Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 1336 Solution to the problem

"If I am elected, I will work to ease the racial issues in California. Whether you are Asian or black, as long as you follow the American ideals, you will be able to integrate into our mainstream society..."

Ronald watched on TV that Ross Perot, the independent candidate, had finally come to California to campaign. On TV, he also went to downtown Los Angeles and Koreatown, where the riots were severe, and interacted with the people there. His current polls are ahead of the current President George H.W. and the Donald Party candidate, the former governor of Arkansas.

The last time such a thing happened in a presidential election, an independent candidate was ahead in the polls, was during the time of Theodore Roosevelt. Ronald was somewhat impressed by this man's marketing ability, and he also found Michael Gray and Pat Kingsley, hoping that the two public relations and marketing experts would help him do some research to find out why such a candidate who spent little money could get such good poll data. If he could learn this and use it in movie marketing, wouldn't it be great?

However, the explanations of the two experts made Ronald realize that there is no free lunch in this world. Although he claimed that he did not need supporters to donate more than $5, Perot's recent ads had already cost him $12 million.

To this end, he also fired the only media expert in his campaign team, Hal Riney, Ronald Sr.'s campaign media consultant, and his campaign manager Ed Rollins also resigned immediately.

This man is more of a religious leader than a shrewd businessman. He requires all his supporters to swear allegiance to him. He also thinks that his reputation is controversial enough that he can appear on talk shows for free, so he doesn't need any advertising.

"Let's talk about problems, not ideas!" Many black people in the audience shouted.

During this period, they have been receiving candidates every day, including those running for president, senator, mayor, and gubernatorial candidates from other states, who come to take advantage of the media attention. These people are fed up with such empty speeches. What they want are policies that can help them reduce crime rates and increase employment rates.

"Okay, let's talk about the problem. What I want to create is an America where the quality of the public education system is restored, an America where you can leave your doors unlocked, as long as you can..."

"What?"

The live signal stopped there, and the curses of the blacks were not broadcast. Ronald was also shocked. How could Perot make such a mistake without the professional media experts? What did he mean by "you guys?"

Black people will never forgive a candidate for calling him that. This is full of white supremacist language, and it is, in a way, as insulting as the N word.

……

"How could this guy be so stupid?"

Ronald received George Jr. who had returned from Texas at home. Warner Brothers, the distributor of "The Last Man to Surrender", received a letter of inquiry from the White House. Using their images to edit into the film without the permission of the President was a theoretical infringement.

At the same time, the powerful departments under the command of the President also began to work hard on Warner Bros. In particular, their "Batman" series of movies, which made them lose money due to accounting fraud, also attracted the IRS's inquiry and investigation.

There are rumors that the Israeli spy case that was left unresolved back then has been reopened. Some Israeli producers who were engaged in espionage activities in Hollywood are involved. Suddenly, all kinds of negative comments about Jews began to increase in the film industry.

However, this film by Warner Bros. was not banned. Because the presidents are not ordinary people, they are politicians and public figures, so whether Warner Bros.'s large-scale use of their portraits and images is an infringement is also a gray area.

Of course, the most important part is that if the president wants to win the election, he still cannot do without the media groups controlled by Jews. These mass media have a decisive influence on a person's reputation.

This time, George Jr. came to negotiate with the Jews on behalf of his family to a certain extent. How the movie should be modified to reflect the Jews' apology and sincerity to the current president were all discussed.

Ronald did not show up, but asked Richard and others to help coordinate. In the end, it is very likely that the scenes that are disrespectful to Old George will be greatly modified, and some neutral or even slightly biased lines will be re-shot...

Coincidentally, an interview with Ed Rollins, Perot's media adviser who was forced to resign, was being broadcast on TV.

According to this person, Perot actually didn't understand the needs of the lower classes, and he was too superstitious about his own "charm" and was very stingy with money...

After his last gaffe in the black area, he once again encountered trouble in Orange County, which is dominated by white middle-class people. This time, a member of the ACT UP organization, representing the minority group of victims of XX disease, asked him to talk about how to solve this problem.

Unexpectedly, Perot was totally unprepared for this. He hesitated for a long time and then did not answer the question.

"Perot sometimes has a lot of obsessions. He always believes that the current president has let the CIA plant people in his campaign team, so my resignation is also related to this... However, I still have to say that it is a good thing for the public to have one more choice. Although I no longer work in his team, I will still vote for him..."

Ronald was stunned. Could it be that Perot made so many mistakes because George Sr. had sent CIA agents undercover in his team? He looked at George Jr.

"Hehe, I can only say that he is not..." Little George denied with a smile.

So the others are undercover agents? Ronald laughed. This undercover agent is quite powerful. He squeezed out those who are not undercover agents and have the ability to help Perot...

"In America, it's impossible to run for president outside the two-party system. The most you can do is try for public office at the level of mayor or state legislator." George Jr. was reluctant to say more, but just pointed out the key point.

……

George Jr. spent a few days in Hollywood and attended many parties. The people from Warner Bros. treated him very well, and finally forced Steve Siegel to reshoot and modify the scenes. George Jr. got what he wanted and went back to Washington DC to report.

Ronald also gained a new understanding of the combination of American politics and business. If these politicians want to get to power, they cannot do without the help of the Jewish media as a group, nor can they do without the donations from Jewish financial groups. But on the other hand, after these politicians get to power, they can command the powerful departments to deal with a certain Jew, which is also very deterrent.

In other words, it is not a problem for them to suppress a certain Jewish businessman or investigate a certain Israeli spy case. But they will be unable to deal with a Jewish group. If you get rid of one, the next one to replace him will be Jewish. On the contrary, if you have a bad relationship with them, it will be difficult for you to win the next election.

Ronald then began polishing the script for "The Trap" and began making casting decisions.

First up was the Italian-American actor who looked like Clemenza. Julia Taylor found a suitable candidate named Joe Vitavelli.

He was like the actor who played Clemenza in The Godfather, very fat and with a very Italian face.

Joe Vitavelli is very interesting. During his audition, he said that he was from Manhattan, was very poor when he was a child, liked to play guitar but was embarrassed to show it in front of others because he was afraid that his Italian friends would call him a sissy.

When Ronald heard this, he knew that this person was a real New York Italian. This kind of contempt for artists is an emotion that only lower-class Italians would have. In New York, he is poor and Italian. With such a background, no one would believe that his family does not have some gang background.

Such people, who have been exposed to the world since childhood, are more similar to the portrayal of gangsters. Ronald told Julia Taylor on the spot that this casting was very good.

As for the supporting actress who helped the protagonists, the Mitch couple, two people were selected in the final round. One was Holly Hunter, who was recommended by Julia Taylor. She once filmed a very strange movie "Raising Arizona" with Nicolas Cage, playing a female police officer who married a criminal and kidnapped a baby for a child.

The other is Helen Slater's best friend, Helen Hunt. Like Holly Hunter, she had previously honed her acting skills in independent films. Her image is more like that of a traditional American corporate secretary.

So choosing these two people means choosing this role, whether it is a neurotic female secretary full of adventurous spirit, or a law-abiding female secretary who is forced to cooperate with Mitch to steal the boss's client information in order to protect herself.

Ronald felt that although this role didn't have many scenes, the plot was at a critical turning point, so it was very important to have a good actor. He himself couldn't say who he liked, but casting director Julia Taylor strongly recommended Holly Hunter, saying that her acting skills were already perfect and she was Oscar-winning.

Ronald also preferred Holly Hunter, but he considered it from a business perspective. The secretary role had too few scenes, and it was obviously not enough time to lay the groundwork for how she was forced to become Mitchell's accomplice. This two-and-a-half-hour movie was already too long. In this way, Helen Hunt's role was not as suitable as Holly Hunter's.

Because Helen Hunt was Helen Slater's best friend, Ronald had to personally tell her the news of his failure.

"So, this is not a decision based on my acting skills, but a decision based on the current situation of the project. If the plot takes a different direction, I will be happy to work with you. It's just that rewriting this role now involves too much, so I have to do this for the sake of the project."

"Don't say that, Ronald. I understand. Even if it's because of my acting skills, I can accept it. It's just that I can't get this role now, so I have to think about myself. You know, I have only made some independent films, but I am not as lucky as Helen."

"If there's anything I can do, just tell me." Ronald thought that Helen Hunt was a good friend, and that she had taken good care of Helen Slater, who had anorexia. He had been acting in small productions and didn't make much money, so whether Ronald recommended him to shoot a commercial film, take an advertisement, or even lend him some money, he was prepared to agree.

After all, Helen Slater was also jealous because of the star on the Walk of Fame and had expressed on the phone several times that she also wanted to fulfill her wish of an acting career.

Making your girlfriend's best friend happy means making your girlfriend happy, which means making yourself worry-free. Ronald can figure this out very well.

"It's a bit embarrassing to say this, but I want to take a role in a TV series. I heard you have some connections at NBC. Can you give me a recommendation? I've also made it to the final round of casting there."

"The TV series is great. You don't know that TV stars may earn more than movie stars nowadays." Ronald thought to himself that this was no big deal. "What's the name of the TV series? I have a partner, Bannon. He has many cooperative projects with NBC. I will ask him to help recommend them and I will also call the people at NBC." Ronald agreed immediately.

"Mad About You tells the story of two Yale graduate lovers who live in New York after getting married..."

"Oh..." Ronald felt a little embarrassed when he heard this. He and Helen Slater would never have the chance to live this kind of life.

Fortunately, her best friend Helen Hunt did not say anything. She happily said that if she got the role, she would go back and call Helen Slater to share the secret of her success.

The two of them understood each other and solved this small problem tacitly.

Holly Hunter received good news from casting director Julia Taylor, and she came over to thank Ronald.

"Don't say that. I haven't actually made a decision, but I trust Julia Taylor's vision. Her vision for casting is ten times better than mine, and I've never been disappointed when I listened to her. I've seen you in Raising Arizona, but if it weren't for Taylor's recommendation, I'm afraid I wouldn't have remembered it..."

Ronald never takes credit from his subordinates and partners. People know that he made the final decision, so there is no need to emphasize it again. Instead, giving credit to those who deserve it will give both the actors and casting directors good positive feedback, which will make them more enthusiastic about their work.

"Even though I say that, I still have to say thank you. If it weren't for you, I would have almost no money to buy clothes." Holly Hunter also expressed her sincere gratitude. She has always liked to shoot those independent films and has just completed a film produced by Harvey Weinstein of Miramax in New Zealand.

These movies focus on the inner world of the characters, which is a great challenge to the actors' acting skills. However, their weakness is that they are not very commercially successful at the box office, and the pay is not high either.

In commercial films, Holly Hunter likes supporting roles like Ronald in "The Trap" the most. The pay for big productions is not low, and the shooting time is not long, which does not hinder her artistic pursuit.

Ronald also had a choice for the remaining female lead, three who were related and dozens who were not. His favorite was Robin Wright. This actress's appearance was very suitable for the kind of desperate love, and her acting skills were also up to par.

The rest either lacked acting skills or looks. Plus, with the endorsement of Bob Reiner, who directed her, Robin Wright was an actor who could cooperate with the director's ideas, saving a lot of trouble on the set. Because of this, Ronald also favored her in his heart.

After asking Julia Taylor to notify them of the casting result, Ronald went home to be with his wife and children. Such a life is the greatest luxury for successful people, without having to sacrifice the most important family for money.

Independent candidate Ross Perot announced his withdrawal from the race, claiming that a media investigation showed that his candidacy would likely result in no candidate receiving a majority of the electoral votes, which would require the House of Representatives to vote on the president-elect, and he did not want that to happen.

According to an anonymous source close to Perot, Perot believes that if he continues to run, the New Black Panther Party and a few people from the anti-racist groups will try to assassinate him. He doesn't want to end up like RFK did...

However, analysts generally believe that his election was due to the continued decline in the polls. His national approval rating has fallen below 20%. His recent controversial remarks have caused his popularity to drop rapidly among blacks, ethnic minorities, minority orientations, and XX carriers..."

"Wow..." Ronald watched the news, not knowing whether what Perot said was true or not. After the gaffe, he gave up his temporary running mate, former Navy General James Stockdale, and turned to Jesse Jackson, the leader of the black civil rights movement, and Dr. Bernardine Healy, the director of the National Institutes of Health, as his vice president, but was rejected by both.

On the other hand, James Stockdale, Perot's temporary running mate, a former Navy veteran who was deafened as a result of being held captive for seven years in the Vietnam War, and the military-industrial complex he represents may also be dissatisfied with Perot's decision.

If that’s the case, the so-called assassination may not be groundless.

There are many ways to solve the problem...

Ronald was daydreaming when Diane came over with a phone and handed it to him, "Julia is calling."

"Thank you..." Ronald took the call, and casting director Julia Taylor said on the other end of the phone:

"Ronald, Robin Wright suddenly changed her mind. She said that after discussing with her boyfriend Sean Penn, she would give up the leading role of this movie..."

(End of this chapter)