Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Cyndi Lauper (Diuper), a female singer born in 1953, previously served as the lead singer of the Blue Angels. After the Blue Angels disbanded, Portrait Records just signed her and is preparing to release her first solo album this year. An album 'She's So Different'.

I was surprised after receiving your inquiry. My client's song has not charted on the radio and has not been officially released. Why do you know about it? "

Eliot Hoffman, a half-bald lawyer wearing a handmade suit, met Ronald in a coffee shop to discuss the licensing of the song "Girlsjtwanttohavefun."

Wearing a pair of old-fashioned round glasses and a mustache on his lips, he elegantly picked up the coffee cup and took a sip.

“I heard this song as one of Michael Jackson’s back-up dancers, and as soon as I heard it I thought it fit a scene in my movie, Mr. Hoffman. It’s two young girls trying on things in a department store. Wearing all kinds of high-end women's clothing...doesn't it fit the song perfectly?"

"That makes sense. J's company is Epic Records, and my client Cindy's company is Portrait Records, a subsidiary of Epic Records. On behalf of my client, I'm here to talk to you about this licensing matter..."

Lawyer Hoffmann's beard is very similar to the protagonist "Polo" in the detective novel. It also has sharp corners on both sides. When drinking coffee, you have to be especially careful not to let the coffee get wet on your beard.

"Polo" Hoffman wrote a number on the paper and pushed it to the other side of the table. "This is our offer."

The agent Niceta, who was sitting next to Ronald, helped pick up the note from the table, frowned, and handed it to Ronald.

Then he helped Ronald negotiate the price, "This number is too high. Generally speaking, the total price of the interlude and soundtrack will not exceed 10% of the total shooting budget of the film. Your price, my client will definitely It’s unbearable. I think we’ll just have to find other songs.”

Hoffman touched his beard and said nothing.

Ronald saw him secretly squinting at him and knew that the other party actually wanted to sell. He thought for a while and said, "Mr. Hoffman, my movie is a small production, but I really want to use this song." The song is used as an interlude.

I really can't afford this price, but I think the release of my movie will also play a role in marketing Cindy's new songs in the future. I once wrote lyrics for the theme song and interlude of "Famous". I know very well that after the song is promoted by the movie, it will have a very strong effect on promoting sales. This is a win-win situation. "

"You are right, a win-win situation. But Cindy's new song will also have a marketing effect on the release of the movie, so the promotion you mentioned is actually a two-way street." Hoffman responded.

"I don't deny that what you said is right, so we should join forces and coordinate at the time when the movie is released and when the song hits the charts, so that both the single and the movie can benefit from it." Ronald continued to lobby the other party to reduce the price.

"You know, Mr. Young Director. In the past year, the most important exposure of many singles has been transferred from radio stations to television stations, especially TV stations that broadcast music videos 24 hours a day.

And I have done some research, and I found that the first film that caused a sensation and had a plot, "The Magic Band", was directed by you. "

At this point, Hoffman stopped talking and looked at Ronald with his eyes through the small round lenses.

"Mr. Hoffman, you might as well speak more clearly. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"So, if you could give Cyndi Lauper a new song and direct a video, the song could be licensed for use in the film for free, and then I would convince Portrait Records to match the marketing of the single and the film. , broadcast in large quantities at the same time, to achieve better results for both parties.”

"Please let me discuss it with my agent."

Ronald and Niceta avoided Hoffman and whispered to each other.

Niceta said, "My client can provide you with directing services in exchange for licensing the song. We need to see the budget of the shooting, the script, and then draw up a contract."

"Not only the director, but also the editing. Finally, it will be made into a music video that can be played on TV stations."

"It's acceptable." Niceta and Ronald discussed a few more words and agreed to the request. Anyway, the shooting of v was relatively simple, so Ronald just changed his mind and shot a short video.

“Plus the selection of scripts and actors.”

"You must be joking, Mr. Hoffman. I would rather go directly to the record company to buy the license."

Ronald was angry because he knew he wanted this song and was trying his best to get it. The movie's interludes can be the icing on the cake, but the quality itself is fundamental. Otherwise, why write a script? Just take a song and shoot a 90-minute video and it will be a hit?

Simply change the song, or find a way to find a new singer, buy the cover rights, and sing it again, so as to drain the firepower.

When Hoffman saw Ronald standing up and preparing to leave, he quickly held down Ronald's hand with one hand.

"Wait, Mr. Director."

"In this way, I will arrange for you to meet Cindy. It is not easy for her. I have no other way to propose this method. I hope to give her some career help. This girl only needs a chance."

"Okay, Mr. Hoffman, I hope we can all be honest. If you have any ideas, you can talk about it and stop making such excessive demands."

Hoffman waved his hand, indicating that he would not ask for a high price anymore. He told Ronald about Cyndi Lauper.

It turned out that this female singer had been in the industry for a long time, but she had been imitating other famous singers or hanging out in bands. She was rebellious since she was a child. Her mother was of Italian descent. After her parents divorced, she could not stand the domestic violence of her stepfather and ran away from home before finishing high school. She has been singing in bars and clubs all over the country to support herself.

Hoffman became Cyndi Lauper's lawyer after she quit the band and signed with Portrait Records. After meeting her several times, he was conquered by her unique and high-pitched voice and determined that she would become a singer. He decided to invest in her and bet on her future.

The record company did not pay much attention to Cyndi Lauper and only gave a total of 35,000 US dollars for the filming budget. This amount of money could probably only find a director to let Cyndi Lauper dance and lip-sync indoors, and then call it a day.

In order to gain greater exposure for this single, Hoffman even used his own personal resources to find the producer of the comedy talk show "Saturday Night Live (SNL)" who was also his client, and rented the shooting and editing equipment for free for the V shooting.

Later, he heard that Ronald came to discuss the copyright. After a little understanding, he knew that Ronald Lee was the director who pioneered the trend of V with plots, and immediately decided to come in person to discuss it, hoping to exchange the copyright authorization for Ronald's services.

Then there was a meeting and negotiation between the two parties. Hoffman wanted to use the same trick again to get Ronald to direct the V of this song for free.

But seeing that Ronald agreed so readily, Hoffman's professional disease broke out, and he wanted to squeeze more value, which annoyed Ronald.

"How about this, I can provide the services of director and editor, and you can take care of the other actors, equipment, and staff. I also require that you must be present during the filming, so that if there is any shortage of resources, you can handle it on the spot. This is my final offer."

After listening to this, Ronald felt that he could use his personal ability to exchange for authorization, so that he could squeeze out a little money and make the special effects part better. Although he was a little disadvantaged, for the final effect of the movie, he would not care about these small accounts.

"That's great, I'll call Cindy and tell her the good news."

"Where is she?"

"She's in New York."

"Ah? Then I still have to go to New York to shoot?"

"You promised, Ronald. Besides, Cindy Lauper wrote her creative ideas for V, which is a story that takes place in New York." Hoffman paid for the coffee and took out some coins from his wallet as a tip.

"Okay, I'll just go back to New York during my two-week vacation." Ronald turned to Niceta and said, "Please help me discuss the details with Mr. Hoffman. Two days of shooting, plus editing, I will take the final responsibility for art."

A few days later, Ronald, who signed a contract to shoot the "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" v, returned to his hometown New York.

Hoffman had already returned to New York in advance. He sent a luxury car to the airport to pick up Ronald to discuss the v shooting with Cyndi Lauper.

Arriving at Hoffman's office, Ronald finally met Cyndi Lauper, the lead singer of this song.

Cyndi Lauper is not tall, but she can definitely be recognized in the crowd at a glance. The fiery red and orange hair, like the tail feathers of a rooster, grew messily, but it looked very energetic.

And the clothes she wore were also very colorful and weird, making Ronald feel that she was not wearing clothes, but an impressionist painting.

"Ms. Lauper, I'm Ronald."

"Just call me Cindy, di, not dy"

Cindy Lauper herself is not as neurotic as her appearance. She has been singing in bars since she was a child, so she can handle all kinds of people with ease.

In front of Ronald, she also put away the carefully crafted weird image, and revealed the essence of a singer. In fact, she is a very smart person.

"I heard from Mr. Hoffman that you have some creative ideas for your v?"

"Yes, Ronald. This song was actually written by a male singer in 1979. It is what a man said to a woman. After I took over, I revised the lyrics and changed it to a self-narration from a girl's perspective. Girls should definitely be the same as men. They should enjoy all the opportunities that men can enjoy."

"So, this is a girl's ridicule and cry for the fewer opportunities for women in society?" Ronald read the lyrics again, and indeed the creator's own ideas were more accurate.

"Yes, you see, they are both high school students. Parents usually don't say anything if boys come home late, but if girls come home late, their parents will be very anxious, and even scold them and put them under house arrest..."

"Is it because New York is a dangerous place? With such poor security, which responsible parent wouldn't be more careful?" Ronald complained about the other party's strange angle in his heart.

"But for this song, this girl coming home late, or not coming home all night, driving her parents crazy, is indeed a good angle to enter the story."