Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Iron clothes, press pants."

Early the next morning, Ronald got up and ironed his shirt and trousers. Reciting the ironing trick I learned from Aunt Karen. The shirt should be ironed by dragging it back and forth with the iron; when ironing trousers, it should not be dragged back and forth, but should be fixed in one place and pressed.

Putting the iron aside, he picked up his pants and put them on. He looked in front of the full-length mirror by the door of the living room and saw that the lines of his pants were neat. Ronald put away the iron and the movable ironing board that was fixed to the wall at one end and bounced back into the closet, becoming part of the wall.

The design of this apartment is mainly for young couples who have just started a family, and it has complete living facilities. However, this kind of ironing is usually done by housewives in America, so it is a bit strange for a grown man to do it. Aunt Karen had to go to work every day, and Donna was still very young, so she taught Ronald to do chores around the house.

After getting up early to exercise, I took a hot shower, shaved, took the sliced ​​bread from the refrigerator and threw it into the toaster. Now that the bread is baked and pops out, Ronald tops it with sliced ​​tomatoes, a few slices of pickles, squeezes on the salad dressing, and cuts the bread into two triangles.

Touching his smooth chin, Ronald tucked his shirt into his belt. Ronald still hopes that a gentle and beautiful woman will do this for him in the future.

The taste is not as good as Aunt Karen's, but it is better than freshly made, and paired with black tea, it is not worse than the $1.50 breakfast at McDonald's. After eating two sandwiches that I made myself, I tidied myself up and went to New World Production Company to see the samples.

New World Productions' offices are in North Hollywood, not far from the Walk of Fame. Ronald drove into the company.

The office is a two-story building. The exterior walls on the left and right sides of the door are painted brick red and ivory white respectively, which is very elegant. On the door are four metal numbers 1607, which are the company's house number.

Perhaps to save money, the boss didn't have any company logo or name, indicating that this is a peculiar company that produces 15 low-cost exploitation films a year and makes money with each film.

After saying hello to the beauty at the front desk, Ronald went to find Gail, the assistant to the president. Knocked on the door of the best office in the corner of the second floor.

Gale, who was sitting in the secretary's seat outside, was chatting with Jim. He looked up and saw Ronald. Gale happily walked out from behind the desk: "Ronnie, you seem a little different today. You look a bit like the one in the movie." Superman, very handsome. Roger will be here later. Jim and I will watch the samples you took later."

Jim winked at him from the side.

"No, it's because I came early." Maybe it's because he shaved his beard that he became more handsome? Ronald thought.

Ronald motioned for Gale and Jim to continue without greeting him, and continued walking around the company. He walked out the door and looked around along the corridor. After the filming started, it was the first time for me to come to the office. Ronald used to work in the writers' room on the first floor and rarely went to the second floor.

The walls on the second floor are covered with posters of various movies directed or produced by Roger Corman. Ronald quickly found "The Intruder", which Roger had mentioned yesterday as his only money-losing film. A white man with a big head and a thick neck was looking in the mirror in front of a cigarette vending machine. Ronald looked familiar, so he looked in the starring column at the bottom of the poster and found that it was William Shatner. Captain Kirk of the spaceship Enterprise in the popular science fiction TV series "Star Trek".

Continuing to walk forward, I saw another movie poster with a very scary name, "Death Race 2000". The poster had a crooked mouth and was holding a machine gun and killing people. Isn't it the phenomenal movie from the year before last? " "Rocky" actor Stallone?

Ronald couldn't help but laugh out loud. This kind of low-cost exploitation film must have been made before Stallone became famous, otherwise Roger Corman couldn't afford it. But his ability to discover talents is really great. If this movie were released now, Stallone would be able to make a lot of money just based on Stallone's fame.

The doors to the rooms on both sides are closed, and inside is the editing room. Ronald knew that the two editing rooms had people working 24 hours a day, almost 365 days a year. With 15 films a year, the workload of editing was huge.

After turning the corner and about to go down the stairs, a strange voice came over.

"Roger, we have purchased the rights to remake "Midnight" for $2,500, and we can start filming our airplane comedy."

"Wow, that's cool. Once you finish filming the second set of 'Rock'n' Roll,' you can go find investors."

This is the voice of Roger Corman. Ronald paused, thinking it would be rude to eavesdrop. But the man spoke really fast and urgently, as if he was going to quarrel with Roger. Ronald was a little embarrassed to walk out now.

"Hey, Roger, you can find someone else to shoot for you. We have already received investment and are going to make a movie at Paramount, one of the eight major studios." The strange voice became excited, "You know we were there yesterday? Who did Paramount see? It was Michael Fxckg Eisner. And his guy, Jeff Katzenberg.”

"Paramount will give us money, big budget. Do you know how much it will be? Three hundred·Fxckg·half a million. That's more than New World's 12 movies combined for the entire year."

"There's absolutely no need to yell, Jerry. A contract is a contract. I don't understand why you're in such a rush to go to Paramount. The lead-up to the big studios will be long. As long as you shoot for me for five more days, you'll be fine." Finish the second set and you'll never have to make a movie for me."

"Okay, okay, Roger. Look, David, Jim and I have been working on this movie for five years. Now that Michael Eisner has given the nod, we still need to work with their screenwriter to rewrite the script within two weeks until Katzenberg gives the green light."

"Can you imagine? David, Jim and I, this is the moment when our three dreams come true. You won't let us kiss goodbye to our five-year dream, right?"

"Who will complete your filming tasks? Jerry, this is a matter of principle. You should learn from this and respect the spirit of the contract."

"Why not let Joe Dante do it? He is always with Allen. You can let him take over the filming of the second group. Please."

"Okay, I'll consider it. Let's go and see the sample film last week."

"OK, Roger, our second group has shot a lot, and there is only a little finishing touch at the end..."

Ronald heard Roger Corman and the man named Jerry leave and go to the left, which should be the direction of the meeting room on the first floor. So he also slowly went downstairs.

After drinking a cup of instant coffee at the front desk, I finally saw Roger Coleman and Jerry coming out together, preparing to go to the projection room on the other side.

"Good morning, Mr. Coleman."

"Ah, you're here, just in time, help me move the sample to the projection room." Then Roger picked up the phone at the front desk and called Gail, "Gail, come to the projection room, we're about to start."

Ronald and the projectionist took the sample into the projection room on the first floor. After entering the door, there was a narrow staircase leading to a small projection room. Watching the projectionist put the film on the projector, turn on the power, and the cooling fan hummed loudly, Ronald hurried downstairs.

When he came out, he saw Roger talking to a middle-aged beauty in a professional suit.

"Ronnie, let me introduce, this is my wife Julie. Julie, this is the talented young man I told you about, Ronald Lee."

"Hello, Mrs. Coleman." Ronald hurried forward to greet him.

The boss's wife, Julie Coleman, is also a producer of New World. Like Roger, she is a very efficient producer. I heard that she manages 5 crews and has to take care of 3 children at home. She is a real iron lady.

The couple sat down on the sofa in the middle of the screening room. Ronald chose a seat behind Roger.

Several people came in one after another, namely Gail and Jim. They found seats behind Ronald. Then came the producer of "Rock High School". He sat in front of Ronald and in the empty seat on the other side of Roger.

Roger Coleman leaned towards the producer and the two began to talk in a low voice. Ronald heard a little,

"... I didn't see Mr. Eisner at all... 3.5 million is real"

Another small man came in and sat on the other side far away from Roger Coleman.

"Who is this?" Ronald asked Gail.

"Jerry Zucker, the second group director of Rock High School."

It turned out that he was Jerry Zucker, the Jerry who had just quarreled with Roger Coleman. He and the producer of "Rock High School" went to meet with Paramount yesterday to discuss cooperation on a new film. He was not on the set, otherwise it would not be Ronald's turn to film.

The last person to come in was Joe Dante, who closed the door.

Ronald greeted Joe, who smiled and nodded. He seemed to be in good spirits. The coffee in the police station was okay.

"Let's play yesterday's sample first." Roger Corman said.

Gail signaled the projectionist to start the projection.

The lights went out, and a strong light shot out from the projection room in the back. Ronald couldn't help but sit up straight, feeling uneasy. This was the first time he saw the clips he shot on the screen.