Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Ronald opened the note and there were three people asking him to call him back.

After asking about the hotel's long-distance phone rates, Ronald quickly ran up the stairs, entered his room and started dialing.

The first one was his main agent, Richard Lovett, who left a message saying that he had great news and would call back immediately. Could it be that his script has been sold?

"Ronald, you are about to become famous. Columbia has bought your script. It is expected to start filming next year and be released in the summer of 1982."

"I……"

Ronald thinks back to arriving in Los Angeles with the script as if it was yesterday. Is this sold? After signing with an agent, the script was easily spotted and bought by a major studio? Is CAA so capable?

Although Ovitz took him to several major studios to promote the script last time, Ronald did not expect that it would be completed at the speed of light in just a few days.

"Hey, Ronald, are you still there?"

Ronald came back to his senses and quickly asked Richard:

"What is the total budget for the shooting? Jane Fonda is the heroine, right? Has anyone decided who will play the role of Platoon Leader and Idiot? Where is the director?" Ronald held the phone receiver in one hand and went to open the small freezer, his hands trembling slightly with excitement. .

He quickly clamped the microphone around his neck, opened the freezer with both hands, and took out a can of Coca-Cola.

"Take your time, Ronald. I can't answer so many questions at once." Richard on the other side of the phone must be very excited, and he speaks with excitement.

"Colombia invested 10 million, Jane Fonda's IPC invested 2 million, and the total budget is 12 million. The leading actor has not yet been determined. I heard that the candidates include Jack Nicholson and Stallone.

The choice of director is Jane's old partner, James Bridges. "

"Who will play the fool?" Ronald asked impatiently.

"Relax, Ronald. The movie is still in the early stages of preparation. The Fool may invite several young actors to star. It is still in the rumor stage.

I heard that Jane Fonda admired Timothy Hutton as a young man in "Ordinary People". However, there are a lot of variables at this stage, and except for Jane Fonda, everyone else can change. "

"Well, I'm just too excited. What do they have to say about the script?

Do I need to modify it? "

"Yes, Columbia's president Frank Price directly made a lot of modifications to your script. After you return to Los Angeles, we will discuss the modification plan."

"That's great!" Ronald got so excited that he broke the ring of the can, but the Coke was still in the can and couldn't be poured out. He didn't take it seriously, and immediately turned around to open the small freezer, took another bottle and drank it.

"So why don't you ask how much your script sold for?"

"How much did it cost?" When Ronald heard this, he stopped drinking Coke.

"Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, thirty fuxg fifty thousand dollars."

"What? Isn't this in line with the market price? Did you count the wrong number?" Ronald calmed down quickly when he heard this ridiculously high number. None of Walter Mersey's scripts had such a high price. He thought Richard was telling the wrong number, adding an extra zero.

"Today is your lucky day, Ronald. Columbia is being sued over a hostile takeover by Las Vegas tycoon Kerkorian, and they need a high-profile response with a movie. Jane Fonda gets $2 million guaranteed According to the contract, even if Colombia doesn’t want her to star in this movie now, she still has to pay her.”

"So the president, Mr. Price, doesn't care about money. He just wants to build momentum in the media and let everyone know who has the final say at Columbia Pictures now."

"In addition, Mr. Ovitz asked me to tell you not to tell anyone about this news at this stage until he and Columbia Pictures release the news online in the media. He and Mr. Price are now focusing on project establishment and marketing, etc. Now that this is over, I’ll talk to you about specific script improvements and casting.”

"I understand, I won't tell anyone."

"Whenever you come to Los Angeles, you can get the check. Give me a call before you come, and I will pick you up at the airport. This is also my first business as an agent. Let's celebrate."

After hanging up the phone, Ronald happily danced a disco in the room. He jumped on the bed in excitement and jumped a few times. "Now, let's introduce the winner of the Oscar for Best Screenplay, Ronald...Lee!"

"Hey, hey, it's all because of me that I can win this award..." Ronald found that there were still two phone calls to be returned on the note in his hand. He jumped out of bed and continued to dial Aunt Karen. She said it was important. things need to be discussed.

"Auntie, it's already past 9 pm at your place. What's going on?"

"Ronnie, you did a good job. Now Diane Lane is here."

"What's the matter? What's coming to your door and I didn't do anything?"

"Are you telling Diane that for a 15-year-old single girl like her to rent an apartment in Manhattan, it's best to rent an apartment in Midtown?"

"Yes, she has a lot of savings from filming, but in those rent-controlled apartments uptown, the owners vote that it is impossible for a single minor to move in."

"Then have you ever said that if you don't have enough cash, you can consider sharing a house with other girls?"

"I did say it, but Diane... no, she won't want to rent the apartment where you and Donna live, right?"

"exactly……"

"This..." Ronald thought for a while, "Aunt, I don't object to her being a frequent guest, but Diane is not an ordinary girl, she is a child star who has been on the cover of Time Magazine. She may bring a lot of media attention of."

"Of course I have thought about this, but Diane said that she has passed her time now, and no one would recognize her when walking on the street without wearing sunglasses. Besides, she has grown a lot taller and fatter now. Not as thin as in the movie before.”

"Aunt, please don't mention the word fat in front of actresses." Ronald quickly warned, "And if she lives in the family apartment, we have a certain responsibility to take care of her. After all, I know Bert. Responsible for her family."

"That's what Bert promised. Diane threatened him that if he didn't let her live here, she would live with that playboy Christopher Atkins."

"What?" Ronald remembered the attitude of the leading actor in the movie "Blue Lagoon" towards Diane at the party. "It doesn't matter. She must be scaring her father."

"Burt and Diane are still at home. I asked him to talk to you." Aunt Karen put the phone down, and there was a sound on the receiver. After a while, someone picked it up.

"Ronald, this is Bert."

"Burt, what do you think of Diane? Is she angry with you? Talk to her."

"Ronald, I beg you to let Diane stay with you for a while. I will visit her every day. I promise that she will not cause any trouble to you and your family."

"That's not a problem. When she came to tutor before, my aunt and Donna liked her very much, but how could..."

"Listen, Ronald, just think I owe you this once." Burt lowered his voice, "This time Diane is very determined. If I don't agree, she will live in another apartment. I can't stop it. She has declared her independence and is legally an adult."

"Oh God" Ronald knew that this little girl was very smart and planned everything. Child stars like America who have their own income can declare their independence in advance with the help of lawyers.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I will visit her often and let her live in your house for a while. I will slowly persuade her to go back. She will take the high school entrance exam immediately. She wants to live an ordinary high school life."

"Okay, give the phone to Aunt Karen."

Ronald and Aunt Karen discussed it and agreed that Diane Lane would stay in the new house temporarily. But first negotiate with Diane on terms, not to leave at will, and to keep in constant contact with Bert.

"Ronald, don't worry, I just want to live the life of an ordinary girl. There will be no acting practice, no auditions, and I won't argue with my dad over casting. After I am admitted to high school, I will return to normal. If not You, Bert, can't let me live in someone else's house, so I can only ask Karen for help."

"I know that you have a charm that makes everyone love you. I believe you will not let us down, Diane." Ronald finally said a few words to Diane Lane and hung up the phone.

"Yeah, your cousin agreed." Diane and Donna hugged each other cheeringly.

"This bedroom is yours, but you can't party too late." Donna gave up a bedroom to Diane.

"Don't worry, let me make a few calls and find someone to celebrate first."

…

Another call came back to Michelle Pfeiffer. She said she missed herself and wanted to talk. Ronald was very happy. This was the first time Michelle took the initiative to leave him a message saying she missed him.

"Hi, Michelle. I'm Ronald. I'm so happy today. Guess what happened? Uh-huh...uh-huh..." Ronald made a few kissing movements through the receiver.

Ronald dialed Pfeiffer's number, eager to share his happiness with her.

"Listen, Ronald. It's me, Limato." On the other end of the phone was Michelle Pfeiffer's agent.

"Um..." Ronald paused awkwardly, "Hello, Ed. I didn't know you were here."

"I asked Michelle to call you. Your script has been bought by Columbia. Can you use your influence to help Miss Pfeiffer win the supporting role of the idiot sister?"

"How do you know? I just received a call from my agent telling me the news. He said that the project is still in the preparation stage and the confidentiality is very high."

"There are no secrets in the agent business, Ronald. She told him, and he told her, I have my network."

"Okay. I haven't contacted the producer yet. I heard that Colombia paid a big price. But to be honest, I don't understand how to use my so-called influence to get Michelle this role.

If you have any idea, you can tell me. You know, I've heard it said before that once a script is sold, the writer is out of the game.

The real star of the project was Jane Fonda, and not many people knew me. "

"I understand that Ovitz seems to be preparing for a big move this time. You will be influential later, and Hollywood will know you by then."

Limato seemed to have heard some news and seemed very confident, "You might as well stay in San Francisco for a while and try to meet Francis Coppola once the news comes out and borrow his momentum."

"Hell, Ovitz should have taught you all this. Just call him and ask him." Limato handed the receiver to Michelle Pfeiffer, and Pfeiffer motioned for her to talk to Ronald more. , turned around and left the room.

"Michelle..." Ronald called.

"Ronnie..." The agent taught her how to please Ronald to get a role in a big production, "I miss you so much. You are not in Los Angeles. I feel a little lonely."

"I may stay for another week or two, dear. I still have some editing issues to consult with the masters here, and I can go back to Los Angeles soon."

"Well, I will be filming on the set of Detective Charlie Chen soon. You can still see me if you come back early. By the way, did you see me on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show? Although it was only three minutes, but People have already recognized me on the street.”

"Yes, I saw it, you were so beautiful on the show..."

multiple copies

Please remember the first domain name of this book: . :