Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Is this script also based on real events?" When I returned to Los Angeles, the first thing I did was to meet with two agents, Niceta and Richard. They handed over a synopsis of the script sent by Paramount's COO Katzenberg, who was in charge of production.

"Yes, the script is based on an interview in last year's issue of California magazine with an author named Ehud Jonai. He interviewed a lot of people in Miramar, the Navy's aviation city next to Naval Base San Diego.

The story is based on the lives of a Navy aviation photographer, Lieutenant "Heater" Heatley, and some of the fighter pilots at the air station. "Richard handed over a magazine from last May, with the aviation photographer's photo on the cover.

"How's it going? Does it fit in well with your family background?" Niceta put away the Italian salami, poured the red wine from Coppola Winery, and asked Ronald to eat and drink while browsing the script.

"Katzenberg is very optimistic about you. Your last movie 'The Kid' was adapted from a newspaper report, so this time he also wants to give you the script adapted from the magazine report. You can make any modifications you like based on this first draft of the script.”

Ronald ate a few slices of sausage, took a sip of wine, and recovered from the fatigue of the long journey. Then he quickly flipped through the script, as if checking whether there was a banknote tucked inside. Then he took out the magazine report and looked at it.

"To be honest, it's not very good." Ronald spent half an hour reading through the synopsis of the script and the magazine interview, and told the truth in his heart.

"how?"

"The original story of Boy Longwei is actually very dramatic. A child who was bullied successfully fought back after practicing martial arts and defeated his opponent. But this interview... is a bit of a compliment to naval pilots."

Ronald picked up the red wine that Niceta had re-poured and took a sip. "This interview is from small to large, starting from the aerial photographer, telling the stories of the pilots and technical experts at the base. It's a very interesting story. Not a bad interview, but he had no drama.

Our navy is very professional and its pilots are very competent. "

Ronald put down the magazine and picked up the script, "This adapted script is even worse. It seems to have lengthened a boring story five times and filled it with more boring details. How many people want to watch the pilot? How to overcome high G force?

There is also the aviation analyst Christine Fox. She neither has a romantic love story with the protagonist, nor is she a mysterious identity like a female soldier. I doubt that the audience will fall asleep watching her talk about aerodynamics on the screen. "

"So it needs to be modified,

Is it right? Reduce the technical details of the heroine and add more romantic love stories? asked Niceta.

"Did you do it on purpose?" Ronald reacted.

"Hahaha, yes, what Katzenberg means is to ask you to write another draft." Nisita was happy, and then lowered her voice, "This is very good for your career. Let's talk about this secret in private. You don’t tell the fourth person.”

"What secret?" Ronald became curious.

"The president of Paramount, Barry Diller, has finalized a deal with 20th Century Fox to take charge of the company there. At Paramount, the most stable executive managing the production over the years is Michael Eisner, and Carl Sunberg duo. So they are very likely to take over Paramount.

In this way, 1985 will be the first year that the duo runs this large giant, and they will invest all kinds of resources to prove that the board of directors' choice is correct. So you are their best card.

A young director is spotted and entrusted with an important task. If he takes charge of a film with a budget of tens of millions for the first time, he can achieve great success. It's a win-win situation for both them and you.

So I said it's a good opportunity. "

"The opportunity may be good, but what this script needs is not revision, but complete reconstruction." Ronald didn't want to do it. "Without a good story core, I have to think about the characters and story again, which is very troublesome."

Besides, I didn’t have the dream sequence, and I don’t know if the movie was made or what the story was.

"You should rest for a while and enjoy life first." Niceta said with a smile. The young director suddenly achieved success and he definitely wanted to enjoy it comfortably for a while and was not willing to rack his brains for screenwriting every day. Besides, this client is still young and handsome, and has just hooked up with the talented Yale girl Jodie Foster.

"By the way, is there any progress with the Chinese guy I asked you to find?" Ronald asked.

"There is a book written by Robert Daly. It's called 'Year of the Dragon'."

Richard handed over another one.

On the cover is an oriental golden dragon with four sharp claws and a huge dragon head that is breathing out the words "Year of Dragon".

"Is it a police detective story?" Ronald flipped through it quickly. The author is a best-selling author. In the early 1970s, he also served as the deputy chief of the NYPD in New York City (appointed by the mayor, not a business position).

He is quite familiar with some of the NYPD's operating techniques, and there are many real details in the book. "Year of the Dragon" is about an NYPD detective who went to New York's Chinatown to investigate a case and had a battle of wits with the triad boss there. The boss was very smart and did no bad things without leaving any evidence. In the end, the detective charged him with bigamy and sent him to prison.

Ronald felt that this strange move was similar to the time when Chicago gang leader Al Capone was arrested, but there was no evidence, and the IRS finally convicted him.

There are Chinese-American backgrounds, detective stories, and some romantic stories about the daily life and customs of Chinatown, a three-way battle between two gang bosses and a police detective, and a love affair with a beautiful woman. Instead, he felt that this film would be very exciting when adapted into a script.

"Who owns the adaptation rights now?" Ronald looked at the publication date, which was 1981, and knew that after a best-selling author publishes a book, the film adaptation rights are usually sold.

"The adaptation rights are now in the hands of the famous Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis. If you are interested, we will contact him."

"Oh, it's him." Ronald knew this person's name. He is a rare successful foreign producer in Hollywood.

Previously, David Lynch gave up the "fast-paced Richmond High School" in order to film the science fiction blockbuster "Dune" for Dino. In addition, Schwarzenegger, the star of Cameron's new film "Terminator", is famous for his "Conan" series. There is also the famous "Moonlight" series of horror films directed by John Carpenter, which he also invested in and produced.

Speaking of which, Ronald liked his movies very well, and he actually already had a preference for the two scripts in his mind.

"By the way, the Dune movie is finally finished, right?"

"Hey, don't mention it. Lynch cut the four-hour version and was ordered by Universal to cut it to two hours and fifteen minutes. He is making trouble, and it probably won't have any effect. In the end, it may be signed under the pseudonym of Alan Smithey."

"Ah, hahaha..." Alan Smithee (; Smithee) is a famous pseudonym. The Directors Guild allows directors to use this public name when they believe that the original intention of the creation has been distorted by the studio and are unwilling to sign the work. Pseudonym to avoid embarrassment.

A feeling arose in Ronald's mind. If Lynch had not rejected "fast-paced" directors back then, would he still be writing scripts like Cameron Crowe now?

"But let me remind you, Dino De Laurentiis is not an easy man. He is very good at squeezing creators through various conditions and getting them to agree to other conditions. If you want to make this 'Year of the Dragon' so much, you will be When he finds out, he may be hit hard."

"Then don't I rely on you CAA? If you can't do it, then bring out Mr. Michael Ovitz's name."

After temporarily finishing several ideas for the next film, Ronald went to Weintraub's house.

He has invited Ronald over many times to look at the box office reports and talk about the filming of the sequel. The box office has exceeded 70 million, and it's time to prepare for the sequel.

"This is our box office situation. After the Labor Day weekend, the box office dropped. Now it is still over four million per week, and it is expected to be released for more than eight weeks."

Ronald completed the box office report. Weintraub's secretary Susan was very capable and put the film's producer, distributor, various main creators, and a silhouette of a crane on the report. They will use this result to attract investors for the second part.

"What kind of company is this?" Ronald saw a strange name in the list of producers - Delphi Phase II. Doesn't look like a company name.

"This is a Wall Street fund," Weintraub replied.

"Can funds also invest in movies?" Ronald knew that the brokerage salesman often called Aunt Karen to persuade her to buy various funds, but she always refused. She also followed Ronald's example and bought some Coca-Cola and McDonald's stocks, and used the dividends every quarter as living expenses.

"Yes," Weintraub explained. This Delphi fund is a fund specially sold to retail investors. It mainly invests in Colombia and film projects released by the newly established Samsung Company.

The second phase means that the first phase of this fund has been closed and has been sold to the second phase. The third phase is about to be completed, and we are starting to look for investment in potential projects in Colombia.

"So the second part of The Dragon King can also get investment from Delphi?" Ronald asked.

"Yes, they have an agreement. They will invest a certain proportion in projects that they think are suitable. They will never take too much of the share to spread the risk."

"Are you interested in writing a second part?" Weintraub came over, took the report away from Ronald's hand, and asked him.

"If you have the right person, I will authorize it." As the author of the first film, Ronald has the copyright of the movie characters. If Weintraub wants to find a new person to write the screenplay, he must sign his approval.

But most screenwriters will agree.

"Well, you'd better take more time off. We'll discuss it when the first draft comes out. Now it's really time for you to enjoy your success. I've thought about your idea of ​​two sequels. We'd better find someone to write Mr. Miyagi's story first. .”

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