Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Ronald finally returned to his home in New York. He slept for a day and forgot all the strange experiences of this trip to Europe.

Early the next morning, he received another call from Niceta, "Ronald, Spielberg wants to see you."

"What does he want to see me about?" Ronald felt strange and called Spielberg. "Steven, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Aha, Ronald, I have something I want to ask you."

"Huh?" Ronald thought to himself, has he reached a position where even Spielberg has to ask for advice?

"If you don't feel comfortable saying it, you don't have to say it..."

"Ask it." Ronald felt more and more strange.

"I heard that your Dirty Dance made a lot of money on the videotape. Can you tell me if this rumor is true?" Spielberg's voice on the other end of the phone showed envy.

"It's not a lot of money. I'm just better in stable sales. I can sell tens of thousands of boxes every quarter." Ronald said a general number.

"Is that true? Do you have any secrets? Why are your prices different from others?" Spielberg became more interested as he spoke.

"No secrets, if there are any, it's what you said, to make the price of the videotape cheaper. Now most videotapes sell for 80 or 90 dollars, and I set it at less than 40, so everyone thinks it's cost-effective."

"Aren't you afraid of piracy? Videotape piracy is much easier than movie copying." When Spielberg's "ET Aliens" was released, it was copied by the largest piracy group in the history of America. He still has a grudge against this kind of thing, so he has always refused to release the videotapes of his own movies.

"My dear Steven, haven't you heard of A anti-theft technology?" Ronald laughed. How much does this director hate piracy? Since the lawsuit between Sony and Universal was ruled in the Supreme Court, new video recorders have added A anti-counterfeiting chips. If you want to copy it yourself, it will appear flickering and unwatchable.

As a result, Spielberg didn't know the industry's handling method because the movie didn't release the videotape. Although this cannot completely prevent pirates and some viewers who bought VCRs before the verdict from transcribing, it is nothing compared to the amazing profits of videotapes.

"I have to be careful. Copyright protection is the lifeline of our directors." Spielberg does not think that one technology can prevent the rampant piracy. He plans to take a multi-pronged approach and add some anti-theft technologies. However, since Ronald also said that low pricing is the secret of his videotapes' huge sales, it seems that he is not wrong. The internal debate of Amblin can have a result.

Ronald put down the phone and called Cannold, who was daydreaming. They may need to adjust the price of videotapes. He has been making a fortune in the videotape business for more than half a year, but it was finally leaked.

It is estimated that other major studios will lower the retail price of videotapes to obtain higher sales. After discussion, everyone decided to lower the retail price to just over 30 US dollars and make preparations first.

After this unique European trip, Ronald wanted to spend more time with his family. In addition to work and entertainment, he should also go home more often to enjoy the company of his family.

He immediately returned to Staten Island and spent two days with Aunt Karen. The two talked about many things. Ronald recharged his spirit.

After sorting out his mood, Ronald also finished writing the ending of the script at his home in Staten Island. He called Nora Ephron and invited Carrie Fisher, who participated in the script creation as a script doctor, to have a script discussion weekend to finalize the script as soon as possible.

…

"Oh, how did you come up with this ending? I think it echoes all the details in the previous part, and it is also very powerful. I cried when I saw it."

Nora Ephron was very excited when she saw the ending written by Ronald. In the end, Harry missed Sally very much on New Year's Eve. He couldn't find a renter, so he had to put on his running shoes and ran to the New Year's Eve event that Sally participated in.

Just when Sally felt lonely and left early, he rushed to the scene. Sally hated Harry for always staying at the stage of friends. Every time he wanted to move forward, he would retreat. When she wanted to completely break off the relationship, he appeared in front of her again. The two could not maintain this ambiguous relationship.

Harry said something that touched Sally very much. He didn't come here to keep Sally hanging. He had already figured out that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Harry, who had figured it out, didn't want to waste a moment and wanted to start living with Sally as soon as possible.

Finally, there was an interview with an elderly couple throughout the film. This time it was Harry and Sally's turn to be interviewed. The whole play ended with the sweet narration of the two.

"Yeah, how did you come up with it?" Carrie Fisher was also surprised. She originally thought that Ronald's screenwriting level was just so-so, but after seeing this coherent ending, she immediately realized that it was a master's hand.

All the foreshadowings in the previous part pointed to the fact that Harry and Sally would go their separate ways. But just when the audience was worried that the two could not "live happily ever after together", Ronald gave a reasonable reversal.

And that special ending was combined with the main line of another pseudo-documentary. It was very much like the handwriting of Billy Wilder, the golden pen of Hollywood back then.

"Did you ask Mr. Wilder for advice?" They were all professional screenwriters, and they all sensed something extraordinary in this twists and turns ending.

"Just like the way you wrote it...", Ronald smiled.

This script actually includes a lot of personal life details of Nora Ephron and the original director Rob Reiner. For example, Ephron likes to be picky when ordering food, and Reiner divorced his wife. All kinds of details have been changed and entered into the script.

And Carrie Fisher also added some of her own life, such as Harry and Jess, Sally and Mary, and the habit of two pairs of friends to chat on the phone before going to bed.

"Oh?" Carrie Fisher and Nora Ephron exchanged glances. They knew what Ronald meant was that he also drew materials from his own experience to write this ending.

Ronald is not married yet, who is he regretting missing out on? The gossip hearts of the two screenwriters began to burn.

"I think this script is more suitable for a plain and meaningful name, called "When Harry Met Sally", what do you think?" Ronald also hopes to complete his unfinished business in the movie.

"It sounds great," "This is a great name," Fisher and Ephron were even more curious about Ronald's experience in Europe.

"That's it, the rest is up to you to perfect. Fill in the details as soon as possible and come up with a complete draft of the entire script. We can start filming."

Since the most difficult ending has been overcome, the two women said there was no problem and they would come up with a complete script as soon as possible.

Both are professional screenwriters. Carrie Fisher has gradually lost control of her figure since her last role in Star Wars and has gradually turned to behind the scenes. And Ephron is a screenwriter who has worked her way up from the bottom of Hollywood. Moreover, both of them are women, and Ronald may not be better than them if he writes it himself.

...

"ET Alien videotapes are available in major video rental stores and Walmart supermarkets."

Spielberg's videotapes are finally on the market.

Ronald went to Blockbuster to buy a box, but he had to queue for 20 minutes to buy it. The advertising bombardment of major TV stations and the initial small-scale launch made it difficult for many customers to get a box of videotapes.

This movie, which was released more than five years ago, is still very popular with the audience. The content is family-friendly, with children as the protagonists and aliens' adventures. Many parents want to buy a set to keep at home. It is also a very face-saving thing for children to invite friends to play at home.

"Steven actually set the price at $24.95 at once," Ronald called Michelle Cannold of Daydream to discuss countermeasures.

"Yeah, I can't even rent it here, let alone buy it." Cannold also lamented. As soon as "ET Alien" was released, it immediately won the weekend video sales champion and Blockbuster rental champion. Ronald's "Dirty Dancing" was immediately squeezed to the back.

"He also used special packaging and anti-counterfeiting marks. He really invested a lot of money." Ronald held the "ET Alien" videotape in his hand. The tape protection flap on it was not the usual black plastic, but a special piece of green plastic, which was very conspicuous at a glance.

In a row of black videotapes, the green is very outstanding, and the audience will never miss it.

On the texture of the paper box packaging, there is also a sticker of Universal Pictures. It says "Laser Anti-Counterfeiting" on it. It looks like the anti-counterfeiting logo on a credit card. When it is illuminated by a light, it will reflect colorful light.

"ET is back. This silly alien is making American children happy again..."

Many newspapers are reporting the phenomenal debut of "ET the Alien". A movie that has been around for so many years has won the double championship in rental and sales as soon as it was released, which really shocked Hollywood.

Also released at the same time is Disney's old movie "Cinderella". This classic work of more than 35 years is the focus of Disney's distribution strategy. The pre-sale volume is less than half of that of the hastily released "ET the Alien".

There is also a special green video tape protective mouth, which makes this video tape a topic beyond the film and television industry. Everyone still remembers that ET broke the box office record in the past, and has only good memories of this movie.

For a time, the sales of video tapes grew rapidly, breaking the sales speed records of Ronald's "Top Gun" and "Dirty Dancing".

In the first weekend alone, the rental records of videotape chains across the country exceeded two million, and were still growing rapidly.

"Why are they selling like crazy?" In the second week, Ronald got the surprising news.

"The number of rentals of ET the Alien videotapes has exceeded six million. Amblin and Universal have not yet disclosed the sales figures, but according to the estimates of market research companies, the number is not much different from the rental numbers.

Seeing that big players like Universal have also discovered huge business opportunities, Ronald knew that the time to quietly make a fortune in the videotape market was over.

However, it is gratifying that the sales of his cash cow "Dirty Dancing" have not declined, and are still stable. This videotape has been selling well for a long time. If it is sold quietly like this, people who are not interested will probably not notice it.

"The reason why ET the Alien is still popular..."

Roger Ebert and Cisco also talked about the ET videotape phenomenon in the weekly film review program.

"I watched it again last night. I want to quote the comment of Rolling Stone magazine. Spielberg is the Jean Renoir of this "space age." Albert thinks that the reason why this movie is so popular is mainly because Spielberg has grasped the greatest aesthetic common denominator of the whole people, and people from six to eighty years old like it.

"The word space age is very important. In addition to the superb performance of the child actors, the special effects of this movie are also the product of the space age. Five years have passed, and we watch the videotape on TV. The special effects of et are still so amazing. Especially the shot of Elliot riding a bicycle across the moon with et. My children are very excited every time they watch it."

Ronald saw this and his heart moved.

Indeed, after more than five years, the special effects of Hollywood have not made much progress. Now it has not exceeded the level of the aliens in et.

The reason why the videotapes of et can sell so well is that children can watch this special effects spectacle at home.

Green videotapes, laser anti-counterfeiting, and aliens flying across the moon, children will like such things by nature.

Perhaps, this kind of visual spectacle that goes beyond the imagination of ordinary people and can only be seen on the screen is the most important reason why et has lasted for a long time.

Ronald tapped the table with his fingers. What you can't see on TV is the biggest reason for those people to go to the cinema.

This invisible thing can be model special effects, the delicate performance of the actors, or the computer special effects that Spielberg and George Lucas vigorously promote.

Perhaps, when Moore's Law plays a role two or three times, the rules that determine the box office of movies will change greatly? Whoever can get the special effects production ability of Hollywood will have the ability to monopolize.

Ronald thought of the "Abyss" that his friend James Cameron was preparing. After all, he himself does not understand technology. It may be the right time to visit the class and ask the Hollywood director who is most knowledgeable about special effects besides Lucas.

"Why are you here?" Cameron did not expect Ronald to visit the class again. Knowing that Ronald came here for the progress of special effects, he was also very happy. "The containment of the nuclear power plant has been filled with enough water. Tomorrow I will dive down by myself to see the effect of the underwater camera."

"Uh... Isn't this dangerous?" Ronald is very used to flying, but he is always afraid of underwater things. Maybe it has something to do with his grandfather's experience of dying in a plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean.

"Haha, I go diving in the Atlantic every year. This calm water is nothing. There is no danger, unless you float up too fast and get diving sickness. Do you want to go down with me? I will watch you." Cameron said there was no danger. He had obtained the advanced diving qualification instructor certificate.

"Ah, no, I have a fear of diving (divg phobia)".

"Haha, it's okay. It's safe for me to take you down. The underwater world is fascinating."

"I know that with you, I'm unlikely to get into trouble, but why take the risk?" Ronald declined again.

"Well, your loss..." Cameron didn't expect Ronald to be afraid of something.