Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"The strike ultimatums of the two major actors' unions will expire tomorrow night. Very insider sources tell me that the Producers Guild refuses to compromise. All film and television actors will officially start the strike at 2 a.m. the day after tomorrow. All American movies, TV dramas, live programs, and radio programs have all been stopped. Starting the day after tomorrow, major TV stations can only broadcast dramas that have been filmed.

After next weekend, TV stations can only show reruns of old dramas or imported TV dramas. Movie production also stopped, and after half a year, Americans had no new movies to watch. "Agent Limato said.

"What? All entertainment program production has stopped?" Ronald looked blank.

Film and television actors in America belong to two major actors unions: the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and the Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), also known as Television Actors Guild).

Beginning in March 1980, the two major actors' unions began collective bargaining with the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to demand better treatment.

One of the two parties to the negotiation, one is a trade union registered with the government, can initiate collective wage negotiations on behalf of all union members, and initiate a strike when the negotiations break down. All union members must be forced to obey. Members who do not obey the strike resolution can be labeled as "workers". Fired in the name of "thief".

The other side is the association, which has no coercive power over member institutions. But this association is a producers' association, an association of capitalists. No one is willing to let the union take away more benefits for no reason.

In addition, AMPTP has fewer people, is more united, and has greater tolerance for strikes. In a sense, it has more bargaining chips than the two major actors unions.

The two sides talked about it from March until May. The Producers Association AMPTP refused to give in, and the two major actors' unions vowed to launch a strike if their goals were not achieved.

At this stage, no one took the strike threat seriously. Two years ago, in December 1978, when Ronald was participating in the filming of "Rock High School", the two major actors' unions also threatened to strike. Soon the management Compromise ended the labor dispute.

However, the news from agent Ed Limato is very pessimistic about this strike.

The reason is that the two major actors' unions have made seemingly unreasonable demands, and their negotiator Ed Asner is a desert cobra who bites his opponents and won't let go.

The Screen Actors Guild, and the Television Actors Guild, made two major demands.

Article 1: Continue to increase the minimum wage for actors, increase the minimum wage by 40%, and increase the daily wage from US$225 to US$315. When Ronald heard this, it became even more difficult to get into the Screen Actors Guild.

Even more life-threatening is the second one, asking for a share in the home video department. In addition to being paid a fixed salary when movies and TV shows are released, all actors must participate in revenue sharing from VHS tapes, beta tapes, and pay-TV.

The union requires that 12% of all pay TV operating income from video tapes must be included in the actors' surplus, and the film and television dramas will be handed over to the two major actors' unions, and the actors' union will then issue checks to members to distribute the residual value.

"Is there a lot of income from this video tape?" Ronald was not sure how much money this part of the money was.

"The viewing rate is high, but the total amount is very small." Pfeiffer's agent Limato replied, "Now only 2% of households in America have video recorders, and the proportion of pay TV is about the same. It's a small amount of money."

"But it will become more popular in the future, right?" Ronald owns a VHS recorder, which has recorded many classic movies, and it is very convenient to use.

"It's hard to say who will go to movie theaters to watch movies with video tapes? All eight major studios hate this thing. Now Universal is suing Japan's Sony Corporation, the manufacturer of Beta tapes, to ban the sale of video cassettes in America. Very big.

So a lot of people don’t understand why union negotiator Ed Asner is so tough? "

Limato was well informed. Just like television destroyed many market segments in Hollywood, housewives stopped going to movie theaters and watched movies at home. If teenagers watch videotapes at home, the last piece of Hollywood cake will be gone.

"If it's not for the interests of the union and the actors, then it's for his own interests." Ronald is no longer a naive child. If something goes wrong, there will be problems, and this Asner is probably no exception.

"Yeah, you're smart, Ronald. Word on the grapevine is that Asner is seeking the SAG chairmanship."

"Isn't he a TV actor?" Michelle Pfeiffer had been in the TV industry and knew Asner's name. He was the star of one of the most popular TV series in the 1970s, CBS's "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." A regular actor who plays a character named Lou Grant.

This character was so popular that after The Mary Tyler Moore Show ended, CBS gave him a spin-off called "The Lou Grant Show."

"How can a TV actor have the social influence of a movie actor?" Limato hated this cobra, which had stalled the work of his actors. Moreover, Limato's actors were all star actors, and he didn't care much about the interests of the grassroots actors that the union was fighting for.

"He is an extreme leftist of the Donkey Party and an active member of the American Donkey Socialist Association. Inspired by the former California governor's victory as the presidential candidate of the Elephant Party, he also wanted to follow suit." Limato pointed out Asner's ambition.

"How long will the strike last?" Ronald asked.

"No one knows, but Asner will last at least a month, otherwise he won't be able to make the headlines many times. His goal is to make the headlines during the election season."

Limato held Ronald's shoulders and continued, "I know about you and Michelle, but Pfeiffer is a rare star seed. Her face shape is naturally suitable for wide screens, and her hair color and temperament are both excellent. She only needs one opportunity to soar to the sky."

"I contacted Lux ​​soap ads for her. Now the news of the strike has not been leaked to the public. As long as we go back to Hollywood quickly to sign a contract, we can get a rare job opportunity during the strike. Lux is a mass consumer product, and her ads will be broadcast nationwide."

Ronald looked at Michelle Pfeiffer and wanted to ask her what she thought. But seeing the desire for success in her blue eyes, he suddenly realized that he didn't need to ask, and he knew Pfeiffer's answer.

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning." Limato answered for her. I will pick her up at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning, and you can have a good chat in the evening. He turned and walked out.

"Ronnie, I always owe you twice. You helped me get rid of the scammers and signed a good agent for me. You will come to Hollywood sooner or later. I know your ambitions. I'll wait for you in Hollywood." Michelle Pfeiffer approached Ronald and said hesitantly.

Ronald didn't want to make the short separation sad. "Do you know that I'm an advertising director? When you go to shoot the Lux soap commercial, you can show me first and I'll tell you about the play."

Pfeiffer smiled and hugged Ronald. The smell of Lux soap rose from her body and spread through her hair into Ronald's nose.

With slightly wet hair draped over her shoulders, Pfeiffer hugged her chest with both hands and smiled back, "Lux soap makes my skin smoother." The smooth back with the perfect curve is fascinating.

Ronald picked up the Nikon camera and started to take pictures.

"That's it, Michelle. You look most charming when you smile back."

Putting down the camera, Ronald finished the "special acting guidance". The two hugged each other and lay together. Pfeiffer drew on Ronald's chest with her fingers, "I am a person who is afraid of loneliness. Come to Los Angeles as soon as possible."

"Yes, if there is progress in the script this time, I plan to suspend my studies at New York University. After finishing the work of the Endless Love crew, I will go to San Francisco first. I have an agreement with Coppola's editor Mr. Merzi. I will go there to study for a while. I will meet you in Los Angeles when I am free on weekends."

"Kiss me, Ronnie." The two spent the whole night in love.

The next morning, Ronald got up and prepared a hearty breakfast for Pfeiffer. He smiled and ate with her until her agent Limatola knocked on the door.

"Aren't you going to take me to the airport?" Pfeiffer found that Ronald did not stand up.

"No, I find I can't stand the separation at the airport, so let's say goodbye here, just like an ordinary couple saying goodbye in the morning."

"Hahaha, it's not common in America for a husband to send his wife out to work."

"Call me when you settle down." The two kissed each other affectionately, and Ronald helped to send Pfeiffer's luggage downstairs and put it in the taxi called by the agent.

After sending Pfeiffer away, Ronald began to call people he knew in the circle. First, his agent Richard.

"There will be a strike tonight, I got the exact news."

"Oh, Shxt. Is the news reliable?" Richard's level was obviously not enough to know this inside information in advance.

"Very reliable, Pfeiffer's agent took her to Los Angeles and gave up the role in Endless Love."

"I'll tell Niceta right away that he has several actors who will be affected, and Jane Fonda's "9 to 5" will also be suspended. Contact me later." Richard hung up the phone.

"Paula, there will be a strike tonight, you have to rearrange Tom's plan."

"Is the news reliable? ...Okay, I will let him go back to Hollywood first and rent him an apartment. We need to try our best to keep the role of Endless Love. What he needs now is an appearance on the screen."

Then it was his advertising agent Eddie.

"Eddie, have you heard? The two major unions have decided to strike tonight. The advertising project at Calvin Klein can continue.

When Brooke's mother gets the news, she will definitely go to the crew of Endless Love to lower the price first. Gubel will shake the balance of the heroine back from the girl named Meg Ryan. We have to seize this period of strike to promote the filming of the advertisement. Terry will not tolerate her daughter being out of work for a month."

"Leave it to me, wait for my call." Eddie Cohen put down the phone and contacted Calvin Klein, the designer of CK jeans.

Then it was director Zeffirelli, "Franco, it's me, Ronald. I got accurate news that the two major actors' unions will announce a strike tonight. It will last at least a month."

"Fanculo! Ed Asner is a venomous snake. I knew he would stick to his guns. We have to stop filming. I'll go find Mr. Guber."

"He may have known. I'll break down the script and give it to you. I think your assistant director should be free."

"I'm sorry, Ronald, but I welcome you to the crew when filming resumes."

"Thank you, Mr. Zeffirelli."

The old ones are still the best. Ronald thought of Helen Slater's father Gerald, who was obviously busy with this matter before. PBS's programs are mostly educational, documentaries and imported British TV series.

These programs do not have videotapes and pay TV, and the contracts are different, so they are not affected by the strike. On the contrary, the three major public TV stations need to buy programs from PBS TV stations to fill the gap of the lack of new TV series due to the strike.

However, if the strike lasts for a long time, the next movies scheduled for release will also be affected. The copies of "Rock High School" that have entered the long-term screening and midnight show can be sold more. It seems that I will soon meet the conditions for the second dividend.

Ronald stroked his chin and thought that maybe he could ask Mr. Roger Coleman for more bonus.