Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 679 The audience of The Sound of Music is missing
David Simkins is a script assistant hired by Ronald. His main job is to select various potential and interesting scripts for Ronald.

This job is much more interesting than the similar job in TV station.

Because Ronald is a director who knows how to write a screenplay.Once or twice a week, he would exchange scripts with David in person or over the phone.From Ronald's words, David Simkins learned a lot about how to read the script from the perspective of the director and producer.

David Simkins, who originally looked at the script from the perspective of the script itself, quickly understood what kind of script would be loved by directors and producers.

To be precise, the angles of the two are not the same.The director likes to find room for development from the script, what kind of performance space there is, who can be hired to play what role, and the final film will be different because of the different roles.

The producer's point of view is all from the cost.How much will it cost to photograph these few lines?How many costumes, makeup, props are needed for this scene?Is there a way to control costs?How to choose a scene to shoot at the lowest cost.

Of course, if an actor or star reads the script, they will think more about whether they can show their acting skills, overwhelm the opponent actors on the screen, and whether they can deepen the audience's star image.

David Simkins felt well trained.The truth in Hollywood is to give the director as much room as possible within the budget.

Now that the major labor unions have strongly raised the minimum wage, the most popular way to save money in the past two years is to go to Australia or Canada for filming.In addition to lower wages, more hours, and the benefits of tax rebates.

He also works very hard. In addition to learning knowledge, Ronald also promised him that if the script he wrote himself meets the requirements, Ronald will also consider casting it or recommending it to a suitable producer.

Of course, the most important thing now is to summarize all kinds of interesting scripts and discuss with the boss the possibility of him personally directing.

"Mr. Spielberg thought about it for a long time after talking with you, but he still hasn't let go. He has some concerns about the script adapted from his deeds. I hope it won't be too obvious in the script, so that people will guess it is him."

David Simkins passed on to Ronald exactly what Spielberg's assistant Catherine called to explain.

"What? He still doesn't want to reveal the secret? Hmm..."

Ronald knew in his heart that Spielberg was a shy person by nature.This kind of story adapted from his early years as an apprentice in Universal made him a little uneasy.The director is to film the story for others to read, not to show his own story to others...

"I'll talk to him when I get back from London. Mr. Frank Price, reply like this? Anyway, Michael J. Fox has a four-month schedule. You can make a film."

"Then I'll just go back to Price?" Nisita said next to him, "Fox is now focusing on preparing the movie about the life of a rock band that he wants to make the most. I'm afraid his attention will be mainly on that .”

"This is just right. If Steven is not willing to come out to promote it, the film will have some problems in marketing."

Ronald was a little worried about the box office of the movie Frank Price had asked him to direct.

He chatted with Spielberg about the script, and Spielberg pointed out on the spot that the movie, coupled with ordinary marketing methods, might not attract enough moviegoers to see it.

That was April before Top Gun came out.Ronald and Frank Price, Spielberg, met at Universal under the arrangement of CAA president, Michael Ovitz.

The storyline of this movie actually happened when Spielberg was working in the Universal Television production department in the 70s.

Spielberg was out of high school and dropped out of college to work at Universal Studios.Because he is young, no project is willing to hire him as a director.

Spielberg loved movies so much that he grew a beard, tried to look older, and impersonated Universal executives, donning well-pressed suits and wandering around sets and offices.

Because he has a universal work card, the directors and photographers on the set don't know who this person is.So let him hang out on the set, asking others technical questions and artistic processing.The on-site personnel were also willing to answer his questions.

He soon discovered that when you put on a show on set and in the office, as long as your clothes are ironed, your tie is on, your shoes are polished, and you show your confidence, no one will find out that you are lying.

This made Spielberg, who was relatively introverted but imaginative since he was a child, very proud. He played this set for more than half a year, and even got himself an office in Universal's office building, and put all kinds of script materials in it. There, go to work every day.

It wasn't until one day by chance that Universal's then-president Sidney Simberg saw him and asked who this very knowledgeable young man was, and Spielberg revealed his secrets.

But Simberg admired his hard work, courage, and adventurous spirit.Instead of blaming Spielberg, he gave him the opportunity to direct several TV films, and only then did he have a good story about "Jaws".

Originally, Price wanted to show Spielberg the script, but the other party had no interest at all.That's why Ronald was called in to take over.

Ronald was puzzled as to why Spielberg was not interested. The story was well written and the characters were well-crafted. It is said that it has the potential to win box office and critical acclaim.

But what Spielberg said to him at the time deepened Ronald's doubts, and even he was a little uncertain.

"You know this movie is for the audience of The Sound of Music, who have been missing for a long time."

"The Sound of Music? The Julie Andrews one?" Ronald didn't quite understand what Steven meant.

"You should understand, Ronald. I see you've always had a knack for attracting audiences when you make movies. Do you know who the audience for The Sound of Music is?"

"I think those housewives and some adults who are fathers may take their children to see it." Ronald thought for a while and replied.

"Yeah, they are the ones who disappeared from the movie theater after the invention of television. But sometimes, they will be inspired by a certain movie and go back to the theater. We don't know what the point is here, it's a gamble .”

"Oh", Ronald kind of understood what Spielberg meant, and also wanted to understand why Frank Price wanted Spielberg to participate in the movie, adapting his true story as a marketing gimmick for the movie.

After the invention of television, housewives were the first to disappear from the regular audience of movie theaters.

Their entertainment has changed from watching movies specially made for women in cinemas to watching soap operas on TV.

Ronald has also seen a lot of market research reports on movies, and there is a proper term in it called movie audience.

In this regard, Hollywood has a clear definition, that is, audiences who have entered the movie theater more than ten times in the past year and have fixed movie-watching habits.

These housewives, maybe once or twice a year in the movie theater occasionally, such as Ronald's "Top Gun" or Spielberg's "ET Aliens", other than that, they stay away from the rest of the movies up.

If your movie's primary audience is these people, then you're taking a gamble.Bet your film has certain qualities that fill a void in film, address some big real-world issues that no previous film has ever touched, and most importantly, make it look good.

In this way, you will have the possibility of re-entering the movie theater through word of mouth and arousing more "missing audiences of "The Sound of Music" who don't usually watch movies.

This possibility is actually relatively small, so mature directors like Spielberg are kept at a respectful distance.Especially after his last movie "Purple", which reflected major real-life issues, failed completely in the awards.

This movie, which Spielberg has high hopes for, has received more than 8000 million box office results in April because of the large-scale publicity at the box office and the gimmick of his first contact with realistic themes.

But at the Oscars, Spielberg was humiliated.The movie "Purple" got 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, but no nominations for Spielberg alone for Best Director.

In the end, at the awards show, all 11 nominations fell through, and Ronald felt awkward being there, especially every time the camera caught Spielberg.

Even the above host, Jane Fonda, was extremely embarrassed when she announced the best picture award winner.Spielberg also didn't attend the after-party party and walked away.

Anyway, in a short period of time, he and the Oscar Organizing Committee that did not nominate him for the best director formed a bridge. Those members with voting power did not want the young Spielberg to win the award so quickly.

Because of this experience, Ronald also had a lot of concerns about directing this realistic film.

Plus……

"Is Helen still pestering you to play the leading role?" Nisita took a chance to ask Ronald alone.

"She thinks so, I find it a little annoying..."

Ronald was a little embarrassed, he didn't really want to direct Helen Slater.On the one hand, her acting skills are not very good, but she thinks highly of herself.Director Ronald, who is close to him, feels that it is not easy to say harsh words.

On the other hand, this movie has many not-so-good plots. The heroine is a lover who clings to the boss of the company. With the help of the boss, she becomes a supervisor in the finance department.Although he finally got married with the actor, this kind of plot is harmful to the actor's image.

But Helen Slater's requirements for the space of acting skills exceed everything else.She wanted to play the heroine very much, and pestered Ronald to flatter her.On the one hand, Ronald enjoys Helen's gentleness, but on the other hand, he finds it a bit annoying. It is best not to direct or Helen not to play the leading role.

But it's not easy to say these words, it's a bit embarrassing anyway, only a human agent can find a way to mediate in the middle, not only to persuade Helen to give up, but also to find an excuse that doesn't hurt her self-esteem.

"I'll talk to her more." Of course, Nisita wanted to actively share Ronald's worries, "You go to London first, and when you come back, I should have almost dealt with it."

"Well," Ronald turned to his assistant, David Simkins, "how about that script that Eleanor sent?"

"The script is a good script, but it's an old story from the Kennedy era, and there is a problem with the audience. The audience who liked to read the stories of the little girls at that time are now middle-aged housewives, and they are also... "

"It's also the missing audience of the Sound of Music, isn't it?" Ronald waved his hand, you give me a copy of the script, I'll read it on the plane.Wait till I get back from the royal premiere of Top Gun in Britannia.

(End of this chapter)