Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Do you feel used to coming to Hollywood?"

“It was lonely at the beginning, but now I have more parties and I feel better.”

Diane and Nicole Kidman went for nail care together, and exchanged some experiences on filming in Hollywood, how to deal with photographers, and how to win over makeup artists and hairstylists.

Tom Cruise, Niceta, Paula Wagner, and Ronald left their hotel rooms and went to another executive suite at the Beverly Hills Hilton. This place was opened by names and credit cards that had no connection with several people. The person who opened the door for them was Richard who had already come over. The room had been thoroughly checked by Ronald's bodyguard Daniel to ensure that there was no eavesdropping equipment.

Several Hollywood people with closely related interests can openly discuss some sensitive issues in this room. They must first establish an offensive and defensive alliance to jointly target Ovitz's various aggressive methods.

Tom Cruise's Oscar dream has been restrained by Ovitz. He is very much looking forward to his new film Born on the Fourth of July. He does not want to be deceived last time and not be nominated for Best Actor again. .

Ronald also desires an Oscar. Such a strong influence and manipulator of votes is something that no star or director wants to see.

The most important thing for the Niceta-Wagner couple, Richard and others is to break the packaging strategy led by Ovitz. In CAA, which he dominates, any movie with a celebrity participation needs to listen to the opinions of this CAA tyrant.

But as he gets older, his personal preferences for celebrities are completely out of touch with the real tastes of Hollywood audiences. A good actor like Jack Nicholson, because he signed the contract late, actually has to wait for Sean Conn. People like Nally have a back-row role, and he doesn’t even have a permanent office in the new CAA building.

The younger generation of agents, as well as veteran partners like Niceta who had no chance of obtaining shares, all had a certain amount of resentment towards Ovitz. They just wanted to blackmail everyone with higher salaries because of his ability to set up custom-made films. On the premise of bringing in higher income, I still resisted not expressing my opinions to him.

But his long-term success gave Ovitz some illusions, and he really thought he was the most powerful person in Hollywood. Especially when it dominated the last Oscars, it offended several other clients who had also signed contracts with CAA and were also nominated, and also offended their agents.

For a time, everyone was secretly communicating, hoping to lead customers to leave at the right time, go to William Morris and ICM, or simply set up their own business.

Of course, this kind of thing is still in the planning stage, and everyone only vaguely feels the undercurrent. Everyone is waiting for the opportunity. No one wants to take the lead and be targeted by Ovitz, who still has the power.

Tom Cruise, Niceta, Paula Wagner and Ronald are friends with a long history. Their interests are relatively close to those of others. Not to mention Ronald and Cruz's long-term friendship, Niceta and Wagner are husband and wife.

So when things like this happen, they are the easiest to form an alliance. In addition, Ronald is best at commercial films and has many opportunities to collaborate with Tom Cruise. Regardless of history or the future, they were the first to reach an offensive and defensive alliance.

Everyone has reached some agreed upon principles. First, if everyone has any decisions, they should be discussed in advance and advance and retreat together. The second is that no matter what measures are taken in the end, Ronald and Cruise will be more bound together.

Paula Wagner hopes this will happen the most. The value of Tom Cruise is closely related to the movies he makes. If he is still so passionate about Oscars, there will be fewer and fewer commercial films made, and their value will become lower and lower. Hanging out with Ronald and making more movies like Top Gun that made his fans grow rapidly is actually the way to maximize profits.

And Niceta is also happy to see an alliance. Ronald and Tom Cruise, the two people tied together are enough to bargain with anyone. Even Ovitz cannot take it lightly, otherwise the departure of William Morris by the two will shake the entire CAA.

After chatting about secret matters, Ronald and Cruise went to the hotel's executive lounge to drink. This kind of thing has to be left to Niceta, Richard, and Wagner for discussion. Of course, Cruise and Ronald also have to talk privately. There is also the issue of profit distribution between clients and agents.

"I heard that Paula found a big studio to back you?" Ronald said to Tom Cruise with a smile.

"Yes, you can probably guess that Paramount may usher in another reshuffle, and my new film is a stepping stone. Ovitz is so strong, everyone should think more about it." Cruise has long since given up. As a naive actor, he studied very hard in the movies he participated in. Now he actually has a lot of considerations about his acting career.

"I heard that you are also very close to a big producer?" Cruise also asked Ronald.

"It's not convenient to say now. We'll know in a few months. It's a big event that will change Hollywood. You go back and talk to Paula about it." Ronald's cooperation with Sony can only hint to a few people he trusts. partner.

"In short, we will have more choices. Choice is always better than monopoly." Tom Cruise smiled and clinked glasses with Ronald. He only drank a little alcohol when he was with good friends like Ronald.

Small talk ensued, with Cruise clearly smitten with Nicole Kidman as he and Mimi Rogers begin the divorce process. However, he has Paula, an agent who is like a big sister, who has been protecting him, including the prenuptial agreement and a series of wealth divisions, to ensure that problems like Spielberg will not arise.

"Ronald, do you think an actor can also set up his own production company?" Finally, Tom Cruise couldn't help but asked Ronald a question in his heart, "I also want to set up my own production company." production companies, but in Hollywood there are still many directors who set up independent production companies.”

"Is there any problem with this? In the future of Hollywood, the power of stars will continue to strengthen. Today's marketing costs are too expensive. Whether or not there are stars is related to the life or death of the movie project. Your ability to influence the movie box office and audience evaluation now, There is no problem in setting up a production company.”

Ronald remembered how Cruise single-handedly raised the box office of the bad movie "Cocktail" to a higher level. Producers and banks would not let go of such an ability.

"Then what do you think is the most important thing in setting up an independent production company?" Tom Cruise can learn from his rival actors when it comes to acting, and screenwriters and directors can learn from the members of the crew. Only this knowledge of starting a company can Only Ronald can give himself some useful advice.

The other people around him are either actors who know nothing about business, or people like Wagner who have conflicts of interest of their own.

"If we want to talk about the most important thing, for an artist like you, the most important thing for opening a production company is to have talent. I heard a famous investor say that we are about to enter the 1990s, and talent will become the most important thing. Important asset.”

Ronald thought about it for a while. For people like them, whose core competitiveness is still in the category of artists, it is almost impossible for them to be an excellent businessman. God is fair and will not give a person too many talents.

"Talent?" Cruise mused.

"Yes, people actually have different pursuits. Not everyone regards money as the most important thing. The first tip for me to work with those talented people is to take good care of them and give them enough money. and respect, understand what they want in their hearts, and then find ways to give them a stage to display their abilities. In this way, they will work hard for you and earn enough wealth for you. Of course, at the same time, they themselves Also get what you want, wealth or self-realization..."

…

"Nicole really has a face that the camera prefers. I'm even jealous..." Diane came back and told Ronald her feelings. Nicole Kidman's appearance is a bit like the last Hollywood actress Grace Kelly. There are many good-looking people, but not many have the opportunity to enter Hollywood and are favored by the cameras.

Just like a popular saying in old Hollywood, making movies is all about taking close-ups of beautiful women’s faces. Some darlings' faces can be zoomed in to a close-up as big as a two-story building on the screen, and no flaws can be seen. Audiences become fans of a celebrity to a large extent because they are attracted by this human instinct for a good-looking face.

"Oh, don't say that, Diane. Grace Kelly left no impression on people except her face. What people really remember are those who are equally good in appearance and acting, creating unforgettable characters. Role."

"But it's rare for that face to be remembered..." Diane's jealousy was mainly aimed at her screen image. The audience doesn't care too much about the acting skills, they just love to see the beautiful faces on the screen.

"No, you are the one I remember..." Ronald kissed Diane on the face. Although he didn't say anything, Diane was still quite concerned about the small scar at the corner of his eye. Compared with Kidman's perfect face, Diane, who is usually quite confident in her beauty, is also a little jealous.

"I'm going to New York. I have some business matters to deal with. I'll come back to be with you then." Ronald has been spending significantly more time with Diane recently, and he also enjoys this feeling.

"I'll go with you..." Diane smiled and kissed Ronald back.

"What are you going to do?"

"I also have my own things to deal with..." Diane and Ronald bickered happily, and she chuckled, "I want to see Old Bert. I still need his approval for the new film, and I can ask him for some advice. matter."

"Oh, he really has a deep understanding of acting skills, and he is also the person who knows you best." Ronald understood that Diane played a street girl, after all, she violated the agreement with her father, Old Bert. There is no need to make the relationship between father and daughter so rigid now. This is a big production anyway. Opening up the conversation will actually help maintain the relationship between relatives.

…

Ronald arrived in New York and made an appointment with Ed Bastian. The other party has turned its main energy to acquiring daily news and TV stations and radio stations for Ronald. He resigned from Price Waterhouse just months before launching the acquisition.

Ed Bastian is very capable and made a good acquisition plan for Ronald. The two companies and charitable foundations used for the acquisition have also been established. This allows the company to diversify its holdings and fly low under the regulatory and competitive radar without causing too much backlash.

He also told Ronald about the business strategy of cooperating with Daydream Pictures after the acquisition.

In Ed Bastian's view, business is business and art is art, and the two cannot be confused. Orion's concept of regardless of production costs and just letting the director play in order to win Oscars does not hold true in the general trend of raising interest rates.

After the acquisition is completed, the most important thing to do is to recuperate and strive to make money with every movie, every TV series, and every business strategy.

Newspaper distribution should reduce the number of color pages and increase the selling price appropriately to ensure that every reader is the target customer group of advertisers. Stop doing charity for readers who are too poor to afford any mass consumer brands.

TV stations need to reduce procurement costs and introduce as many cheap movies from Hong Kong, Japan, and Europe as possible, as well as some English TV series from Australia and Britain. Never appear in a big-production TV series just to make a name for yourself.

In his opinion, Daydream's annual output is still too small and it relies too much on Ronald's own vision and connections. The most suitable strategy for daydreaming is actually the early strategy of Roger Coleman and Minahan Golan.

A large number of small productions worth two to three million dollars are produced, and more than ten films are financed and filmed every year, targeting action films, horror films, and low-cost comedies with a fixed audience. Try to rely on Ronald's good reputation in Europe and East Asia to collect advances and reduce the pressure on cash flow.

"I have investigated Hollywood's dark horses at the box office every year. Every year, there are actually some low-cost productions that stand out, earn considerable box office, and sell again in the video market. This kind of thing is like luck, as long as we ensure that all ten movies will be successful. Ben, as long as one or two of them can perform well, then the profit figures for the whole year will be very good."

"You seem to understand the business operations of movies better than me. It seems that I have found a good candidate for the president of the new company." Ronald read the plan and was very satisfied. Even if he could only achieve half of it, the new company would not As for subsidizing cash into it yourself.

"After all, movies are just a commodity..." Ed Bastian concluded. He is still more interested in the media industry than Pepsi-Cola. Aren't movies and TV shows more interesting than selling sugar water?

After the two finished chatting about business, Ronald and Bastian chatted for a while about the rules of film and television production, and the topic turned to CAA's Ovitz's recent strong moves.

"Tell me, why is Ovitz so crazy? Doesn't he understand that if he does this, he will offend a large number of actors, directors and screenwriters? This is the basis of his success."

"Hey, this is the curse of the successful." Bastian put down his pen and crossed his hands, "I have seen a lot of business at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Most successful businessmen will explain the reasons for their success. Make a summary. Then adopt it as a principle and let employees learn from it.

And most of these people think that this is the secret to their success, and that neither luck nor the market has anything to do with their success. When the business reaches a new level, they will use their original experience in new business areas.

It's clear that Mr. Ovitz considered his experience as a celebrity agent to be the main, if not the only, reason for the film's success. "

"Hmph..." Ronald thought carefully about what Ovitz had done, and Bastian really made it clear.

The most important thing for a celebrity agent is to strive for the role that brings the most benefits to the client. To this end, they can create many reasons to make the client appear to be the best candidate for the role.

In this, they can do many things, such as slandering competing actors, such as doing a good job as directors and producers, such as letting screenwriters express their opinions. After getting the role, they will strive for the highest salary, such as intimidating the studio to let the star quit if they don't pay a high salary. For example, they will secretly contact other studios, such as falsifying previous salary records, etc...

Ovitz's approach to winning Oscars is similar to his approach to winning roles. Coercing his actors to vote for the person he likes, creating public opinion that someone is determined to win an Oscar, etc.

When helping Sony acquire Colombia, he relied on private contacts with small shareholders to lower the price. After Sony did not adopt his idea, he privately contacted Australian tycoon Scars to bid to raise the price, creating an illusion for customers that it was him. These are all typical broker tactics.

Maybe Ovitz is overconfident, or maybe he simply doesn't understand that different industries require different business operations. This kind of domineering attitude towards artists with exaggerated emotions and producers under severe financial pressure in the film industry is always ready to carry a golden parachute. Studio executives on the run, it really works. But in other industries, facing real business elites, it will seem naive and ridiculous.

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