Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Rumors soon spread in the circle that Frank Price and Sidney Sheinberg had a boxing match at Universal Studios. It is said that Price is like George Foreman who is good at heavy punches, while Sheinberg is like Ali who is good at jab and controlling distance.

When the two were fighting hard, Ronald Lee, the young director who was personally supported by Sheinberg and the director of "The Karate Kid" and martial arts master, used karate tricks to separate the two, avoiding a "jungle fight" that would hurt both sides.

Of course, there is also a saying that Ronald went to support Frank Price, who bought out his debut movie script for $350,000 that year, and blocked Sheinberg's heavy punch. Because Sheinberg wanted to throw the blame for the failure of a certain movie to Price, his benefactor in his debut.

"Ronald, what do you think of the recent rumors about Universal Pictures? How much truth is there in them?"

"I think the people who made up the rumors have a very rich imagination. They can try to write a script. If it's interesting, they can consider submitting it to my company. I have always wanted to make a movie that reflects the filming of a movie, just like the French director Truffaut's "Day for Night".

If the opening is a boxing match between Rocky Balboa (played by Stallone in "Rocky") and Jack LaMotta (played by Robert De Niro in "Raging Bull"), the two most famous boxers of our time, that would be very interesting."

"Hahaha..."

Ronald used humor to resolve the reporters who came over after smelling the smell, smiled and said goodbye to them, and got into Little Bud's car.

As soon as he got in the car, Ronald's face fell.

Frank Price's prediction soon came true. He formally resigned to his boss the next day, with a buffer period for resignation and a generous hush money called a golden parachute.

However, because he publicly cursed Jews at Universal, and the internal critics' evaluation of "Howard the Duck" was also very low, it really needed an unlucky person to take the blame. Price's resignation this time was still quite ugly in the eyes of insiders.

He only gave a three-month buffer period for his resignation, and his successor would be announced in September. And he did not give Price a distribution guarantee contract for his personal production company as usual. Even Tom Mount, the little giant of Universal Pictures who was forced to leave and relied on his wife to get the position, got this clause.

And soon, a candidate who temporarily replaced all his work took over his position and began to take over Frank Price's work at Universal.

"When it comes to finding potential scripts, potential directors and screenwriters, Frank Price is a rare talent in Hollywood. Nowadays, there are no senior executives like him who read scripts in person." Nicita was waiting for him in the car, preparing to accompany him to meet the president-elect who was temporarily working.

"But...ah..." Ronald shook his head, "He doesn't understand office politics."

"Yeah, his political struggle ability is too poor, not even as good as the cheerleaders in public high schools."

He was blamed twice, at Columbia and Universal respectively.

Price's keen eyes found that his ability to make hit movies was indeed extraordinary. He saw "ET Aliens" at Columbia, "Back to the Future" at Universal, and "Out of Africa" ​​which won seven Oscars this year.

But he was immediately kicked out because he was not good at arguing for credit and shirking responsibility.

Maybe he is better at being an independent producer than the president of a big company. In this way, he can better play his specialty of selecting scripts.

"Hello, Director Ronald, Mr. Tom Pollack is waiting for you inside."

The successor president Tom Pollack, who has not yet been officially appointed, did not occupy Price's office immediately, but chose another smaller one for temporary use. The last name Pollack is the same as Sidney Pollack, the director of "Out of Africa", so Ronald knew he was also Jewish as soon as he heard it.

After drinking two cups of coffee at the door, Ronald had already started to count the patterns on the office carpet out of boredom, and was then belatedly welcomed in by the secretary.

"Thank you," Ronald and Niceta exchanged glances, and it seemed that the waiting time was also a signal.

"Hello, welcome, Ronald. Please sit down."

Tom Pollack did not come up to hug and shake hands, but asked Ronald to sit down across the desk.

"Hello, Mr. Pollack. Your negotiation skills in Star Wars impressed everyone."

Ronald did his homework before coming. This Pollack has two famous reputations in Hollywood. One is that he had worked as a lawyer for George Lucas for many years. The contract for the exclusive copyright of the peripherals and sequels of "Star Wars" was negotiated by him and 20th Century Fox.

Because this contract helped Lucas become the richest man in Hollywood, Pollack has always been very professional and did not disclose the name of his negotiating opponent in Fox.

Sure enough, when hearing Ronald mention his proudest deeds, Tom Pollack smiled and gradually let down his guard, no longer acting in a businesslike manner.

"It's a mess here now. I was asked to deal with this mess because of my relationship with George. George was in a bad mood, but he still told me that you are a very good young man who knows how to respect older people. This industry is really like a roller coaster. Anyone who has left a name in this industry has been a person who was once at the top..."

Tom Pollack told Ronald some old gossip, which was nothing more than saying that everyone has bad times, but Ronald understands the importance of luck in the film industry, and will not look down on people because of temporary success or failure. He will be a good long-term partner.

Now Universal is in the cusp of the storm, and Sheinberg's position may also be lost. What is most needed now is to smoothly get through the failure period of "Howard the Duck", and now Ronald's new film is too closely related to Price who has resigned...

Ronald did not say anything, just looked at the other person's face and nodded continuously.

On the one hand, Tom Pollack is too talkative and he can't get a word in for a while. On the other hand, it is related to the other person's second "famous" place in the industry...

He has a squint!

One of his two eyes is very squint. When he is still, his two eyes seem to be looking at two separate objects on the left and right. So when he looks at you with one good eye, the other eye is staring at a place one foot away from you.

This kind of communication feels quite strange. Ronald always feels that he is not talking to himself. There were a few times when he couldn't help but have the urge to play a prank and look at the other person's side and talk a foot away.

Good family education prevented this strange idea. But Ronald had to devote some energy to suppress this idea. If he really did it carelessly, he would definitely offend the other person.

"So my client Ronald, when can you resume the early preparations, casting and the formation of the technical team, it is already imminent." Nicita helped Ronald ask the most important question of their visit this time.

"Ronald, I just took over, but I immediately read the script of this movie. Frank is not the only one who reads scripts in Hollywood. In my opinion, it has a serious problem."

"What is the problem?" Ronald heard that it was a serious problem and quickly took out his notebook. From a historical point of view, the other party's vision of looking at the script is no worse than Frank Price.

"You have studied it for a long time. What do you think of this script?" Tom Pollack squinted at Nicita's face next to Ronald, but he was talking to Ronald.

"I think it's a very good script. It has both the reality of business war and the style of old Hollywood neurotic comedy. Today's young people from small towns come to big cities to work hard and encounter all the problems of the protagonist. I think the audience is quite wide, and they are all things happening around urban audiences. In the past ten years, no movie has involved these contents..."

Ronald attaches great importance to the other party's opinions and speaks out his thoughts.

"What you said makes sense. This is where the movie shines and what I like about it. But this is also the big problem I mentioned. The performance methods of drama and comedy in the movie are very different. Which style do you plan to focus on?

In those scenes, how much light comedy? How much drama style?"

Tom Pollack looked at Ronald with his other eye, and the original eye moved to the other side, as if looking at the door again.

"But in my opinion, this deviation in style is not a big problem. Just like Helen Slater's previous film, 'The Evil Husband', it was actually a comedy story played in the style of a serious drama."

"You are right, but I have just taken office and need time to determine everything. In my opinion, should we find another screenwriter to grasp the overall style? I can talk to anyone you want. And Helen, you mentioned, how the audience feedback of her previous film 'The Evil Husband' still needs to be observed. It is better to be the male lead of Michael J. Fox, whose performance style is very similar to his in 'Back to the Future' and has been tested by the audience."

Tom Pollack changed his original eye to look at Ronald.

This action of constantly changing eyes and staring at him, not knowing whether it was the other party's habit or a deliberate psychological tactic, made Ronald feel irritated.

He couldn't help but blurt out, "Okay, Mr. Pollack. You might as well try another screenwriter, but the start time is just around the corner. If the shooting plan needs to be changed..."

"Just call me Tom, Ronald. There is no change in the shooting plan. It only needs to dispel some doubts from the upper level and let me, who has just arrived, do a reconfirmation. As long as we agree on the performance style of the script, we can start shooting immediately."

"Please send the two gentlemen out." Tom Pollack was very efficient. After communicating with Ronald, he immediately rang the bell to call the secretary to ask them to go out.

"I'm very sorry, it seems that there are a hundred things that need me to deal with here. I have to speed up. Let's arrange time to talk about the script as soon as possible..."

"Huh..." Finally getting rid of the squinting Pollack, Ronald sat in the Mercedes-Benz, took out a bottle of Coke from the refrigerator, and took a big sip, "This person is really weird. It seems that I am always led by him when I talk to him."

"You are not only led by him, Ronald." Niceta sighed.

"What?" Ronald was puzzled.

"Think about it, what did you promise him? And what did he promise you?"

"You mean, he's playing tricks on us? Using some ambiguous answers to keep us hanging, and then constantly delaying?"

Ronald was not stupid, but he was agitated by the weird squinting eyes and didn't see through the other party's true intentions at once. "

"It's okay. Today's situation is actually within our expectations. In this case, we will wait and see. If Tom Pollack does not take the initiative to contact us, then he must want to find someone else to take over your project.

Besides, it's time to think about that Barry Morrow script. "Nisita said to Ronald.

"That movie script with only one scene? Didn't it say that Sidney Pollack was going to direct it?" Ronald took a big sip of Coke.

"Sidney gave up and moved on to his own production company."

"So you came to me?" Ronald took a sip of Coke dissatisfied.

"Come on, Ronald. In today's Hollywood, Spielberg and Sidney Pollack always have priority. They both always have priority to get scripts that have a chance to win Oscars. That's okay. shameful."

"Okay, let's take a look first." Ronald put his hands behind his head and lay on the leather seat.

Ordinarily, I should be very satisfied. There are only two Jewish directors in Hollywood who can read those scripts that are "promising to win the Olympics" before him. Most other great directors write their own scripts, or have the ability to organize a team of screenwriters.

But why is it a little uncomfortable?

…

"Ronnie, have you decided not to direct that 'Secret of Success' movie?"

A few days later, as Niceta expected, Tom Pollack did not call him to discuss the progress. It seems that the other party wants to use this delaying method to make him give up filming the script in order not to arouse his resentment.

"The new producer and I have some differences in creative direction." Ronald gave an official breakup answer, then put his arms around Helen Slater's neck, and the two kissed.

Helen still looks like the one in "The Evil Husband". Her blond hair is slightly longer than before, exceeding her ears and not reaching her shoulders. In addition to beauty, it also adds a bit of playfulness.

"If... I mean if..., if you don't become a director, wouldn't you object to me playing the heroine?"

"Well... no, who said I would object to you playing the heroine?" Ronald felt something was wrong and quickly denied it.

"Don't lie to me. You just dislike my poor acting skills. But I think I'm quite suitable for this movie. Just like 'The Evil Husband', I also use the method of acting in a drama to act in a comedy. I think I can do it." have to……"

Helen said and turned away, she seemed a little sad.

"Actually, you don't have to think too much about your acting skills. This role is somewhat suitable for your true nature." Ronald smiled. Anyway, in "Secret of Success", the heroine is a somewhat superficial financial manager, who doesn't know much about this kind of thing. But I also think that others respect me not because of my beauty but because of my professionalism, which is really similar to Helen.

"Really?" Helen became happy, "Then I asked my agent to contact me for the audition? Hehehe."

"I don't mind at all. If you act, I won't worry as much as I would if I were a director."

Ronald put his arms around Helen and they lay on the bed laughing.

"Hey, silly girl." Ronald sighed in his heart as Helen hugged him tightly. If you don't become a director, your biggest competitive advantage will be gone.