Exploiting Hollywood 1980

“415-xxx-xxxx…” Ronald returned to Los Angeles and dialed the order number that director Adrian Lane gave him during the last preview of Flashdance.

“Hello, do you sell… um, wait a minute.” Ronald forgot the name of the new editing tape, “Yes, it’s called n-vis-o tape?”

“Ah, yes, do you use it for film editing? Twenty dollars a roll, you send us a check for a deposit, and then we send it to you after it’s done, and you pay the balance.” A woman’s voice said on the phone.

“Hey? Don’t you have any in stock? I’m in a hurry.”

“Sorry, this tape is handmade. If you buy ten rolls, we will also provide a special machine to fix this tape, which is very useful. You know this tape is very narrow. The usual editing tape covers about eighteen frames of film, and ours only needs one and a half frames…”

The woman began to promote the benefits of “n-vis-o” tape.

"Hey, listen, I bought this thing because I know it's useful, so don't give me a sales pitch. I need it urgently. Can you hurry up?"

"If you rush, it's thirty dollars a roll..."

"Okay, okay, give me an address, and I'll need ten rolls first. I need it for editing a movie."

Ronald hung up the phone angrily, "It's simply robbery. If it weren't for this editing tape, I can use the working copy directly for preview after cutting, I wouldn't be blackmailed like this."

Standing in the editing room, facing Ronald is Kathryn Bigelow. She came to Los Angeles from New York to promote her movie "The Loveless" and visit an old friend.

Poor Bigelow had already shot this debut feature film in 1981, and it was only shown on a few occasions. No one was interested in it from the film company.

At this Los Angeles International Film Festival, she and the male lead Willem Dafoe came to try their luck with heavy copies on their backs.

Both of them shot their debut films, but no one was interested. Bigelow needless to say, Dafoe's scenes in "Heaven's Gate" were all cut by Fatty Cimino, and the movie in which he played the leading role has never been released, making him ridiculed in front of his friends.

"If I had known about this kind of editing tape when I was filming Loveless, I wouldn't have to spend a lot of money to go to the printing factory to attract a response copy based on the editing results. This money could have been used to participate in international film festivals, and maybe an international film distributor would take a fancy to it."

Kathryn Bigelow heard that Ronald ordered this very cost-saving editing tape, and she felt a little regretful that she had met it too late.

"Although it is not cheap, it is still much better than attracting a whole movie. If you add the modifications after the preview, it still saves a lot of money."

"Sit down," Ronald pointed to the sofa and asked the editing assistant to pour two cups of coffee.

"Is this your new film?" William Dafoe pointed to the "Girl Just Wants to Have Fun" on the monitor and asked?

"This? This is the video I shot, and I plan to use it as an interlude in the movie. I gave them the director, and they authorized me to use it for free." Ronald simply turned the knob to the play position and let the two friends see his work.

"Hmm... the rhythm of your video is very interesting. It's so dense, but it doesn't hinder the audience's understanding." Bigelow thought it was very interesting.

Ronald spread his hands, "There are only more than three minutes, and there must be a storyline. This is the only way. I feel that the content is too dense after watching too many movies, but there is nothing I can do."

Ronald took the coffee and handed it to the two people, "By the way, what do you want to see me for today?"

Bigelow and Dafoe looked at each other and asked, "Our film has been lying in the warehouse for two years. I heard that you are also doing independent production projects and not looking for big studios to distribute them, so I want to ask you if you have any ways to sell them to theaters."

"Hey, if there is a way, I won't be editing slowly here." Ronald sighed, "Atlantic is also a very small company. All their resources can only guarantee the release of one movie. I am still waiting for their new film "Valley Girl" to be released. If that movie fails, I will have to find another distributor to sell it.

So I am also trying to participate in the film festivals in Europe. Do you have any ways here?" Ronald asked back.

"The chances are slim. Several major film festivals lack the opportunity to participate. We can only try our luck at small film festivals like Brussels and Spain."

"Alas, we filmmakers are miserable too. Independent productions may not be sold for two years. It may take one or two years to communicate with five or six vice presidents of major studios. It's better to make a TV series." Ronald also complained.

Seeing that Ronald didn't have any connections, Kathryn Bigelow had to say goodbye. There were not many buyers at the Los Angeles International Film Exhibition who were interested in domestic films. They were mainly here to buy foreign films. If domestically produced films have no connections and have to participate in this exhibition dominated by foreign films, the quality can be imagined.

"By the way, this is the poster of my movie. If there is a chance, please help me introduce some distributors. We are willing to accept any conditions."

Before Katherine Bigelow left, she took out a poster and handed it to Ronald, and then gave him some business cards. Now she is not thinking about recovering the shooting costs, but rather not letting her hard work go to waste. As long as it can be sold and released in theaters, there will always be more opportunities for new films in the future.

Instead of being like this now, if you make a movie but don't sell it, in the eyes of the producer, it's worse than never making a movie. If you haven’t made a movie, it might still be in the rough. If you’ve made a movie and it can’t be sold, then it’s probably because it’s not good enough.

This is even more true for Willem Dafoe. No one saw him in either movie. When his agent handed over his audition photos, he was too embarrassed to write his resume on the back. Otherwise, when others opened his mouth, they would ask why the movie was not released.

"Okay, I will." Ronald sent the two away and opened the poster. On it, Willem Dafoe was wearing a leather jacket and nothing underneath. He had an evil aura mixed with a handsome look. .

"The poster is pretty good, but I don't know if it will work as a movie."

"Ring ring ring ring..."

Ronald picked up the phone and said, "I'm Ronald."

"Hi, Ronald, I'm Walter, are you going to buy my editing tape?"

"Walter? Hi, Mr. Mersey. What, this editing tape is your business?" Ronald heard that he was his editing master, Oscar nominee for best editing and sound design, Walter Mersey .

"Yeah, it's a little invention of mine. I heard from my assistant that someone was ordering it, and I saw the name was you. What? You've made another movie? It's really enviable. My 'Return to Oz' is also Wallowing in planning hell.”

Walt Mersey was spotted by Disney President Ron Miller and invited him to participate in Disney's young director program. However, the script he submitted was repeatedly rejected and rewritten by several executives, which was also very painful.

"Walter, if possible, don't try to make an independent film. I went through all this and it was really painful. I had to do everything myself. I just discovered how relaxed and happy the last movie was. ”

Ronald joked a little with the teacher. Although Walter was in pain now, when he gets the green light for the project from Ron Miller, he would be like an emperor when he makes a movie. There will be professionals to help with all kinds of things. , just take pictures yourself.

"I didn't expect you to ask for it. Let's do this. I still have ten rolls of tape at home. I'll send it to you first. You just have to pay me the normal price." Walter saw that it was his apprentice who wanted the tape, so of course he gave it to him first.

"Oh, really? That's great. I'll give it to you at the expedited price. After all, it's a movie project and can be offset against expenses. Anyway, it's you who did it, so I'll send you a check for the full amount. Please hurry up Send it out, I’m waiting to use it.”

"No problem, I'll send it to you first. I need to purchase the raw materials and then make it by hand. It's quite troublesome. I'll give you the inventory first."

"Handmade? The amount of this thing should be very large, right? Why not make it by machine?" Ronald was a little confused.

"I'm an artist and craftsman, so I don't understand that. The supply exceeds demand now anyway, and I don't do any advertising. I rely on word-of-mouth promotion. I don't have the money to buy in large quantities, so everything is customized on demand."

"Is that so? If... forget it, let's talk about it when we have the opportunity in the future. Thank you Walter."

Ronald originally thought about cooperating with Walter to open a small factory to make tape. But I also thought that this thing is only used in the film industry, not in television production. It seems that there is no need for industrial production, and not many people will buy it once it is made.

After two days, Ronald finally got the new editing tape, which came with a new device to stick the tape.

This kind of tape not only covers only a few frames of film when it is applied, but it also seems to have no feeling when played back. It also greatly reduces the amount of manual editing work. At least when the audio and video are aligned, there is no need to glue several feet of film.

multiple copies