Exploiting Hollywood 1980

He tentatively called New World Productions, and luckily found Gale, the assistant to the president who was working overtime.

"Gail? Great to hear from you, I'm Ronald, I'm calling you from New York."

"Listen, I wanted to ask how the High School of Rock release was going? I saw a great opportunity in New York with a target audience that was about to become available."

"There is a group of teenage audiences who regularly go to midnight theaters to watch exploitative films. The old Rocky Horror Show 4 years ago is about to go offline, and they are now looking for new midnight exploits."

"Mr. Coleman is... what? Mr. Coleman is coming to New York?"

"Yes, Ronnie. Mr. Coleman will fly to New York tonight to discuss a big deal with CBS for movie rights tomorrow," Gale replied.

"Then I'll pick him up at the airport tomorrow morning and take him to the CBS building. How about chatting with him about the idea when he's done?"

"Okay, Mr. Coleman likes free cars the best, hahaha...I'll tell him. His flight number is..."

"Here, Mr. Coleman." Ronald waited for Roger Coleman at the gate. After the two embraced, Ronald took the luggage and walked to the parking lot.

Coleman was in good spirits after a night of red-eye flights. The two walked and chatted.

"Mr. Coleman, are we going to the CBS building first?"

"Okay, I've made an appointment with them in the morning. I heard from Gale that you have something to do with the release of the movie?"

"Yes, Mr. Coleman. I see an opportunity."

"I found a teenage audience. There are a lot of teens going to the midnight show in the major movie theaters in New York. Now the law and order in New York is not good, many parents don't want their children to go out at night, but they can feel at ease when they go to the movies. "

"They go there mainly for fun and dating, and exploitation movies are just right for their tastes. Rocky Horror Show, this exploitative movie was released at midnight for 4 years. If Rocky High School, it can accumulate a year like Rocky Horror Show. If there are loyal audiences, it may also be converted to long-term screenings.”

"But let's talk more about it after you and CBS are done talking. I heard Gal said they're going to buy the movie rights to New World?"

"You know, I hired Ron Howard to direct and star in a movie in '77. It was called "Grand Theft Auto."

Robert A. Daly, the president of CBS, has a new strategy of buying teen movie rights, this time to talk to them about the TV rights deal. "

The car arrived at the Blackstone Building, where the CBS headquarters is located. As its name suggests, it is a black rectangular building. Roger Coleman got into the elevator, and Ronald waited bored downstairs all by himself.

A female anchor who is a regular on CBS hurries out of the elevator, battling the zipper of her bag as she goes.

"Taxi! Taxi!" When she saw a taxi, she hurried out and dropped the interview book in her bag.

"Ma'am, your notebook." Ronald stepped forward to pick it up, ran to the taxi, and handed it to the hostess who was already in the car.

"Oh, thank you, I'd be bad if I lost this book, my interview informants are on it." She said that she would take out the money to thank Ronald.

Waving his hand to signal no need, Ronald turned around and walked back to the hall to wait.

"This building can see a lot of celebrities on TV."

Roger Coleman talked quickly and went downstairs in an hour and a half.

"Ronald, find a place to celebrate, it's done."

"Or go next to my apartment where there are a lot of restaurants and it's not too far from here."

The two came to a Ukrainian restaurant and ordered some affordable meals.

Opened a bottle of ordinary table wine.

"$1.1 million, Grand Theft Auto TV rights to them, luck you've brought me, Ronnie Kid. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Ronald clinks glasses with his former boss.

"This is the first TV rights New World has sold, and I'm really happy. Do you have a phone at home? I need to call Ron Howard and tell him the good news."

"Long? I'm Roger Coleman. Great news, your Grand Theft Auto was sold to CBS, yes, for $1.1 million, which means you get 7.5%, 82,500 Dollars, hahaha. Of course that also means my 92.5% is super fucking good news.”

"Ronnie, now let's talk about the midnight movie." After the good news, Coleman began to talk to Ronald about the idea of ​​"Rock High School" entering the New York movie theater at midnight.

Ronald reiterated his observations and analysis to former boss Coleman.

"Your observation makes sense. I'll make a few phone calls to ask."

Roger Coleman pulled out his notebook and started calling the various independent theater managers in New York City. New World's so-called own full-meter distribution network, in fact, many of these are temporarily finalized by phone.

"You're right, Ronald. Midnight was affected by the Rocky Horror show's falling box office, and now the independent theaters are seeing new candidates. I settled with them and sent 10 copies to New York, Do a test screening to see the effect.”

Ronald remembered Ron Howard's score on the previous call. Just ask Roger Coleman:

"Mr. Coleman, I discovered this market opportunity. Can I enjoy the same share as Lang?"

Roger Coleman looked at him, smiled and asked:

"How much do you want?"

"This? I don't know the asking price, how can I mention it? But this should also be a test for Coleman." Ronald thought to himself.

Looking at Ron Howard's quotation, he is the director plus the starring role, and he gets 7.5%. If he makes a little director contribution, even if he takes 0.5% of the 3.75% director's share, the business opportunity he discovered should be worth it. 1.5%, 2% is required.

"I think I should be worth 3 percent," Ronald offered.

"It's impossible. Lang can get 7.5% because he has become an all-meter star because of "American Graffiti." That's why he gets 7.5 percent, and Ronald, you're just a nobody, you can't get that much anyway."

Ronald was actually very happy when he saw Coleman settle the price for him, which showed that Coleman was seriously considering giving him a share.

"So, I can leave you with a 0.5% cut. If the rental fee for a copy in New York exceeds $100,000, this cut is automatically activated.

"What if it was sold to a TV station?"

"Same ratio"

"1.5%"

"1%"

"make a deal."

Ronald quickly agreed, shook hands with Coleman, confirmed the cooperation with the old-fashioned style, and made his first movie distribution business.

Roger Coleman is flying back to Los Angeles again this afternoon, and Ronald thinks he's working too hard.

Roger also felt that it might be time to retire:

"Spielberg and Lucas are making B-movies with the theme of the New World with big production budgets. For the past two decades, sci-fi and horror have always been my butter and bread. Because big The studio will not make these types of films, so there is market space for the new world to survive.”

"But now that audiences are used to Star Wars, I have to increase my budget by $2 million for the new film 'Battle of the Stars' to get theatrical production. This is the biggest investment I have made in years." Roger said in In the car, it is very revealing some thoughts.

Ronald didn't speak, mainly listening to Roger Coleman saying that it seemed that his New World Company was very laborious to operate.

"Jim is working on your 'Battle of the Stars' crew. How is he doing? Mr. Coleman." After a while, Ronald couldn't help but ask about Cameron's situation.

"Haha, he's a good guy, and he knows, like you, that cost control is the key to making money in a movie. The last time he used McDonald's plates and trash cans to set up a spaceship interior for me one night, and only spent $40. "

Ronald didn't speak again.

"What's wrong with you, Ronnie, seems to have something on your mind?"

"Ah, yes, Mr. Coleman. I'm currently working as a casting assistant on MGM's 'Hot Lunch' crew, working part-time on some script edits. I always feel like they have a budget of $8.5 million, but it's nowhere near as good. It's nice to have the New World do the work for you and make a $200,000 movie."

"I didn't say this in front of you, Mr. Coleman. In the new world, everyone is united and everyone is working on the film. But in the big studios, it feels like everyone is looking out for their own first. Interests. The director will intrigue with the producer, the director of photography first buys the camera, and then rents it to the crew. If you are dissatisfied, you say that this car is also operated in the same way, so I can afford it.”

"This is normal. I personally decide everything in the new world, and there is no middle management. Under the structure of a large company, from the company president, executive producer, project manager, to the crew, there are 4-5 Layers. The agency problem inevitably arises here.

Many middle-level managers are considering their own interests, and directors and producers are not all working hard for the box office. They can make a lot of money during the filming process and develop their own personal relationships. "

"I kind of miss the vibe of a rock high school crew. After I graduate, I still want to work for you."

"welcome any time."

After seeing Roger Coleman off, Ronald walked out of the airport.

"Hi, it's you again, young photographer."

Ronald heard someone calling him, and when he looked back, it was the brain gate taxi driver he encountered on his first flight back to New York.

"Yeah, it's me again, are you here to pick up your daughter again?"

"No, I'm here to pick up guests this time. Do you want to take my car?"

"I drove here this time." Ronald shook the car keys in his hand.

"Honda Accord? You made a fortune? Is portrait photography so profitable?

"No, I work for Alan Parker's crew, as his driver, the financial operations of the crew, you know."

"Ha, it seems that Alan likes you very much. I'll give you a chance to make extra money."

"He's asking me to change the script for him."

"No wonder, but you have to be careful. Alan Parker, the Anglo, is a tyrant on the set, and he will do anything to make the film work. My friend Brad Davis is the star of the Midnight Express, and he has a lot of toss. He said the director was also not allowed to play his cellmate's actor and take a shower during filming."

That smell is too great!