Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"What went wrong?" Ronald asked himself, obviously all kinds of viewers have been considered? There are also content about power struggles in the office, romantic love, and plots about life with parents back home, but the ratings are lifeless, just two breaths away from NBC's break-even line, and it can't go up no matter what.

Lawrence Connor and his screenwriting team did not dare to speak. They lowered their heads one by one, not daring to look at Ronald.

"Do we still want to shoot the last four episodes?" Laurence Connor, the director of the Working Girl series, saw that no one had the courage to continue, gritted his teeth and went into battle himself, and asked, both of his eyes were bloodshot, obviously Lack of sleep.

"Let's just shoot it. At worst, we'll sell it abroad..." Ronald looked at the sighing and demoralized team, and finally made the decision to finish the shoot.

NBC has given an ultimatum. If this weekend's

Originally, this series was released as a substitute for another series, but unexpectedly it still failed to break through the passing line in ratings.

originally

Thinking that it is necessary to have a beginning and an end, even if it fails, he must complete the notes so that he can find out the reasons. Ronald felt that even if he lost money, he would still shoot the last four episodes.

After seeing off the team of working girls, Ronald thought about things quietly for a while. He asked Richard to help him find someone to talk to.

…

"Ronald, your new movie is still so exciting..." Cameron Crowe with long hair walked into the room. The "Love to the Heart" director has regained his confidence. Although the box office was average, critics praised his talent. In addition, the video sales were very good, and many film producers have approached him to direct new films.

However, Cameron Crowe did not start a new job immediately. He had been filming youth film and television dramas for seven or eight years, and he did not want to make any more. He was preparing to transform into an adult story. He has made an agreement with Ronald that when he finds a suitable script, he will come to Ronald's Daydream to produce it.

"Is Nancy okay?" Ronald greeted. Recently, his wife Nancy's new album "Bridge" was released and began to promote it across the country. Crowe happened to accompany her to New York.

"I have something that I would like to hear your opinion on." After greetings, Ronald told him about the drama version of "Working Girl" about the ratings failure, and then asked him for advice.

"I have no experience, I only have lessons." Back then, Cameron Crowe adapted "Fast-paced Richmond High" into a TV series and used it as a meal. The ratings were also poor. After a few episodes were aired, He was cut in half.

"I don't have any clue, all your suggestions are valuable..." Ronald took out the video tape and asked him to watch a few episodes.

The 30-minute capacity of each episode was quickly exhausted. Cameron Crowe said to Ronald thoughtfully:

"Your dramas seem to be trying to please different audiences. But if you try to please everyone, you may not be able to please anyone, and they will all hate you."

"Huh?" Ronald was shocked when he heard this. This idea was interesting. It seemed to be the opposite of the logic of making a movie. When making a movie, you always have to please as many viewers as possible, but judging from what Crowe means, making a TV series seems to focus more on one type of audience?

But in the past few years, the most popular TV series have been family-friendly and suitable for everyone to watch. Among them, "Growing Pains" and "Family Ties", two TV series suitable for all ages, are the most typical.

Although the number of TV sets continues to grow, have America's TV series really evolved to support those viewers who only like to watch a certain type of series?

"But TV dramas are all about ratings. If we screen out the part of the audience that loves family fun and romantic dramas, the potential audience may be only half of the current one, and it will be difficult to meet the ratings standards." Luo Nader asked.

"Then this is a question of balance... Which is more important to the TV series' ratings? Is it the broad audience base, or is it the specific content optimized for a certain type of audience to attract them to watch?"

Ronald and Crowe chatted for a long time and had no answer to this question, so they had to put it aside for now. He also has to rush to Arizona, where "Firebird" is being filmed, and some problems arise that require him to make a decision.

…

"Ronnie..." Arriving at the airport in Tucson, Arizona, Ronald saw Brooke Shields waiting for him at a glance. She has cut her long hair to the length of a shawl and is wearing an American Army uniform. She looks very handsome. In addition, after signing a new agent in the past few months, she has tightened management of her figure. She seems to have suddenly grown up. .

"Porky..." Ronald stepped forward and hugged her. As soon as a person loses weight, Brooke Shields, who was already in good condition, looks a few years younger and has regained some of her former beauty.

"I'm so happy to see you again..." Poji hugged Ronald's neck and buried her head tightly on his shoulder. Just when everyone was about to feel abnormal, she suddenly let go...

"It's nice to see you again. Look at you, you are already a very good actor now."

"Ha..." Brooke Shields was also very satisfied with her progress after leaving her mother's control. But I missed too many classes on acting. This time Ronald came and I just wanted to ask him for more advice.

"Emile...Nick..." Ronald then hugged and greeted the director Emil Adolino and Nicolas Cage, supporting actor Tommy Lee Jones and others next to him, and then everyone went to Pima Community College in Tucson, which is the base camp of the crew.

"This is the situation. The Army originally promised various filming conveniences, but suddenly proposed that they could not be carried out the day before yesterday. They asked us to solve all the filming within a week, otherwise they would not accompany us." Director Adolino was very angry. The film was originally a cooperation between the Army and the DEA, and they provided a lot of equipment and personnel.

If they are not willing to provide it for free, then as a Hollywood director, there are other ways to realize these shots, which is nothing more than a few million dollars more. But they promised and then regretted it, which made the crew who had already filmed very passive.

Adjusting the shooting plan and asking for another sum of money wasted. This kind of thing requires the signature of a big shot, and it is also related to the Army's backtracking. Ronald can only be invited to the scene to decide what to do based on the situation.

"Don't worry, I've made an appointment with the Army. I'll go talk to them tonight about why they suddenly broke the contract. Don't worry, even if the Army withdraws, I will make additional investments to finish the film."

Ronald first reassured everyone, and then met with Monty Jordan, who served as a helicopter stunt pilot and Army liaison in the crew.

"Hello, Mr. Lee, Mr. George Jr. asked someone to find me, and he said I can trust you." Monty Jordan is a middle-aged man, capable, dark-skinned, and his specific age cannot be seen. He speaks and walks in a very strict manner, and has a very military temperament.

"Hello, Mr. Jordan. I used to work with the Navy on Top Gun, maybe you have seen it..."

"Of course, those bastards rely on this movie to attract young people to the Navy. Our conscription has been declining for several years..." Monty Jordan spoke bluntly.

"Hey, this is what I want to do for the Army. My cooperation with the Navy and the protection of confidentiality have been praised by the Secretary of the Navy. So why did the Army withdraw its promise? Can you tell me the truth? You know, making a movie is like fighting a war. If a battalion commander suddenly finds that the supplies promised by his superiors are missing, he will be angry, right?"

"Hey, I like the way you talk, like one of us. What I can tell you is that we have military deployments, so we can only accompany you to shoot for another week. If I were you, I would hurry up..."

"Go to the Middle East?" Ronald thought of what happened in Kuwait.

"That's beyond my authorization... Young man, fighting is not as simple as you make movies... One missile can solve the problem... This is a real test..."

"I know, my father is a veteran in the Vietnam battlefield, and my uncle died there."

"Oh, so it's one of us. I also drove a Cobra in Vietnam... I can make it clearer. These big guys (helicopters) have to compete with Soviet tanks and Hinds. So we need time to train them to be in the best condition..."

"I wonder if it can be extended to two weeks?" Ronald began to bargain.

"Ten days at most..."

"Deal..." Ronald shook hands with veteran Monty Jordan.

Ronald knew that these people would definitely not enter Saudi Arabia so quickly, but some people in the army were eager to go to the battlefield in the best condition. These people's ideas are different from Hollywood, which takes profit as the highest principle. If they can gain more time, the crew will have one more day to shoot.

So, he went back and started discussing with the crew.

"Let's make a new plan and move all the air combat shots to the next ten days. Is that a problem?"

Director Emil Adolino looked at the schedule for a long time. "Only the long-range shots of the air combat and the scenes on the helicopter can be barely shot..."

"That's it. For the rest of the shots, we'll go to the helicopter production base..."

Ronald was referring to one of the sponsors of the film, the helicopter production department of McDonnell Douglas. They have a research and development and production center in Mesa, Arizona, which is also nearby.

Originally, the Firebird was not moved there until the shots of the male and female protagonists played by Nicolas Cage and Brooke Shields training in the simulator were filmed. Now some scenes have to be moved there to shoot together.

"Monty Jordan is the best helicopter pilot. We have to keep him." Director Adolino remembered something. This old Vietnam War pilot was very efficient and could fly out any action as soon as he was told.

"Okay, he will accompany you until the last day..."

The crew began to modify the shooting plan overnight and make various preparations. Ronald treated the main actors to a big meal at the only five-star hotel in Tucson. Surprisingly, although Arizona is an inland province, in addition to Mexican food, there is also very good Japanese sushi.

Nicolas Cage and Tommy Lee Jones were fine, but Brooke Shields only had a big bowl of vegetable salad to eat because she needed to manage her body, and she didn't even put much salad dressing.

"Give me some tuna sushi, American girls can't be skinny." Ronald felt sorry for her and took a plate of sushi and handed it to Brooke.

"Hmm..." Many years later, Brooke heard the name "American Girl" again, which was exclusive to her back then. She smiled brightly and ate two sushi obediently. After eating the well-seasoned sushi, Brooke seemed to be alive and recovered her spirit.

"I have some questions for you..." Brooke pulled Ronald's arm, and everyone left tactfully.

"Adolino is a very good director. In fact, if you act according to his instructions, there will be no problem."

Ronald and Brooke took the elevator to the room to continue chatting. The folk customs here are simple. Only a few fans came to ask for Brooke's autograph and did not disturb them.

"I know, my agent also told me that I need to put down my original acting habits and follow the director's guidance, but I am always afraid that I am not doing well enough, and then I will be nervous, and I will be stopped when I am nervous."

Brooke Shields now puts more energy on acting. She is a girl with a high IQ. As long as she has a direction to work hard, she will quickly recognize her current acting level. In fact, she has no competitiveness in Hollywood.

"Hmph..." Ronald looked at Brooke. How come this child of destiny also began to lose confidence in herself? That won't do. Brooke's acting skills rely on her strong belief in herself. In fact, she just needs to be herself.

"In fact, this role is very similar to you. Think about it. Women who are pilots in the Army Helicopter Aviation Corps have to pass many science and engineering exams, and have courage and responsibility. In fact, you just need to react according to your own reactions to show the heroine's reaction."

"Like this?" Brooke made a gesture and pushed her short hair aside with her hands. She seemed to be imitating the actions of Kelly McGillis in "Top Gun".

"Be yourself, Brooke... How do you usually show your charm?" Ronald felt that Brooke was still too deliberate.

"Me? I don't usually show my charm?" Brooke seemed confused.

"That's right. Your beauty doesn't need to be deliberately displayed. Just be a Princeton college student. Others will look like an intellectual woman, a helicopter pilot, a communicator..."

"Like this?" Brooke gave up the attempt to imitate. She stood up naturally and took a few steps. It is true as Ronald said that Brooke, after losing weight, does not need too much performance. Her gestures still have the American style of the past.

At least, those male audiences who experienced her golden period in adolescence must still see it this way. This woman's face appeared on the screen, which is a legend.

"No wonder my acting coach told me to relax and forget all the rules my mother told me. Just relax and do what I want." Brooke turned around and smiled at Ronald.

"I should go... I have to fly back to New York tomorrow..." Ronald looked at his watch and it was late.

"Why, am I not attractive to you?" Brooke's arms wrapped around him.

"I'm married, Brooke..." Ronald tried to untie her arms.

"Who said I'm going to marry you? I just want to be myself now and make up for the things I didn't do when my mother was controlling me." Brooke's red lips came up, "Remember that night in Princeton? I shouldn't be afraid of my mother, I should have done it with you more times."

...

"Cut!"

"Brooke, Brooke, you performed very well today, I was surprised...Did Ronald tell you some secret last night? I feel that I can finish the filming in ten days." Director Adolino breathed a sigh of relief. Brooke Shields was always the one who dragged her feet.

"Well, he said to relax and be myself, just treat helicopter pilots as a career like a model catwalk, and my confidence came back." Brooke's skin condition is also very good today, it seems that she is several years younger, and her eyes are very bright, and she is simply beautiful in close-up shots.

"Very good, keep it up", Adolino was convinced, Ronald is still amazing, and such a good effect can be achieved by just chatting.

"Mr. Li, Mr. Li, we are about to land..." Ronald, who had dozed off all the way on the plane, was finally woken up by the stewardess.

"Ah, thank you. Continuous flights are really tiring."

I didn't finish writing two chapters today, so I'll postpone it to tomorrow