Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"This script is also based on real events?" Back in Los Angeles, the first thing to do was to meet with Nisita and Richard's two agents. They handed over a script outline from Katzenberg, the COO of Paramount's tube production.

"Yes, the script is based on an interview in last year's 'California' magazine by Ehud Jonai. He interviewed a lot of people in Miramar, the Navy's Aerocity, next to Naval Base San Diego.

This story is based on the life of a Navy aviation photographer, Lieutenant "The Heater" Heatley, and some fighter pilots at the air station. "Richard handed over a magazine from last May with a photo of the aerial photographer on the cover.

"How is it? Does it match your family background?" Nisita put away the Italian salami and the red wine from the Coppola winery, and let Ronald eat and drink while browsing the script.

"Katzenberg is very optimistic about you, your last movie 'Long Wei Kid' was adapted from a newspaper report, so this time he also wants to give you the script adapted from this magazine report. You can make any changes based on the first draft of this script.”

Ronald ate a few slices of sausage, took a sip of wine, recovered from the exhaustion of the long journey, and quickly flipped through the script, as if checking to see if there was a bill in it. Then he took out the magazine report and looked at it.

"To be honest, it's not very good." Ronald spent half an hour reading the script outline and magazine interview, and told the truth in his heart.

"how?"

"The original story of the Longwei boy is actually very dramatic. A kid who was bullied, successfully fought back after practicing and defeated his opponent. But this interview is... a bit of a touted naval pilot."

Ronald took a sip of Nisita's refilled red wine. "This interview is a story from small to large, starting with the aerial photographer and telling the story of the pilots and technical experts in the base. Nice interview, but he has no drama.

Our navy is professional, the pilots are competent, gone. "

Ronald put down the magazine and picked up the script, "This adaptation is even worse, it seems to stretch a boring story five times, and fill it with more boring details. How many people want to see the pilot. How to overcome high G force?

Then there is the aviation analyst Kristin Fox, who has neither a romantic love story with the protagonist nor the mysterious identity of a female soldier. I doubt the audience will fall asleep watching her talk about aerodynamics on screen. "

"So it needs to be revised, right? To reduce the technical details of the heroine and add more romantic love stories?" Nisita asked.

"You did it on purpose?" Ronald responded.

"Hahaha, yes, Katzenberg meant to ask you to write another draft." Nisita rejoiced, then lowered the volume, "It's good for your career, we'll talk privately, this secret You don't tell the fourth person."

"What secret?" Ronald asked curiously.

"Paramount's president, Barry Diller, has made a deal with Twentieth Century Fox to go there and run the company. The most consistent executive producer here at Paramount for many years is Michael Eisner, and the Senberger duo. So they are very likely to take over Paramount.

In this way, 1985 was the first year the duo ran the plus-size giant, and they'd put in every resource to justify the board's choice. So you are their best card.

Young directors are favored and entrusted with important tasks. For the first time, they will be able to take charge of a film with a budget of tens of millions of dollars, and they will be a great success. It's a win-win for them and for you.

So I say it's a great opportunity. "

"The chance may be good, but what this script needs is not revision, but a complete overthrow and reconstruction." Ronald was a little reluctant to do it. "Without a good story core, I have to think about the characters and stories again, which is very troublesome."

Besides, I didn't dream about the clip, and I don't know if the movie was made in the end, and what kind of story it was.

"You can rest for a while and enjoy life." Nisita said with a smile, the young director suddenly succeeded, and he definitely wanted to enjoy a period of time comfortably, and he was not willing to rack his brains every day for screenwriting work. Besides, the client was young and handsome, and had just hooked up with the talented Yale woman Jodie Foster.

"By the way, is there any progress in the Chinese novel I asked you to find?" Ronald asked.

"There's a novel by Robert Daly. It's called 'The Year of the Dragon'."

Richard handed over another novel.

On the cover is an oriental golden dragon with sharp claws and a huge dragon head breathing out the words "Year of Dragon".

"Is it a detective story?" Ronald flipped through it quickly. The author is a best-selling author. In the early 1970s, he also worked as the deputy director of the NYPD in New York City (mayor appointment, not a business position).

He is quite familiar with some of NYPD's operation methods, and there are many real details in the book. "Year of the Dragon" is about a NYPD detective who went to New York's Chinatown to investigate cases and battled wits with the triad boss there. The boss was very smart and did not leave any evidence for bad things. In the end, the detective used a bigamy charge and sent him to prison.

Ronald felt that this strange move was quite similar to the arrest of Chicago gangster Al Capone back then. There was no evidence, and he was finally convicted by the IRS.

There are Chinese backgrounds, detective stories, and some romantic stories about the daily life, customs and habits of Chinatown, the three-way battle between two gangster bosses and police detectives, and love with beautiful women. On the contrary, he felt that the novel, after being adapted into a script, would be very exciting.

"Who's with the adaptation rights now?" Ronald looked at the publication date in 1981, and knew that after the best-selling author published his novel, the rights to the film had generally been sold.

"The rights to the adaptation are now in the hands of the famous Italian producer Dino de Laurentiis. If you are interested, we will contact him."

"Oh, it's him." Ronald knew this man's name. He is a rare and successful foreign producer in Hollywood.

Before David Lynch, the reason why he gave up "fast-paced Richmond High School" was to shoot the sci-fi blockbuster "Dune" for Dino. In addition, Cameron's new film "Terminator" starring Schwarzenegger is famous for his "Conan" series. There is also John Carpenter's famous "Moonlight, Panic" series of horror films, which he also invested in and produced.

Speaking of which, Ronald still likes his films very well. In fact, he already has a preference for the two scripts in his heart.

"By the way, that dune is finally finished, right?"

"Hey, don't mention it, Lynch cut the four-hour version and was ordered by Universal to cut it to two hours and fifteen minutes. He's making trouble, and it's probably not going to work. He may end up with the pseudonym of Alan Smithey."

"Ah, hahaha..." Alan Smithee (; Smithee) is a famous pseudonym, the director's union allows directors to use this public name when they think the original intention of the creation has been distorted by the studio and are unwilling to sign the work. Fake names to avoid embarrassment.

A feeling rose in Ronald's heart, if Lynch hadn't rejected "fast-paced" directors, would he still be writing scripts for people like Cameron Crowe?

"However, let me remind you that Dino de Laurentiis is not a fuel-efficient lamp. He is very good at squeezing creators through various conditions and making them agree to other conditions. You want to make this 'Year of the Dragon' so badly After he sees it, he may be hit hard."

"Then don't I rely on your CAA? If you can't, then bring out the name of Mr. Michael Ovitz."

After temporarily dealing with several intentions for the next film, Ronald went to the Weintraub house.

He has invited Ronald over many times to check the box office report on the one hand, and chat about the shooting of the sequel on the other hand. The box office has passed 70 million, and it is time to prepare for the sequel.

"This is our box office situation. After the Labor Day weekend, the box office has dropped. Now it is still more than 4 million per week at the box office, and it is expected to show more than eight weeks."

Ronald closed the box office report, Weintraub's secretary Susan was very capable, and put the film's producer, distributor, various creators, and a silhouette of a crane kick on the report. They will use this result to attract investors for the second part.

"What company is this?" Ronald saw a strange name in the list of producers—Delphi Phase II. Doesn't look like a company name.

"It's a Wall Street fund," Weintraub replied.

"Can funds also invest in movies?" Ronald knew that for the sales of brokerages, he often called Aunt Karen to persuade her to buy various funds, but she refused. She also learned from Ronald, bought a little Coca-Cola, and McDonald's stock, and took the dividends as living expenses every quarter.

"Yes," Weintraub explained. This Delphi fund is a fund sold to retail investors, mainly investing in Colombia and film projects released by the newly established Samsung company.

The second phase means that the first phase of this fund has been closed and the second phase has been released. The third phase is also about to be completed, and we will start looking for investment in potential projects under Columbia.

"So the second part of Longwei Kid can also get investment from Delphi?" Ronald asked.

"Yes, they have an agreement. They will invest a certain proportion in the projects they think are suitable, and they will never occupy too much share to spread the risk."

"Are you interested in writing the second book?" Weintraub came over, took the report out of Ronald's hand, and asked him.

"If you have a suitable person, I will authorize it." Ronald, as the author of the first film, has the copyright of the film's characters. If Weintraub wants to find a new person to write the screenplay, he must sign and agree.

But most screenwriters will agree.

"Well, you should take more vacations. We will discuss when the first draft comes out. Now is the time for you to enjoy your success. I have thought about your idea for two sequels. Let's find someone to write the story of Miyagi-sensei first. ."

()

Please remember this book's first domain name: . Mobile version reading website: