Exploiting Hollywood 1980

At 6 a.m. Saturday morning, at the home of CAA president Michael Ovitz, Ronald and three agents came here to resolve the conflict with Stallone.

"Huh...Ah..." Ovitz wore a white karate karate uniform with a black belt around his waist. He was training barefoot with three sparring partners, practicing a form of martial arts that Ronald had never seen before.

Obviously Ovitz had been practicing for a while, and his forehead was starting to sweat.

"Huh..."

The three sparring partners rushed towards Ovitz in turn, and when they approached, Ovitz took the initiative to grab both hands. Then Ovitz used the rotation of his body to drive the sparring players' center of gravity to be unstable, and the last one exerted force to bring the sparring players down one by one to the ground.

Ronald recognized this power-generating technique, which was very similar to Stallone's bodyguard, except that Ovitz's sparring feed was more deliberate. He touched his chin and began to wonder how the camera would look better if he used this martial art to make a movie.

Ovitz swung the sparring around like a badminton, looking very dashing. But after all, people are not badminton. He brought down the three attacks of sparring in a row and began to get tired. He looked at the three brokers standing next to the Japanese-style training ground, and the client who caused him trouble.

Richard Lovett, the youngest of the agents, was frightened by his "magical skills", and his eyes were full of admiration.

Nisita, an Italian, and Paula Wagner, his office sweetheart, are more mature and understand their own scare tricks, so it's nothing special.

The most annoying thing is Ronald. This guy actually started to study the weaknesses of his martial arts without saying a word. I heard that he is also a martial artist himself. He participated in the design of the action scenes on the "Longwei Kid" studio. Fake.

"Hi," Ovitz cleared his throat and bowed to the three sparring partners, ending Saturday morning's morning practice.

"Hello," Ovitz approached the four. "It's an Eastern martial art called Aikido. It's a combination of dance moves, chess, and the will to fight. I've been in it since I was young. Start practicing."

"It's very exciting, very exciting," Ronald applauded. This martial art is similar to Tai Chi in China. It seems that many simplifications have been made for the rich to learn, but it still opened his eyes.

"We can have a chance to learn from each other, Mr. Ovitz." Ronald didn't expect that Ovitz was also a martial arts enthusiast. In Hollywood, there are very few high-level people who can really fight twice.

"Hey, there's a chance." Ovitz snorted. He usually used this trick to scare his negotiating opponents. He had never seen anyone who was so eager to fight him.

"Ronald,

We are old friends. When you first signed with CAA, it was also the moment when we entered the film market in a big way. I still remember negotiating the first screenwriting fee for you, $350,000. "

Ovitz picked up the linen Japanese sweat towel and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"I'm forever grateful for that, Mr. Ovitz." Ovitz came up and started chatting about the past, and Ronald had to accept his affection.

"When Mayer and I founded CAA, we established several principles. The first is to always give clients the fastest time to answer." Ovitz sat Ronald down and glanced at his agents.

"So Sly came to me yesterday, hoping to mediate the problem between him and you. I'll ask you to come over immediately, I hope you can have a truce."

"You understand, Mr. Ovitz, I was a victim, I didn't take the initiative to attack him." Ronald said he was forced to fight back.

"But he told me he was just joking with you."

"Michael, you can't favor Sly like this..." Nisita stepped forward and retorted. A joking statement that understates the damage Stallone has done to Ronald's reputation.

Ovitz raised a hand and motioned for Nisita to wait for him to finish.

The president bought the shares of the two founders and now owns more than half of CAA's shares. In addition, this year, he contributed to the big-selling movie "Ghostbusters", and he received a full $4 million in remuneration for his director client.

"Rick, I remember that when you came to CAA from William Morris, I told you that the second principle of our CAA is that when customers have conflicts, they must be resolved within the company's internal framework, not outside. .In the company gate, we can make a lot of noise, but when we face the outside world, we all fight together as a group, we only have one name, CAA."

"Mr. Ovitz, when Sly accused me of imitating his movies on the talk show, he did not follow this principle. It seems that his agent does not take your principle very seriously." Ronald meets Nisita Being suppressed by Ovitz's principles, he stepped forward to complain that it was Stallone who broke the rules first.

"I know, but his agent Mayer is the veteran who founded the company with me, and sometimes I need to make certain compromises. And Stallone is the first real head male star we signed, and we respect it very much. His choice at the time. Although sometimes we have to go to great lengths to deal with the trouble for them."

"If Sly wants to reconcile, then he should show his sincerity first." Nisita and Ovitz bargained again.

"Yes, I know the third principle you set for CAA, always put the interests of customers first. I am also a customer of CAA, right?" Ronald helped to fight for his own interests.

"Of course, of course. So I also hope that all disputes will be resolved within the company." Ovitz took the glasses on the table and put them on, "I hope you can agree to Sly's conditions, and he is willing to pay for it. price."

On behalf of Ronald, Nisita negotiated a price with Ovitz, and Ronald agreed not to continue attacking Stallone.

Stallone is willing to be interviewed again, complimenting Ronald's "Longwei Kid" and admitting that the previous so-called "imitation" accusation was joking with his young friend Ronald.

In order to make up for the favor Ronald spent, and the resources of the Nisita team. Ovitz also decided to open up the first-class script that CAA had acquired to Ronald to assist in negotiations for his next film.

In addition, Ovitz also arranged an opportunity for Ronald to be interviewed by print media, and officially launched him into the public eye as a representative of the younger generation of directors.

"Is the first-class script the one based on the autobiography of a Danish writer, 'Out of Africa'?" Ronald asked Nisita, who conveyed the conditions to him. Ronald has been in the circle for a long time, and he has also heard of some scripts, which are specially designed to impact Oscar.

"That's impossible, this script is for Sidney Pollack, they're all...", Nisita touched her nose, implying that it was a game within the Jewish coterie.

"Ovitz said that there is a movie script about black people, and he is going to approach CAA. It is also adapted from a novel. The original author is Alice Walker, and the novel is called 'Purple'." Paula Wagner said, unfortunately, the protagonists are all black , Tom Cruise can't get a piece of the pie.

"So black subjects can't compete for the Oscars, right?" Ronald thought, he was still far from the top resources, and he could only play movies of people of color. The last movie with all the protagonists of color was the black version of Alice in Wonderland starring MJ and Diana Ross. Nothing at the Oscars. "

"The power of this script now rests with Peter Guber..." Richard briefed Ronald.

Ronald remembered the former president of Polygon Films, who picked Brooke Shields to star in "Endless Love."

"Polygram is also your client?"

"No, last year Guber sold his shares and powers to Polygram, and together with fellow John Peterson, founded Guber Peterson Pictures, and went it alone."

"If you agree, then I'll confirm with Sly. He's going to be interviewed and praise you for your talent and talent." Ovitz watched Ronald discuss with several agents, and he came over to talk to Ronaldo. German handshake.

As long as there is a handshake, with his position in the industry, there is no room for both parties to go back on this matter.

"I always feel that negotiating with you, I suffered a loss." Ronald teased.

"Then you should feel honored, I'm rarely willing to give in." Ovitz laughed.

He turned around and went to the table next to him, took an envelope, and handed it to Ronald, "This is the ticket for the opening ceremony that the Olympic Organizing Committee gave me. As compensation, I will give it to you."

Ronald took a look. In addition to the two tickets for the opening ceremony, there were many tickets for individual competitions. It seemed that Ovitz had passed the package of tickets for the "big star" to himself.

"Okay, thank you, Mr. Ovitz." Ronald stretched out his hand and shook Ovitz hard.

...

"I was joking, just like George Lucas said, a film director can't imitate others. I am a director myself, and I know it very well." Stallone changed his tune and said a word in an interview. One hundred and eighty degree turn.

"Ah...I like Ronald very much, he once wrote the script for the first blood 2 for me, and later because of time constraints, he went to work on 'Longwei Kid', otherwise we might work together. Yes, I appreciate it He, he is a talented, artistic director.

Ah... cooperation? Ah...if there is a chance. "

Stallone hurriedly pushed the reporter away and ended the interview that made him extremely uncomfortable.

Several bodyguards stopped the reporters who wanted to ask questions, and protected Stallone into the car.

"Sly, I think..." The tall, bun-haired bodyguard closed the door of the luxury car. After the car started, he, who was sitting on the side, presented his resignation to Stallone.

"Why, are you leaving me?" Stallone asked.

"Yes, Aikido is starting to take off in Hollywood. In addition to being an action coach for Sean Connery, I also want to open my own dojo. My apprentice has already found a place in Burbank."

"Well, good luck, Steve." Stallone glanced at the bodyguard. This guy accompanied him to Mike Ovitz's house yesterday to negotiate. Maybe he saw Ovitz also practicing that aikido, Think about it.