Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Thank you for coming, and I hope to continue to cooperate with you..."

Ronald and Douglas Jr. stood at the door of the screening room where the movie was held, shaking hands with the movie theater operators one by one to say goodbye.

"Huh..." Little Douglas breathed a sigh of relief, "Fortunately, you reacted quickly and knocked down that Aaron Russo before he caused trouble. These operators now know that he and Steve Dishi failed to compete with you for the script before, but now he is just here to cause trouble.

Not only that, some people also feel that our film is being competed by two companies, and they have more confidence in the box office. "

"It's a pleasure to cooperate." Ronald and Douglas Jr. shook hands tightly. The two old friends from the wrestling team both saw that they were here to cause trouble on purpose this time, and they worked together to control Aaron Russo and stopped his attempt before the damage was done.

"The buyers in New York are very considerate of our movies and have reserved enough copies. But..."

Michelle Cannold, the publisher of Daydream, put her coat back and stared at Ronald.

"Little Douglas is a shareholder of the company and a good friend of mine. I can talk to him about anything."

"With all due respect, there are one or two Jewish buyers who are not optimistic about the number of copies they have ordered. They seem to have received calls from some foundations asking them to lower their expectations for 'Dirty Dancing' .”

"Sit down and talk." Ronald pulled the two of them to sit down, snapped his fingers, and asked his colleagues to bring three cups of coffee.

"Thank you", Ronald took the coffee and shared it with the two of them, "So how is the order status of 'Love Is Not For Sale'?"

"Basically in proportion to Dirty Dancing." Cannold wrote two numbers on the paper and handed them to Ronald and Douglas Jr.

The two of them passed it around and both felt it was better than expected.

"It seems that the Jewish community still has issues with Dirty Dancing? Didn't Michael Douglas say before that it's okay?" Douglas Jr. had previously seen the pre-sales figures from other regions brought by Ronald and was very optimistic. Only in New York did something unpleasant happen. If the sales of copies here were not good... wouldn't that mean that he was unqualified as a director?

"We have done everything we can. Even if they want to cause trouble, they don't know what to do in the most effective way." Ronald said that there is no need to think about how those bugs in the dark will cause trouble for themselves when they come back.

"Film critic,

The TV station’s advertising has indeed done everything it needs to do. Douglas Jr. also sees it this way, "Movies are not fast-moving consumer goods. Whether the audience buys them or not, it is a one-time deal." "

"Our sales trip has come to an end. Let our colleagues in the distribution department follow up on the next few places." Michelle Cannold organized the screening of national theaters for the first time. He followed Ronald all the way across America, and was responsible for the organizational details of each place. He was much more tiring than Ronald.

"Wish us good luck."

Ronald stood up, nodded goodbye to his two companions, and waved his hands to prevent his agent Richard from following him, indicating that he wanted to stay alone for a while.

…

"The dice have been cast, and it all depends on God's preference."

Standing on the ferry to Staten Island, Ronald looked at the towering World Trade Towers opposite and let out a sigh of relief.

Douglas Jr. is right. Unlike those fast-moving consumer goods, short-term sales data can be roughly predicted by analyzing competitors' products, investing in distribution channels, and comparing sales of own old products.

Coca-Cola's new diet model has new packaging, but compared with the placement of marketing ads, sales will not see much change. After all, the taste of Coke drinkers will not change significantly in just one month, and they will all go to drink Pepsi.

But movies are another story.

Every new movie is a huge unknown mystery when it comes to the market.

Will it do well at the box office? Will teenagers like the main character? Will you like their stories? Will other movies released at the same time constitute direct competition? Everything is unknown.

After making a hit movie, you have to start over again with the next one, completely guessing the audience's taste from scratch.

What's worse is that even if you want to make a sequel, follow the successful formula and keep going. The salaries of the stars, screenwriters, and directors who make up the formula will all increase significantly. And their professional attitude will decline significantly.

Unlike companies that have successfully created a cola or a chewing gum, Hollywood's products - movies, have to go through the high risk and high failure rate of developing new products every time.

"Ronnie, are you under a lot of pressure for this movie?" Aunt Karen fried pork chops at home and felt a little different before watching Ronald's movie.

"I don't want to talk about it, aunt. I just came home to enjoy your meals and cookies."

"Oh, then you've come to the right place." Aunt Karen went to the kitchen and brought out the freshly baked biscuits, poured some into a small basket, and handed them to Ronald.

"Well, the new recipe tastes better." Ronald praised immediately after eating a piece.

"Ronnie, I'm proud of you. This time your movie will be as successful as in the past." Her aunt couldn't help it. She saw that Ronald was more worried about this new movie and gave some advice. .

"How's Donna?" Ronald wisely changed the subject. He is not here to make his family worry, but to secretly reminisce about the warmth of the family and resist thinking about the outcome of the dice roll.

"Oh, Donna, she's enjoying the hustle and bustle of Wall Street right now." Aunt Karen really changed her look when talking about her daughter.

"Theresa Kate from the factory told me a lot about Wall Street. The competition there is crazy. I think the company in Long Island is suitable for Donna. She hasn't come back to see me for several weekends. Fortunately She was just an intern on Wall Street.”

"Relax, the investment fund in Long Island is very good. It manages funds for Ivy League universities such as MIT, Harvard, and Yale." Now it was Ronald's turn to comfort his aunt again.

In his own bedroom specially set aside by his aunt, Ronald looked at the ceiling and couldn't sleep.

Since I entered the industry, all my money has been invested in this movie. Although there is a dream endorsement, it is impossible to say that I am not nervous.

The film was shot and edited by the best people I could find. The journey of selling copies all the way, except for the last stop in New York, exceeded expectations. A large amount of money was invested in TV advertisements and on-site posters.

Most importantly, film critics everywhere have arranged special sessions for film critics. The private blending has been done, but no omissions can be seen.

The troublemakers, Aaron Russo, Steve Tisch, and some powerful Jewish people looming behind them... Where else can they start to sabotage their plans?

Besides, the final box office of a movie does not depend on how many viewers can come at the beginning, but how many viewers continue to attract due to word-of-mouth spread, and how many weeks the movie can stay in movie theaters across the country.

Ronald is very confident in his work. Even if there are some unexpected aspects, he can only postpone it but not destroy the success of "Dirty Dancing".

But why can’t I fall asleep even though I have confidence? Several hours passed, and it was almost three o'clock in the morning. Ronald was still staring at the ceiling motionless, unable to fall asleep.

I’m still really nervous about spending my own money...

There was no other way. Ronald got up, found a bottle of red wine, had a drink, and then began to practice yoga breathing methods, "Breathe...breathe..."

…

"ah……"

Ronald suddenly realized that he was dreaming. In his dream, he saw a panicked face on the screen, but there was no scream. The electronic background music played up this moment with a tense rhythm.

But Ronald was taken aback, as if this man was also looking at him in his dream. Faces in close-up fill the screen.

His face was big, and he didn't look like an American. He opened his mouth wide, and his eyes changed from fierce to panic... one, two, three... to the rhythm of the electronic sound, it seemed to be shot in slow motion. .

The bearded actor began to gradually move away from the screen.

"This seems to be on the top of a skyscraper." Ronald realized that he was dreaming about the movie with a strong literary atmosphere and slow pace that he had dreamed about on the plane flying to Cannes.

The actor starts waving his limbs, and there is endless void in the background. This actor acted in a scene of jumping off a building. The camera switched to a long shot, where two men in uniform looked at the man who fell from the building with unbearable expressions.

The camera cut back to the building, and the shot of the man falling took several seconds of slow motion.

"No way?" Ronald became even more nervous.

Why is the pace of this movie so slow?

At the beginning, it took more than a minute to discuss the secret of physical recovery on the plane. In the end, he committed suicide by jumping off the building (it should be suicide, right?), and he slowly fell from the roof for at least thirty seconds.

All the films he directed before were very commercial and fast-paced. Why did you dream of this slow-paced movie?

Could it be?

Will his "Dirty Dancing" fail at the box office? No one invests in making movies themselves, so they are forced to switch to making slow-paced movies with a strong literary and artistic atmosphere, and switch to the award-winning route?

"This is too tragic." Ronald broke into a cold sweat. If this were true, would he be laughed to death by those who had attacked him for only making commercial exploitation films?

"No," the more Ronald thought about it, the more uncomfortable he became. "I would rather make a low-cost exploitation film. Even if I have to work for Roger Corman, I can't make this kind of film."

"Bah..." The character who jumped from the building was suddenly slapped on the concrete floor, and the two men in uniform showed unbearable expressions on their faces.

"I hope that's not a hostage," one of the black men said.

"Wait a minute...hostages?" Ronald couldn't understand. Is this a reflection film about how kidnappers are forced by life and accuses the American system?

"Ronnie, Ronnie...are you awake? It's so late today? I prepared breakfast for you."

"Ah... I'll be here, just a moment..."

Ronald's dream was interrupted by Aunt Karen's scream.

"What's wrong with you? You don't look good." The aunt handed Ronald the orange juice and asked him concernedly. This movie was different from the previous one, Ronald was under a lot of pressure. Maybe I didn't sleep well last night.

"It's nothing, I didn't sleep well last night." Ronald picked up the sandwich and started to chew on it.

It's really terrible!

This is really a collection of all my nightmares. Do I want to make a movie that is contrary to all my previous ideas?

Absolutely not, "Dirty Dancing" will definitely be a box office success, and I won't make that kind of terrible movie. Even if it fails...it doesn't necessarily mean it will fail...there is no need for me to make the movie I dreamed of.

But... if the box office is not good and I lose most of my personal property, is there a possibility that I will be forced to make the kind of movie that I have always opposed?

"Ronnie...Ronnie..."

Ronald, who was getting more and more worried, found Aunt Karen holding the phone receiver to him.

"Ah, I was distracted."

"Your phone number is Little Douglas."

"Doug," Ronald took the microphone, looked at it to distinguish the receiver and the microphone, and then said hello to the other side.

"Ronnie, the results of the film critics' special are out. Those two bastards from Chicago said a lot of bad things to us."

"What? Why the hell didn't they do anything after they took the money..."

"Ronnie..." Auntie put her index finger on Ronald's mouth to signal him not to use harsh words.

"Sorry, Auntie." Ronald picked up the receiver and walked to the other side of the room.

"Tell me, what the hell is going on?"

…

"So what happened was, Roger Ebert and Gene Sisco came in with faxed reviews of 'Love Is Not For Sale,' and Ebert went so far as to say it was a morally bankrupt movie. "

An hour later, Ronald hurried to Daydream's New York office and sat down with distribution manager Michelle Cannold and Douglas Jr., who was on speakerphone with Los Angeles general manager Eddie Cohen. Meeting by phone.

"Where are the reviews of Dirty Dancing?" Ronald was relieved when he heard that the review of "Love Is Not for Sale" had a big problem, and he quickly asked about the reviews of "Dirty Dancing."

Both movies are scheduled to be released in mid-July, but it is "Dirty Dancing" that is vital to Daydream Pictures' financial situation.

The first batch of original soundtracks have been produced and packaged by workers, and they are already lying in the warehouse, waiting for their premiere before being put on the market in large quantities in retail channels everywhere.

The advertising time has been purchased, and the trailers of many exciting dances of the male and female protagonists have been edited and sent to the TV station.

The protagonists Patrick Schwytz, Jennifer Gray, and Cynthia Rhodes have already freed up their schedules and are preparing to attend an interview with Bobbi Wygant in Los Angeles, all the way to promote "Dirty Dancing", until New York to attend an interview with David Letterman's late night show ended.

All the bullets are loaded, waiting for the final film critic to publish the written review after the two premieres in Los Angeles and New York.

The chain of film marketing is like this, film critics and TV advertisements attract the first batch of viewers. Then the quality of the movie determines its reputation and how many subsequent viewers it can attract.

At this juncture, Chicago's two most influential film critics in the country, who have their own film review programs on PBS, actually went wrong and gave negative reviews to their own films.

"What did they say about Dirty Dancing?" Cannold was also anxious and asked Eddie on the other side of the phone.

"I'll fax it to you if it's a little over the passing mark."

"Read it to me." Ronald couldn't help but feel anxious.

"Um...okay..."

Eddie was a little surprised by Ronald's anxiety and took out a movie review and read it to the two of them.

"Sisco said he gave the movie a just above the line recommendation because he liked Jennifer Gray's great performance in the movie."

"Damn it, this guy was bribed by a Jew to brag about being the only Jewish person in the main character of the movie." Ronald became angry when he heard this. Why did he receive money? No, he received sponsorship of the Chicago Film Critics Association. , for the most important members and families of the Film Critics Association, why don’t they give themselves a good review?

"Albert said he gave it a thumbs down and did not recommend it because the plot was too boring and too predictable, a boring love story between two men and women from different classes and different races."

"Fuck..." Ronald was about to curse again.

"Also, don't worry." Eddie continued, "But for those musical film lovers, or fans who like director Ronald Lee's previous film "Break Dance", this is a very recommended movie, the dancing is very good, The leading actor Schwytz has a strong figure and sexy dancing, and the chemistry between him and Gray is very good. It is worth watching for men and women in love."

"Is this... a good review... or a negative review..."

Ronald was speechless after hearing this.

Call it a bad review, but in fact they have a lot to say about the target audience - teenage couples that are worth watching.

You said it was a good review, but what about the attacks on the cliche plot?

…

"Ronald, you don't understand."

After discussing it, Ronald and Cannold still made a long-distance call to Roger Ebert in Chicago and asked him why he was receiving money but not doing the job.

"You don't understand that when it comes to film reviews, it's not important whether it's well-received or not, but what I say is important. You said in the media package for marketing the film that the target audience for 'Dirty Dancing' is teenagers. Especially young women, I just pick out what they like to hear.

When they heard that it was a romance film with a sexy male protagonist, how could they care about the literary nature of the story and whether it reflected reality? For a girl who wants to enjoy a romantic movie with her boyfriend or sister on the weekend, the cliche story is good news. "

"Is that so?" Ronald didn't believe it. "Then why do you give me a thumbs down?"

"You have to ask yourself this. Preston Robert, the sponsor of the New York University School of the Arts, the chairman of the New York Giants, and the talker of the Tisch family, personally explained it. How did you offend him?"

"I just had a little friction with his son. Why did the old man invite him out?"

Ronald understood that this was scolding the younger one away, and the older one came out to vent his anger on his son. The old emperor spends money everywhere to sponsor literature, art and sports, and everyone in the film industry wants to sell their face.

"Little Steve is his only promising son, and Preston Robert values ​​him very much." Roger Ebert finished. The Chicago Film Critics Association has also received a lot of sponsorship from the Tisch Foundation.

"Okay, you can help." Ronald roughly understood after hearing this. The Jews are still not satisfied with the plot of this movie, and some old diehards still want to mess up the movie. Jewish girls are all cute, how could they be abducted by Irish gangsters?

"I have a good reputation in the industry and I never speak nonsense that goes against the facts. If you have a good movie in the future, you can also come to me to watch the film critics' special show. Ronald, we have known each other for a long time. I am looking forward to your next movie." Movie. I heard Colombia liked your finished film very much.”

"It's the end of the year," Ronald knew he was talking about, "The moonlight is sultry."

"That's it?"

"Huh, huh?" Ronald was almost confused by Albert.

"Dirty Dancing, you helped me. That love is not for sale. What's the matter with you? Are you still accusing me of having moral issues?"

"Am I talking about you? Look again..." Albert also raised his voice, "I'm talking about director Rush, who paid to rent a cheerleader to be his girlfriend. What values ​​is this promoting?"

"This..." Ronald thought, and it was right. Film critics also have to take into account the mainstream values ​​of society, and this plot is a bit deviant. A universally accepted moral code in America is that between male and female lovers, a woman can fall in love with each other for the sake of the other's success (measured in terms of money). But you can't charge money. If you clearly mark the price and charge money to become the other party's girlfriend, that's selling.

"This is a movie," Ronald thought, and was almost confused by him again. "Besides, didn't it criticize this kind of value in the end?"

"Ronald, it's difficult for me too. Your film company has two movies, and I'm just one short of the number of negative reviews..."

"You bastard."

"Don't be like this. I can comment just to attract viewers for you. There are so many movies that I haven't commented on. If I tell you the plot, there won't be many male teenagers who want to see how to spend money to rent a cheerleader and become themselves. His girlfriend?”

"Okay, you're right this time." Ronald hung up the phone.

"Fuck, whatever these critics say makes sense."

…

The film critics in Chicago, at any rate, were very helpful in helping Ronald attract audiences.

But unexpectedly, film critics in Ronald's hometown actually launched a comprehensive criticism of "Dirty Dancing". In particular, Time Magazine, a magazine with a huge readership across the country and even the world, gave a very bad review of "Dirty Dancing". It's almost like blatantly scolding.

"If we talk about Eleanor's script, the small flaw is that the ending is too tidy and inspiring. Then the director Ronald's mistake is fatal. The low-level sexy singing and dancing in the film can indeed attract some audiences, but the original script should have Some reactions to reality are completely eliminated. We can't help but start to wonder whether director Ronald has enough rationality and judgment to direct this story from the JFK period. After all, he was still biting his pacifier at that time..."

Please remember the first domain name of this book: . :