Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Okay, that's it. If they don't budge tomorrow, then I'll take legal action and send them a lawyer's letter first."

After more than an hour on the phone with attorney Lindsay Dole, Alan Parker's conduct was legally impeccable. The regulations of trade unions are respected by the law, and less than one-third of the amendments can be made without signature.

Of course, Ronald could argue that he wrote the bigger story, but that would require the Writers Guild to intervene.

This goes back to the old Catch 22 problem: if you are not a member of the Screenwriters Guild, you cannot apply to arbitrate a signature dispute. To join the Screenwriters Guild, you also need to have a screenwriter's signature for a released film.

The two decided to go to the law next. Attorney Lindsay Dole, explains the preparations, evidence and witnesses required for prosecution.

The lawyer said that there is little hope of winning, and Ronald's most realistic goal is to force MGM to settle out of court.

This scandal of stealing the script will be hyped up by the gossip media when the movie is released. If the audience has a strong negative perception of it, it may force the studio to settle down.

For example, Fat Boy director Michael Cimino quarreled with Deer Hunter screenwriter Derrick Washburn in the previous paragraph. Fat Boy said that screenwriter Dalek's first draft was so bad that he completely rewrote it himself. The screenwriter, Dalek, said that Fat Boy just modified a few dialogues, and he should take the script as his own.

The controversy broke out when "The Deer Hunter" was released, and the publisher Universal quickly reached an understanding with the screenwriters' union, and handed over the screenwriter's signature to Dalick.

Ronald and Miss Attorney also pinned their last hope on a similar situation.

But the side effects of doing so were also great, and Ronald was a little hesitant. Completely offend the director, the producer does not say. MGM would also blacklist itself, and other major studios would know about their "deeds of glory."

Or send a lawyer's letter first and see how the other party responds.

If it can be resolved, it is better not to go to court.

"Ring, ringing, ringing..." The phone rang.

"Hello, I'm Ronald."

"Ronnie? I'm Roger Coleman. How did Gale tell me about you?"

Ronald, who was thinking, received a call from Roger Coleman.

I told Roger Coleman the ins and outs of the whole thing, his generals to the producer, who almost succeeded in being counterattacked by the director, and the legal action he was going to take next.

"Are you really going to take legal action?"

"I'm still undecided. Both my lawyer and the opposing lawyer have told me that the chances of winning the case are slim. I want to pin my hope that when the film is released, negative public opinion will break out and they will make concessions."

"Then what? You take the script you signed and get kicked out of the film industry forever? Put the script in the bookcase at home and lock it up? When you're old, tell your grandson that grandpa used to have the opportunity to be a The director made the movie?"

"I appreciate your commercial vision for the New York midnight movie. But your plans to go to court have disappointed me a bit, Ronnie. I thought you could find a better way."

"What should I do, Mr. Coleman?" Ronald asked immediately.

"Let me tell you some common sense about lawyers, Ronnie."

"Lawyers make money, not by winning or losing, but by litigating. As long as you go to court, they make money. So in the same circumstances, they always tend to let you solve the problem by legal means."

"And businessmen don't think like this, you know? In the ten years after World War II, I made films for the American International Film Distribution Company. I never signed a contract with them. The two sides just shook hands. ,Do you know why?"

"Because the folk customs at that time were simple?"

"Hahaha,

of course not. Because at that time, all those who negotiated contracts were self-made bosses, not like professional managers now. "

"Business cooperation is based on the mutual benefit of both parties. The role of lawyers is to fix this mutually beneficial cooperation in the form of law. As long as there is mutual benefit between the two parties, why should the original commitment be changed? In that slow-paced era, there were There's no single contract, no big difference."

"You are a business-minded person, and the idea of ​​Midnight Cinema is very good. When you encounter things in the future, don't just look at it from one angle."

"I see, Mr. Coleman, thank you." Ronald felt that his perspective was indeed limited.

"Confucius, the wise man of the East, once said that when looking at problems, we must grasp the main contradiction."

"Back then, in order to make Gone with the Wind, several opposing big studios could even join forces to contribute their own movie stars and cooperate to complete this masterpiece. earn."

"As long as there is an expectation to increase profits, the two parties who are in conflict will also bridge their differences. As long as there are common interests, there is no fear that the two sides will not cooperate."

"Of course legal means are also important, but they are mainly used to deal with dishonest scoundrels, or to reduce losses after the fact."

After hanging up on Roger Coleman, Ronald revisited the script's attribution.

The reason why producers and directors are reluctant to change the contract and sign for themselves. Just two reasons:

1 The value of your own script is not high enough to boost the movie's eventual box office and artistic success.

2 I don't have the backing of a union, and dealing with my own troubles is smaller than dealing with the original screenwriter, union member Christopher Gore.

Miss Attorney Lindsay Dole's strategy has addressed the second problem. Now the main one who is stuck is director Alan Parker, as long as he feels that his script can solve the problem of his artistic achievement and help him make a classic masterpiece...

Ronald took out the script again and read it carefully.

The problem still lies with Doris' role. Director Alan Parker seems to be subconsciously feeling the contradictions of this character, so he urges himself to revise it from time to time.

A shy singer who can't sing is impossible to pass the admissions interview. It is only possible for an actor to be admitted because of his looks and shape.

Ronald loaded the typewriter with stationery and started to write again, changing a setting for Doris, no longer the singer Barbra Streisand, but the yet-to-be-debuted actress Jane Fong. up.

During the admission interview, Doris could not perform the predetermined script, but her shy, shy and anxious look was very real, and her appearance and voice were very good. The interview teacher gave her a pending decision, and finally she was lucky enough to enter the high school of performing arts.

When watching the midnight show of "Rocky Horror Show" with Latin boy Ralph Garcia, Doris was infected by the enthusiasm of the audience, rushed to the stage and joined the show, the shyness of the performance finally broke through of obstacles, a true actor is born...

Edited all of Doris' main scenes, interviews, romances, transformations, etc. Ronald realized that it was 4:00 in the morning. When I entered the state, I really couldn't remember the passage of time.

After being busy for most of the night, Ronald's revision of the overall scene has far exceeded one-third, close to half. That's mainly because Doris, like, is a bond-type character that connects multiple main characters.

Several protagonists in the acting department are driven by her plot. He is in a relationship with Ralph, a Latino boy, and is good friends with Shirley's student, Montgomery.

Ralph made her stand-up stand-up debut for the first time, and Doris called in a lot of students to join her. The role of Montgomery was also encouraged by Doris to come out publicly in acting class.

Ronald poured himself another small glass of whiskey and honey to soothe his tired nerves.

With this bomb, I am not afraid that director Allen will not appreciate it. Then he would turn to support himself, right?

However, you cannot directly show the script to the director.

Allen played a trick today, took out his script, and rewrote two pages to replace it. If you show him the signature issue without finalizing it, then he will definitely repeat the same trick, take his own ideas, and then replace some details as his own creations.

Ronald put down his glass and started rubbing his forehead again. Excessive use of the brain for a long time made his head a little swollen.

You can't let him see it in advance, but let him recognize the value of his own creations, so that his films can be brought to a higher level in art. How to do it?

Unless you find an intermediary whose director also recognizes the artistic vision, there is no immediate conflict of interest between the two parties.

Ronald took out his address book and business card book and began to flip through them one by one.

There are still too few people in the circle that I know.

Roger Coleman is far away in Los Angeles, and Alan Parker doesn't necessarily recognize his exploitative mogul's artistic vision.

Erin of the Stella Adler Center, she's just an acting coach, and her opinions have little authority.

If only I knew an Oscar-winning director.

Michael Cimino's fat boy's face jumped out.

Forget it, Ronald waved away the picture of the fat boy. Just ask Julia Taylor of Casting Studios tomorrow.

Unlike Margery, she's no longer working for the "Hot Lunch" crew. And she is much older than Margery, maybe the director will believe her vision.

By the way, speaking of hot lunch, is that snapshot of the adult movie poster still there? Ronald found the snapshot Antonia had taken, which was also a weapon that could be used.

This adult movie of the same name will definitely drag down the box office of the movie. If the producer is told, he should change the name of the movie to increase the box office.

It's still the middleman problem. If you say it directly, the card will be invalid, but if you don't say it, the producer will not believe it.

Where can I find a middleman that both parties can trust?

Ronald fell asleep thinking.