Exploiting Hollywood 1980

On the first night in San Francisco, Ronald was not sleepy at all, still thinking about the sale of the script of "My Brother's Keeper".

He simply walked to the front desk of the Motel6 Hotel and asked the staff about the fun places nearby. After being pointed out, Ronald came to a bar that was open until late, served cheap and delicious drinks, and had a live band singing some country and rock music.

The best thing was that there were no weird marginal people here. They were all steel straight men and cool hot girls, who obviously shared the same aesthetic orientation with Ronald.

Ronald, who came alone, found the bar, sat on a high stool, and asked for a "Pina Colada". Now he likes this cocktail originated in Puerto Rico more and more. The fresh coconut milk flavor, mixed with rum and pineapple juice, strangely has some cola taste, which is a good product for cooling off.

While drinking, Ronald gently hummed the "Pina Colada Song" with the band. Most people in the bar dressed like cowboys and swayed their bodies to the accompaniment of the live band, which made him feel good.

"Hey, young people nowadays like this kind of soft songs, unlike us who could drive across several states to attend the Woodstock Music Festival." A middle-aged man dressed in cowboy clothes, who was also sitting at the bar, broke Ronald's calm drinking and listening to music.

"Yeah? Yes, young people at that time were even more angry. Kids nowadays can earn money to buy the toys they want or pay for college tuition as long as they work at McDonald's." Anyway, it was just a random chat between strangers, and Ronald expressed his true thoughts, "Anger comes from dissatisfaction with life."

"You know what? You may be right." The middle-aged man wore a blue plaid shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, jeans and a pair of Martin boots. Under his slightly long blond hair, there was a pair of piercing eyes.

The uncle might have been a hippie when he was young, and his words were full of philosophy.

"But humans are essentially lonely. Just like Confucius said, even if a person is not understood, as long as he is noble and wise, he should not feel angry. Rock and hippie spirit brought together young people at that time. Young people at that time had a sense of mission."

"You know? You are the first American I have seen who can accurately quote Confucius." Ronald raised his glass to the middle-aged uncle.

"But obviously you can also accurately understand Confucius' works, and you are very familiar with Confucius's speeches and speech collections." The middle-aged man's words were a bit confusing. In fact, he was praising Ronald for being familiar with the Analects, otherwise it would be impossible to tell that he had really read Confucius' works.

"I only flipped through it." Ronald thought, "Who wouldn't know the first chapter of the study?"

"My name is Ronald, and I'm a screenwriter."

"John, you may not believe it, but I'm a singer. I released a few records when I was young. I was quite famous in the past, but I don't sing anymore."

"Of course," Ronald didn't believe it in his heart, "I'm actually quite successful. My script will soon be starred by an Oscar-winning actress."

"That's great," the middle-aged uncle took a sip of beer, "In fact, I also have a glorious past. I once participated in the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969. It was my turn to go on stage in the middle of the night. The next day when I drove back to Virginia, I also wrote a song."

"That's great." Ronald clinked glasses with him. It feels really good to brag to strangers in a bar.

The middle-aged man saw that he was not sincere, "Why, you don't know me? Do you think I am lying to you? If the boss of the record company hadn't cheated me of all my money, I wouldn't have no songs to sing.

This bastard boss is called Saul, and he also bribed several other bastards in my band to sign an agreement. Now I can't even sing the songs I wrote."

Ah? Can American law deprive you of singing your own songs? Ronald was even more certain that the other party was bragging and telling stories.

"I tell you, that bastard boss Saul used my money to invest in movies and won an Oscar. Damn, that should have been my money. There are too many more liars in your movie making than in music."

"Then your boss is really too much." Ronald thought more and more about it and found it more and more funny. He simply agreed with the uncle, "To be honest, I also think there are many liars in the film industry."

The middle-aged man became more and more angry, and ordered another large glass of beer. He began to loudly curse his record company boss Saul, saying that he deposited his money in the bank opened by his boss, but the bank collapsed and the money disappeared. He only received hundreds of thousands of deposit compensation guaranteed by the federal government.

"People in San Francisco are more interesting. They can brag in a very impressive way in the bar. We New Yorkers can only brag about making a lot of money. The guys in San Francisco are artists. I, a Hollywood screenwriter, can't write these plots." Ronald thought, finished the remaining wine, took out two banknotes and pressed them under the wine glass, and went back to the hotel to sleep.

It's just that this uncle's voice is a little familiar, as if I have heard it somewhere before.

...

At the same time, the president's office of Hollywood CAA was still brightly lit. President Ovitz was holding a conference call with his deputy Ron Meyer and Columbia's president Frank Price.

"Michael, you have to make sure Columbia can get this project. I need Jane Fonda to make a movie for Columbia." Frank Price spoke very quickly, and it can be heard that he was a little anxious.

"Otherwise, Sean Connery won't get the role. You CAA can prepare to kiss the former Mr. 007 goodbye."

"Don't say that, Frank. I am Jane Fonda's agent first, and then the matchmaker of this film project. I need to prioritize her interests, otherwise I will be fired." Ovitz winked at Ron Mayer beside him.

Mayer was listening with another receiver, and at the same time covered the microphone with his hand to prevent Price from hearing that he was also present.

"Fair trade." Mayer wrote a few words on the paper and pushed it in front of Ovitz.

Ovitz nodded, "Mr. Price, this is a fair bid. We have sent invitations to every studio, and Jane will also be on site to see the price you faxed. I can't have such a big influence on her to make her give up the highest bid."

"If I can't get Jane, you will lose Sean, it's that simple." Price's tone became more and more impatient.

"Don't be like this, Frank. We met when you were the president of Universal Television and we have done several deals. You know I am not a person who sells out friends." Ovitz spoke more and more skillfully.

"So, I will not treat my friends unfairly. I will reveal a bottom line. This is the psychological bottom price that I, Fox, Orion, Paramount, and Warner Bros. have sold. As long as your bid is significantly higher than theirs, why wouldn't Jane choose you under the same conditions?"

"So you want to raise the price again? How much is it this time? You vampire."

"On the contrary, I am risking my professional ethics reputation to help you get the popular star you urgently need to star in the movie you lead.

As far as I know, Jane is slightly inclined to Orion. After all, they have the reputation of Little United Artists. You know, artists have high demands for artistic autonomy, including director James Bridges, who has a great influence on Jane."

"But they can't afford it. They can only do a little over 3 million. Fox is also a poor guy. Your biggest competitor is... It's Paramount and Warner Bros., I guess they won't offer more than 3.5 million at most.

I think a price slightly higher than their offer, such as 3.8 million, is a price Jane can't refuse. ”

“3.6 million.”

“What you need is insurance, not haggling over 100,000 or 200,000, Frank. How about 3.75 million.”

“3.65.”

“3.7 million, don't argue with me, I can only reduce the agent's agency fee.”

“3.65.”

“Okay, okay, 3.65 million. I have reduced the commission rate to the lowest level in order to make this project. But you have to ensure that other actors in our CAA can participate in this project as much as possible.”

“Deal.”

“So you have reached an agreement? Very good.”

“It's time to tell Jane the terms of the contract.” Ovitz confirmed again.

"She wants a 'pay or pay'?"

"Yes, she insists. Listen, Frank, Jane is very hot now, so hot that everyone wants her, so you have to use this kind of contract to lock her filming time."

"So if this movie can't be filmed for some reason, I still have to pay her 2 million."

"Frank, Jane is very popular, but the Vietnam War theme is also very popular. She won't give up. If she gives up, we will go to Mary Tyler Moore or the British Maggie Smith. Do you think Jane will watch her main competitor get a script that she first chose? This contract is just to lock her schedule and let her say no to scripts from other studios."

"Okay, okay, I'll give this contract. How do you plan to distribute the remaining 1.65 million?"

"350,000 for the screenwriter, and the remaining 1.3 million as a service fee for hiring a director and producer, plus Jane's IPC production company will participate in the production and enjoy the corresponding box office share."

"350,000 for a 20-year-old screenwriter? Is it too much? This is beyond the normal price in Hollywood. I remember that the screenwriter genius John Milius only sold a script for 350,000 back then. But he is John Milius, the screenwriter of Apocalypse Now. "

"The normal price in Hollywood will not give the heroine a 2 million payorPy guarantee contract, Frank. Our goal is to create momentum in the media, so that the accusations of the hostile acquirer Kerkorian become unreasonable and go back to his Las Vegas.

Also, who would doubt your control ability in Columbia if you can win the most popular Jane Fonda in Hollywood? Frank. "

"Let's start with the newspapers, hype Ronald as a genius screenwriter, and then bring it to your management ability, Frank. I plan to do this..."

"You are right. I will find a way to get CBS to cooperate with your publicity plan."

"Yeah, Bgo." After arranging the details of the bidding and the subsequent publicity plan with Columbia President Frank Price, Ovitz couldn't wait to high-five Ron Meyer to celebrate when he heard the other party hung up the phone.

"So what was Paramount's offer? Less than 3.5 million?" Mayer asked.

"A total of 3.2 million, 450,000 less than Columbia. The others were all less than 3 million. We secured 2.35 million for Jane and Ronald, which is a total commission of nearly 200,000. As for the director, he is not our client, so let him take the market price."

"A script worth $350,000, so you really want to pay Ronald, the rookie, $350,000 for it? Our other screenwriter clients will go crazy."

"This is not a question of script quality, but a question of CAA's ability, Ron." Ovitz seemed confident. If we can sell a 20-year-old newcomer's script for $350,000, John Milius's price, what do you think other screenwriters will think? What will those screenwriters who are signed to other agencies think?"

"Well, that's the truth, and of course Frank Price, the sucker, must cooperate."

"Yes, after all, it is said in Hollywood that the most suitable career for him is script reader. The only president of a major studio who reads scripts himself."