Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 402 Ratings and Marketing
"Night of the Comet" was sent to the MPAA for an R rating.

Ronald felt a little displeased. The film he made was very careful. There were no nudity scenes, no violent scenes, and no excessive foul language. The whole film was relaxed and happy, and it was in line with the mainstream values ​​of America. R-rated?How much less audience is this?

"There is a small amount of foul language, words such as bras in the girl's dialogue, the girl and the stepmother slap each other, and the fight between the zombie and the girl, the girl has a gun and blows the heads of two zombies, mainly these places, let the MPAA give R class."

Atlantic Publishing's submission manager explained to Ronald the terms of the explanation section of the MPAA's reply letter.

"What's the reason?" Ronald was very unconvinced, "Lucas and Spielberg filmed 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', there are so many fighting scenes in it, it's much more than me who escaped with just two or three punches." ? And the frightening part, those skeletons are much scarier than my zombie, right?"

"Sorry, Ronald. This is something beyond my ability. In fact, the major studios will have this kind of preferential treatment. The main agencies of the MPAA are the seven major studios, so their films can get certain Preferential treatment. I have tried my best.

After "Raiders of the Lost Ark" came out, it was also criticized by many media for overindulging PG standards. "

"But they still got PG, hey." Ronald saw his R-rated reply, but fortunately he didn't go too far, and gave himself an X-rated, so that no mainstream theaters would show it. If it is rated R, it should be rated R. If I knew it earlier, I would have taken more exciting shots.

"In fact, there is still a lot of space between the R rating and the PG rating. One more rating should be added." Ronald muttered a few words, but still accepted this fact. .

"Our distribution capacity is limited, and there will not be too many marketing activities. There are only a few newspaper interviews, and theater posters and materials. For the rest, you need more exposure and interviews, so as to attract TV media. more attention."

"I know, this month and next month, I'm going to attend the premieres of three films, and visit three crews. I've already said hello, and they'll let me report on it." Ronald Long ago, he made an agreement with the president of Atlantic to use his own resources to promote movies.

And the music video for "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," the theme song, which we also coordinated with Portrait Records, and their music video started playing on MTV just a week before our movie came out. "

"Actually, have you ever thought about doing some commercials on MTV?" Ronald asked. He often sees many young people who like to watch MTV, including his cousin Donna.

"I will contact them, but the advertising fee is not cheap, we only have enough to launch a little before the release, mainly to see the effect of the MV of the theme song."

The three films that will be premiered soon are Coppola's "Urchin". His works have always attracted the attention of many reporters.Then there's "Lightning Dance," which is distributed by Paramount, and there will be no shortage of journalists.

The last one was "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi," and CAA helped get invitations to the premiere.This is a big event, and reporters are indispensable.

Ronald used Oscar votes for various awards, an invitation to the premiere, and a few interviews from the media. Richard from CAA helped him handle it, and he didn't even fill in the ballots himself.

And the three movies that are being filmed are also opportunities they found.Generally, during the filming period of a large studio, some gossip news will be released, and reporters will go to the filming location to interview.Ronald also saw every opportunity, showing his face during the interview, and mixed a sentence or two.

For example, "I also saw the young director Ronald Lee on the set. His new film, 'Night of the Comet' with sci-fi and zombie themes, is worth looking forward to."

The first one is "Flying Dragon" directed by Stallone and starring John Travolta, and the filming will be completed soon.As the screenwriter who revised the first draft, Ronald can go around, and he can find Cynthia Rhodes who somehow got mixed up with the heroine, and give her a reason to visit the set.

The second is "Full Body". After Paramount fired the original producer Shirley Lansing, the progress was accelerated a lot. Director Herbert Ross also gave up Warren Beatty's Mermaid. project, come back to direct this film.Ronald can also visit the class as a screenwriter.

The last one is the unnamed project that Diane Lane took over. It is said that a large set has been repaired in Los Angeles, and the entire street of Chicago is copied into the studio.When the media interviewed the director and producer Walter Hill, Ronald could have a few words in the name of seeing the set.

Ronald in the CAA office made a plan and asked Richard, the agent, to record the time and remind himself to attend when the time came.

"I feel more and more like your personal assistant, Ronald," said Richard.

"Please help me, I don't have the money to hire an assistant now, all the money I can move, I have invested in the film project, I will get it back after the screening, and I will give you a bonus. Or help me find something new Projects? Screenwriters and directors are fine." Ronald laughed, and Richard still only had one client, and he was the worst among his three agents.

"Okay, don't forget. I'll send you another bouquet of flowers for Helen. While we're in the London office, we're going to visit Pinewood Studios. Supergirl is about to start filming." Richard took out a small The notebook, reporting the situation to Ronald.

"By the way, someone named Jim Cameron asked you to call back. He called the CAA office just now and said that no one answered the phone at your house."

"Okay, I'll call him back." Ronald picked up the phone in the CAA office and called Cameron.

"Ronald, when will the Israeli agent you mentioned come back?" Gail was moved when she saw that Ronald answered the phone and rushed to the apartment where she and Cameron lived. She made a cup of coffee for him, Ask right away.

"Um, he's shooting a Brooke Shields movie in Israel now, and it might take another month or two. Why, are you in such a hurry? How about I give him a call?"

"Forget it, the 300 million funding gap cannot be settled with just one phone call," Cameron said.

"What's wrong with you? Did something happen to Orion?"

"Hey, it's the situation we're most afraid of. The news from Orion said that someone has changed Jim's script and started to sell it to major studios. If we don't find the other party to raise funds immediately, we may have to It was preempted by the plagiarist."

"I remember you have been talking for several months, right? Haven't you found someone who knows the goods?" Ronald also felt for his friend's financing difficulties. Finding money is the most difficult these days.

Gail and Jim both sighed.

"Where is the main problem?" Ronald took a sip of coffee. Since the script of "Terminator" has been favored by Orion and signed a publishing contract, it should not be so difficult to find other investments.

"There are two main difficulties. The first is that the producers have no confidence in the final presentation of its special effects. We have brought the sketches and models to the producers, but they seem to be unable to imagine the one on the screen. Mechanical Superman.

Second..."

Gail stopped talking here and looked at Cameron.

"It's okay, the second main reason is that I don't trust me as a new director." Cameron knew that Gail was afraid of hurting his self-esteem.

"But Orion already trusts you as a director, so the main problem is the first one? If you can somehow convince them of your robot terminator image, then you can open up the situation, right?"

Ronald helped two friends analyze the situation.

"It can be said that, Ronald, you are very good at finding the key points of the problem." Gail gave him a thumbs up.

"As Confucius said, we must grasp the main contradiction."

"Huh..." Ronald suddenly remembered something, "Can you show me your sketch?"

"Of course," Cameron took out a sketch of the Terminator and handed it to Ronald.

The liquid metal robot, which can simulate the appearance of other people, has been deleted from the script by Cameron, and what Ronald sees is another killing robot, the Terminator 800.
Spirited short hair, a strong upper body wearing a leather jacket, a pair of leather pants and boots under his feet, and a shotgun in his hand.The entire Terminator is probably the image of a tall and mighty man. The most prominent features on his face are his sunglasses and square chin.

"You know? How did my girlfriend Helen get her first leading lady?" Ronald had an idea...

"This method is good, we can try it." Gail agreed with Ronald's idea, "We really need a real-life Terminator to give them a preconceived impression."

"What candidate do you have?" Ronald asked.

"Hemdale Film, they are very rich. They used to be a shell company for British actors to avoid taxes, but now they have more money and want to invest in films. We went to meet their executives, but the last time it happened He's on a business trip."

"Ah, what I'm talking about is there any candidate for the Terminator. That image needs a tall and mighty one to be convincing. Jim's height is okay, but he's a little skinny. You have to find a suitable person to play him Let the high-level see it, and it will deepen the impression..."

"...No, why are you looking at me?"

"Ronald, just do me a favor by acting as the Terminator and go to Heimdale to raise funds. I think you are the most suitable to play the image of the Terminator." Cameron's eyes were shining, and he pulled Ronald hand will not let go.

"But I can't act."

"Ronald, do me a favor. Actually, you don't need any acting skills. You just need to put on sunglasses and pretend to be cool. I will do all the sales." Gail was also very satisfied, and came up to touch Touch Ronald's biceps.

"Uh, okay, but I really don't know how to act, I can only stand or sit to show my image."

"Let's find him a leather jacket and pants. You call your old partner for special makeup, and we'll try the makeup again."

(End of this chapter)