are you there?"

"Please come in" a gentle voice came from the office.

Ronald followed him into the office and saw a fat screenwriter wearing a pair of big black-rimmed glasses. In his office, "Wham!'s hit song" Young was playing. People (young guns).

Seeing Taning come in, he quickly turned down the volume of the stereo.

"John, let me introduce to you, this is Ronald, he is also a young genius. You must have seen the movies directed by him..."

"Hello, I'm Ronald, screenwriter and director." Ronald went up and shook John's hand. This man looks about ten years older than me, but in terms of his behavior, including playing pop music loudly in the office, his mentality is as young as mine.

"Hello", John adjusted his glasses, "I am John Hughes. Film screenwriter, now a first-time director."

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