Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"What's the matter?"

There was a sense of weariness in Ronald's words. Ever since Daydream started in the production and distribution business, the company has been sued frequently. Most of them got involved after the movie became a hit. Some say the script is plagiarized, some say it infringes on someone's real experience, etc.

For most cases, he asked Mickey Canter to handle them, and he usually didn't need to intervene. Only in cases where there is substantial damage, lawyer Kanter will call him to discuss countermeasures.

"The stunt people who participated in the third part of The Dragon King submitted a formal complaint to the stunt union because of the poor working environment in Hong Kong. After investigation, the stunt union found that it was generally true, so it took your company and your company's director Tsui Hark went to court together."

"That's quite new."

Most lawsuits follow the money. Daydream has box office and video distribution revenue, and ordinary plaintiffs will sue the company for compensation. But like this time, it is relatively rare to sue a specific person in addition to the company.

"Haha, good spirit." Mickey Kanter also laughed, and Ronald could still maintain a sense of humor. He also relaxed on the phone.

To say this lawsuit is really outrageous. When Tsui Hark was in Hollywood, he generally abided by the union's work rules, but when he went to Hong Kong to shoot the martial arts part of the highlight, he returned to the Hong Kong-style working methods he was accustomed to.

All Hollywood movies registered with the MPAA must be shot with more than half of the Hollywood union members, and others must also follow the competency principle, that is, if they have the same ability, priority should be given to hiring Hollywood union members.

The Stuntmen's Guild is the most united among the many unions in Hollywood because their work is highly risky. Therefore, the implementation is stricter.

Xiangjiang's martial arts fits this very well, because Hollywood stuntmen don't know how to shoot those high-and-high fighting styles. However, according to the union's regulations, Ronald is still responsible for those union stuntmen, and will provide them with travel allowances, as well as regular travel expenses, food and accommodation in accordance with regulations.

Originally, the simple work was done by Hollywood people, and the martial arts moves were done by Xiangjiang martial arts masters. But Tsui Hark, the director, returned to Hong Kong and began to develop his unique working methods.

When Tsui Hark was filming, he almost never rested every day and spent 24 hours chatting with the martial artist and the screenwriter. While chatting, he decided on all kinds of wonderful martial arts action designs, as well as plot segments and art designs.

It makes Hollywood stuntmen literally faint. Even overtime pay cannot soothe their broken hearts.

In addition, stuntmen in Xiangjiang usually hold multiple positions at the same time. If the director gives the order, the action director will let everyone who can go into battle work together.

For example, tasks such as pulling wires for actors, whether it is martial arts, stuntmen, or stunt design, must be filmed as a row of wire pulls, and the actors above will perform various beautiful flying movements according to the instructions of the action director. , rather than spinning and entangled in the air, this can be regarded as a profound skill.

The work in Hollywood is divided among individuals, and if you work across industries, you will be scolded. These stunt people were also thoughtful and secretly used Sony home video recorders to film all the violations, and finally provided them to major labor unions as complaint materials.

No, when the third part of The Dragon King is released, the stuntmen's union will start to sue on time.

Ronald had no choice. The evidence in this case was solid and it would be difficult to fight. He entrusted Mickey Kanter to communicate with the other party's lawyer and strive for an out-of-court settlement. Otherwise, once this case is exposed, it will also have a negative impact on the movie's box office.

Because Tsui Hark himself was involved here, Ronald invited him in again and asked him in detail about the shooting situation at that time.

"Luo Sheng, you beauties are too overbearing. Do you have to control how I shoot in Hong Kong?" Tsui Hark came to Daydream's office, his face full of discomfort. He has long been accustomed to this shooting process. If you ask him to follow the Hollywood process, he will not be able to perform.

"Yeah, don't you know? We Americans have always had long-arm jurisdiction. No matter where you film, as long as there are American members on the crew and they violate American laws, they must follow our rules. We still have to go to court.”

Ronald frightened Tsui Hark, and then asked him to sign a document drafted by a lawyer, writing a formal statement of regret for the stuntmen who had suffered psychological damage.

It's a pity that Ronald originally wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to let Tsui Hark stay in Hollywood and develop. Now it seems that the talents in Xiangjiang may be more suitable for using actors, action directors, martial arts stand-ins, etc., rather than bringing in a director.

The market in Xiangjiang is too small, and every employee must be multi-talented, and a small team can handle the entire crew. This kind of hand-crafted shooting method is incompatible with Hollywood's industrialized method of professional division of labor and each performing his own duties.

"The Hollywood Directors Guild has decided to give you a warning, but it will still accept you as a member. However, if you make Hollywood movies in the future, you can no longer violate the rules so blatantly." Ronald shook his head. He had just joined the Directors Guild. He was disciplined, which is considered a broken record.

"Rason, I surrender, I can't make a Hollywood movie." Tsui Hark said with regret on his face that he gave up. He couldn't work without slowly chatting with his co-stars on the crew.

"Okay then, if you go back to Hong Kong to make a movie, if you have any financing or distribution issues, just give me a call." Ronald felt that talent was rare, but the film culture between the two places was too different, so there was no way to force it.

Tsui Hark mentioned that although he could not be a director in Hollywood, he still wanted to learn more from Ronald, especially the new computer special effects, which he was very interested in.

Ronald immediately agreed and asked him to go to the set of "Die Hard 2" again to observe real industrialized film shooting.

…

"Honey, Director Penny Marshall recommended her brother Gary to me..."

Back at the hotel, Diane came up to update him on her progress as a nominal associate producer on Disney's "3000" project.

Diane felt that her pregnancy had delayed the filming of the movie and the personal plans of director Penny Marshall. Perhaps because of her pregnancy, Diane suddenly lost interest in her role as a street girl standing on the street.

According to her own words, she could not imagine her future children seeing their mother playing such a role on the tape. So she rejected Disney's offer to postpone the project for her until production resumed, and instead took on a nominal position, associate producer, to ensure that the film was shot as scheduled.

"Garry Marshall, what movies has he made?"

"I heard he's a romance film director." Diane has never seen a movie by Garry Marshall. He used to mainly shoot some TV series and TV movies. He has a reputation in the industry as an expert in making romantic films.

…

"Yes, I think this movie should be significantly modified to add some love scenes between the male and female protagonists."

The next day, Garry Marshall came to the interview and talked to Ronald about his own views on the film. His sister Penny told him the main plot and plans.

Gary has another opinion on this. The social reality elements of the original film are too strong. If there are not some good-looking love elements to balance it out, this will be a movie that will completely depress the audience.

In the end, the role didn't work out well either. The actor Edward Lewis went bankrupt in the stock market crash. The heroine Vivian Ward continues to slide towards her original life trajectory.

"Well..., you convinced me. I think you can also convince Mr. Katzenberg of Disney." Ronald has a natural affinity for directors who consider market acceptance in advance. This Gary Marshall mainly makes TV movies, so he naturally has this tendency to please the audience.

"But how do you plan to arrange the outcome of Lewis, the crocodile in the financial market, and Vivian, the street girl?" Ronald agreed, but still raised a logical question.

Edward Lewis is a cold-blooded financial tycoon, and Vivian Ward is a southern girl who has not graduated from high school. If these two people were to truly fall in love, they would never be together in the end. Audiences won't like a movie like this unless they think of a plot that logically takes place in the past.

In the 1940 romance blockbuster "The Bridge", the British officer Roy played by Robert Taylor, like the ballerina Marat played by Vivien Leigh, is also a love between a man from the upper class and a beautiful woman from the lower class. story.

But people at that time couldn't accept that Marla, who was reduced to a street girl at the train station, had a good ending with the war hero Roy, and arranged for Marla to commit suicide. Roy was devastated and could never forget the tragic ending of true love. .

What's more, today's audiences have much higher requirements for the authenticity and logic of plots than before.

"I plan to let Edward Lewis go bankrupt in the stock market crash, so that he and Vivian will be the right match." Garry Marshall has obviously considered this issue. His idea is very interesting. He does not let Vivian go high, but combines it with current events. , let Edward Lewis be low. A bankrupt former tycoon who can only do manual work like a driver and cook should not dislike Vivian.

"Hey, you're really... a genius." Ronald didn't expect to be able to play like this, changing the traditional Disney love story.

"Do you also think it's feasible? So what do you think about the male and female protagonists..." Garry Marshall was in a happy mood. Chatting with an expert like Ronald was smooth, and he would not ask those studio executives those stupid questions.

"It all depends on your vision. Of course, in the end, Mr. Katzenberg and I have to agree..." Ronald smiled and said, "Just tell Katzenberg what you're thinking and I'll call him."

…

"My dear, Olympia and the others came to see me..."

Ronald, who had returned to the hotel to accompany Diane after a half-day shift, found that there were a few more people in the room. They were all actresses with whom Diane had a good time while filming "Steel Mulan".

Except for Dolly Parton who has a concert schedule. Actresses including Olympia Dukakis, Shirley MacLean, Sally Field, and Julia Roberts visited Diane Lane.

They had a great time together while filming "Steel Magnolias" in the South. Ronald and Diane got married in a hurry and did not invite these friends to attend. This time they came to make up for it and congratulate Diane on her wedding.

After hearing the news that Diane was pregnant, several older actresses were very happy for her and chattered about some things they should pay attention to during pregnancy.

seeing is believing. Several actresses had heard from Diane that Ronald was very kind to her, but when they saw with their own eyes that a great director would go home to be with his wife at three o'clock in the afternoon, their affection for Ronald was almost overwhelming.

"Ronnie, I knew you two were so sweet when I was on the set. You make so much noise every morning that we keep the people living in the house next to us awake. It's really jealous."

Shirley MacLean is also a big talker, and her jokes are all about meat and vegetables.

"God, it's so annoying..." Diane covered her face and laughed secretly. When she was on the set, she also fantasized about Brother Ronnie's proposal, but she didn't expect it to come true so soon.

"You should be jealous, Shirley." Ronald put his arms around Diane and kissed her gently.

"Hahaha..." the other two middle-aged actresses burst into laughter. On the set of "Steel Mulan", the director was overbearing, but the actors became good friends. They were very fond of Ronald, the director who came to put pressure on the director and brought them a convenient portable restroom.

"I'm really happy for you." Julia Roberts opened her eyes wide and tried to suppress the jealousy in her heart.

She had just broken up with Dylan McDermott, who played her character's husband in "Steel Magnolias," and was looking for her next boyfriend. Dylan McDermott is very handsome, but he is not very ambitious and has no connections in the industry.

"Honey, do you think it's possible for the new movie Julia to..." Diane turned back and asked Ronald.

Diane wouldn't play this kind of role anyway, so it didn't matter who played it. Looking at Julia Roberts's eyes, she recommended it to Ronald.

"Katzenberg will decide tomorrow whether to let Gary direct. Then ask your agent to submit the audition photos..." Ronald didn't care. This is a small production. It doesn't hurt to recommend it. It depends on whether the director can see it. On.

"Richard, remember to remind me to call Katzenberg and Garry Marshall tomorrow." Ronald ordered the inseparable agent.

"OK...", Richard wrote down Ronald's arrangement. After all, Daydream's personal assistant, Fat Girl Lake, is a little girl who has just grown up. It is not convenient for her to follow her around every day.

"By the way, Lundgren and Jean-Claude Van Damme have both agreed to star in your two B-level films..." Richard took the time to report on the progress. The financial contracts of these people were all signed by the trio of him and Niceta. Lundgren was very happy. Jean-Claude Van Damme originally wanted to try a more A-level production, but Ronald had just helped him deal with a big trouble, so the film was regarded as making money and returning a favor.

"Where is the other one? Who did the black belt elite find?" Ronald asked.

"We haven't found a suitable candidate yet. This is a character who got up after a fall. He was originally a master of Taekwondo. Because of an injury during a competition, he had to work a blue-collar job. In order to realize his dream, he got his wife's understanding and resumed training. Winning an important game in the final.”

"Uh..." Julia hesitated to speak next to her.

"What's wrong?" Ronald spotted Julia Roberts' truncated words.

"I don't know if I should do it, but my brother Eric has a black belt in taekwondo."

"I remember your relationship with him wasn't very good?" Ronald thought of the past of the brother and sister.

"What can I say? After he separated from his ex-girlfriend, I let his children live with me for a while. Eric told me that the reason Bitchi broke up with him was because she didn't agree to stay at home Build a cat conservation center to provide a sanctuary for one hundred cats.

Can you imagine? There are people who are so uncaring and refuse to rescue cats at home. "

"Of course I can imagine..." Ronald didn't express his feelings. It seems that some actresses are not in a normal mental state. How can a normal person want to keep a hundred cats at home?

"Well, let him try it... and see what we can do..." Ronald is now more adept at using words that sound actively helpful but are actually ambiguous to deal with other people's requests for help.

Eric Roberts' last car accident was also due to the influence of drugs. This time he has to pass the test and be able to perform normally.