Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Ovitz walked quickly back to his office, picked up the phone and dialed Sylvester Stallone.

"Sly, Ovitz, I have a notebook in my hand..."

"No no no, Michael, I just came back from Hungary, don't talk to me about the script. The Hungarian government didn't allow us to shoot this damn football movie during the actors' union strike. I don't understand why the unions in America are on strike. Does the Hungarian government also want to support it?

Now director John Huston went to Paris to look for locations. We only had 5 days to shoot the scenes, but this fucking guy went on strike, causing the crew to stop working. I originally went to a socialist country to shoot to save money, but now I might as well shoot in Hollywood. "

"Sly, this script is of good quality, don't you take a look?"

"Stop fucking the script, I'm still jet-lagged. I was playing a goalkeeper on a set in Hungary, and Pele fooled me so hard that I still have bruises on my body."

"Okay, Sly, your instincts are the best... beep... beep... beep..." Stallone had already hung up the phone.

Ovitz rubbed his hands and found Sean Connery's phone number. But he hesitated before dialing.

The first celebrity client signed by caa is now in a crisis. Signing celebrities is the best way to expand the strength of a brokerage company. The problem is that celebrities generally dislike TV shows and prefer to make movies.

Ovitz spent a lot of energy trying to enter the film industry from the television industry, and proposed a policy that each agent must sign a screenwriter, just to enter the film industry and ensure the film contracts of his stars.

Especially Sean Connery. In order to attract other stars, CAA spent resources that did not match his identity on this outdated Scotsman. The purpose was to set a model for the company and attract more stars.

"They can even sell Sean Connery." This is CAA's biggest reliance on attracting other celebrity clients.

But Sean Connery is not a worry-free client. He previously believed that 007 limited his acting career and resigned from Bond films. But he didn't find a new way to act. Roger Moore's successor as 007 was well received, and Connery felt a little regretful.

Because of his regret, caa overturned his previous idea of ​​changing his acting career. Put the focus back on the lone hero. But it's not easy for an actor to go up again after going downhill.

Sean Connery has not received a satisfactory 007-style role in more than a year.

Every time he communicated, he threatened to change jobs again, and Ovitz was a little annoyed with him. In fact, if he signed any other agent, it would be impossible for him to return to United Artists to film 007.

But for the sake of the company's overall reputation, we had to try our best to find him a suitable movie role.

Ovitz thought for a while and dialed Sean Connery's phone.

"Sean, this is Ovitz..."

"Has my new job been secured?" Connelly asked in a thick Scottish accent.

"Yes, I have a notebook here, about the Vietnam War, anti-war, brotherhood..."

"Although I won't play 007 anymore, I still have an image to maintain. It's impossible to be anti-war... Listen, Michael, I like you and Meyer, but my patience is not unlimited. You have to hurry up. Find me a role that suits me, like James Bond."

"Beep...beep...beep..." The Scotsman hung up the phone.

"You like Bond so much, why don't you continue acting? Is there any movie role more 007 than 007?" Ovitz complained in his heart.

Taking off his glasses and rubbing the root of his nose with his hand, Ovitz picked up the list of celebrities represented by CAA and looked at it. He slid his fingers over the names one by one, and finally stopped at the name starting with f, and then I found a phone number and dialed it.

Due to the union strike, the filming of the new film "On Golden Pond" was postponed, and double-actor Jane Fonda returned to her home in Los Angeles to rest and answered the phone.

"Jane, this is Ovitz."

"Oh, Michael, it's absolutely terrible here." Jane picked up the receiver and began to complain. "On Golden Pond was a script I bought especially for my father Henry. I originally planned to let my father and Ingrid Bergman collaborate once, but Bergman Mann's health was also in bad shape.

It took a lot of effort to get Catherine to agree to film, but she was not satisfied with me playing the daughter. Henry is in bad health, Michael. As a result, the set in New Hampshire was stopped by a union strike again. I was afraid of Henry's health... We had to apply for a special exemption to rush..."

"No, Jane, stop. I'm not here to listen to you talk about a strike. I have a book in my hand, covering the Vietnam War, brotherhood, anti-war, fools, religion, love between men and women... Do you want it? A package of solutions, including screenwriting to the director. It just so happens that your production company, IPC Pictures, can consider it as the next film."

"Go on..." Jane Fonda got rid of her complaining state in an instant. The three-film distribution contract signed between her own production company IPC Pictures and Universal is about to expire. Just need a suitable script to continue negotiating the next distribution contract with the eight major studios.

"...Idiots are forcibly recruited into the army. Are normal people the saviors, or are they saved by idiots? That's it. This screenwriter graduated from Roger Corman Film University and understands business. He also revised the script for British director Alan Parker , have artistic ability.

Have you seen the movie ‘Famous’ that he wrote? The industry's current reviews are very good, and it will make big gains during the awards season.

Also, the title of the script he wrote is "My Brother's Protector". Listen, it's full of biblical allusions and is full of gimmicks. If you ask me, the name alone is worth a million. "

"I want to discuss it with Bruce." Bruce Gilbert is the general manager of IPC Pictures and Jane Fonda's partner. She served as a producer for her first three films for ipc Pictures: "The Chinese Syndrome", "9 to 5", and "On Golden Pond".

"Tomorrow morning at 10:30, my office? You and Bruce come together? I will ask the screenwriter Ronald Lee to also talk to you about ideas. He is a great young man." Ovitz suggested, "I will let the office run The courier will make a trip and send the script to you right away."

"Okay, I'll read the script first. If the script is as exciting as you said, Bruce and I will go to CAA at 10:30 tomorrow morning."

"Believe me."

"Okay, Michael, I trust your taste in picking out scripts. At half past ten tomorrow morning. Bruce and I will be there."

Jane Fonda agreed and hung up the phone, and then suddenly said to herself, "Ronald Lee, I seem to have heard this name somewhere."

…

Ronald was listening to Ron Meyer introducing CAA's star strategy in the conference room.

"CAA now has three leading male stars. Bill Murray is the representative of CAA's key strategic comedy films. Stallone is a popular star who writes, directs and stars. He is a triathlete and is pursued by eight major studios. There is also veteran 007 Sean Connery, the first male movie star to sign with CAA."

Ronald understood that Meyer said this because he wanted him to tailor scripts for several stars, but he was a little absent-minded.

Rick Niceta said that Ovitz and Meyer value every client, and now focus on promoting screenwriting strategies, using scripts to sell studios, and then introducing directors and actors to the project. Provide a package solution. So they, CAA, respect their screenwriting clients.

But Ronald didn't see any respect for himself today.

Meyer just wanted to finish his lines as usual, but Ovitz was nowhere to be seen. In short, the result of this trip to see CAA's partners was very unsatisfactory. It seems that I am not a valued customer at all, but just a make-up.

Among his three agents, Rick Niceta was writing with a pencil and busy with his own affairs, Paula was focused on Tom Cruise, and Richard Lovett, the only one who valued him, had the lowest position. He didn't even get a chance to speak at the meeting.

The reality is depressing, and Ronald also understands his position on the CAA's customer pyramid ladder - the bottom. He found an opportunity to interject during Meyer's routine speech:

"Mr. Meyer, thank you and Mr. Ovitz for taking the time to interview me. It gave me a 'deep' understanding of caa's business scope and client list. You are all very busy. Things on my script will not be handled in the future." Just contact Chad.”

"Okay," Meyer smiled, "As usual, Michael will take a photo with the client he meets for the first time. Mary, go and ask him about his next arrangements."

Freed from the task-oriented explanation work, Meyer started working on the spot in the conference room. He took out his work diary, picked up the phone and dialed his secretary, asking her to bring her schedule book and come over to arrange time. .

After Ovitz finishes his work, he can come over and take a group photo and then go back to work. The filming of Stallone's new film "Escape" encountered a strike problem. The Hungarian government was forced to support the American Actors Union, which also belongs to the working class, due to ideological issues.

The suspension of filming caused a huge financial overrun for the movie, and the main actors also include Pele, former England goalkeeper Banks, and many current professional players. If the filming is suspended for too long, a new professional league will start immediately. There will be difficulties in recalling them.

Director John Huston had no choice but to go to Paris to look at the locations, hoping to find a suitable location to complete the filming with only one week left.

In fact, Hungarian government officials hope that the filming will continue so that they can earn valuable US dollars in foreign exchange. We can take advantage of this and get the endorsement of the Hungarian Ministry of Culture to apply for a special exemption from the union, allowing them to finish filming for the remaining week.

Ron Meyer began to prepare the next work plan.

The door was suddenly pushed open, and President Michael Ovitz rushed in quickly.

"Okay, you and Jane Fonda and her producer Bruce Gilbert will discuss the script together at 10:30 tomorrow." He pointed at Ronald and said loudly.

Ronald was extremely surprised, raised his wrist and looked at his watch, "Are you kidding me? In just 10 minutes, you arranged for Jane Fonda to come see me?"

Ron Meyer and Rick Niceta both laughed.

Naturally, they are all familiar with Ovitz's ability to quickly complete transactions. They often see Ronald's reaction from clients who cooperate with caa for the first time. The old brokerage companies in the industry, WMA and ICM are too old and inefficient. Many brokers actually work from 9 to 5.

Ronald misunderstood the meaning of their laughter and said seriously:

"You have a great sense of humor, Mr. Ovitz. You can make jokes, but please don't make such jokes to me in the future. I am a young man and I will take it seriously. If we don't arrange a meeting later, I will think you are lying." "

Ronald hates this tactic commonly used by Allen Parker. He uses a joking tone to talk about serious matters. If he succeeds, it is his own credit. If he fails, it is because you don't have a sense of humor.

Ovitz was about to walk out of the conference room and continue to contact the studio to discuss "My Brother's Keeper". When he heard this, he stopped in the door and turned to Ronald, He spoke slowly but firmly:

"I never lie!"

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