Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Ronald was unaware of Tanin's little antics.

He and Niceta are currently busy preparing for the new film "The Secret of Success" led by Universal President Frank Price.

In fact, this movie is not a purely commercial movie. It is a rare business war movie in Hollywood, but it contains a lot of love between men and women and the plot of the little guy's counterattack.

In addition to the adaptation of Spielberg's personal experience, the climax of the film is the acquisition and counter-acquisition process of a large listed retail company. This part attracted Ronald. He found someone to do his homework and went to Wall Street to interview many fund managers and lawyers engaged in mergers and acquisitions.

In addition, what attracted Ronald was the ubiquitous sense of humor in the script. Ronald couldn't help laughing, including the scenes of executives who were uneducated and uneducated, running and exercising on the rooftop of the building every day, and taking a lot of dietary supplements.

In a large organization, no one knows who you are, you can pretend to be someone, and the core of the story of attending high-level meetings without being discovered also made Ronald feel very real. Today's large enterprises, often with tens of thousands of people, may indeed be exploited by scammers without being discovered.

"The so-called 'aunt' of the protagonist must be a coquettish middle-aged actress, otherwise the whole story will be unconvincing. We can try Kim Basinger, who is currently the most popular. See if she has the schedule and interest .

In addition, for the vase role that Helen wanted to play, I considered using the height difference between her and Fox to persuade her to give up. Hey, it’s really troublesome…”

Ronald is also a star director now, and most producers want to support him, so many privileges that he could not enjoy before can now be used to his heart's content.

If you want that actress, get in touch. If you want an actress, someone will help you.

"Here are the videos of the models you asked for. Which one do you like?" Niceta took out a lot of video tapes from a big box, put them into the machine and showed them to Ronald.

The beginning of "The Secret of Success" is the scene where the protagonist Brantley was shocked and eye-opening when he first came to New York from rural Kansas.

Here is a shot of him seeing a row of fashion models taking street photos on Fifth Avenue, greeting them, but being ignored. A good portrait of a country boy who first came to New York.

Ronald asked for real models to shoot, so Niceta contacted a modeling agency and found a group of fledgling models for him to choose from.

"This is good, it looks very distinctive.

She looks like a model at first glance. "Ronald saw a nice one.

"Paulina Porizkova, Czechoslovakian immigrant. You have good taste."

Ronald glanced at Niceta.

"I mean her swimsuit photo was on the cover of GQ magazine, so she is very famous."

The competition for female models in the fashion industry may be even fiercer than that of actresses in Hollywood. Therefore, the ones selected for this movie can greatly boost their modeling careers, so it goes without saying that some models are willing to trade themselves for a chance to appear.

It was not that Ronald had any prejudice, but he was afraid that the model he found was not beautiful enough and the opening scene was not powerful enough to shock the audience, so he insisted on choosing his own.

"This is not bad, very photogenic."

"Linda Evangelista (Linda Evaa) is a Canadian model, but she has been spotted by Chanel. Signing her requires a little skill and salary."

"Well, I think it's good. She can try it if she wants." Ronald felt that this one also looked like a fashion model.

"Look at me." Niceta seemed to understand something.

"This is not bad, this mole looks very charming." Ronald finally took his fancy on a model with a mole at the corner of his mouth.

"Cindy Crawford, this is an authentic local product. Just signed with New York Elite Model Agency." Niceta found her name in the catalog.

"I think these are good ones. You can recommend the others."

"Okay..." Niceta hurriedly wrote down Ronald's choices. Except for Linda Evangelista, these three were not difficult to win.

For the remaining spots, you can do favors yourself.

"Let's go to the Universal office and talk to Frank Price. Don't let him wait for us." Niceta looked at her watch. The next step was to go to Universal to report the results to the president.

One of the benefits of being a popular blockbuster director is that you can find the best technical experts in Hollywood to cooperate with you.

Ronald has made two big hits in a row, and now that the third one, "Dragon Boy 2" is about to be released, except for a few first-line stars, he can find almost anyone he wants to collaborate with.

This time, in addition to his choice of photography director, the art director is the famous Polly Platt (polly).

She is the ex-wife of famous director Peter Bogdanovich. In the middle of filming "The Last Picture Show", her husband Bogdanovich abandoned her and moved in with the heroine Sybil Shepherd.

After she fell into trouble, Ronald's former boss Roger Coleman gave her a job to get back on her feet and raise her children.

Polly Platt once served as the art director for the Oscar-winning film "Mother and Daughter" and also wrote the script for Brooke Shields' debut film "The Story of a Baby." Ronald had always wanted to work with this legendary art director. Cooperation, this time finally got what we wanted.

In addition, for the soundtrack, he also named John Williams, the composer of the Star Wars, Jaws, and Superman series.

These people all have one characteristic: they are rare among technical experts, and their names are known to outsiders. Ronald also planned to hire Walter Murch to be his editor. In this way, I can get rid of the heavy editing work and just be a bystander and advisor. Maybe I can learn a few tricks from Murch.

Niceta drove the cash cow herself to the Universal Studios offices next to Universal Studios.

When Ronald took over this movie, his faction in CAA could insert many actors into it. There are many supporting roles, such as the protagonist's uncle. If Helen does not play the vacant heroine, there are also many important supporting roles, such as the protagonist's friend in the communication room, etc.

"Please wait a moment. Mr. Price is watching the preview. He was supposed to be waiting for you. There may be something delayed."

Frank Price’s secretary was a middle-aged woman who had no airs like her boss. She treated Ronald with great respect and even made him the black tea that Ronald loved to drink.

"Okay, it doesn't matter. Mr. Price is the benefactor who helped me debut, so I should wait for him. I wonder what movie he was watching for a test screening? Is it convenient to reveal it?"

Ronald asked curiously.

"It's the new George Lucas movie. I originally wanted to see it. If it's good, I'll take my daughter to see it."

"Sorry to disturb your arrangements."

"Hahaha, Mr. Li, this is my job. I have never seen a big-name director as shameless as you."

While drinking black tea and eating snacks, Ronald didn't expect it to be Lucas's new movie.

At that time, Diane Lane also auditioned, but unfortunately she couldn't really sing and lost to Leigh Thompson. If it's being previewed internally now, it looks like it will be released in August anyway.

It's best not to collide with your own Top Gun and the sequel to The Kid. Lucas' lightsaber is too sharp. His Star Wars and Indiana Jones series are really box office harvesters. Whoever touches him dies.

Fortunately, they are aiming at the center of the summer season, so there is not much competition with themselves. Presumably at the film ordering conference in Las Vegas at that time, Paramount and Universal coordinated the schedules of several large-scale productions with high hopes.

Looking at it this way, there is still a gap between me and truly big-name directors like Lucas and Spielberg. At least Qida didn't dare to fight the two of them head-on on his own.

Fortunately, my friend Paul Hogan's "Crocodile Dundee" also avoided the limelight of his new film, and no one wanted to meet him head-on.

"By the way, what's the name of Lucas's new movie?" Ronald couldn't remember it. He also agreed to attend the premiere of Lucas in return for attending the premiere of Top Gun.

"It's called Howard the Duck. Don't forget when you meet Price later. This is their biggest project this year. A duck made by Lucas using special effects is an alien who came to earth and fell in love with a female rock star... …”

"Yeah, thank you." Ronald quickly made up for the plot so that he wouldn't be unable to answer the question.

"Mr. Li, Mr. Niceta..." The secretary came over to call the two of them. Frank Price seemed to have finished watching the internal preview and was walking towards his office from the nearby screening room.

Next to him seemed to be another acquaintance of Ronald. In his debut novel "Fast-paced Richmond High", he had helped his global parent company, Gulf Western's senior leader, Sidney Sheinberg. gentlemen.

Ronald adjusted his clothes and tie. This time, two global gossips appeared together. He had to maintain corresponding respect. If there were anyone in the Seven Studios that Ronald had to listen to carefully, these two were undoubtedly the two most important ones.

"dxmn it! Who gave the green light in the first place?" Shenberg walked behind, his face under his gray hair looking downcast, and he cursed as he approached the office.

"Sidney, what do you mean? You were the one who strongly advocated to win over Lucas." Frank Price was also in a bad mood, and the nasolabial folds on his face were deeper. When Heinberg heard If so, he ignored Ronald waiting for him in the office and turned back to argue with Sheinberg.

"Me?" Shenberg's face darkened, and he pushed up his large square glasses, "I just said that I should pay attention to win over Lucas, and I didn't directly give instructions to win this Howard the Duck."

"We have to catch him, Frank. He will be the most profitable producer and director in the next ten years. Don't you make the mistake of letting the aliens go in Colombia again... Don't you admit what you said?"

Price looked gloomy.

The finished film of "Howard the Duck" is very poor. The protagonist is a duck who has always been a special effects model. The audience does not like this protagonist at all, and his character is not likeable.

The story of the entire movie is confusing, and the sex scene between the heroine played by Lea Thompson and the duck is a disaster. Frank almost cried laughing at the scene.

A movie like this must be a disaster for Universal. With a production cost of nearly 40 million, plus the inevitable 20 million in publicity and distribution costs, Universal’s financial report this year has basically been predicted to be very ugly.

Now at this stage, Shenberg actually wants to shirk responsibility and say that he is the one who gave the green light?

"What do you mean, Frank? We're in a boat. If the movie sinks, we're both going to die."

"So you let me take the responsibility for the sinking of the Titanic? And then you escaped in a lifeboat?" Price also broke his skin and waved his fist at Sheinberg.

"Don't lose your mind. You are the president of Universal. Of course you are responsible for a movie with such a large investment."

"Okay, you really have the idea of ​​making me take the blame, you Jew! Traitor! Judas!"

"You have to calm down, Frank. Take back what you said. I can pretend that I didn't hear you..." Shenberg also rolled up his sleeves... to show that he was no weakling.

"Ah..." Shenberg soon received a slap on the face.

"You old bastard..." He also punched out, but unfortunately missed.

"You Jew, you are all such bastards. When you encounter problems, you push it to others, and when you encounter benefits, you take it yourself."

Ronald and Niceta looked on in shock. These are Universal Corporation, the two most powerful old men in the seven major Hollywood studios. Why are they staging a real-person fight?

"Come and help, Ronald, and Mr. Niceta." The middle-aged secretary saw the fight between his boss and his immediate superior and quickly called for help.

"Uh..." Ronald rushed forward and hugged Price who punched again. Niceta went to Ratzingerburg.

Frank Price was wrapped up in Ronald's body, out of reach of Sheinberg. He was so angry that he couldn't hit with his fists, so he raised his legs and kicked Xinberg.

"Ouch", Shenberg was hit in the thigh, and a swinging punch also hit Price in the face.

"Quickly, separate them."

Ronald quickly hugged Price and pulled him away, "Calm down, Mr. Price, calm down!"

"Be careful, Mr. Sheinberg, don't let others see it." Niceta understood the thoughts of these executives better and started fighting on the spot. If this was seen and spread, it would become a laughing stock.

Unfortunately, the two people made too much noise and alarmed many senior managers and their secretaries in the office.

They went out to investigate one by one, and when they saw that it was the two bosses who were doing it, they immediately shrank back in embarrassment, hoping to God that they would not be recognized by the two bosses.

"Calm down, I'll come back tomorrow." Shenberg calmed down first and walked to the elevator, ready to go back to his office.

"You have to calm down, Mr. Price." Ronald scratched his head, not knowing what to say.

"I'm very calm. These Jews from Eastern Europe are like snakes and scorpions, lying on America's body to suck blood. I'm sorry, Ronald, for causing you trouble."

"No way? Mr. Sheinberg won't take his anger out on me, right?" Ronald thought, he's not so stingy, right?

"No," Price calmed down and shook his head, "Sheinberg is not so stingy. But after this incident, and Lucas's new film is destined to fail at the box office, I will leave immediately. . The secret of this success is no longer under my care, and the person who takes over will most likely vent his anger on Sheinberg and embarrass you."

"I'm sorry," Frank Price simply started to pack his things. He had no hope and was preparing to submit his resignation as soon as possible.

"Um...this...can't be right. If I make a good movie, I won't lose anything to him, right?"

"Do you think Sheinberg can continue to maintain his position of power in Universal's parent company Gulf West after this fiasco? He is right about one thing. It is very likely that he will leave with me this time. For If he is not tied to me, he can do anything."

Ronald and Niceta looked at each other, what's going on?

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