Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"This is too...can they still not have a video recorder?"

Ronald's Oscar PR for "Silence of the Lambs" and "Other People's Money" ran into a little trouble.

Many judges who received the videotape sent by Ronald told Ronald through their agent channels that although we really want to watch your movie at home, we can't watch it all because we don't have a video recorder.

In this industry of Hollywood, how could anyone not own a video recorder? Who doesn’t have a lot of video tapes hidden at home and take them out at any time for business research? Even if Spielberg keeps a large number of film copies at home, sometimes he still has to watch VHS tapes for convenience.

"Recently, the video recorder has been upgraded, with s high-definition function and hi-fi audio output. You know..." Richard said to Ronald with a smile. These people just want to get a free video recorder. Just a video recorder with the latest features.

"I suggest you give a video recorder. Anyway, you gave a gift certificate in the video tape. Why don't you be a good person and follow through. Otherwise, the person will only be half happy. Looking at the two video tapes, he will feel that you still owe him a video recorder. In this way, he will not realize that you still owe him a video recorder. Your good..."

"Damn, these actors are really..." Ronald felt that he still had to pay for this, otherwise it would have the opposite effect, so he might as well not do it.

"I remind you that this is against the rules of the Academy of Motion Picture Technology and Arts. Film stakeholders participating in the Oscar selection are not allowed to give gifts to judges who are qualified to nominate and review..." Michael Gray was also present, and he stopped him as soon as he heard it. .

"F*ck..." Ronald had no choice but to pick up the phone and call private lawyer Lindsay Dole to ask for advice.

"If you want to be completely compliant, you can't just give one gift, otherwise it will still be suspicious and people will talk about it. A suspicious gift can only be mixed with many gifts to avoid attracting others' attention..."

Lindsay Dole is indeed a practicing lawyer in New York, and he is very clear about this kind of corporate public relations behavior. There are many listed companies in Manhattan that want to please securities analysts. There is a mature approach to how to do so without violating the regulations of the SEC.

Ronald followed the good example and used the dividends from his own stocks to buy a lot of products from the companies he owned. Then he packaged them into coupons for a discount club. He packed a bag and gave a big gift to the judges who gave away the video tapes. gift pack.

As a Hollywood celebrity, is it normal for a company that specializes in selling coupon products to want you to expand its influence? Who doesn’t know that celebrities are very well-connected, and it’s like giving you a free trial. If you use it well and recommend it to your friends, you can save a lot of marketing expenses. It would be fair to put it in court.

Because celebrities often receive interviews, just mentioning a product can achieve good results. It is normal for mature consumer goods companies to send samples for this promotion, right?

So, soon, a hodgepodge gift package that included coupons for McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Coca-Cola, etc., as well as Microsoft Windows 3.0 software, was sent to all Ronald's targets.

The most important thing in the middle is of course Sony's vhs video recorder. The latest high-end products with the latest s-video and hi-fi audio interface. The clarity has been improved from the ordinary 250 lines to 400 lines.

"How come Sony has also released a video recorder in VHS format?" Ronald also brought one home. After installing it, the image was indeed clearer and the sound was stereo.

"They lost the war in the videotape format..." Richard, who came to report on his work, replied with a smile.

In the ten-year videotape format war, Sony's beta format was still defeated by VHS. Every few years, Sony will always release an upgraded beta format that is ahead of vhs in terms of video clarity and sound, but every time it is quickly caught up by vhs.

And vhs always leads in capacity. The latest LP mode VHS video tapes, even the extended version of "Dances with Wolves" which is more than three hours long, can be installed in one tape.

So, starting last year, Sony also surrendered. Start producing video tapes in vhs format for playback

machine. Of course, it maintains Sony's consistent high standards, and every detail is better than JVC and Pioneer, the founders of VHS. Even the remote control has many functions and is densely packed with buttons.

…

The nominations for the Golden Globe Awards have been announced to the media. "It's All About You," starring Warren Beatty and his pregnant girlfriend Annette Bening, received eight nominations.

What follows are almost the same three or four nominated movies, such as Silence of the Lambs, JFK, Thelma and Louise, Prince of Tides, etc.

Ronaldo's "Other People's Money," Laura Dern's "Fragile Rose," and Bette Midler's "For Boys," all didn't have big PR budgets and each received just one major nomination .

They are Laura Dern's Best Actress in a Drama Series, Bette Midler's Best Actress in a Comedy Series, and Diane's Best Supporting Actress (Golden Globe Awards for Supporting Actors regardless of category).

Because there is no head-on competition, the two friends can still maintain a harmonious relationship. Diane and Laura Dern were chatting at home about what clothes to wear and how to match jewelry.

Ronald was having a meeting with Bob Reiner and others outside. The film project "A Few Good Men" has now reached a critical moment.

Ronald was prepared to put in some money, as a major investor in the film, to break up Ovitz's packaged project. Bob Reiner still hopes that his favorite James Woods will play the bad guy Colonel. His Castle Rock Production Company is a small-scale company that mainly serves him and a few good friends.

For him, box office and the overall quality of a movie are not inconsistent. James Woods' acting ability, which can instantly switch between good and evil expressions, is an important asset. The most important dramatic moment in this movie is when the colonel appears as a good guy at the beginning.

Robert Reiner doesn't understand why Ronald cares so much about Demi Moore's involvement. Annette Bening auditioned while pregnant and performed extremely well.

The role of this female lawyer is actually not very important. She only needs two qualities to be competent.

Moreover, if Diane Lane wanted this role, he would understand. But now it's Demi Moore. She and Annette Bening are both female stars backed by big-name male stars, and both have their own strengths.

As long as Bening takes some time to recover after giving birth, there is not much difference in the degree of coquettishness and sexiness compared to Demi Moore who gave birth a few months before her. Speaking of which, during the period when a female actor has just given birth, due to the influence of hormones, there will be a period of rebound and glamor.

So to talk about the pros and cons of the two, Demi Moore is slightly better in terms of sexiness, Annette Bening also has a slight advantage in acting skills, and Reiner has no particular preference for the two.

Ronald smiled. It was very simple. Demi Moore was in his camp and was famous for his movies. Annette Bening went over to Warren Beatty, and she went over to Ovitz's side, simple as that.

Now it's not about calculating the star's cost-effectiveness and overall performance and appearance, but now it's about dividing camps and using whoever is yours.

"But if you use Demi Moore, James Wood won't come..." Bob Reiner is a little painful, although getting Ronald's investment is a great thing, except for the handsome Tom Cruise Working with the beautiful Demi Moore, he has good relationships with Columbia, Samsung, and Disney, so he must have taken advantage of the release schedule.

But in "A Few Good Men", the most crucial character is definitely the villain Colonel. Without a suitable acting talent, Tom Cruise and Demi Moore will definitely not be able to support the key parts of this drama.

"He's not the only one who can act in Hollywood, right?" Ronald thought to himself, it wasn't him in the dream, and it was more suitable than him...

"Unless you can find Marlon Brando or Jack Nicol

Sen..." Bob Reiner was crushed. Brando's acting now is entirely based on his preference, and he has always been anti-war, so he definitely has no interest in this movie, which essentially talks good about the military.

Jack Nicholson...hey, after making a crazy 60 million, he now gets a salary of more than 10 million for supporting roles. Whether you pay or not is secondary, but Tom Cruise's salary of 12.5 million is unbalanced. It will also affect the salaries of Demi Moore and others, and the salary structure of the entire movie will be overturned. , the male and female protagonists may have to withdraw from the show.

Seeing as Ronald is full of confidence, it will be difficult for him to find an unsuitable actor when the time comes. Do you have to find an excuse to quit the project when the time comes? No, Ronald is also an expert in directing. To tell the truth, I can't replace an ordinary actor and director with the level I want, so why don't you hire someone else?

"Don't worry, I will find the right person..." Ronald reassured Reiner and ended the meeting.

"Hi, Diane..." Reiner waved to Diane and Laura Dern and left.

"I have to go out and help Bob find an actor..." Ronald went over and kissed Diane's forehead.

"Okay..." Diane waved with a smile...

"Oh... I know this movie. Many actresses want to act in it, don't you?" Laura Dern deliberately made a surprised sound next to her. Diane and she both played rock girls back then, and she may not be much better than him in the same movie.

Now that she's attached to a big director and has a huge amount of resources, she still has to make major sacrifices in the movie to get nominated for a Golden Globe. Diane only needs to wear a lawyer's overalls, twitch her butt, and smile to get nominated. To be honest, she was a little unconvinced.

If you have the chance, why don't you give your bestie some eye drops? Ronald appointed Demi Moore to star, tsk tsk, maybe what’s going on inside?

"I don't want to act. I have already acted as a lawyer..." Diane replied with a smile. Her current requirements for the script are either a type that has not been acted before, or a film directed by Ronald. There are only a few good people. None of them matched, so she couldn't even get interested in fighting.

"What, do you want to act? Let me ask for you?" Diane also changed the subject. Best friends are used to compare and create a sense of superiority, but the heroine needs a sexy bomb. Are you interested in a supporting role? "

A quick and accurate swipe hit her best friend directly in the heart, leaving Laura Dern speechless in pain. She played a prostitute in "Rablgrose", and young people in the town lined up to have an affair, but to be honest, the cost was not very convincing...

…

"Ah ha ha ha, Ronald, you are here, come on, let me introduce you to you, this is Jessica, this is Rosemary, this is..."

Jack Nicholson is in his bachelor's comfort zone, wearing pajamas, leather slippers on his feet, a cigar in one hand, and a brandy bottle in the other. His whole person has become a debauched look.

"Oh..." Ronald looked at the beauties in bikinis blowing kisses to him in the indoor swimming pool. He shouted that he couldn't take it anymore. He sat on the chair and tilted it again. He looked at her buttocks. There is a lot of room for you. If not, I will find someone else..."

"What play?" Jack Nicholson put down the bottle of wine, took out a pair of glasses and put them on, "There are only a few good guys, which one should I play?"

His title of emperor was not something he got by accident. The biggest characteristic is that he plays a lunatic. Once he has a good role, he immediately loses his corrupt expression and reveals the seriousness when playing a clown.

After reading two pages of the colonel's script that Ronald brought, Jack Nicholson's expression became serious. Sure enough, he admitted that he was a criminal in court. A villain with extraordinary pride, he would rather admit that he was a criminal. crime, but also don’t want to be insulted by others’ beliefs, that’s enough!

Ronald smiled slightly. The last scene of the stage play he saw was very weak and not powerful enough. Flaws in the colonel's testimony were found in the flight records. This is too retarded. Didn't the hero's lawyer find someone to verify the colonel's testimony before? Do you have to wait until the last scene to use it? special

Something else is deliberate.

He roughly rewrote the direction of the story. The lawyer played by Tom Cruise actually did not find the contradiction in the flight records. He just decided to take the risk and defraud the colonel. If the colonel doesn't fall for the trap, then his law license may face disciplinary penalties for cheating in court.

In the end, the colonel did not admit his guilt because of the evidence. But because the lawyer challenged his consistent requirement that soldiers be mentally strong in order to maintain the morale and safety of the US military at the Guantanamo base next to Cuba.

In other words, the colonel believes that his action of letting the soldiers punish the coward is just. He is a typical bad guy who thinks that he is not wrong. This can give the audience a greater shock in the drama, and make the lawyer's final scene more interesting. The practice is truly breathtaking.

Sure enough, this story attracted Jack Nicholson so much that he put down the script and shouted upstairs at the top of his lungs, "Rebecca, Rebecca, call my agent."

A beautiful woman came down with a baby, picked up the phone and dialed.

This is Jack Nicholson's real girlfriend Rebecca Broussard. It can only be said that Ronald doesn't understand the world of Playboy. He can keep his regular girlfriends and temporary girlfriends at home. This kind of management ability is also true in Hollywood. Top notch.

"This is the advantage of not getting married..." Jack Nicholson quietly showed off to Ronald. He knew very well the envy his guests showed when they saw this scene.

"But you can't enjoy your family either...forget it..." Ronald waved his hand, why did I tell him this.

"Very good, I took this role, will you direct it?"

"Bob Reiner, he is more suitable for this kind of theatrical adaptation...I will be the producer."

"He's not bad, so let's take 10 million. My current market price is 12 million. I'll give you a discount..." Jack Nicholson was in a good mood.

"Five million, it's just a supporting role. If I give you five million, it's also the most expensive supporting role in Hollywood..."

"That won't work. Now I don't care about the main character and the supporting characters, the price is still the same..."

"But you can't play such a good role..." Ronald knew that Jack Nicholson still longed for drama in his heart. He had made enough money from those bad roles. The price of five million is quite fair.

"My agent would not agree..." Jack Nicholson curled his lips.

"You played the clown and earned 60 million, and you have lawyer Mickey Kent helping you keep an eye on the subsequent share. What does money mean to you? This character can be passed down to future generations..."

"Damn it, you guy..." Jack Nicholson worked for Roger Corman for ten years, earning minimum wage. Now he is successful and famous, and Ronald helped him get the same salary as others. It was a role that he could not earn in ten years, and the role was enjoyable, so he really wanted to play it.

"I can't make it difficult for my agent, so I will shoot for ten days and calculate the price." Jack Nicholson looked at the script, estimated the duration, and came up with a way to get the best of both worlds. .

"Two weeks plus maybe five days for reshoots. Ten days is too short. Of course, we can say ten days to the outside world..."

"Let's do it..." Jack Nicholson was happy. After playing a lot of bad roles to make money, he could finally play a difficult role with satisfaction.

"Jessica, Rosemary, here I come..."

As he spoke, he jumped into the swimming pool with a bang, causing water splashes all over the sky. All the beauties were frightened by him and screamed, which was very enjoyable.

…

"Jack Nicholson agreed?" Bob Reiner was shocked when he saw the contract. Can he really hire the most suitable actor?

"Five million, the salary is reasonable, but he can only shoot for two weeks..."

"No problem, I'll just focus on filming his scenes..." Reiner looked at Ronald with a strange look in his eyes. His ability to integrate resources is even better than Ovitz's.