Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"The thing is, there are two Israelis who made a teen comedy called 'The Last American Virgin.' There are several plots in it that are very similar to 'Fast-paced Richmond High.'"

Niceta quickly briefed Ronald on the situation in CAA's office.

"They had a distribution agreement with MGM, so they sent the finished film to MGM for a test screening. But among the audience at the test screening, someone watched 'Fast Pace' and told the investigators about it. MGM After conducting an investigation, GM notified Universal."

The more Ronald heard, the more familiar he became, two Israelis, distributed by MGM, "What is the name of this company? Who are those two Israelis?"

"Cannon Pictures, named Minahan Golan and Yoram Gobulos. People at Global gave them the nickname, Go-Go brothers from Israel. (The initials of Golan and Gobulos , the nickname is a very unpleasant derogatory meaning)”

Sure enough, it was these two fat men.

"Is it really plagiarism?" Ronald didn't believe it. Not long after the editing of "Fast Tempo" was completed, how did Minahan copy it? It’s too late?

"There are indeed a few things that are beyond the possibility of ordinary coincidence." Niceta handed over a piece of paper, which was a briefing from MGM.

"In one scene, the heroine went to the hospital for surgery. After seeing the mannequin, she thought about her pregnancy and vomited.

The other is the male protagonist who has always had a crush on the heroine. His best friend is the man who got the heroine pregnant.

But they are unlikely to plagiarize your finished film. Now it seems more likely that they will plagiarize the script or some details of the original novel. There is a possibility that the script may be leaked during the filming process. "

"What does Universal mean?"

"The lawsuit against the other party has been delayed for a long time. Universal is not optimistic about the box office potential of their "The Last Virgin". Moreover, they are outsiders. No big distributor in Hollywood is willing to offend Universal and take over their distribution business.

Of course, Universal would also like to ask for your opinion on whether it needs to be released earlier than June to eliminate the impact of "The Last American Virgin" on the box office. "

Niceta lit a cigarette, took a drag and looked at Ronald.

"MGM has refused to distribute this film from Cannon Pictures due to film quality issues. However, Cannon Pictures itself has some distribution capabilities. They will try to contact theaters themselves and find enough theaters to release it in late July."

Ronald thought for a while and said to his agent, "Actually, I know these two fat guys. They met me at the Golden Globe Awards dinner last year and knew that I was writing a script for Universal to adapt this novel."

"Is that so?" Niceta put out her cigarette. Why don't we meet them head-on, see the quality of their movies, and then make a decision? Your movie targets teenagers. If it were released in July as originally planned, it would have a lot more box office. "

"Yes, I don't need to be afraid of them. The last movie Minahan directed, 'Apple', was very bad and was trashed by the audience in Montreal, Canada. I don't think his level will improve so fast."

Ronald dialed Minahan Golan's number in Niceta's office.

"Hey, Minahan, I'm Ronald. I heard you plagiarized my movie?"

"Hahaha," Minahan's rude laughter came from the phone, "You are such a joker, Ronald. How could I plagiarize your movie?"

Minahan was delaying time with laughter and gesturing to his cousin Yoram to come over and discuss it together.

"I don't think you are that mean. I have helped you in Canada and Los Angeles.

But I got a letter from MGM saying that the movie you asked them to release, "The Last Virgin," had a very similar plot to my "Fast-paced Richmond High." "

Ronald and Niceta, who picked up the other receiver and listened, made a gesture to show that they were testing each other.

"Nothing is wrong, I promise you. I swear on my two daughters that I will never plagiarize. At most...at most..."

Yoram next to him quickly wrote a word on the manuscript paper and handed it to Minahan to read.

"At most it's a reference, a coincidence. Ronald, to tell you the truth, 'The Last American Virgin' is a remake of the old film 'Lemonade' that Yoram and I made in Israel.

If you don’t believe it, you can come to me and I’ll show it to you. It’s a complete remake of our own Hebrew film, and there is no plagiarism. "

Ronald on the other end of the phone glanced at Niceta, asking for advice.

Niceta made an OK gesture to him, asking him to agree.

"Okay, my agent and I will go to your place now. If your new film is really a remake of your own old film, I won't mind. This kind of subject matter collision often happens in the film industry, but what if..."

"Ah, I know, Ronald, you are a reasonable person. I asked my subordinates to get ready, let's watch two movies together and compare..." Minahan hung up the phone.

"Minahan, you should not swear on your daughter again." Yoram said to Minahan. "Last time you used your oath on the bank to mortgage your two daughters to them without paying the money. Your wife I’m so angry that I want to divorce you.”

Minahan waved his hand, "I can't help it. Ronald is not so easy to fool. I have to give him the first impression that we didn't plagiarize, so that he will tend to think that the two plots are coincidental. It took me a lot of effort to get his script...

And we are in a bad situation in Hollywood. Ronald is a genius. His script is full of creativity. If we want to make a big production that will shock Hollywood, we still have to rely on him.

And his background and connections are unfathomable. At that time, he gave us a message, so we could get in touch with the big distributor MGM. Otherwise, we still can't find a distribution channel now."

Ronald and Niceta walked to Cannon Pictures not far away. There is no change here from last time. Many employees still sit in the aisle to work.

"Please, please... Ronald. Let's go to the projection room. I'll ask an employee who knows Hebrew to translate the original dialogue of "Lemonade" for you on the spot." Minahan waited for Ronald at the door, hugged him tightly, and then invited him into the projection room.

The first thing played was the old Hebrew film "Lemonade". An employee stood by with a microphone and read out the dialogue between the characters in the movie.

Ronald noticed that the scale of this movie was larger than that of "Fast Pace" he shot. Moreover, of the several suspected plagiarism plots mentioned by Nicita, only the relationship between the two male protagonists and the female protagonist existed in "Lemonade", and the plot of the female protagonist going to the hospital for surgery did not exist.

Then the English film "The Last American Virgin" was played. This movie almost intactly retained the plot in his own movie, in which the female protagonist went to the hospital for a visit again after the operation and vomited after seeing the human model.

Ronald looked at Minahan suspiciously. This must have plagiarized his movie script, but the plagiarism was a bit strange. Why did he edit some inexplicable shots before and after? Could it be? Ronald quickly shut up and held back his smile.

"Mr. Golan, this part of your plot is very similar to my client's script..." Nicita said to Minahan after the playback.

"Absolutely not. I have never read Ronald's script. I have only read Mr. Crowe's best-selling novel. Based on his novel, I wrote this plot. If there is a coincidence, it is because Ronald and I are both playwrights. Great souls often have similar ideas."

Ronald did not speak, shut his mouth and looked at Minahan.

"I promise you, Ronald. If you insist on holding us responsible, we can only fight back.

But we are not enemies, are we? Our films are not released together. I have decided to use Cannon Pictures' own strength to distribute them. And the release time we set is also deliberately two weeks later than your film, so we will not have any competition.

Ronald, you helped me twice, I will not forget it. You are indeed a top playwright. I want to buy your scripts at a high price in the future. If you are willing, I will also invite you to direct at a high price."

Minahan said a lot, but Ronald still held back.

"Ronald, I will never forget your help to me. We have obtained financing from a Dutch bank and will soon start shooting a multi-million-level production. I will never forget you." Minahan saw Ronald still not speaking, so he stepped forward and hooked Ronald's shoulders.

"How about it? Are you willing?" He shook Ronald's shoulders and asked. Minahan was a little nervous. He found that Ronald's body was shaking, as if he could no longer suppress his anger.

After more than ten seconds, no one spoke. Finally, Ronald nodded, shook hands with Minahan, and was hugged by Minahan, who kissed him hard on the cheek three times, left and right.

"Hahaha..." After Ronald left, Minahan hugged Yoram and they danced, "We finally shot our first movie in America, and we also got Ronald's understanding. We will definitely succeed. This movie will be nominated for the best actor and actress at the Oscars."

"And the best supporting actor." Yoram was also very happy. It was good news for the distribution of the movie to avoid Ronald taking legal action. Ronald also knew the lawyer named Mickey, whose methods the two Israelis had seen when negotiating with MGM.

"Yes, and the best director and best film." Minahan became happier and happier. He picked up the glass and poured two glasses of strong liquor, and drank them all with Yoram.

"These Hollywood producers are not willing to play golf and tennis with us. This time we must make a big splash and let them know our Cannon Pictures."

"Hahaha..." Ronald walked out of Cannon Pictures, crossed a few streets, and on a roadside where the Cannon Pictures office could not be seen, he couldn't help laughing and leaned against the wall.

"Is it the hospital scene?" Seeing him laughing so hard, Niceta patted Ronald's back gently.

"Yes, he actually used the pizza-cutting scene to make a montage, and connected it with the scene of the heroine being pushed onto the operating table. Hahaha..."

Ronald had been holding back for a long time, and finally laughed enough.

Minahan is really a "director genius". He was not satisfied with the plagiarized scenes. When the heroine went to the hospital for surgery, he edited many scenes of the hero working in a pizza shop to earn money to pay for her surgery.

Finally, when the heroine was sent to the operating table and the doctor picked up the scalpel, the camera cut to the camera shot of the hero cutting the pizza with a knife. With a "swish", the pizza was cut in half.

"What kind of editing method is this? Hahaha..." Ronald felt like he was watching a cartoon.

"You don't pursue him just because of this? Do you think the audience can't accept this editing method? Did the box office not do well in the end?" asked Niceta.

"Of course this is a reason. But the main reason is the ending, the hero didn't win the beauty.

The hero who earned money to let the heroine have surgery did not get together with the heroine, but instead saw the heroine reconcile with the handsome guy who made her pregnant unexpectedly and ignored her.

We Americans don't have this hobby, the hero must win in the end and win the beauty."