Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 820 Working with Roger Coleman
"Ronald Lee, in this year's new film 'Dirty Dancing', can be regarded as establishing his status as a revival of musicals. He is the king of musicals in the 80s. He took over Fred Asdale, The tradition of musical films by Gene Kelly and others, with new-age director techniques and smooth narrative rhythms of commercial films, gave this once brilliant genre a new lease of life..."

Sure enough, traveling by Gulfstream would not have any effect on rest, and Ronald could go to the office early the next morning.

The newspapers accumulated over the weekend were all placed on the desk.Ronald picked it up and took a look. The assistants carefully labeled the reports about "dirty dancing".It's basically a compliment to Ronald and the two lead actors.

The box office statistics for the weekend are also out, and there is almost no drop compared to the first week. "Dirty Dancing" ruled the American cinema scene in August.

The Labor Day weekend in America is coming up soon. If it can keep the box office at a high level for three consecutive weekends, it will be able to dominate the box office for another two weeks.No new contenders like Michael Douglas' "Fatal Attraction" were released until mid-September.

Sometimes, in the traditional off-season at the box office, if the quality of the film is good, there is this advantage of being a big fish in a small pond.

Ronald finished flipping through the newspaper, wrote a note on it, and asked his assistant to cut out all the reports for him and store them away.A person sat happily at his desk for a long time before starting his day's work.

"Cassandra, I've read the script carefully, and I'll confirm with you again, can't your budget be lowered? I see that in your script, except for the fire that destroyed the old house, many scenes can be used for comparison. deal with it in an economical way.”

Back in Los Angeles, Ronald has the support of the dream on the plane, and his confidence in "Ecstasy" begins to rise.After reveling in the praises in the papers, Ronald called Cassandra Peterson, who was still in New York, to confirm her wishes.

"Of course, there are no theaters that are willing to show those old-fashioned B-movies. I talked to several producers, and they all answered me like this. big scene.

Minahan Golan's tricks have been cast aside by the market.Look at his Superman IV..."

"Okay, I understand what you mean. You want to go to theatrical movies, not the kind of B-movies that can only be made into video tapes and end up in video rental shops."

Ronald stroked his chin.I still use the old way of thinking to think about the problem.

The reason why Roger Corman was able to use an ultra-low-cost (less than 50) budget to traverse Hollywood for decades.A big reason is that there are no such impressive visual spectacle movies on the market.Now Lucas, Spielberg, and Cameron are making those movies, which have raised the quality of movies several notches.

Audiences will really laugh out loud when they go to the cinema to watch movies that are fake at first glance.

Cassandra Peterson, on the other hand, was the "big hit" (over $1000 million budget) "The Lost City of Gold" for Minahan's Cannon.Although judging from the final film, they may have only spent three yuan and fifty-eight cents on special effects.

But after all, Cassandra Peterson is the number one villain who dominates the theater market and has released more than 1500 theaters at the same time.She has worked so hard to promote the movie, it is certainly impossible for her to accept that it will be directly made into a video tape.

"Or, you can get a film under $200 million production budget into distribution? I heard one of your films 'Love Is Not For Sale' had a low budget." Cassandra Peterson misunderstood Ro Nader's call means that if it can enter the theater, the low cost is actually not a bad thing.

"No, that movie is to fill the gap in theaters. Obviously, I can't find a blockbuster movie in a short period of time to occupy the schedule after the New Year next year. By the way, bring your movie." Ronald thought for a while , still have to cooperate with people.

"Listen, Cassandra, I'll be talking to some other producers in the next couple of days, I really like your screenplay and I'm confident in your performance in 'The Lost City of Gold'. So you Don't look for other producers for the time being, let me see... by the end of this week, I will give you an answer."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you... I really don't know how to thank you..." Cassandra Peterson stomped her feet happily on the other end of the phone, "Should I go back right away? When you talk to other people, is Don't you want me to be there too?"

"Don't expect too much. It's still uncertain whether this matter will succeed or not. It will be good for you to come back, but it's better for you to join after I find the right person."

Obviously, Cassandra Peterson, who had already been fooled by Minahan Golan and fell into the pond from a height without a substitute and had to fight herself, would not be able to compete with Cannon Pictures cooperation.

This also left Ronald with only one possible partner, former boss and guide Roger Coleman.

Making an appointment with Roger's secretary to go to his Concorde company for an interview tomorrow, Ronald was stopped by the script assistant David Simkins.

"Ronald, here is a script, which is given to you by name. I think what he said makes sense, so I jumped in line to show you."

"Oh, why?" Ronald raised his eyebrows in surprise.He waved for his assistant to make David a cup of coffee.

"This letter was sent by the screenwriter and producer together with the script. I think I can't refuse the reasons listed in it."

"Really? Can't refuse?" Ronald took the script, and the name of the script was written on the cover of the hard cardboard, "White Lipstick (White Lipstick), below is the name of the screenwriter John Waters.

"What does this mean? The name is not well named, and I don't understand the meaning." Ronald opened the cover, and inside was an open letter.

"Dear Ronald, my name is John Waters and I'm the writer of 'White Lipstick' and I'm writing to you because you're the only person in this generation who knows how to make a musical.

This 'white lipstick' is also about dancers in 1962..."

"Interesting..." Ronald looked at David Simkins, a movie that was basically written in the same time period as "Dirty Dancing."

"I checked the registration time of the Screenwriters Guild, and his script was written long before our movie was released." Simkins replied, this John Waters is not following the trend.

Ronald nodded and continued reading.

"Tracey is a fat white girl who likes black dance shows. On a local TV teen dance show in Baltimore, she overcame discrimination about her size and won the championship.

And her friend also broke through racial discrimination and fell in love with a black youth..."

"Oh..." Ronald became more interested after reading this. In the 60s, in addition to the situation of President Kennedy and the all-round competition of the league, another major event was the affirmative action movement initiated by the progressive youth at that time, which challenged black racial segregation and the incompatibility of the same school.

This writing method of embedding the plot of the musical film into the background of the time is very similar to Eleanor's "Dirty Dancing".There is also discrimination against Jews and women's struggle for their own bodily freedom as a background.

Ronald didn't speak, but silently flipped through the script.Similar to "Dirty Dancing", the script of this movie also hides the ups and downs of the times behind the plot.It does not deliberately highlight the plots that these older audiences miss, but it is subtly shown through the story.

The final climactic ending of the script.The protagonist Tracy was imprisoned in the detention center because she participated in the protest of the black and white mixed school.Another mean girl wins a TV talent show.

At a critical moment, the governor pardoned Tracy.She rushed to the TV station, and the host announced that for the first time in Baltimore's history, black and white people appeared on the same program at the same time.It ends in a big dance.

"What do you think?" Ronald said to David Simkins, closing the script.

"I think it is very suitable for our company's next film. I checked this John Waters. He has always been known for making low-budget films. Many of his films before were made for tens of thousands of dollars. The quality is in the Among the B-level movies, it is very good, and the box office is also at a high level.

It is very suitable for our current situation of lack of production budget. The filming cycle of this kind of film is very short, and it can be released to theaters in the off-season after the New Year holiday next year, so that our distribution business will not be idle. "

"Your idea is very good!" Ronald admired Simkins' idea very much. This kind of employee who takes the initiative to stand at the height of the company instead of only looking at the interests of his own department is very likable.

"Then I invite him to come for an interview?"

"As soon as possible, I'm going to talk to Roger Coleman from Concorde tomorrow about another film collaboration, and it would be best if I could talk to John Waters today."

……

John Waters came to Ronald's office in West Hollywood in the afternoon.Born in 1946, he is very thin, with a mustache and a funny look.

Waters himself is a native of Baltimore.The script of the "White Lipstick" movie was adapted from his own experience.The TV dance talent show in the movie, and the feat of being the first to break the black and white class in the same school in Baltimore in 1963, all happened when he was in middle school.

This is also a script that he spent a long time slowly polishing.

"What is your budget requirement for the film?" Ronald looked at the other party. The script actually didn't have too many scenes, mainly indoor scenes and dance scenes.

"This is my brainchild, so I want to try to make him the way I want him to be," John Waters said.

"Tell me about your plan." Ronald began to feel that something was wrong in his heart. It was essentially a question of how much money was spent to make the photo look what he wanted.

"I thought about the Baltimore location, including the campus scene, and the Baltimore street scene."

"Live-action shooting is more economical," Ronald nodded. There is no actors' union in Baltimore, so Waters can save money wherever he is.

"I want a little more budget. I used to make super low-budget movies with a budget of no more than $10. This movie is my dream movie. I want to make him as good as possible." Ronald , you will understand me right?"

John Waters looked at Ronald pitifully. If Ronald didn't give the green light, he might have to use some second-hand recycled film that other crews didn't finish shooting for the rest of his life to make some ultra-low-budget direct-to-video movies. up.

"Huh...", Ronald scratched his head, this promise is not easy to give, "How much money do you expect to need?"

The cost of musicals is much higher than romantic films like "Love Is Not For Sale".Ronald was already prepared for the other party to ask for more than 500 million yuan, after all, he also needed so much money to shoot "Dirty Dancing".

"two……"

"2000 million? Are you fucking kidding me?" Ronald became popular when he heard the first two words. I haven't made more than 1000 million for my own musicals.

"No, it's 200 million." Waters quickly clarified.

"200 million? Are you sure you can shoot it?" Ronald counted the big scenes of group dances. In the plot, there is a dance talent show. Every time there are dozens of experienced dancers dancing in groups, and they dance in the 60s This is not just a "break dance" where you just grab a few street dancers and dance.

"There is no big problem. I have a group of actors who have worked with me for more than ten years. We have a good understanding and their salary is not expensive."

"Very well, you create a budget, and then do the storyboarding of the main scenes. I have a meeting with other colleagues to discuss it. You should stop looking for other producers before the end of this week, I think this It's not hard to make a promise, is it?"

"Of course", John Waters stood up happily when he heard that there was something interesting, and prepared to say goodbye.

"Also, let me ask, what does the title of your script 'White Lipstick' mean?"

"Lipstick is red, and white is a very strange color. Just like in Baltimore at that time, black people could not enter the TV station and participate in the draft with white people. Everyone has seen this strange phenomenon, but no one has the courage to speak out. Only A brave and optimistic girl like Tracy can speak out and fight for change." Waters began to talk about the metaphorical meaning of the name.

"No wonder you can't find investment." Ronald shook his head, thanks to the fact that the other party wrote a letter because he was good at making musicals and was seen by David Simkins.Otherwise, no one would want to read such an unknown name.

"This won't work. You have to change your name. Change to someone who can understand the plot at a glance."

"But..." Waters is very proud of the puns and metaphors in the title, and he thought about it for a long time.

"Come on, if you don't change it, we can't give the green light. Low-budget movies can't spend big budgets on marketing. You have to let the audience understand what you want to tell the story. It's like 'Dirty Dancing (Dirty Dancing) ..."

"Okay, I understand, I'll change it when I get back..."

……

Daydream's office is rented in an ordinary house without decoration, and the sound insulation of the walls is not good.Ronald couldn't try to dream movie scenes by practicing pranayama.

He drove home, took a hot shower, closed the windows, drew the shades, turned off the lights, sat on his yoga mat, and started to let his mind go.

"Shake Shake... Baby... Shake Shake..."

A burst of rhythmic swing dance music came, and Ronald seemed to see a fat girl in front of the TV, learning the dance moves on TV with her girlfriend.

"This shot is pretty good." Ronald couldn't help but sigh, such dance moves are obviously well-trained. Although the heroine is very fat, her dance moves are very flexible.

"Hmm... what is this?"

Ronald saw a few more pictures of group dances, and he discovered that, just like he likes to shoot beautiful women's legs, this John Waters has a special interest in women's buttocks, several shots, Tracy's buttocks Just a big close-up swaying towards the camera, the screen is completely occupied by this huge buttocks.

Then there's the closing scene, in which Ronald sees Tracy dyed blonde, fat though she is, doing a sort of cockroach dance on a TV show at the invitation of her beloved boy.

"Hmm... very good." Ronald felt that being able to take pictures of fat girls so cute was also very attractive to those audiences whose figures were not so standard.Fat girls can also find handsome guys who love them.

Soon, the picture that yogic breathing can provide is over.Ronald fell headlong to the floor and fell asleep.

……

"Ronald!" The next day, Roger Coleman was waiting for Ronald in the office and found him walking into the office with his head tilted. "What happened to your neck?"

"I slept with a stiff neck at night..." Ronald touched his neck, he was sprained from sleeping on the floor last night.

"Are you okay?"

"It's okay, I have an appointment with a chiropractor."

"Okay, you said you brought a joint project to discuss with me?" Roger Coleman looked at Ronald who was sitting down.

"Actually, there are two..."

Ronald took the two scripts out of the briefcase, put them on the table and pushed them over.

"Well, I know this Cassandra Peterson, who has acted in many movies." Roger Coleman first read the outline of the script of "Ecstasy".

"The budget of this film is more than 700 million. I would like to ask if you are interested in cooperating. That musical is cheaper. If you think 700 million is too expensive, we can start to cooperate with this one."

"Let me see", Roger Coleman opened the script of "White Lipstick" again. He is a veteran producer.

"How is it? Is this script very old and new world?" Ronald asked Coleman, pointing to "White Lipstick".

"It's really similar," Coleman smiled. This cheap filming method is really similar to the old New World Pictures.

"So let's start with the movie?" Ronald asked.

"No, I'm more interested in 'Ecstasy Master'."

To Ronald's surprise, Coleman preferred a film with a $700 million shooting budget.

"Why?" Ronald felt that this was not Coleman's style.

"You also know that my distribution channels used to mainly rely on drive-in theaters and mill theaters transformed from old movie theaters."

Roger Coleman is also helpless, he has the opportunity to make low-cost movies to make money, he will not invest a lot of money to make blockbuster movies

"In the past five years, especially in the past three years, real estate has developed very fast because of low interest rates. The vacant land of many drive-in theaters and the renovation of the land where old movie theaters are located, these two main distribution channels of mine, have begun to wither rapidly gone."

"Oh..." Ronald thought to himself that it seemed to be the case. He was driving in Los Angeles, and it had been a long time since he saw a drive-in theater that was everywhere.

"If we want to release it in theaters, we have to increase the budget, otherwise it is impossible to break even at the box office of the cinema."

"Isn't there still?"

"Video?" Coleman laughed. "There is a limited market for direct distribution of videotapes without theatrical distribution. You can only shoot $10,000+ dollars for directors to practice. Unlike when you entered the industry, the opportunities for new directors are increasing. Less and less."

Ronald also shook his head. If the videotapes were made directly, one would only sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. The quality of these two scripts is actually far more than this market potential.But if you want to sell more, you must support marketing.

Neither his own daydream, nor Coleman's Concorde, can spend a million on marketing for a 10,000+ production VHS movie.The sales of videotapes must be released in theaters to gain word of mouth.

So Coleman's choice is also logical. Now he can only shoot some 500 million to 800 million productions, and release them in unpopular schedules that are not popular with blockbusters with a production budget of 2000 million US dollars, and then use video tapes to recover the cost.

Compared with a fat girl, the story of participating in a TV draft in 1963 is still a horror film with a sense of humor like "Ecstasy", which is in line with Roger Coleman's usual taste. With a budget of 700 million, it is also more capable of competing with blockbuster films in theaters.

"Okay, then we will cooperate on this movie. When the time comes, we will jointly distribute it..."

"Pleasant to work with."

Ronald and the former boss shook hands vigorously, indicating that an agreement had been reached.Coleman's reputation has remained unchanged for decades. The two don't need to sign a contract, but they can trust that the other party will perform the agreement by shaking hands.

"Julie likes your Dirty Dancing very much... I've watched it three or four times." Coleman talked about things at home.

"I'll send her the tape."

……

Since Coleman chose to cooperate with "Ecstasy", Ronald had to find another partner for "White Lipstick".

He decided to pay attention to making these two films, which will be marketed as Daydream's film next year.A healthy company cannot make movies on its own.

Call Cassandra Peterson first and tell her the good news.Cassandra was overjoyed on the phone, saying that she would start selecting directors and actors immediately.

"No, the final decision is up to the company. You can only propose candidates, Cassandra." Ronald corrected the other party with a smile.

"Of course, of course, everyone needs casting. But the heroine?"

"Of course, it's yours."

Then there's John Waters.

Ronald called and told him that the company had given the green light to the project and was still looking for investors.

"So as long as we find financing, we can start filming?"

"Yes, Waters. I already have a few candidates, and you come to the meeting with me." Ronald has several candidates in his mind, and Steve Bannon still wants to invest in the daydream project. Douglas didn't know how much pocket money he had left.

"By the way, have you thought about your name?"

"If you think about it, it's called Hairspray"

"Then what the hell does it mean?" Ronald heard, why is it such an inexplicable name?

"This is the sponsor of the talent show, and the winner is Miss Hairspray. And in 1963, hairspray represented liberation, progress..."

"Okay, okay, let's call it this name first, and then think about whether there is a better one."

"This name is very good. When the middle-aged audience hears it, they will remember the memories of the previous years. At that time, the trendy release was to spray a lot of hairspray, comb the hair high, and fix it in a strong wind. A haircut that doesn't move."

"Whatever..." Ronald didn't like this name too much, but it was a tentative name anyway, and we'll talk about it later.

(End of this chapter)