Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Ronald, you surprised me." Lindsay looked at the evaluation of Woody Allen's script that Ronald gave him, "I didn't expect you to have this trick, I think this time you can make the director switch as well. position."

"Do you think so? Then let's go to negotiate with them immediately. The other party's lawyer said that he will leave the crew at 5 o'clock this afternoon."

Lindsay looked at the clock on the wall, 12:30. "Okay, we'll be going right away."

"David, this is my attorney, Miss Lindsay Dole. Please get the director and attorney Mitch Canter, and we'll settle this afternoon."

Ronald introduces Miss Attorney to the producers and asks for a meeting.

David da Silva watched him for a long time, "I hope that this time nothing will surprise me again". As he spoke, he instructed his assistant to ask for the director and lawyer.

Wait until director Allen and attorney Mitch Kanter are seated. Ronald introduced them to Miss Attorney again.

"Let's get to the point? What's the attitude of your client?" Mitch looked Lindsay Dole up and down again with grey eyes.

"My client wants to communicate with director Alan Parker for 5 minutes alone." Lindsay made the first motion.

"What the hell are you doing?" the producer fumed.

"Just a private conversation, I promise, he had only a positive impact on solving the problem today," Ronald said.

The producer and Mickey's attorney whispered to Ronald, "Okay, we'll give you five minutes, hope you don't do any more tricks."

"And you, Attorney Dole"

Ronald nodded to the lawyer lady, who also left her seat and went out with the other party.

"Say, what do you want, Ronald. If you don't think $3,000 is enough, I can give you more," said director Parker.

"I wrote a new version of the script for Doris's plot, and this is the conclusion I asked someone to evaluate." Ronald handed over a copy of Woody Allen's note.

"what is this?"

Allen looked suspiciously.

"Director Woody Allen, commenting on the plot I wrote about Doris"

"You know Woody?" The director was a little surprised.

Ronald shrugged. "I'm not exactly new to Hollywood."

"Is it true? Did you really find a solution to Doris' problem?"

After reading the note, Alan still had some doubts.

"This is the evaluation given by director Woody Allen after reading my script. He was casting at Julia. If you don't believe it, you can call and ask."

Alan stood up and went out to make a phone call.

The producer outside and lawyer Mitch were a little surprised to see Alan coming out to make a phone call soon, so they returned to the room and asked Ronald what he had done.

"Ellen just went to confirm one thing. We'll just have to be patient."

After a while, Director Allen returned to the conference room.

"Ronald, I talked to Julia, and she had a good review of your script, tell me, what do you want?"

"I just want what I deserve." Ronald wanted to continue to answer, but was stopped by the lawyer lady.

"I'm Lindsay Dole, the attorney representing Mr. Ronald Lee. Now we can talk about the details of the contract, I think."

Attorney Lindsay Dole, handing Mitch Kantor a draft contract. Attorney Mitch opened it and looked through it.

"Also, I've got a photo here that could help this movie solve a big box-office hazard. If you're willing to sign with me, I'll tell you right away, David."

Ronald took out another envelope and waved at the producer.

"What do you mean? What are the hidden dangers of the movie?"

"I can't tell you right now, you can choose not to believe it, David.

' he said and put the envelope away.

The producer and director exchanged glances.

"I have no objection to Ronald's signature on the script." The director nodded.

"He can be co-authored under the name 'script.' 'Story' belongs to original author Christopher Gore." I went to call him. The producer got up and walked away.

After a while, producer Da Silva returned to the conference room and nodded to Lawyer Mickey that it was done.

"So he was prepared." Ronald thought to himself.

Mitch handed over a piece of paper, "My client, agree to let your client sign the script of 'Hot Lunch' in the following format:"

Ronald and Miss Attorney turned out to see two lines of words on it.

Story: Christopher Gore

Screenplay: Christopher Gore \u0026 Ronald Lee

Attorney Lindsay Dole took a look, crossed out the \u0026, and re-penciled the "and"

"In the handbook of the Screenwriters Guild, it is clearly stipulated that if two screenwriters use \u0026 to connect, they belong to the same team. If they use and to connect, they belong to independent modification. Our party obviously belongs to the latter, which can better reflect his screenwriting ability. ."

Mitch Kanter retracted the piece of paper, "I have no objection."

"It seems to be a deliberate trap?" Ronald and the lawyer looked at each other.

"Your party, has the right to author the script, but not the right to win screenwriting awards, including Oscar nominations." Mitch Kanter went on to propose the next clause.

"Since our client has one of the signatures of the 'script', it should have the corresponding power when the film is nominated for the screenwriter award."

"No, Ronald, Christopher's condition of accepting the modification of the contract is that if he wins the award, he will have the honor of taking the stage and accepting the award exclusively." Producer Da Silva interjected.

"This is not in line with industry practices and union regulations." The lawyer protested.

Mitch Kanter watched the quarrel between the two sides, "Well then, Ronald Lee has the script signing rights, if he is nominated for an award, he will be mentioned in the Gazette, but the crew does not offer him an invitation to attend the awards ceremony. Letter. If you win, you won't be allowed to take the stage to accept the award, so Christopher can still enjoy the honor."

"I'm going to make a call to confirm, in principle there is no problem." The producer went out to call again.

"Your party, voluntarily give up any cash remuneration, and any subsequent derivatives..."

"Wait a minute," Lindsay interrupted Mitch, "Our client received a contract for $3,000."

"That's an offer from the screenwriter doctor, and your client has given up."

"No, our client is based on the excellent work completed, and the director has additionally recognized it and gave it a signature. The quotation contract should still be regarded as valid."

Mickey and the producer looked at each other, "We can agree, for $3,000."

"No, according to industry regulations, the price of modifying the script should be equal to the purchase price of the script, or 10 times the script option."

"Your client is not a member of the Screenwriters Guild."

"But it doesn't affect the results of his work, which has been confirmed by leading directors and screenwriters in the industry to be excellent."

The lady lawyer was arguing over Ronald's earnings with the opposing lawyer.

Ronald's mind has turned to other places. He was happy that he could sign the script, and then joined the screenwriters union by virtue of it.

Director Allen, with bright eyes, waited to see the updated script after the negotiations were over.

The producer walks in from the door and confirms with Mickey that the original author, Christopher, has agreed to the arrangements for the award. He looked a little upset, maybe a little pecuniary.

"$40,000 is out of the question" Mitch attorney denied.

"You can make a counter-offer," Lindsay said.

Mickey and the producer whispered a few words, wrote a number on a piece of paper, and handed it to the lawyer lady.

"It's $5,000." Lindsay opened the paper to Ronald, glanced at it, and whispered in his ear, "I suggest no."

Ronald nodded.

"In my opinion, Woody Allen thinks that a good script should be worth at least this." Lindsay wrote down the number of 25,000, folded it and handed it over.

The two sides went back and forth several times, and finally stopped at $8,000.

Lindsay Dole showed Ronald the numbers and whispered again in his ear "I think it's acceptable."

Ronald nodded in agreement.

Mickey goes out to prepare a formal contract.

Moments later, producer David Da Silva, and Ronald signed the contract on behalf of both parties. After Lindsay Dole reviewed it, she said yes.

Ronald took out the script he had written and handed it to the director.

"It turned out that the problem was in the admissions interview, changing Doris from the music department to the performance department."

"The Rocky Horror Show? It was a natural transition, so that Doris' drive to overcome her shyness made more sense."

"Woody's right, you did take Doris' character from mediocre to great."

Director Alan Parker took a deep look at Ronald after reading the script.

"Where's my share?" The producer stretched out his hand, indicating that Ronald could hand over the box office hidden danger.

"Here's a photo I took at the Midnight Theater, where someone followed suit and made an adult film called 'Hot Lunch' by director Alan Parker. The director's signature is AL Parker, which is very reminiscent of You." Ronald handed over Antonia's photo of the poster.

Director Parker took a look at the photo, and threw it back on the table in annoyance: "This is too much, I want to find out who did it..."

"What? Why didn't MGM lock up the title at the Las Vegas West Film Festival in April?" Producer Da Silva was taken aback and asked Mickey's lawyer.

Mitch frowned, "Maybe the secretaries at the company headquarters have some problems. I will report this to the president when I go back."

"I'll call him too. But anyway, we have to think about changing the title. The film has already been shown in theaters in New York, and the impact has already been done." The producer began to scratch the few remaining hairs on his head.

"Let's consider this matter in the future. Let's finish today's work." Mitch said.

Soon Ronald got a check for $8,000 in an envelope. After confirming that it was correct, he stood up and shook hands with each other one by one.

"Ellen, Hollywood rules, don't hurt?"

"Don't hurt." Director Alan Parker shook his hand.

"David, I hope that after changing the title, the box office will increase."

"You're very good, Ronald." Next came producer David Da Silva.

"Mitch, maybe you won't have to wait a year or two, you can do it now."

"You impress me again, Ronald. And you, Attorney Dole." Mitch Kanter shook hands with them.

"Ronald, are you okay?" Gene, Antonia and Lucy saw Ronald walk out of the conference room and gathered around.

"No, it turned out well. The director and producer agreed to my request. They are all good people." Ronald was a little tired and sat down on the long chair.

"Let me explain to you, Ronald is a little tired, let him rest for a while." Lindsay Dole pulled the three actors aside.

"...So Ronald is the writer of the movie?" Gene asked.

"Yes, you can understand that." The lawyer replied.

"Oh, Man, I'll just say he's great, it's okay." Gene and Lucy danced rhythmically all the way back to the rehearsal room.

The lawyer turned back, Antonia was beside the long chair, looking at Ronald dozing off with his eyes closed. She took two steps forward and whispered to Antonia, "She looks a little handsome when she's asleep."

"Yeah." Antonia stretched out her right hand and touched his eyelashes lightly.

"Hee..." Seeing Ronald seemed to feel a little itchy and sniffled, Antonia and Lindsay Dole couldn't help but laugh.