Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Ronald sat in the living room of the hotel room, facing Michelle Pfeiffer and his agent Ed Limato.

Limato insisted on meeting him with Pfeiffer this time, so Ronald changed to a large room. With a huge amount of royalties as a base, Ronald opened an executive suite, which had an extra living room compared to ordinary rooms as a place to talk.

"So, in general, you failed in the power struggle in the crew?" Limato pointed out Ronald's situation bluntly.

"You can't say that, I can't be considered a failure. At my age, I can sell a script to a big production starring Jane Fonda, so I am a success no matter how you look at it." Ronald didn't like this kind of words.

"It's not a failure at all, I made a mistake, Ronald. As an ordinary person, anyone who can achieve the current achievements like you by relying on their own abilities can proudly say that they are successful.

But Hollywood is not like this. I have been in this industry for a long time. There are many examples of screenwriters becoming famous overnight. Most of them won an award and wrote a big production and then fell into silence."

After apologizing for his statement, Limato gave Ronald a lecture.

In Hollywood, screenwriters are at the bottom of all creative professions. Not to mention those who sold a script like him, even screenwriters who won the Oscar for Best Original/Adapted Screenplay disappeared immediately.

This is because the output of real big productions in Hollywood is limited. The eight major studios can only produce about 10 films a year at most, with a production budget of more than 8 million US dollars. Small-scale movies do not require screenwriters so much. Exploitation films like Roger Corman cannot pay much screenwriter salary.

Famous screenwriters can either continue to produce high-quality scripts and become the top existence that big studios compete for. Or they can switch to the television industry, which is the stage for screenwriters. There are countless new TV series every year, sequels of old TV series, and different episodes of each TV series. The screenwriters there have already had a preliminary team to work together.

"You are a mature person, Ronald. And you helped me sign Michelle, and I treat you as a family member. So I will say some things directly. You should be honest with your family." Limato said to Ronald.

"My plan for Michelle is to play important supporting roles in various medium-sized theatrical films and TV movies, completely give up TV dramas, and then look for opportunities to play major roles in small and medium-sized productions."

"This was originally a good opportunity. Being able to play a supporting role in Jane Fonda's movie can make the audience remember Michelle Pfeiffer, which is very helpful for her "key leap" from supporting role to leading role. You should stick to it. The screenwriter has a lot of say in many film productions."

"But this one is not," Ronald interrupted him, "You must know that this is Jane's crew, and she is the most valuable asset in this movie. I even argued the importance of the main line I designed in front of Mr. Price, the president of Columbia, for the right to adapt, but..." Ronald was speechless for a moment.

"Well, Hollywood is a place that only looks at results. Without this key role, I can only continue to run around for her. There is a TV movie 'Cowley and Her Son' that is looking for an important supporting role. I will contact the casting director now."

"This failure will at least delay Pfeiffer's 'key leap' for more than half a year." Limato gave Pfeiffer, who was sitting, a wink, motioning her to go together.

"Ms. Pfeiffer will be very busy next. The acting class will help her a lot. Director Charlie Chan has a good opinion of her acting. She doesn't have much time to waste on you..."

Michelle Pfeiffer, who was sitting, suddenly stood up, "I don't allow you to talk to Ronald like this, Ed."

"Please give Ronnie and I some time alone." Pfeiffer said to agent Limato.

"Michelle, in fact, this matter is not completely hopeless. Mr. Ovitz promised..."

"Ronnie, is this all you want to tell me?" Michelle Pfeiffer approached, leaned against Ronald, raised her head and looked straight into his eyes.

"I won't stop here, Michelle. Believe me, I will definitely write a script that will impress the producers, and I will direct it myself, and then you will be the heroine." Ronald opened his arms and hugged Michelle Pfeiffer and said.

Pfeiffer in his arms moved a little and gently pushed Ronald away.

"Ronnie, you still don't understand women's hearts."

"I don't ask you to find more roles for me, that's Limato's job."

"What I want is the company of a man."

Pfeiffer continued in Ronald's arms, "I don't really have to be a big star. Now I have movies to shoot, advertising jobs to take, rented apartments and beautiful clothes. I am not dissatisfied with this kind of life.

I just want to be like a normal lover, to eat together, walk together, travel together, I get your dry cleaning, and you help me dry my hair."

"But you are born to be a star, Michelle."

"I don't know, Limato also said so, but what I need is your company. And you are always busy with your career, and your studies are also in New York..."

"I can come to accompany you..."

"Really? Then can you move to Los Angeles?" Michelle Pfeiffer asked with her head raised.

"I..."

"Or you live here for six months a year?"

Ronald remained silent.

"Ronnie, you are my savior, and I will always love you. But I am a fragile person, afraid of living alone..." Michelle Pfeiffer sobbed in Ronald's arms.

Ronald gently patted Pfeiffer's back, "Don't cry, Michelle. You will succeed, and your fans will make you want to be alone."

Michelle Pfeiffer burst into laughter in his arms and gently hit him, "You always make me laugh. We will always be friends, Ronnie."

Limato walked into the room at the right time, saw Michelle Pfeiffer's red eyes, and smiled imperceptibly.

It is the worst choice for actresses to fall in love with screenwriters in terms of commercial value. It is basically the fate of many actresses after they are old and ugly.

But Michelle Pfeiffer is a rising star. She should find a star actor, a producer, and preferably a director who is suitable for her acting style to make a movie specifically for her.

Just like the legendary actress Ingrid Bergman to Roberto Rossellini. Or the popular sexy actress Bo Derek, to her husband John Derek.

It would be best if she could break up with the screenwriter naturally without damaging the relationship between him and Michelle.

…

A few days later, at an Italian restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard, Ronald invited Gail Hurd, assistant to the president of New Century, to have dinner with his old friend Cameron.

“Ronald, I hope your story is true,” Gail listened to Ronald’s story, “but as a friend, I want to ask, do you think it’s difficult for an actress to perform that kind of emotion?”

“I don’t know, but in fact, people’s intuition for lies is very strong. I do think Michelle said that sincerely.”

“Ha, you are such a hopelessly romantic boy.” Gail picked up a bottle of beer and drank it.

“I think this is a very normal thing. Artists are always full of emotions. If Ronald considers emotional issues very rationally, he can’t write such a good script.” Cameron, who had just returned to Los Angeles from the New York studio, disagreed.

"Many famous artists in history have their muses. When they are with their goddesses, their creativity is at its peak. Some lucky masters have different outstanding women as their muses at different stages."

"I can't tell that you are also a romantic person, Jim. Who is your muse? Is it your wife Sharon?" Gail glanced at Cameron.

"No, I'm just a stunt engineer. I haven't met the muse in my artistic life yet." Cameron shook his head. The crew of Escape from New York returned to Los Angeles. The producer Embassy Pictures rented Universal's studio for them to shoot indoor scenes. Stunt engineer Cameron took a temporary vacation to meet old friends.

"So how did you sell your script?" Gail was quite interested in the news that filled the entertainment headlines these days. After all, it was a big production. The transfer fee of the script alone could make a movie at New Century Productions.

"To be honest, I don't know. Thinking back, it was more of luck." Ronald also took a sip of beer. "The biggest factor in this matter was Jane Fonda. Ovitz found out that Jane Fonda was looking for another Vietnam War movie. Columbia needed big-name movie stars to join to fight against hostile takeovers, and I was the one who wrote the right subject at the right time."

"How is the filming of Escape from New York going?" Ronald asked Cameron about the progress.

"It's quite hard. The whole film is a night scene. Shoot until 7 am every day, then go to bed, and continue shooting at 7 pm. As the main creative team, we have to get up an hour earlier to watch the daily samples. We haven't seen the sun for a whole month."

"Is the effect of the movie good?" Gail is also interested in this film. Its theme is similar to Roger Corman's exploitation film, but the budget is a little bigger, with millions.

"Very good, John Carpenter is good at shooting low-budget movies, of course, low-budget movies in the sense of studios. This movie will be a hit."

"What about you, Ronald, when are you going to Canada?"

"I'll go as soon as I get my passport. It takes a few working days to apply." Ronald snapped his fingers and called the waiter to settle the bill.

The waiter brought a bill on a plate. Ronald took out his wallet from his hip pocket, took out a brand new Wells Fargo credit card, plus two banknotes as a tip, and gave it to the waiter.

The waiter used a machine at the front desk to put the card on carbon paper and quickly swiped the credit card with the black slider on top. The protruding numbers on the plastic card were printed on the carbon paper and then taken to the credit card company to request payment.

"A new toy given to me by a bank, it is said that it can also be used in Canada. I have to get familiar with it, otherwise it will be troublesome if I can't swipe it in Montreal." Ronald explained to his two friends.

Click, the cashier swiped it again, and the numbers on the copy paper were still not clear. "Sir, we still have to call the credit card company to confirm."

"Uh," Ronald didn't expect that there would be problems with the new credit card issued by the bank, "Let's use cash."

Gail beside him chuckled, "Let Ronald handle it here, Jim, where's your Harley motorcycle? Take me home."

"Well, it seems I have to exchange some traveler's checks." Ronald thought.