Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Ronald opened the note and three people wanted him to call back.

Asked about the hotel's long-distance call rates, Ronald trotted up the stairs, entered his room, and started dialing.

The first was his main agent, Richard Lovett, who left a message saying great news and called back immediately. Could it be that your script has already been sold?

"Ronald, you are about to become famous. Columbia bought your script. It is expected to start shooting next year and be released in the summer of 1982."

"I……"

Ronald thinks back on coming to Los Angeles with the script as if it were just yesterday. Is this sold? After signing an agent, the script was easily bought by a major studio? Is CAA's ability so strong?

Although Ovitz took him to several major studios to sell the script last time, Ronald did not expect it to be done so quickly in just a few days.

"Hey, Ronald, are you still there?"

Ronald came back to his senses and hurriedly asked Richard:

"What's the total shooting budget? Jane Fonda is the heroine, right? Does the platoon leader and the idiot decide who will play the role? Where's the director?" Ronald opened the small freezer with the phone receiver in one hand, his hands trembling slightly with excitement .

He quickly clamped the microphone with his neck, opened the freezer with both hands, and took out a can of Coca-Cola.

"Take your time, Ronald. I can't answer that many questions all at once." Richard on the other side of the phone must be very excited, and he spoke with a burst of excitement.

"Colombia invested 10 million, Jane Fonda's IPC invested 2 million, and the total budget was 12 million. The actor has not yet been determined. I heard that the candidates include Jack Nicholson and Stallone.

The director's choice is Jane's old partner, James Bridges. "

"Who will play the fool?" Ronald asked impatiently.

"Relax, Ronald. The movie is still in the early stages of preparation, and Fool may invite a few young actors to star in it. It's still rumored.

I heard Jane Fonda liked Timothy Hutton as a young man in 'Ordinary People'. However, the variables at this stage are very large. Except for Jane Fonda, everyone else can change. "

"Well, I'm so excited. What do they have to say about the script,

Do I need to modify it? "

"Yes, Frank Price, the president of Columbia, directly made a lot of revisions to your script. After you return to Los Angeles, we will discuss the revision plan."

"That's great!" Ronald was so excited that he broke the tab of the can, and the Coke still couldn't be poured out of the can. He didn't take it seriously, and immediately turned around to open the small freezer and took another bottle to drink.

"So you don't ask how much your script sold for?"

"How much did you sell?" Ronald stopped drinking Coke when he heard this.

"Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, thirty Fuxcking fifty thousand dollars."

"What? It's not in line with the market price, right? Did you count the wrong number?" Ronald quickly calmed down when he heard this ridiculously high number. Walter Murkey's script did not have such a high price. He thought Richard was saying the wrong number and added an extra zero.

"Today is your lucky day, Ronald. Columbia is being sued by Las Vegas tycoon Kirkorian for a hostile takeover and they need a high-profile hit back with a movie. Jane Fonda takes $2 million guarantee The contract, even if Colombia doesn't want her to act in the film now, she has to pay."

"So the president, Mr. Price, doesn't care about money, he just wants to create momentum in the media and let everyone know who is in charge of Columbia Pictures now."

"In addition, Mr. Ovitz asked me to tell you that at this stage, don't tell anyone about this news, and wait for him and Columbia Pictures to release the news in the media. He and Mr. Price are now focusing on project marketing, etc. That's all over, I'll talk to you about specific script improvements and casting."

"Got it, I won't tell anyone."

"Whenever you come to Los Angeles, you'll get the check. Give me a call before you come, and I'll pick you up at the airport. This is my first business as an agent. Let's celebrate."

Hanging up the phone, Ronald happily danced disco in the room. Excited, he jumped on the bed and jumped a few times, "Now, let's introduce the Oscar winner for Best Screenplay, Ronald... Lee!"

"Hey, it's up to me to win this award..." Ronald found that there were still two phone calls on the note in his hand, jumped off the bed, and continued to call Aunt Karen, she said that it was important things to discuss.

"Aunt, it's already past 9 o'clock in the evening where you are, what's the matter?"

"Ronnie, you've done a good job. Now Diane Lane is coming."

"What's the matter? What came to you, and I didn't do anything?"

"Are you telling Diane that a single 15-year-old girl like her rents in Manhattan, preferably in Midtown?"

"Yes, she has a lot of savings for filming, but in those rent-controlled apartments in the upper city, it is impossible for the landlord to vote for a single minor to live in."

"Then have you said that if you don't have enough cash, you can consider sharing a lease with other girls?"

"I said it, but Diane... no, she wouldn't want to rent your apartment with Donna, would she?"

"exactly……"

"This..." Ronald thought for a while, "Auntie, I don't object to her frequenting visits, but Diane is not an ordinary girl, she is a child star who has been on the cover of Time magazine. She may bring a lot of media attention. of."

"Of course I thought about it, but Diane said she's out of style now, and no one would recognize her walking down the street without her sunglasses. Besides, she's grown a lot taller and fatter now. Not as thin as it used to be in the movies."

"Auntie, don't mention fat words in front of actresses." Ronald hurriedly ordered, "And if she lives in the family's apartment, we have a certain responsibility to take care of her, after all, I know Bert, Responsible for her family."

"That's what Burt promised. Diane threatened to live at that playboy Christopher Atkins' house if she didn't let her live here."

"What?" Ronald recalled the attitude of the lead actor in the movie "Blue Reef" towards Diane at the party. "It's okay, she must have scare her dad."

"Bert and Diane are still at home, and I'll let him talk to you." Aunt Karen put the phone on hold, and a voice came from the receiver, which was picked up after a while.

"Ronald, this is Bert."

"Bert, what's Diane thinking? Is she pissing you off? Talk to her."

"Ronald, I'm asking you to let Diane stay with you for a while. I'll see her every day. I promise, she won't cause you or your family any trouble."

"That's not a problem. When she came to tutoring, my aunt and Donna liked her very much, but how could..."

"Listen, Ronald, treat me as I owe you once." Burt lowered his voice. "Diane is determined this time, and if I don't say yes, she'll live in another apartment. I can't stop it, She has declared her independence and is legally an adult."

"God" Ronald knew that this little girl was very smart and planned everything. Amelica, a child star like her own income, can declare independence in advance with the help of a lawyer.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I will come to see her often. Just let her live in your house for a while, and I will slowly persuade her to go back. She will take the high school entrance exam immediately. She wants to live an ordinary high school life."

"Okay, call Aunt Karen."

Ronald and Aunt Karen discussed it and agreed to allow Diane Lane to stay in the new house temporarily. But first negotiate the terms with Diane, you can't leave at will, and you have to keep in touch with Bert frequently.

"Ronald, don't worry, I just want to live a normal girl's life, no acting practice, no auditions, and no fights with my dad over casting. When I get into high school, I'll be back to normal. If not You, Bert, can't let me live in someone else's house, I can only ask Karen for help."

"I know you have a charm that makes people love you. I'm sure you won't let us down, Diane." Ronald finally spoke to Diane Lane and hung up.

"Yeah, your cousin agreed." Diane and Donna hugged each other cheering.

"This bedroom is yours, but you can't party too late." Donna gave Diane a bedroom.

"Don't worry, let me make a few calls and find someone to celebrate first."

...

Another call was made back to Michelle Pfeiffer. She said she missed herself and wanted to talk. Ronald was very happy, this was the first time Michelle took the initiative to leave him a message saying he missed him.

"Hi, Michelle. I'm Ronald. I'm so happy today, guess what happened? Uh...uh..." Ronald made a few kisses across the receiver.

Ronald called Pfeiffer and couldn't wait to share his joy with her.

"Listen, Ronald. It's me, Limato." Michelle Pfeiffer's agent was on the phone.

"Uh..." Ronald stopped awkwardly. "Hello, Ed. I didn't know you were there."

"I asked Michelle to call you. Your script has been bought by Columbia. Can you use your influence to help Miss Pfeiffer win the supporting role of that foolish sister?"

"How do you know? I just received a call from the agent to tell me the news. He said that the project is still in the preparatory stage and the security is very high."

"There are no secrets in the brokerage business, Ronald. She told him, he told her, I have my news network."

"Okay. I haven't reached out to the producers yet, and I've heard that Columbia paid the big bucks. But to be honest, I don't understand how to use my so-called influence to get Michelle in the role.

Let me know if you have any idea. You know, I've heard people say that once the script is sold, the writer is out of Game of Thrones.

The real star of this project is Jane Fonda, and few people know me. "

"I understand, Ovitz seems to be preparing for a big move this time. You'll be influential later, and Hollywood will know you."

Limato seemed to have heard some news, and seemed very sure, "You may stay in San Francisco for a while, and try to meet Francis Coppola once after the news comes out, and borrow his momentum."

"Damn, Ovitz should teach you all this, you can call him and ask him." Limato handed the receiver to Michelle Pfeiffer, and Pfeiffer motioned her to talk more with Ronald , turned and left the room.

"Michelle..." Ronald called out.

"Ronnie..." The agent taught her to court Ronald for a role in a big production. "I miss you so much. You're not in LA and I feel a little lonely."

"I'll probably be there for a week or two, honey. I still have some editing questions to ask the masters here, and I'll be back in LA in no time."

"Well, I'll be filming with Inspector Charlie Chen's crew soon. You can see me when you come back early. By the way, did you see me on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show? Although it's only three minutes, but Someone already recognized me on the street."

"Yes, I saw it, you are so beautiful on the show..."