Exploiting Hollywood 1980

The enemy appears.

Diane informed Paramount of Ronald's conditions for joking with him. Lindsay Dolan, a female executive at Paramount, was overjoyed and immediately brought her secretary to visit Ronald.

"We agree to all your conditions, as long as you agree to be the director. And supervise all script modifications, casting, filming, and subsequent marketing..."

"Are you kidding me?"

Ronald opened his mouth in surprise. The total cost of shooting such a movie on a Hollywood soundstage could easily balloon to more than double that of shooting in Canada.

"Why don't you find a young director who is good at shooting romantic comedies and can easily control the production cost of the entire movie to about $10 million?"

As an outstanding graduate of Roger Corman Film University, Ronald expressed his instinctive dissatisfaction with this kind of production method that would rather waste money. Although this method of going crazy was of great benefit to him.

Lindsay Dolan not only agreed that he would lead all aspects of the film, but also gave him a certain amount of investment from Daydream Productions to participate in the production of the entire film and share the profits afterwards. This is especially difficult in an environment where the entire Hollywood community is shocked that Jack Nicholson took away tens of millions of dollars from Warner Bros.

"This is the best script in Paramount's library. How could I just randomly find a young and inexperienced director to film it... You know what, Ronald? Before you express interest, I just want Two directors came to direct this movie..." Lindsay Dolan seemed very excited and was quite dissatisfied with Ronald's idea of ​​wasting such a classic script on a young director.

"Ah? Who are you looking for?" Ronald was also shocked by her serious expression. Did she really have the idea to make this movie a classic in film history?

"Of course before you, I only considered two directors, Milos Forman and Stanley Kubrick..." Lindsay Dolan put on a look, "Look what you said, we are now discussing very... Serious business" expression.

"Huh? Oh..." Ronald stared at this middle-aged woman in her early 40s for a long time, but found no trace of acting on her face. It seems like they really have high hopes for this script.

"When I heard the news, I was in a meeting at the Western Film Exhibition in Las Vegas. As soon as I heard that you were interested, I immediately interrupted the meeting and rushed back." Lindsay Dolan continued to express, Ronald was very interested in the film.

Ronald hugged the waist of Diane, who was sitting next to him, and watched Lindsay Dolan explain her reasons one by one, and couldn't help but feel a little convinced.

This is not because of the strong reasons Lindsay Dolan said, but because of her professional family background.

Her father was a veteran Hollywood producer, and her mother was a script typist for Columbia Pictures before getting married. She also has an older brother who worked as a marketing manager for Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey."

She herself has also been the production supervisor of a television station for a long time, and has certain experience in judging scripts and estimating commercial prospects. But Ronald still didn't understand why he felt it was the most appropriate choice for him to direct the film.

"It's very simple. Who else can capture love more touchingly than you? What's more, this is a love between a person and a ghost that spans life and death..."

"Is that so?" Of course Ronald didn't believe it. He was not the only director in Hollywood who was good at making romance films.

"Of course, the more important reason is that today's female stars all want to work with you..."

"That sounds like a common-sense reason..." Bernard understood, and here was the real reason. If this kind of love commercial film wants to be successful at the box office, one of the biggest points is to find very suitable actresses, and then find men who match them and have a chemical reaction.

If Ronald joins, all the actresses in Hollywood who can participate in this movie will be willing to come and audition.

"So I decide the staffing of the crew?" Hearing what he said and watching Diane nod slightly, Ronald felt that he could try to explore the possibility of filming this movie.

Lindsay Dolan shrugged and said of course, she would agree to anyone Ronald proposed.

"Well, I'll find some time to talk to the screenwriter Mr. Bruce Joel Rubin first..." Ronald didn't have a very deep understanding of the movie script. So he had to talk to the screenwriter first before he could decide.

"Okay, I'll make arrangements."

"For photography direction, art direction, editing and sound design, I have to find long-term partners..."

"no problem."

"The daily shooting is at Paramount's Hollywood studio. I go to work every morning and come home from get off work at six o'clock in the evening on time..."

"Of course, no one will check your attendance every day, I can guarantee that."

"I read that there are a lot of ghost scenes in the script, which requires a special effects team. I have my own partners." Ronald thought of the special effects team of the Abyss created by Cameron, and the special effects team in Die Hard II Inside, the team that made the frosted glass matte paintings could borrow the special effects shots used to shoot the movie.

"Of course we will take your opinion as the basis..."

Seeing all his conditions, the other party agreed very simply, and Ronald also felt Lindsay Dolan's sincerity.

“The investment share of Daydream, and the scope of participation?”

"I estimate that the entire movie will have a budget of 22 million to 25 million, and you can get no more than 1/4 of the share. In addition, you have the second-highest share rights besides Paramount."

"What about overseas distribution, TV broadcast rights, and video tapes?"

"The ratio will be lower than the box office share. Why don't we let our agents and lawyers work out a number that both parties are satisfied with?"

Seeing that all the conditions would be complied with, Ronald had no reason to doubt the sincerity of the other party. After he and the other party agreed on a time to discuss specific investment details, he picked up the script and read it slowly.

"Honey, do you really want Demi Moore to play this heroine?" Diane came over and asked Ronald.

"I don't know. She is just one of the final candidates. In the end, it depends on who is the most suitable for the role..."

…

"Demi, Paramount intends to make that ghost movie into a movie. Please ask your agent to send me your audition photos..."

"Really? Really? Oh, Ronald, I love you..." Demi Moore jumped up happily on the other end after receiving the call. Who doesn't know that working with Ronald as an actress in Hollywood now is like riding a roller coaster to the top.

"Hey, who are you loving?" Bruce Willis heard it over there.

"Hush, it's Ronald who wants to invite me to audition for his new movie."

"Ah, Ronald? Give me the phone..." Bruce Willis grabbed the phone and said to Ronald. "Hey, brother, thank you for your message. 20th Century Fox has increased my salary."

"I heard about the extra $1.5 million, ha..." Ronald laughed.

Bruce Willis's salary for Die Hard 2 increased by another $1.5 million, but 20th Century Fox was determined not to let him participate in any share.

"Thank you, I owe you once..."

"We don't need to talk about this between us, but let's see who's talking at the premiere. Are you available to attend as a voice actor?"

"I will ask my agent to reserve time for that weekend, and then I will go with Demi... By the way, speaking of Demi, will she really participate in your movie?"

"Participate in the audition, you know I always choose the most suitable one..."

"Hey, he seems to have other candidates besides you..." Bruce Willis put down the phone and joked about his wife.

"Really, did he say who it was?"

"I didn't say, I forgot to ask..."

"What the hell do I need you for? I'll call my agent right away to find out which bitch is trying to steal this role from me..." Demi Moore cursed angrily, and then immediately went to talk to her Agents discussing how to get this role?

…

Rather than start auditioning right away, Ronald began studying the box office and reviews for "When Harry Met Sally."

After seeing the box office results on the second weekend after the expanded screening, Ronald also understood why Lindsay Dolan was so enthusiastic about cooperating with him in a romance film.

In its second weekend of large-scale release, When Harry Met Sally's box office per theater remained above $10,000. The screening scale in more than 800 theaters across the country also generated a box office of more than 10 million US dollars.

What's even more rare is that on the east and west coasts, as well as in central Chicago and other areas, this movie has caused a craze for movie-watching in all urban movie theaters.

Meg Ryan's net worth has risen accordingly, and the romantic movie filmed in Hawaii may be the last chance for Hollywood to cast her as a romantic heroine for less than $2 million.

The most frightening thing is that even comedians like Billy Crystal, who originally mainly acted in comedies, have received invitations to make romantic movies one after another, and have offered roles that are no less than those of first-line male stars. Remuneration.

Hollywood is both exaggerated and realistic. Many producers are asking a question: Why didn't anyone find that Billy Crystal was suitable for a love scene before?

The standard answer in Hollywood is, don’t ask why? Now that Ronald has developed this side of him, all that's left is to squeeze all the value out of this part of Billy Crystal.

Ronald, who was discussing the film's follow-up marketing with marketing consultant Michael Gray, also discovered this. If a male star is only suitable for one type of film, his salary will generally be more than 30% lower than for a male star who is suitable for two or three types of films.

Just like Stallone and Schwarzenegger, although they were the first in Hollywood to break through 10 million US dollars in salary, they are now far behind Eddie Murphy and Bruce Willis, who have both comedy and action styles. of male stars’ remuneration.

"What's the prospect of this movie during awards season?" Ronald asked Michael Gray. He was still quite concerned about not winning the Oscar for two consecutive years.

"Not only you, but also the actors and screenwriters of this film do not have high recognition among the voting actors in the academy."

"The remnants of those Methodists are really annoying..." Ronald was also very angry after hearing this.

There is a very clear characteristic of the Oscar awards, that is, the winning of the award is dominated by the voting orientation and taste of actors, and actors have never been very fond of those actors who have achieved big box office by making romantic films.

Comedies and romance films have always been the hardest hit areas for the Oscars. Those actors who have been trained by the so-called orthodox Hollywood method believe that comedy is not an orthodox acting skill and that they are inherently inferior to actors who perform dramas and tragedies.

And the actors who make romantic movies are not even as good as comedians. As long as you are beautiful and have a chemical reaction with your opponent in front of the camera, then the rest is left to the director and the camera.

What are the acting skills in a romantic movie? They don't exist. They just look good in the camera. If I were also noticed by a director like Ronald, I could also become the heroine of a blockbuster romance film.

This is the general mentality of those voting Hollywood actors. They long to be stars, but they look down on them...

"But we can try our luck in Britain and continental Europe. The European distribution of this film also needs to get some nominations in the awards on the other side of the Atlantic..." Michael Gray said to Ronald again from the perspective of film marketing. A workaround.

Across the ocean, in Britain, there is also their so-called Academy Awards, called the BAFTA Awards, also known as the British Oscars.

In fact, this award does not only allow British films to be selected, but is open to all English-language films from around the world. Of course if you have a British production or a British director or actor. Then there will undoubtedly be extra support at the BAFTA Awards.

"I will call the princess's secretary..."

If you don't get an Oscar nomination, it might be a good idea to try your luck at the British Oscars. Of course, Ronald would not let go of his greatest relationship in Britain.

He contacted Princess Diana's secretary and issued a formal invitation to the royal family when the film premiered in London in November.

The British people like their commoner-minded Princess Ronald very much, and this is also a way to use their strength to build momentum there. On the one hand, they are promoting their overseas releases, and on the other hand, they also hope to influence the organizing committee of the BAFTA Awards and give their films some nominations.

As a result, good news came. Not only the princess, but also Her Majesty the Queen was very interested in Ronald's new movie. He and his wife would also attend the royal premiere in London.

"Her Majesty the Queen said that I hope your new movie will make the Queen feel happy. The latest James Bond movie is really disappointing to the Queen and her husband."

"I am willing to serve His Majesty..." Ronald laughed, daydreaming about his overseas distribution capabilities. In this time when Harry Met Sally movie, it will be put to a better test.

…

After finishing this work, Ronald also met with Ruth Joel Rubin, the screenwriter of Ghost, and talked about their understanding of the script.

Screenwriter Ruth Joel Rubin was very satisfied with Ronald's idea. For him, Ronald could be a better director of his script than Stanley Kubrick and Milos Forman. much better. The 45-year-old film screenwriter actually has a deep relationship with Ronald.

Like Ronald, he is a dropout from New York University's Tisch Film School. However, he was not as lucky as Ronald and soon entered Hollywood. He was born in 1962, but it was not until the 1980s that he saw his first script adapted to the screen.

Speaking of which, when he was a student at New York University, he was a classmate of Martin Scorsese and Brian De Palma. The human condition is often very magical.

"Can you tell me who you would like to play the leading role?" Ruth Joel Rubin asked Ronald. He actually finished writing this script in 1983. He was persuaded by Brian De Palma, a classmate who saw the potential in his script, and then returned to Los Angeles from San Francisco to develop.

"In fact, Paramount was very supportive of our movie and sent audition invitations to all the popular male and female stars in Hollywood."

Romand took out a list and handed it to the other party. The male star column included Jack Nicholson, Harrison Ford, Michael J. Fox, Crocodile Dundee, Paul Hogan, and Tom Hanks. Even less likely candidates like Tom Cruise and Bruce Willis were contacted.

The column of female celebrities also includes those who have been popular in the past and present. Michelle Pfeiffer, Molly Ringwald, and Meg Ryan are all potential candidates. Paramount is most optimistic about Tom Cruise's new girlfriend Nicole Kidman and Bruce Willis' wife Demi Moore.

If a husband and wife team can be hired to star, it will undoubtedly be a very good gimmick for the promotion of the movie.

"If you were the director, which female star would you choose to play Molly?"

Ronald asked the screenwriter Rubin, sometimes the screenwriter's opinions are very worthy of reference. Because when they write the script, they will use the image of a certain female star as a prototype to create this character.

"I don't know that when I wrote the script, I was imagining the black female star Diana Ross. I always felt that the heroine Molly had the temperament of a romantic artist and a very realistic housewife. a mixture of.

Well, I think she is more like the heroine I imagined she would be, Michelle Pfeiffer is too beautiful to be the wife of an ordinary bank manager. "

Rubin placed his finger on two mirror photos, one of Demi Moore and one of Nicole Kidman.

"Ha..." Ronald put away the audition photos. He didn't pay attention to the audition photos sent by Demi Moore at first. It was the one he took for her many years ago when he was a portrait photographer.

And Nicole Kidman has strawberry blond hair and piercing eyes, and she also looks full of fairy spirit...

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