Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 675 Chapter 3 I'll Give You Video Tape Commission

Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer have always been very optimistic about the potential of the video tape market.

The previous "Lightning Dance" produced by the two of them took the risk of launching VHS and Beta videotapes simultaneously when the movie was only released for a few weeks.

Unexpectedly, because of the popularity of the video tape, it attracted many viewers into the theater, and then went to the big screen to watch the sexy hot dance scene again. "Lightning Dance" was shown for a few weeks, and when the box office fell, it was given another shot. Return to the top few at the box office.

At that time, they lowered the price of the videotape, which was usually priced at $99, to $69 and sold it, making a lot of money.Armed with this experience, the producers set out to go big with Top Gun.

This time they want to persuade Ned Tanin, the president of Paramount, to set the price of the video directly at $49, which is the first time to drop it below $50, to see if it can be the same as Jane Fonda's $29 aerobics video , sold a sales volume that no one could have imagined.

"If it's $29, it's definitely going to sell more than Jane Fonda's aerobics." Ronald was very clear about Jane Fonda's success.

At that time, video recorders had just entered America. When people bought video recorders, they wanted to buy a few video tapes to keep at home and show them to friends when they came over.Compared with the 99 and 89 movies, the book Jane Fonda's aerobics only sells for 29, and no matter whether the visiting guests are men or women, it is not rude at all to play Jane Fonda's video.

"Top Gun" is a movie that, for the same price, would be a more dignified act of hospitality than watching Jane Fonda dance in high-waisted bodybuilding pants.

Even his own children will become good people in the school social circle that everyone wants to befriend. After all, go to his house and watch Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis kiss in "Top Gun", and even more There are also air battles to watch.

"29? Well, 49 is nice, but 29 is 29 after all!"

Bruckheimer is very clear that in the market, it is impossible for the audience to know how much a video tape should be worth.If it can be sold at the same price as a gymnast who knows how exciting the content is, then the audience will definitely know which movie to choose, right?
"Is there a possibility? Can we ask other people to pay the price difference?" Sid Garnis said the plan discussed with Don Simpson and others.

"other people?"

"Yes, this movie is very popular now, and our low price has also passed the approval of Paramount executives. I have talked to many large companies and advertising agencies, and they all feel that they can market their products through videotape. , so that they don't have to buy expensive advertising time on TV stations, so that they can subsidize the money saved to viewers who buy video tapes."

"Oh, that's it."

Ronald thought the idea was brilliant.It is not common practice to insert advertisements in video tapes these days.If "Top Gun" can have a very good box office performance, those Fortune 500 multinational companies definitely have the ability and ideas to use their budgets to subsidize the distribution of video tapes.

In this way, the viewer sells the tape at a lower price.Movie companies sold more videotapes without losing revenue, and corporations ran more commercials on a lower budget than TV stations.

Isn't this the legendary Win Win Win, three wins?

"That's great? What company did you find? What can I do?" Ronald looked at Don Simpson.

"We approached Pepsi, and they spend a lot of money on marketing every year, and they are willing to use part of it to try out the effect of video marketing. As for you, we want you to be the director of Pepsi's advertisement."

"It doesn't have to be me to be the director, right?"

"First of all, this matter is good for you. In addition to the regular fees, we negotiated with Paramount and are willing to give you a share of the profits from the video. Second, Pepsi named you to be the director. They want a film that has the same plot as Top Gun. Relevant advertising so viewers don't fast-forward and skip while watching the tape.

Finally, they once asked you to shoot a joint commercial with Burger King, and the effect was the top three among all their commercials.So they still want to ask you to shoot, but your agent doesn't take many advertisements. This time they proposed it on their own initiative. If it weren't for you, we would have to change to another company, and there would be no such good conditions.

They were willing to subsidize an additional $5 in addition to subsidizing the difference in the price of each videotape. "

Don Simpson's last words were spoken in Ronald's ear.

"How much can I share?" Ronald also asked softly in Simpson's ear.

"You get 50 cents per video. Plus $30 in compensation."

"A commission of $1.5."

"It's too greedy. Our money is also squeezed out from the subsidies given by both sides. It's 70 cents." Don Simpson planned to use his hands to extract the most money from the budgets on both sides.

"One dollar, after all, Pepsi named me as the director."

"make a deal!"

Very good, now the two producers and Ronald himself are also Win Win.

Ronald asked New York agent Eddie, lawyer Lindsay Dole, accountant Lawrence and others to sign the contract without mentioning it.

In the next few days, he also went to the cinema to watch "Top Gun" over and over again. By the way, he took notes on the places where he felt bad and where he performed well. Debate.

Just as Ronald was in a movie theater, taking out a small tape recorder to record his thoughts while watching, the manager Richard tiptoed in and stooped in.With the help of the conductor's flashlight, Ronald was found.

"Bastard, stop using the flashlight." The male audience in the back row cursed dissatisfiedly, just in time to see McGillis' sexy figure in a silk white shirt, and was interrupted by the flashlight.

"That's right, you're just pretending to go to the movies and wearing sunglasses, you're a fool." The girlfriend next to him happened to see Tom Cruise's muscular upper body, and was very angry at Ronald and Richard for interrupting his lust dissatisfied.

"What's wrong?" Ronald asked his agent after walking outside the screening hall.

"Two investigators from the Admiralty have offered to investigate your filming."

"WTF, what are you talking about?" Ronald was dumbfounded.

"This is a special investigator from the Pentagon, and this is an investigator from the Department of the Navy." The next morning, in Paramount's office, Matthew, the Navy's liaison officer, brought Ronald two Officers in naval uniforms.

"Hello," Ronald shook hands with them. "I heard that you are investigating the filming of the 'Top Gun' crew? What happened? The plane accident was a private aerobatic plane, and You should be fine, right? We also bought insurance for him."

"No, the Pentagon has a lot of doubts about some of the scenes in the film, and we want to question you." The Pentagon investigator was not very friendly, chewing gum and looked at Ronald with a businesslike face.

"Can I have a lawyer present?" Ronald looked uncomfortable at him. I have received your Secretary of the Navy to watch a private dance. Why do you treat me like this.

"Don't get me wrong, Mr. Li. Before coming here, Mr. Lehman, the Minister, specifically called and told you that you are a friend of the Navy. We just follow the procedure and have a routine interview with you." The investigator from the Office of the Ministry of the Navy staff, older and with a much better attitude.

"Okay, what's the problem? I heard the message from the agent, but I don't quite understand it."

"Can we find a place to chat slowly?"

In a separate conference room, the elderly investigator took out a snapshot of "Top Gun" from his briefcase and spread it on the table for Ronald to see.

"This is a few photos we have intercepted. In the whole movie, the Sidewinder air-to-air missile was launched four times, one missed the target, and three hits. But Mr. Lehman, the Minister, only approved the quota for two rounds. We want to know, who is it?" Two additional rounds were approved for you in the Navy." The young Pentagon investigator took the photo, laid it on the table, and chewed his gum faster and faster.

"Hehehe, this kind of thing can be explained clearly as long as you give me a phone call. We only shot the launch shots of the two missiles, and we used special effects to make the rest of the explosion shots."

"Stunt? But obviously the missile was fired four times? I've looked at the photos carefully." The young man still didn't want to let go, he found all the shooting shots in the photos, and pushed them over to show Ronald.

"If you really look carefully, it's easy to find that the four launch shots are all edited from one shot and reused." Ronald smiled, pointing to the white trail after launch on the photo to the other party See, the smoke above is obviously the same.

"This?" The young investigator obviously didn't expect such a result, "You mean, each launch is a real shot, and the explosion shot hitting the enemy plane is made with a model?"

"Yes."

"Then you are not lying?"

"This is Hollywood."

The Admiralty investigator stopped the young man, "Director Ronald, thank you for pointing out the problem to us. Can you show us a copy of the film again, and give us some videotape footage so we can Write a report and explain it to those stubborn generals in the Pentagon."

"Yes, but you need to consult the vice president of Paramount. These copies are strictly protected. Now that the movie is in theaters, pirated copies are what we are most afraid of." Ronald stabbed the young man calmly.

Apparently he stopped chewing gum. As a child of a naval family, this time he stumbled.

"Welcome, Ronald. Why are you free to come to my office today?" Ned Tanin embraced Ronald with open arms. The movie "Top Gun" looks like a thick and big cash cow, and even the director Ronald is also in his eyes, faintly emitting a burst of golden light.

"These two are investigators of the Navy. Because the special effects of the Sidewinder air-to-air missile are too realistic, they want to take a look at the copy and do an investigation. We did not abuse the missile."

"Hahaha, welcome. I'll write you a note." Ned Tanin's eyes lit up. He didn't expect Ronald's movie special effects to be so realistic that even the Navy people could be fooled?Now I'm really thinking about launching a sequel right away.

"Thank you, everything is clear. Thank you."

In Paramount's screening hall, Ronald explained the basics of film editing to two naval officers, and then asked the editing assistant to record several shots of air-to-air missiles in air combat into a video tape, and let them take away.

"It's okay, this is an alternative compliment to my work as a director." Ronald had a good impression of the older officer and shook hands with him.

"Seeing that your vice president is very happy, it seems that the box office is very good?"

"Yes, it was No.1 at the box office last week."

"I really want to see this movie. I haven't seen it yet. The last time someone made a positive picture of the Navy was The Best Years of Our Live when I was a child."

"There will be more movies that positively talk about the Navy." Ronald also felt a little bit emotional. The Golden Age is a film that reflects the life of veterans after the end of World War II. At that time, veterans were respected, but they don't want to be portrayed as a group of perverts in Vietnam War movies. .

Ronald turned around and took a dozen or so movie ticket vouchers from the staff, and handed them to the two investigators.

"This is an exchange voucher for Paramount. You can exchange it for movie tickets at any theater that shows 'Top Gun' across the country. If you have a few extra tickets, you can take your children to watch it with you when you go back. There are many people in this movie. It’s all father and son watching together.”

"Thank you. My two sons don't like going to the cinema with me anymore. This time I finally have a chance. The three of us like to watch movies."

The two investigators walked out of Paramount and first went to the nearby Paramount Theater.

"Shall we go and see it? I haven't seen it yet?"

"Okay, let's go and see."

The two took the voucher and exchanged it for a ticket to the best screening hall.

"It's really exciting. I didn't expect the navy to be so handsome. I think it will be easy for those pilots to pick up girls in the future." After watching it, the young man liked it very much.

"Haha, you are so handsome, there is no problem pretending to be a pilot. The two boys in my family will definitely like it."

The two walked out of the screening room just in time to meet a group of teenagers who had finished watching Top Gun.They are clamoring to go to the box office to buy another ticket and watch the movie again.

"I said, the navy is so cool, and I'm going to fly a Tomcat after graduating from high school."

"Come on, you don't look like a pilot like that."

"I heard that pilots need a college degree, and many of them have a doctorate." A high school student wearing glasses said, but no one paid attention to him.

"I don't know where the navy's recruiting office is. My eyesight is very good, and I can become a pilot."

"Yeah, their life is so cool. They drive Tomcats, beat up MiGs, beautiful women, beaches, and motorcycles. I want to live this kind of life too."

The two investigators looked at each other, quickly caught up with a few high school students, and asked, "Sorry, we are in the navy. Is it true that you want to join the navy?"

"Yeah, you guys are in the Navy? Where can we sign up?"

(End of this chapter)