Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 359 In [-], Best Director!
Ronald returned to the CAA office with the standard film distribution contract drafted by Roger Corman, and began faxing it to Lindsay Doll, his personal attorney in New York.

In the first few years of the 80s, cheap Japanese fax machines began to enter the American market.Sending faxes no longer requires bulky and expensive Xerox machines.Lindsay Dole's small law firm also bought a small Japanese fax machine.

"Squeak..." Lindsay Dole was standing by the fax machine, and the heat-sensitive paper was gradually printed out Ronald's contract line by line under the drum of the small fax machine.

"Hi! Ronald, page 20 and page No. [-],... Re-pass, I hang up." Dongying's fax machines are cheap, but they often print unclearly in some places.Some key legal provisions differ by one word, and the meaning may be completely opposite, so we must be cautious.

"Hey, Ronald, is this Roger Coleman from Hollywood? Why is there no trap in his contract? I have read it several times, and it can be signed. Some terms seem strict, but they are also harmful to you. Protect.

It's not like a Hollywood contract, it's like a wholesale contract with food companies and supermarket channels. ’ Lindsay Dole called Ronald a few hours later.

"Hahaha, he's actually not from Hollywood. Although he's also filming in Hollywood..." Ronald explained Coleman's background to Lindsay.

Coleman and those big studios have to share the box office with the investors in the end, and the contract is always different from the battle of wits and courage between the parties.When he makes a film, he always sells the film first and gets the advance payment before shooting. With such a small investment, quick shooting, and a fast turnaround mode of multiple shootings, reputation is more important.

"Very well, then there is no problem. But this is the first film you have produced. Are you setting up a new corporate entity to operate it? This will isolate the investment in the film from your personal and other assets? "

"Okay, I'm going back to New York recently, and I'll entrust you to do it. I need to attract investment first, and I'm still short of a lot of money."

After hanging up the phone, Ronald began to drag his agent Richard to take stock of the small and medium-sized production companies he could talk to.

"I remember this Atlantic company once asked me to make a film?" Ronald asked Richard, pointing to a company in the file.

"They are now fully engaged in the production of 'Girls in the Valley', which they wanted to invite you to direct last time. A small company may not have more financial resources to release two films at the same time."

Atlantic Company is also a company that does its own theatrical distribution. Ronald still asked Richard to help him find out what Atlantic Company meant.This time Ronald found New World to release a new film, and Atlantic Ocean can also take a share if it is interested.

"What about the two Israelis? You don't want them to vote?" Richard asked.

Ronald knew that he was talking about Minahan and Yoram, nodded and said, "They have already expressed their intention to invest in my film project."

"They don't have any real contacts in Hollywood. You have helped them a lot, and it's time for them to repay you."

"I'll visit them."

Call Minahan to make an appointment, and Ronald will come to visit.

"Ronald, how long has it been since you came to see me, how about taking a look at our new office?" With a growing beer belly, Minahan dragged Ronald to visit his newly expanded office.

On the basis of the original rented office, Cannon Pictures expanded several rooms, and those employees who used to work in the aisle finally moved into a serious office.

"It's very nice here. Are these all your new movies?" Ronald looked at the various movie posters on both sides of the corridor, some of which he had never heard of.

"Hey, some are produced by us, and some are distributed overseas by us." Minahan pointed to a poster on the wall and said, "This is the Japanese ninja movie we just released." Ninja), did well overseas. "

It turned out to be a B-grade exploitation film that copied Bruce Lee's "Enter The Dragon" in name and content.

"This is the sequel to the best action movie of the '70s, and we've got the original actor, Charles Bronson." Best action movie?Ronald saw that it was a sequel to Death Wish.

"It seems that your company's business is going well. How about Brooke Shields' 'Sahara'?" Ronald felt that he had underestimated Minahan's ability. It seemed that he had made a lot of money by producing and distributing so many films.It is no longer the first-timer who wanted to jump off the building because of the failure of "Apple".

"In January next year, we will launch in the Negev Desert in Israel. It is still very hot there, and it will happen to be the coolest time in the desert in January. Then you can also take a look at this film aimed at the Oscars in [-]. blockbuster."

"Then I'll wait and see." Ronald said and handed in his "Night of the Comet" script.He had expressed his intentions to Minahan on the phone.

"Hmmmmmmmmmm... this place is very good, but it's too procrastinated, and the rhythm here can be sped up." Minahan looked at it and found fault, his voice was not low, making Ronald who was sitting next to him frown a little.

"Ronald, although you have great ideas about the post-meteor disaster, Valley Girls and Zombie Wars, and I have seen good designs for various scenes, but your script has a major flaw, and it is difficult for such a script to attract investment. favored by people.

Maybe you don't care about the box office and want to entertain yourself and make the movie you want, but I still suggest you make a little change. "

"Oh? What is it?" Ronald didn't expect Minahan to give himself a straightforward negative evaluation.

"Stars! Your script lacks stars. Your filming plan says that you only need 150 million yuan. How can you hire stars with such a small amount of money? We should invest at least 500 million yuan so that we can invite stars like Brooke Shields to play actresses." Protagonist. Do you have anyone for a leading role?"

"Uh, Minahan, I'm afraid I won't be able to make a big production. I took the script and searched for a big studio, and they don't even have confidence in me to make a big production..." Ronald said ten times as soon as he opened his mouth. I think Minahan is a little out of character.

"I have confidence in you, Ronald. How about I invest in this movie? This year, my funds are mainly used to shoot 'Sahara' starring Brooke Shields. When it is released, my funds are sufficient, and I will invest in you This is a sci-fi masterpiece.

Fifteen thousand...not at least 2000 million investment.We went to Europe together to find investors, and then chose the best actor, Oscar in [-], we let Brooke Shields win the best actress, Oscar in [-], I will grab you a best director, at least a nomination... Hahaha... "

Ronald took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his brow, and will shoot again in [-], so you have no money now.

"I have already found a distributor who is willing to distribute my film. So this time I came to see if you are interested in investing in shares."

"How many?"

"New World is willing to invest 50 yuan."

"They do domestic distribution?"

Ronald nodded.

"Hollywood is the holy land of movies. It's a pity that no one pays hundreds of thousands of dollars to make movies for artists like you. I don't know why they still say that they have the largest movie base in the world. Every year, those actors and directors shoot at most two months, then golf, tennis, vacation, waste!
They should invest more in a director like you who is capable and has box office guarantees.Those actors, Stallone, what are you doing with such a long break, you should make more movies, let them stop picking up girls at the beach, drinking, you should make more movies. "

Ronald wanted to say - you're right.But Hollywood doesn't have the confidence to invest in itself.You speak so eloquently, how much can you invest in yourself?Do you have one hundred thousand?
"Give me the overseas distribution package, and I'm willing to invest 30 yuan... the domestic income will follow the usual practice." Minahan stated his conditions.

"Thank you, Minahan, I didn't expect..." Ronald was really moved now.Overseas distribution generally needs to be sold in a country by country, and the income in overseas markets is generally not as large as that in China.

Minahan did not dislike his small production, and immediately allocated 30 investment in proportion.Now I only need 50 to 70 to start the project.

"You are my true friend!" Ronald stood up and hugged Minahan.

"But I have one condition." After parting, Minahan raised three fingers and said.

"Please tell me..." Generally, investors will always have some conditions, such as inserting a girlfriend as a supporting role or something.

"You will go to Cannes with me next year and help me watch the movies. I know you have found a lot of good movies in Montreal."

"no problem."

"Also, you're coming to the 'Sahara' opening press conference, I need some Hollywood friends..."

"That's fine too."

"You will have the opportunity to direct a movie about my cannon."

"This... I can't promise you, but if the opportunity is right, I will."

"Hahaha...Okay! Bobobo..." Minahan kissed Ronald three times on the left and right on the face in accordance with the customs of Eastern Europeans.

"Come on, let me show you our newly released movies, they are all good movies. Let Yoram draw up the agreement for you."

……

After faxing the agreement on the Minahan Cannon to Lawyer Lindsay, Ronald continued to work with Richard to delineate about ten production companies that were most promising to invest in, and planned to call to make appointments and visit them one by one.

However, after Ronald returned to the apartment, the first call was not to the producer, but to his high school classmate and wrestling teammate, Staten Island landlord Douglas Hansen III.

"Doug, how are you doing in New York?"

"Hey Ronnie, are you back for Christmas?"

After a few pleasantries, Ronald asked, "How was the last time you raised money for Katherine Bigelow's movie?"

"Don't mention it, Bigelow's movie hasn't found a distributor willing to release it yet. All my money is stuck in it and I haven't got it back."

"Ahem, that's unfortunate."

"Ronnie, do you have something to ask me? You want to make a movie and need money?" Little Douglas was very sensitive, and he heard the implication from his good friend's words.

"I have found publishers, domestic and overseas, but they are still a little short of the budget. I wanted to ask you...Since your investment has not been recovered..."

"I invest. You are my best friend in the film industry. If I don't invest, who do you invest in? I don't want to go back to Staten Island as a landlord. My interest lies in the film and television entertainment industry. I have the opportunity to let 4000 million directors take me into the industry." , I can't ask for more."

"Thanks, Doug."

"But I don't have a lot of money. Now I only have [-] to invest in movies. I can send you a check right now."

"Wait until I go back to New York. I still need to register a film production company. Then we'll talk about buying shares. I'll give you the best terms."

"My check is waiting for you at any time." Douglas hung up the phone. "Haha, I finally don't have to go back to Staten Island. Ronald's movie must be a success, so I can show grandpa some grades."

(End of this chapter)