Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"How do you rank the three movies?" Roger Corman was sitting in the president's office, discussing the three movies he liked with Ronald, who had returned from Montreal. "

"My thought is that 'God Is Crazy' has the highest market potential in the American market, if the protests can be resolved. Next is 'Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears,' which was nominated for an Academy Award and has the potential to be picked up in arthouses. Some box office results. Finally, there is the cultural difference between Japan’s ‘The Call of the Mountains’ and America.”

"So this is your recommendation ranking?" Coleman asked after reading the plot synopses of the three movies written by Ronald and the market analysis.

"Yeah, I think 'God Is Crazy' is worth the risk."

"You know Ariternational? Ronald." Roger Corman mentioned an unrelated name.

"Um, I seem to have seen this name in the titles of old New World movies." Ronald recalled that when he was studying editing at New World Productions, he had watched many video tapes of movies shot by New World over the years.

"Yes, AIP was one of the few low-cost film distributors in America at the time. It was my long-term partner. Before founding New World Productions, most of the films I produced and directed were distributed by them." Roger A look of nostalgia appeared on Coleman's face.

"I used to make a lot of money for AIP until their president, Sauel Arkoff, modified my movie 'The Trip' without my consent. World Distribution, getting into the distribution business myself. As a director, I don’t want anyone to do anything to my movies, you know?”

Ronald nodded, he felt the same as his script was revised.

"But after all, AIP was once the strongest film distribution company outside of the five major studios with their own distribution channels. Who knew that they were rumored to be bankrupt last year, and this year they were just acquired by FilWays."

Ronald was a little confused as to why Roger Corman was suddenly talking about these old events.

"Alkov once invented the Alkov formula, which is very famous in the American film industry. Using this formula to make low-cost exploitation films always fails. Most of the films can make money."

Ronald adjusted his sitting posture. He felt that what Coleman was telling him would be very important principles. So I took out my pen and prepared to record.

"It's actually easy to remember. No need to remember it. Just remember Alkov's name." Coleman indicated that he didn't need to remember it.

The six letters of Arkoff each represent the characteristics of a blockbuster movie.

A action scene (exciting, exciting, dramatic)

Revotion (novel, controversial topic or idea)

Killg (a certain degree of violence)

Oratory speech (impressive lines)

Fantasy (exaggerated fantasy that fits the audience’s imagination)

Fornification is sexy (moderately sexy content that teen audiences like)

"As long as I follow this formula and make low-budget exploitation films for teenagers, I have never failed." Roger Corman waved his hands. "My only failed directorial project, 'The Invaders,' violated this formula." Most of the Six Principles.”

"Alkov is the inventor of this principle. Doesn't he understand this? Why is he still bankrupt?" Roger Coleman did not want Ronald to answer, so he gave the answer himself:

"Because he no longer wants to be called a B-movie tycoon and wants to invest in large-scale productions. This is a risk. Large-scale movies are a big risk. After several failures, the company has reached its current situation."

"We are not one of the eight major studios and do not have the strength to take too many risks. In the past few months, I invested 2 million US dollars in filming 'Battle of the Stars', and most of the cost was recouped because of the pre-sale revenue. If you want to gain a foothold in Hollywood If so, Ronald, remember one principle, don’t lose money.”

Ronald understood that there was a big risk in "God Is Crazy" after all. New World could not ensure that the film would be released smoothly in America, so it was better not to do it.

"So we can try 'Moscow Doesn't Believe in Tears'?"

"Of course, it's a gamble without cost." Roger Corman chuckled a few times. "The Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film is just a matter of winning more and winning less."

"Dangdang..." With a knock on the door, Coleman's wife Julie walked in, "Hi, Ronald, nice to meet you." Then she turned to her husband Roger and tapped her watch:

"Roger, you promised me to buy that toy for the children. Don't forget it."

Coleman was a little reluctant, "Don't we already have a tape recorder at home? Why do we need to buy another one for each child?"

"Roger, this is love for the child, not your business." Julie was unhappy.

"Okay, okay, I'll go shopping with you, one for each of us." Coleman is still a good father and husband in front of his wife and children.

"What kind of toy is it?" Ronald didn't understand.

"It's a small tape recorder made by a Japanese company. You can wear it on your body and listen to tape music with headphones. It's very popular among teenagers now." Julie said with a smile.

"Is that so?" Ronald thought of his cousin Donna. If a teenager has one of these toys, they can become a social queen. When he has money, he will buy one for his cousin as a gift for Canada.

"Oh, and there's Diane Lane who lives with my cousin. I have to buy two more."

Ronald said goodbye and went to CAA to meet his agent.

Julie looked at Ronald's back and said to her husband Roger, "Do you think highly of Ronald? I rarely see you spend time on young people."

"No, I only spend time on people with potential." Roger Corman replied, "He will soon taste the ruthlessness of Hollywood. After all, this is not the era when I started my business and could shoot a movie with $45,000.

After he fails several times in his attempts to be a director, the new world will become his choice. Young people always have lofty ambitions, especially a young man who has just sold a script at a sky-high price."

"Richard, do you know where to buy a portable recorder from Sony? It's the thing called Walkan." Ronald sat on the sofa at CAA and asked his agent Richard.

"I don't know, what is this? Isn't it sold in electrical appliance stores or department stores?"

"I went to several stores and they were all sold out."

"I'll ask for you." Richard stood up and went to make a phone call to find connections. Helping clients buy some in-demand products is also an essential part of a qualified agent's job.

"Hi, Ronald. Long time no see." Nicita, who was wearing a thin suit, came over to say hello. "I just talked to Director Bridges' agent Lapke. Director Bridges made a major operation on your script. He put Jane's role at the center..."

"Stop, stop, I don't want to discuss this script. This is no longer my job scope." Ronald hurriedly called for a stop. It felt terrible to discuss the script that was randomly changed by others, just like his girlfriend got married to another man and had to attend the wedding.

Ronald secretly vowed that he would never let others randomly change his script when he had a position in the future.

"Okay, I've recently helped you contact some script rewriting jobs. Generally speaking, the remuneration for script rewriting is higher than that for selling scripts." Nicita changed the subject and talked about his search for a new job for Ronald.

"Of course, ordinary scripts can't be sold at your high price. Tens of thousands of dollars is already very high. The script revision work I found for you is generally in the range of thirty to fifty thousand dollars."

"What type of script?"

"Your script creation is mainly about the Vietnam War, youth themes, group dramas, and musicals. We plan to use these labels to help you sell to the studio. I wonder which theme you prefer?" Nicita just wanted to talk to Ronald about future positioning issues.

"Let's get rid of the Vietnam War first. I went to the Montreal Film Festival and watched some good movies that truly reflect the lives of middle-aged people. I found that I can't quite grasp the love mentality of middle-aged people."

"Okay, Nicita will write down Ronald's request."

"I am willing to accept other script types and revision work, but I need to see the script first, at least the outline of the script before further contact."

"Of course, this is a normal request. Unless Spielberg or George Lucas wants you to revise the script." Nicita made a little joke.

Ronald smiled. By limiting his creative direction to a certain range, he could accumulate more experience and help himself write a complete script.

It just so happened that the theme of youth movies was resurrecting, and he was of the right age. He had just graduated from high school and could still remember some of the psychology of high school students. In addition to the Arkoff movie formula taught by Roger Corman, Ronald was still very confident in himself.

"Get your check ready, Ronald," the main agent Richard ran over excitedly, "My friend will deliver it to your door later."

"Is this it?" Ronald picked up a palm-sized tape recorder and took a closer look. There was a yellow button on the blue metal body.

Richard's scalper friend opened the body, put in a new tape of the "Air Supply" band, and signaled Ronald to put on the yellow headphones.

"I lie alone in bed, my head resting on the phone

Thinking of you, until I feel like dying

I know you are also hurt, but what else can we do?

Suffering from torture, torn apart

..."

The crisp and high-pitched voice of the Australian band's new song "All Out of Love" came, and Ronald looked at Walkan in surprise, as if he was in the scene.

"This is stereo," the other party said, pointing to a 'Stereo' logo on the lid of Walkan."

"There are two headphone jacks here," the other party continued to explain the function, "You know that among teenagers, recorders are not only a tool for listening to music, but also a social tool. So you can plug in two headphones here and share with good friends."

Ronald was amazed. The product design of Japanese people is really interesting. They always think carefully about the details, and the Sony TV he bought is also the same. The color reproduction is brighter than that of American or West German products.

"What is this yellow button for?" Ronald pointed to a bright yellow button on the top.

"This is the call button," the other party motioned Ronald to put on the headphones, then took out another headphone and plugged it into headphone jack B, pressing and holding the yellow button, "Hello, this way we can listen to music and talk at the same time."

"Very good, I want two, no, three. How much is it in total?" Ronald decided to buy one for himself, so that he could use it to isolate himself from external interference when writing.

"The market price is $160, I have it in stock, $180 per unit."

Ronald took out his checkbook, signed a check and handed it over.

"This machine uses three AA batteries, I'll give you a set." The scalper happily took the check and left, as checks issued by CAA's clients generally would not bounce.

"What is this?"

Ovitz, the president of CAA, happened to pass by and saw Ronald holding a machine and listening happily with headphones.

"Walkan, a Japanese product that is in short supply now. Ronald wants to make a gift, so I asked my friend to deliver it."

"Call your friend back, and we'll also purchase a batch, and many of our customers' children will need it."