Exploiting Hollywood 1980

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"Is that how you dance?"

"It seems like this, it's always wrong, hey."

After the preview session, a large number of selected college students began to imitate breakdance in the front hall of the cinema.

Many viewers are trying to do the spacewalking action, but no one can understand why it looks like stepping forward, but jumping out is going backwards.

"Hip Pop is such tension, such excitement,

That pretty girl dances well. "

A few viewers who watched the preview sang Ice T's impromptu rap lyrics in their mouths, and when they walked to the bathroom door and lined up, they discussed it.

"Hey, at the Motown concert in the first half of the year, did MJ dance like this?"

"Indeed, but when I watch the motor in the movie, it dances more dashingly than MJ."

"It's a pity that MJ didn't dance in the movie, otherwise you can watch him compete with Madara."

"What, where is MJ in the movie?" One audience member just came out of the bathroom and was stunned after hearing their conversation.

"You didn't watch the ending? Isn't the one who came to dance with them on the street? MJ?"

"That's right, he said it so well, breakdancing is street art."

"I... I came out early to go to the bathroom. I'm afraid the queue will be too long."

"Then you are miserable, the last part was wonderful."

"Really? When will this movie be played again?"

"This is a preview, idiot, you should wait for the official release."

Seeing the heated discussion in the hall and the audience trying to figure out how to jump into the spacewalk, Ronald was overjoyed, "This is no problem. This is the first time I have encountered such a warm response since I became a director. "

Minahan stood beside him, also very excited. I've never seen a cannonball movie so popular. Maybe a "Lemonade" that I filmed in Israel for five years may have reached this level in Israel.

But this is America! Dozens of times the market capacity of Israel.

The highly anticipated "Lemonade" remake version "The Last Virgin of America" ​​failed in the North American market at the box office. If it succeeds this time, how much money can it make!

Minahan turned his head and looked at the representative of the distribution department sent by MGM. He had jumped to the only coin-operated phone in the cinema and was calling the company:

"Yeah, I promise, it's a good movie. Cannonball has never made such a good movie. I don't care if their other movies are trash or not, this one will do. Aside from the plot and dance, this movie is amazing. Just guessed the pop craze breakdance.

...yes, it's the one Orion invested 9 million in...yes, it's called Hot Street Guys... that's not a problem, whether their movie is better or not, the point is that this breakdance can be sent to MPAA soon .

Yes, I think we can preempt the release and catch them off guard... No, listen to me, I don't know how they did it, and they had MJ for a cameo, which MJ... well, I let him bring Copy it once. "

MGM's distribution representative, after the phone call, came back and said to Minahan, "My boss asked you to take the copy to MGM headquarters for a screening. I can't convince them immediately with words, but I think your film can do arrive."

"Hahaha, then it's settled." Minahan shook hands with him solemnly.

With the good news, Minahan began to ponder in his heart.

Such a good movie, should MGM release it? Wouldn't it be possible to make more money if the cannon was released by itself?

"Do you think our Cannonball distribution department can eat the release of Breakdance now?" Minahan asked his cousin Yoram, who was in the same car in the car after the preview.

"No, even if the cannon has this ability, it has to be released by MGM.

"

Yoram disagrees. "Breakdance" movies, without starring stars, rely on distribution channels to promote.

The most important thing is to get enough audiences on set in the first week of release. The Cannonball distribution department has just been established, and there is no running-in project or familiar theater channel.

On your own, you can never get more than a thousand theaters. The final box office performance of the film depends on the scale of the first weekend and the audience's reputation.

MGM is a company with distribution strength. Although they have to cut a large piece of meat, it is still very worthwhile compared to the many theaters and skilled marketing methods.

“Although MGM doesn’t make movies anymore, they are still on the board of MPAA. They go out and rate it, and they will pass the rating as quickly as possible. You forgot, Orion has a movie with the same theme in the pipeline. "

"You're right, we still have to let MGM publish it. This can also save our precarious cooperation with them. I'm just a little unwilling, obviously this is a good opportunity, and it is possible to pull up our own publishing team. Yes." Minahan shook his head regretfully.

Yoram touched his chin and said, "Actually, we can sign a joint distribution agreement with them. In this case, the first two months... I think this breakdance will definitely be able to stay for more time. The first two months of the film When the share is high, let them account for it, and we can release it at the same time, and put the movie in the second-round theater chain, the township theater chain, and those old theater chains in big cities."

"Okay." Minahan nodded. "Any ideas?"

Yoram was excited, "I still have some ideas. If the senior management of MGM sees the movie and sees it really as the person in the distribution department said, we can bundle a movie for them."

"Go on."

"Aren't they unwilling to release the 'Sahara' of Brooke Shields in America? We insisted that the two films should be released in a bundle, and we could only buy them together, or not together."

"Hey, you kid, I like the idea." Minahan happily patted Yoram on the shoulder several times.

Yoram's main responsibility at Cannon is distribution, and he also grinned, and being able to distribute Brooke Shields' movie can be considered a big problem.

"Actually, I also have an idea," Minahan's eyes flashed, "We can start preparing for the sequel."

"That's what I want to say. We Cannon is a company that makes money by making sequels. It's not about buying sequels from other companies, like Chuck Bronson's sequel to 'Terrorist Hunt.' The Dou' sequels have brought huge profits to our European business. Since MGM likes breakdance so much, I recommend shooting as soon as possible."

"No, we're going to start planning breakdance 2 now." Minahan waved his hand, "The trend of breakdance is coming quickly, but I don't know when it will ebb. We have to launch a sequel as soon as possible."

"What are you going to do?"

"Look for the lead first, all the lead, sign a contract quickly. Before they get famous and too expensive to release," Minahan said, "And the screenwriter, find the screenwriter, on the basis of the first film, in the Write the story of Ma, Cyclone, and Kelly continuing their dance careers."

"You don't want Ronald to continue directing?" Yoram asked.

"I know him, this movie is just his play, it doesn't take much effort, and it's finished while lying down. The movie he made in Colombia is his work. If these two movies If they can sell well, he will definitely become the target of big studios, and we can no longer ask him to direct such low-cost exploitative films.

I'd love to work with him again, he's an inescapable person. While there is no breakdance writer credited, he did most of the screenplay adaptations that were most critical to the film's success. The union will recognize his achievements, so the sequel must have his approval. "

Minahan couldn't help but hit his big head twice with his fist, "I'm so stupid, I should have signed an extra film contract with him at the time. Now we have to wait until we have raised the funds to shoot the next big production. He cooperates."

A few days later, there was applause in the screening room at MGM, and their head of distribution, along with the company's vice president, stood up to salute Minahan.

Like the previous test screenings, the audience for the test screenings were completely crazy after watching the movie. They went directly to the investigators of MGM and asked them when it would be released. Be sure to come and watch it again with friends.

Although MGM was very dissatisfied with the conditions of the bundling, in the face of the audience's average rating of A-, it pinched its nose and signed the "Sahara" distribution agreement, responsible for the first-round distribution of the two films in America.

The second round of distribution, and the distribution of some remote theaters, will be handed over to Cannon Pictures itself.

"Mazel tov (congratulations), the next thing is to quickly submit it for review and get a PG rating." The vice president of MGM took the initiative to raise his glass and greeted with a Jewish toast.

"Then wish us a big fortune!" For the first time, Minahan and the top executives of the seven major companies celebrated with champagne, "Hahaha!"

"By the way, it was a wise choice for you to have Ronald Lee as the director. He's very good at making exploitative films. Are you ready for a sequel? Don't be surprised... Who in Hollywood doesn't know that you cannonballs are the king of sequels? "

"We have this plan to add a commercial at the end of the copy, Breakdance 2 - Electronic Boogaloo, coming soon, so stay tuned."

"Electronic Boogaloo?" MGM's vice president laughed. "It's a good name. It's catchy."

"Yes, it just so happens that we also plan to make Boogaloo prawn the protagonist of the sequel. He is now MJ's choreographer. When the sequel is released, the most popular of the three leading actors should be him."

"That's right, his spacewalk is the best dance sequence in the movie," MGM's vice president raised his glass. "Director, do you still invite Ronald? If it's him, we'd like to book a distribution contract right away. "

"Hahaha, he's working on another film in Colombia right now, and we're talking to him."

Minahan raised his glass happily, "L'Chaim! (Fortunate to be alive)".

Minahan sent the copy for review, and then went to great lengths to prepare and coordinate the release, as well as prepare for the shooting of the sequel.

Several leading actors have been successfully signed, and the screenwriting team has also been found, but Ronald is very busy and has no time to discuss the shooting of the sequel with him.

Because Ronald's vacation time is coming, he has already gone back to edit "Longwei Kid".