Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 815 Exceeding 1000 million Box Office in Five Days
The jobs of these fans are very ordinary, and many of them are housewives, but they are willing to spend their little pocket money to go to the cinema to watch "Dirty Dancing" over and over again.

Ronald and their head, Kathy, said yes, don't rush to complete the 100-show club feat, "Dirty Dancing" will be shown for a long time, at least until the end of the year, and then it will be converted to long-term screenings, and the ticket prices at that time cheaper.

"In short, I don't want you to watch it just to break the record, or to achieve your wish. Let's make a promise, as long as you go to see the story of Johnny and Baby in your heart, not for this record. .If you can do it, I will come to congratulate you then."

"Oh yeah!"

Everyone in the Women's Fan Club cheered happily, "You should bring Patrick Schwytz with you then."

"Hahaha..." Ronald scratched his head, these movie fans are really cute.

"I want to do something for you guys, Kathy. I've never been in a movie before, and no one has ever told me she's going to like it to the point where she wants to see dozens or hundreds of movies."

"Really? Can we make a request?" Several movie fans were overjoyed. It's not easy for the director to make such a promise.

"As long as it's not for Schwyz to dance with all of you..." Ronald recalled that after the movie was released, the actor Schwyz was asked to dance to a song and say that line everywhere.I had no choice but to make these loyal movie fans give up this request half-jokingly.

"No, No, it's not this." Kathy, the head of the fan club, said with a smile, "We all liked the dance in it after watching the movie, and we also formed a dance club, which is in the classroom of the elementary school in the town every week. Dance.

However, the soundtrack of the film sold out as soon as it came out, and it is hard to find even in Nashville, the music city. We hope you can send us a batch. "

"Just this little thing?" Ronald was surprised that they didn't ask for more, "In this way, our new record is being made overtime in the factory day and night, and when the first batch comes out, I'll ask them to send you 50 copies first. , and then added posters for both Patrick Schwytz and Jennifer Gray."

Ronald snapped his fingers and called Daydream's employees to finalize the matter.

……

Saying goodbye to these lovely Southern babes, Ronald and Cynthia Rhodes then flew back to Los Angeles instead of continuing their fan meeting tour of the South.

"This is a list of people who want to meet you." Nisita returned to Los Angeles ahead of schedule and handed Ronald a bunch of invitations.What Hollywood lacks most is money, and now it is clear that Ronald will make a lot of money, and he is the next insider who can invest in making movies by himself, and the stars want to strengthen their relationship with him.

"Rick, please help me screen out who I need to meet, and then I will meet." Ronald looked at the thick list and whistled.

"Actually, you don't have to go to see them. It's time for them to come to see you. Why don't I find you a company, hold a few parties, and send a lot of people at a time. If you're interested, just chat a few words, and if you're not, just perfunctory. Your current Status, you can learn from Spielberg."

Rick Nisita looked at Ronald and knew that he hadn't changed from a famous director to a powerful film company owner.

"Oh yeah? Can I?" Ronald heaved a sigh of relief and threw the list on the table. "Then please help me choose."

"Of course." Nisita smiled and put away the list. "David has something to ask you, and he has squeezed a bunch of scripts."

Nisita was the first to chat with Ronald, and he pouted at David Simkins behind him.

"Ronald, this is the script we received recently." Script assistant David Simkins asked people to move a whole five large tin boxes, which were full of scripts. Dirty Dancing was shot on a low budget, yet another independent release from Ronald's Daydream Pictures.

This gives endless hope to those who want to make their own scripts into movies.So the script is now quickly gathering to the daydream, the scale and speed are ten times the original.

Ronald opened the tin box and took two random books inside.It was obvious that the cover was dusty and had been turned over by someone.

"It's those old scripts again. You help me choose them first, and I'll take the time to read them carefully." Ronald knew that every time he made a successful movie, a large number of unsatisfied screenwriters wrote out their own "painstaking effort". sent to try his luck.I hope this director can understand the goods.

There's good stuff in there that somehow got buried in the studio's warehouse and didn't make it.But most of them are rubbish, rejected by multiple studios, most likely because the script itself is faulty, or not suitable for filming (some scenes are too expensive).

"Okay, boss."

"Our records can be sent to retail stores in various places immediately. After the RCA contract is signed, the first batch of goods produced uses different covers. It will soon come to the weekend, and the situation that there are no goods in various places can be solved. Try to be in MJ's 'Bad' was on sale for two weeks before the new album."

Jimmy Reiner came third, and RCA, in order to show its sincerity, advanced the production of the record.As for the marketing process, the demand from all over the country is very strong, as long as the record arrives, it can be sold immediately.The effect of film and record pulling each other is very obvious. There is no more budget for RCA.

When the payment is returned, RCA will share with Daydream.

"The payment is still too slow." Ronald took out the checkbook and wrote a check for legal fees to Los Angeles barrister Mitch Kanter.

Daydream's funds are all used in marketing, and now there are additional activities such as fan meetings in various places, and road shows in various states of America.Ronald, on the other hand, was still talking to the laboratory about reprinting copies.The current multiplex theaters are optimistic about the box office stamina of "Dirty Dancing", and hope to introduce more copies and play it on a loop.

The money Douglas Jr. invested in the later stage was like a drop in the bucket, and it would dry up in less than a week.

Moreover, according to the share ratio of the two, Ronald would have to invest millions of dollars, otherwise the two would have to sit down and have lawyers and accountants recalculate the share ratio of the two.

There is only one way now, which is to use the future box office revenue and record revenue to mortgage loans to financial institutions, and then get through the current stage of cash depletion.

Fortunately, the box office performance of "Dirty Dancing" is obvious to all, and the album is expected to achieve good sales results next week, so it is not a big problem to borrow several million for emergency.

Another person who came to chat with Ronald alone was Steve Bannon, the producer of "Love Is Not For Sale".

"My relationship on Wall Street can at least achieve the interest of this figure." Bannon took the calculator on Ronald's desk and typed a number on it.

"If this is the case, I might as well ask the boss of the 'Screen Fund', you know, I have a good relationship with their directors.

Ronald pushed the calculator back.

"Well, it can be as cheap as this number, but you have to borrow at least 1000 million." Bannon typed another number.

"1000 million? Does my collateral have such a high value?" Ronald looked at the interest and was satisfied. It was 1000 million. It seemed that the box office release contract and the record contract were not worth so much money.

"I personally vouch for you. I don't believe your movies are worth that much money. I've been going to the cinema every other day since Love Is Not For Sale, watching the audience's emotions and reactions. Your 'Dirty Dancing' After it is released, I can say responsibly that your box office will at least double that of mine."

Bannon shook his thick neck from side to side, his tie and shirt holding him tight.When talking about his confidence in Ronald, he was a little excited and loosened his tie by the way.

"What do you want?" Ronald was more satisfied with the interest rate. Bannon offered to help, so he had to see what the cost would be.

"Your next movie, can you take me with you?" Bannon threw aside the tie he was playing with and whispered to Ronald.

"I can't guarantee that you will be able to participate in the films I directed, but I will be open to you to invest in the films that I am optimistic about in the future."

"It's a pleasure dealing with you." Bannon stretched out his thick hand and shook hands with Ronald. "The rest of the contract work will be done by accountants and lawyers."

Last to come in was Daydream's distribution director Michelle Cannold.

"Tonight, we'll be able to do over $1000 million at the box office."

Cannold came up with good news.

"Tonight? Are you sure? Today is the fifth day, right?" Ronald was a little surprised. He had expected to reach the first 1000 million box office before the weekend of the second week. How could it be several days earlier?
"Yeah, the Deep South, and the Midwest have had unexpected box office growth. I've added a few stops to Alabama, Georgia, and other states for fan meetings. Women in those small towns, really. Loved this movie a lot."

"Yeah, yeah..." Ronald stroked his beard. The biggest surprise of "Dirty Dancing" was that it gained a large number of hardcore audiences in the conservative Deep South.

"So we have to speed up the production of the video tape." Michelle Cannold took the opportunity to push the release plan of a video tape.

"This?" Ronald looked at the summary. The plan in it was well formulated, but the cost was also very expensive. He almost had to invest most of the loan he had just finalized with Bannon.

"We have to hurry up, the second month after the release, there will be pirates who will take advantage of the movie's box office and start trying to buy off the projectionist in the town.

Moreover, from the second month to the third month, many movie theaters in small towns began to rent copies to their counterparts, and loopholes began to appear in the management here, and the general movie piracy came out during this period.

We must spread a large number of video tapes to video rental shops before the risk of piracy. "

"Okay, let's do it like this." Ronald looked at the back, Kannold's estimated sales and rental income, and immediately signed the proposal for confirmation.

If you spend all your money on "Dirty Dancing" now, you may get several times the return next year.

"However, can this production cost be reduced?" Ronald asked, pointing to the unit price of a single video tape. "I know some of the 'Top Gun' video release details, and their cost seems to be lower than ours."

"That's different. Top Gun is sponsored by Pepsi, and they're $6 cheaper per plate." Cannold pointed to the average cost figure and said to Ronald.

"Oh, I forgot about that." Ronald patted his head. "It would be great if we also had this kind of rich and powerful corporate sponsorship videos. I would be willing to shoot commercials for them. But this is a rare thing."

Cannold was about to ask Ronald when he was given the answer, with a frustrated expression on his face.

"In fact, we need a company that can offer cheaper production costs, but..."

"Oh, how much cheaper can it be?" Ronald became interested. If the loan was spent on production, the new film would have no production budget, and his personal account would basically have no savings.It's always good to save a little.

"It's much cheaper, but they are a Xiangjiang company."

"What happened to Xiangjiang?" Ronald asked.

"Piracy is rampant there."

"Oh", Ronald thought for a while, but let it go.If the manufacturer insists on self-piracy, the pirated video tapes may be released together with the genuine ones, or only a short period of time behind, which will eat up the sales of the genuine ones in large quantities, and it will be too late to regret.

"In fact, their production capacity is good, the quality is very consistent, and they are cheap." Manager Liu also brought a large number of video tapes they produced. I think the colors are very accurate. If it is not a pirated version, it is very appropriate to give them to them.

Cannold asked his assistant to bring in a box of video tapes from the outside, all of which were written in Chinese on the cover.The one on the top is still starring Jackie Chan, an acquaintance of Ronald, and the name is very strange Spartan X.

"You put it here, let me see." Ronald knew that the other party was also tempted by such a cheap cost. If the sales were good, or the European video tape market was opened, the American market would have been eaten by then anyway. Not much, so I don't care about more piracy in Asia.

The last one to come in was Richard, Ronald's most trusted agent, and Nisita.

Nisita has already found a PR company and booked a party time for Ronald.Richard took a bunch of information about important people and wanted to go through it with Ronald.

The working hours passed quickly, and it was almost night after Ronald had discussed with the two agents.

"Alas..." Ronald yawned big, stretched his waist, "It's been enough for the past few days, traveling between the east and west coasts, the marketing roadshow is really tiring."

"Maybe, you should consider renting a private jet. It saves time compared to civil aviation, and you can rest on board."

Nisita closed her notebook and made a suggestion.

"Don't mention it, I'm in a cash crisis now. I've been spending money, spending money, spending money this year, and if I don't see the money back, I can't afford to sit in first class."

"Eh..." Richard hesitated to speak.

"What?" Ronald saw his small movements.

"When you were short of money, didn't you accept commercial production? The filming can be completed in a day or two. Now your reputation is still rising, and the price offered by the manufacturer is increasing."

"Someone asked me to shoot an advertisement?" Ronald laughed, "That's a good thing, which company?"

"Procter & Gamble..."

"Pass", Ronald interrupted immediately.During the filming of Dirty Dancing, Procter & Gamble withdrew the placement advertisement of Ke Liying Acne Cream because of the abortion plot, which made Ronald very passive.This time it was obvious that the other party intended to extend an olive branch, but Ronald was not interested in reconciling with them.

If it’s a big deal, save some flowers, or borrow some more, or go back to New York to eat my aunt’s meal, hehe.Ronald no longer wanted to wrong his own thoughts.

"Okay, let me see what I can do, let the wind out that you are willing to accept commercials, and see what happens."

"Very well, Ronald rubbed his eyes, his work is always endless, but let's stop here today."

Taking a few boxes of video tapes from Xiangjiang Company, Ronald picked out a few Jackie Chan movies to watch as entertainment.

……

"Spartan X" Ronald looked at the English title on the cover of the video tape, and there was a line of "fast food truck" written in very faint Chinese below it.

What movie is this?The name doesn't reveal much about the content.

Ronald put the videotape into the machine, and after a burst of blue and pink anti-piracy titles passed, the movie officially started.

"This anti-piracy technology is still good, better than last time." Ronald thinks that the anti-piracy version is also top-notch.

It opens with a shot of Jackie Chan and one of his brothers getting out of bed, and they decide to take a shortcut because the Italians are fighting and blocking the stairs.

Jackie Chan turned over from the balcony and jumped down. There was a canopy in the fruit shop below. He split on the canopy, bounced, and then fell down and stood on the ground.

"Oh, Shxt", Ronald stood up, how did this shot happen?

He quickly grabbed the remote control and rewinded the tape.

"Hey, there seems to be no editing point." Ronald muttered, "Is this a real dance?"

He hits the play button.

"what……"

The owner of the fruit shop put away the awning, followed by another actor named Yuen Biao, who jumped down, turned down from the second floor and sat down on the ground.

"Isn't this also a real shot?" Ronald exclaimed.

Such a dangerous action of turning somersaults directly from the second floor and sitting on the ground with one's buttocks, might cause injury or even disability.

"Are you willing to dance? No way, how can there be such a stupid person? There must be some special method." Ronald finished watching the movie, which is full of many such action scenes, and the playing is very beautiful.

But what impressed him the most was the opening scene where he fell from the second floor, was caught by the canopy and bounced up, and turned to the first floor.

Encountering this technical problem, Ronald's addiction to directing was aroused again, and he really wanted to know how this was filmed.

After thinking about it for a long time, Ronald looked at his watch, and it happened to be morning over there, so he decided to make a phone call.

……

"Brother Long, a ghost is looking for you. He speaks English. He said he is calling from Los Angeles."

"Ghost? Who called me?" Jackie Chan had already woken up early and finished exercising, and was about to eat after taking a shower.

"Hello? This Jackie Chan", Jackie asked word by word in his slightly accented English.

"Ronald, this is Ronald..."

"Sister Jiao, help me listen, this ghost speaks so fast, I can't understand."

"Hello", the beautiful woman called Sister Jiao came over to answer the phone and was about to ask in English.

Ronald switched to Mandarin here, "I'm Brother Long's friend. My name is Ronald, Ronald Lee. If you say that Ronaldinho is looking for him, he will know."

"Oh, Ronaldinho." Jackie Chan picked up the phone, "How are you in Los Angeles? When will the new movie be released in Xiangjiang? We are getting together."

"I'm here to ask you a question about filming..." Ronald said on the phone.

"I don't dare to ask for advice. Let's learn from each other." Jackie Chan was very happy, making exaggerated faces at Sister Jiao, and showed her in a low voice: "This ghost Xiao Luo, said that he has something to ask me about movies. He is the last year's ambition. Ling Yun's director, the one you've seen."

"I just watched your 1984 movie 'Food Truck'. How did you shoot the scene where you jumped from the second floor and got bounced by the canopy?"

"How to shoot? Just shoot directly." Jackie Chan stopped to play with Sister Jiao, and replied to Ronald on the phone.He felt a little strange, this movement was quite difficult, he did it five or six times before he found the feeling, and took the smoothest one.

But what difficulty do you think this shot has?That's nothing at all, just set up the camera there to shoot.Not as difficult as the fencing shots behind.

"Shoot directly? Did you really jump down and take a shot to the end?"

"Which one is the real dance, all the scenes in my movie are real." Brother Long began to show off to Sister Jiao again.

"The actor in the back, Yuen Biao, did he really jump from the second class and fall to the ground?"

"Of course, we have other martial arts. We can jump down from higher buildings."

"Okay, I'm convinced." Ronald chatted with him a few words, then hung up the phone, "This is really a group of desperate people."

"Ghost Xiaoluo convinced me..." Jackie Chan danced happily, doing somersaults in front of Sister Jiao.

……

"Ronald, I heard back early this morning that Coca-Cola wants to work with you. Just like the Pepsi commercial you did last year, you also shot a Diet Coke commercial for Coca-Cola, and they used it for the main TV commercial.

Their bid was good, a little higher than Pepsi.

In addition, if you are willing to shoot a 60-second commercial, they can also imitate the cooperation method with Pepsi and insert an advertisement in front of the 'Dirty Dancing' video tape, and they are also willing to subsidize you 6 dollars per video tape. "

Early the next morning, agent Richard called Ronald to announce the good news.

"You know what, Richard, you made my day. I said yes, you let them find someone to talk to?"

(End of this chapter)