Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Ovitz took Ronald to a mansion the next morning where Columbia Pictures president Frank Price lived.

This place originally belonged to Dah Shore, the pop queen of the 1940s. After the love affair between Dah Shore and Burt Reynolds, who was 20 years younger than him, ended, she wanted to build a house full of memories of the two of them. sold.

In the 1970s, Dina Shore started her talk show career on the TV station and transformed into a talk show host. Frank Price happened to be the president of the TV station at the time and took over the building, which once often hosted Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley. A mansion waiting for a superstar.

Ronald was sitting on the sofa in the large living room. This very large and luxuriously decorated residence made him feel a little unsure of where he was.

"Ronald, I heard that you are not satisfied with the contract?" Frank Presby was much more relaxed in the office, wearing loose clothes. He didn't look like the president of a major eight film studio, but a neighbor. Kind uncle.

"My contract does not include the right of first refusal to modify, Mr. Price," Ronald came to his senses. "In this case, my rights and interests are not well protected by the 12-month option purchase agreement."

"Well, I understand what you mean." Price sat down on the sofa and crossed his legs, "So what do you want to do?"

"I don't know the opinion of director Bridges. In fact, I have already made some modifications to the script to improve Jane Fonda's role."

Ovitz did not expect that Ronald did not immediately demand full payment, but instead brought the topic back to the script. He quickly made amends: "In fact, Ronald, based on the modifications you proposed..."

"Why not let Ronald speak for himself?" Price laughed.

"Actually, I didn't fully adopt your revision suggestions, Mr. Price." Ronald took out the script revision ideas he wrote and handed it to Price.

Price quickly skimmed through the several pages of the outline recording the revised ideas, "This is very interesting. You changed Jane's character into a widow who helps disabled soldiers in a veterans hospital after her husband died in Vietnam. This is very easy to relate to. from her role in 'The Return'."

"Yes, this was a deliberate design on my part to make the audience think it was an unofficial sequel to 'The Return'."

"It's a good idea. If they weren't free right now, the president of United Arts would have called me to protest." Price smiled.

"So I'm not out yet, right?" Ronald said. He still wanted to struggle and couldn't give up before fighting for it.

Frank Price smiled and said, "Ronald, I really like the script you wrote, especially the scenes and dialogues in Famous. I asked producer Da Silva for confirmation."

Ronald knew that Mr. President had something more to say.

"But screenwriting is an art that accumulates in life. The life of teenagers you wrote is very good, but the love story of middle-aged Vietnam veterans you wrote is not convincing enough."

"Director Bridges and I have discussed some revisions to the script, and I basically agree with him. The proportion of Jane needs to be increased, and your treatment of the fool is too symbolic, symbolic, and he is too much like a myth. Bridges will use a more realistic approach to this role."

"But Mr. Price, the fool is the intersection of several plot clues..." Ronald suddenly realized that the president was not the script editor and came to discuss the script with him. Price doesn't have the airs of a CEO, but that doesn't mean he has time to discuss such details with a small screenwriter of his own. He's here to inform himself of the results.

Ronald disagreed with Bridges's treatment. He did not see the real core of the script. The fool was a symbolic character...

"But this probably has nothing to do with me. If the director has his own ideas for revision, maybe it would be better for the movie if I sold the script and left." Ronald accepted the reality and satisfied Ovitz.

"Frank, Ronald has done a great job in his part. Since we are not going to let him continue to revise the script, then..."

Price waved his hand, "Of course, I will give instructions

"Ronald, don't feel frustrated. Take your royalties, enjoy the joy of becoming famous overnight, take a long vacation, find a girl and enjoy life."

"If you have a new script writing plan, I suggest you start with youth scripts. Teenagers are a very short period of time. After age, you will forget many of your thoughts at that time. Today's young people can easily save money by working part-time. It’s money to watch movies, but Hollywood writers are so old that they’ve forgotten what they thought when they were young, and you’re still young enough.”

"You've written a new script that Michael can come to me and I'll always make time to read it."

Ronald thanked Price, knowing that his talking time was over, and moved to another sofa to sit down.

"Michael, it's your Rosh Hashanah..."

"I will go to synagogue with my family on Rosh Hashanah, and the rest of the time I will be at your beck and call..."

Within a few days, Ronald got his own check from the producer at Columbia Pictures. After depositing it into the bank's checking account, Ronald wrote a check for $35,000 to CAA to Richard who sent him here. The specific distribution among several brokers was not his concern.

Then there are Mickey Kanter’s legal fees.

Ronald has just over $300,000 left, and he hasn't figured out how to spend it. He's thinking about going back to New York to discuss it with his accountant Lawrence, who seems to know a lot about investment.

"The Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety reported that your script sold for a sky-high price. If you hadn't called today, I wouldn't have known if it was the Ronald Lee I know." Gail, assistant to the president of New World Productions, laughed on the phone.

"I'm still in Los Angeles. Are you and Cameron free? I have to find a friend to share my joy." Ronald said.

"He's still preparing for the New York Escape. Wait a minute, ... It's Ronald ... OK. Ronald, it's Mr. Coleman, he wants to talk to you."

"Ronald, the rental fee for Rock High School in New York has accumulated to the second million. Here's a check for you. Although it's a little less than what you sold the script, it's also earned from your business vision. Remember to come and get it." Coleman also joked with Ronald.

"I will. Are you here today, Mr. Coleman? I have some questions for you."

Seeing the red and white building of New World Studios, Ronald felt that some things seemed to have not changed. It was still the low-key company that was reluctant to put up the company name sign.

"Mr. Coleman, this is how it happened. Maybe I was lucky and won the lottery."

"Luck is also part of success. The first movie I produced was made with tens of thousands of dollars borrowed from here and there. By chance, a distributor found me and offered to buy it out at a price higher than the cost, and I immediately got my money back. If I had found a distributor three months after the first movie, my advance payment would not be enough to support the filming of the film."

Roger Corman still likes to talk about business more than art. Maybe there are too many people talking about art in the film industry, and too few people talking about business. Every time Coleman and Ronald chat, they focus on the commercial operation of the film.

"Frank Price, president of Columbia, thinks I'm too young to write adult stories, and suggests that I write a script for teenage audiences. Do you think this script has market prospects, Mr. Coleman?"

"It depends on the budget of the producer. There are many exploitation films for teenagers in the New World, but recently the market is looking for high-budget movies like Spielberg, and low-cost teenage movies are becoming fewer and fewer."

"But why can't teenage movies rely on plots to win? Such movies don't need a high budget, right?"

"Yes, many people have thought of this. The problem is that Hollywood doesn't have teenage actors with good acting skills. The protagonist of Romeo and Juliet has to be auditioned nationwide. Hollywood used to use adult actors to play teenage roles. Actors like Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz are hard to come by."

Roger Corman took the $10,000 check handed over by Gale and handed it to Ronald after reading it. "Your second installment of remuneration."

"In fact, the rental fee for the second installment of copies is lower, and the rental fee reached one million US dollars. Mr. Coleman should give me more bonuses." Ronald said jokingly.

After being in the industry for a long time, he knows more about film distribution. It is a miracle that a movie like Rock High School, which has a low rental fee, can reach the second two million in New York State. The promotion of the film review program on the PBS channel is also indispensable.

Roger Corman did not take it as a joke, "I should give you more, but the contract is a contract, and we have to respect it. How about this, you go to the film festival on my behalf to see if there are any foreign art films worth buying. Julie, the children and I will just celebrate the Jewish New Year.

"Foreign... art films? Aren't they exploitation films?" Ronald thought he had heard it wrong.

"Where are the exploitation films being screened at the film festival?"

"I didn't know you also have the art film distribution business."

"Yes, many people don't know. Italy's Fellini, Sweden's Ingmar Bergman, and Japan's Akira Kurosawa, their new films are all distributed in the United States by New World."

"Mr. Corman's personal appreciation taste is completely different from the movies he made. "Assistant to the president, Gail, chimed in.

It turns out that these foreign art films were traditionally shown in theaters that specialize in showing art films. Roger Corman not only got involved in art theater distribution, but also developed a new market.

He introduced art films to drive-in theaters, small town theaters, and second-tier theaters in big cities that young audiences often go to. Today's American teenagers are still willing to learn about exotic scenery and culture, and are also willing to watch movies with subtitles.

"Where is the film festival held?" Ronald became interested and asked, "Is Cannes over now?"

"It's the Montreal Film Festival, which is newly established in Canada. The travel expenses and hotels are also very cheap." Roger Corman said with a smile.

"I have to think about it." It's not a big film festival, Ronald was a little hesitant. Pfeiffer's agent Limato told him that Pfeiffer would soon finish filming Charlie Chan and come back.

"Okay, I'll keep the opportunity for you before the weekend." Roger Corman finally caught a free laborer.