Exploiting Hollywood 1980

I tentatively called New World Production Company and luckily found Gale, the assistant to the president who was working overtime.

"Gail? It's great to hear your voice. I'm Ronald. I'm calling you from New York."

"Listen, I want to ask how the release of Rock 'n' Roll High School is going? I saw a great opportunity in New York with a target audience that was about to become available."

"There is a group of teenage viewers who regularly go to midnight theaters to watch exploitation films. The Rocky Horror Picture Show four years ago is about to be discontinued. They are now looking for new late-night exploitation films."

"Where is Mr. Coleman? Mr. Coleman is coming to New York?"

"Yes, Ronnie. Mr. Coleman will fly to New York tonight and negotiate a big deal with CBS for movie broadcast rights tomorrow," Gale replied.

"Then I'll pick him up at the airport tomorrow morning and take him to the CBS building. How about we talk to him about this idea after he's done?"

"Okay, Mr. Coleman likes free cars the most, hahaha I will tell him. His flight number is"

"Here, Mr. Coleman." Ronald waited for Roger Coleman at the boarding gate. After the two hugged, Ronald took the luggage and walked to the parking lot.

Coleman was in good spirits after a night of red-eye flights. The two of them walked and talked.

"Mr. Coleman, should we go to the CBS building first?"

"Okay, I made an appointment with them to meet in the morning. I heard that Gale said you wanted to see me about film distribution?"

"Yes, Mr. Coleman. I saw an opportunity."

"I found an audience of teenagers. In major movie theaters in New York, many teenagers go to midnight shows. The public security in New York is not good now, and many parents don't want their children to go out and hang out at night, but they feel safe going to the movies. "

"Their main purpose is to have fun and date, and exploitation films suit their taste. The Rocky Horror Show, an exploitation film, has been showing at midnight for 4 years. If High School of Rock and Roll could accumulate a million dollars like The Rocky Horror Show If it attracts a loyal audience, it may be converted into a long-term screening.”

"But let's wait until you finish talking to CBS and let's discuss it in detail. I heard Gale said that they want to buy the movie rights to New World?"

"You know, I had Ron Howard direct and star in a movie in '77. It was called "Grand Theft Auto."

The president of CBS, Robert A. Daley, has adopted a new strategy and is buying the broadcast rights of youth movies. This time he came to discuss the TV broadcast rights deal with them. "

The car arrived at the Blackstone Building, where CBS is headquartered. As its name suggests, the building is a black rectangular building, quite regular and nothing fancy. Roger Coleman got on the elevator, and Ronald waited boredly downstairs alone.

A frequent CBS anchorwoman hurried out of the elevator, struggling with the zipper of her bag as she walked.

"Taxi! Taxi!" When she saw the taxi, she rushed out and dropped the interview book from her bag.

"Ma'am, your notebook." Ronald stepped forward to pick it up, ran to the taxi, and handed it to the female host who was already sitting in the car.

"Oh, thank you. I would be in trouble if I lost this notebook. All my interview informants are in it." She said she wanted to take out the money to thank Ronald.

Waving his hand to indicate no, Ronald turned around and walked back to the hall to wait.

"You can see a lot of TV celebrities in this building."

Roger Corman talked quickly and was downstairs in an hour and a half.

"Ronald, find a place to celebrate, the deal is done."

"Why don't you go next to the apartment where I live? There are many restaurants there, not far from here."

The two came to a Ukrainian restaurant, ordered some affordable meals, and opened a bottle of ordinary table wine.

"For $1.1 million, they have the TV rights to Grand Theft Auto. You brought me luck, Ronnie boy. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Ronald clinked glasses with his former boss.

"This is the first television rights that New World has ever sold, and I'm really happy about it. Do you have a phone at home? I'm going to have to call Ron Howard and tell him the good news."

"Lon? I'm Roger Corman. Great news, your Crazy Love Runner Grand Theft Auto was sold to CBS, yes, $1.1 million, which means you get a share of $7.5, $82,500, hahaha . Of course that also means my 92.5 is super fucking good news.”

"Ronnie, now let's talk about the midnight movie." After reporting the good news, Coleman began to talk to Ronald about the idea of ​​"Rock High School" entering the New York movie theater at midnight.

Ronald told his former boss Coleman his observations and analysis.

"Your observation makes sense. Let me make some phone calls to ask."

Roger Corman took out his notebook and started calling independent theater managers in New York City. New World's so-called own all-meter distribution network is actually just such a temporary arrangement that was finalized over the phone.

"You're right, Ronald. The midnight show was affected by the box office decline of The Rocky Horror Show, and now all the independent theaters are looking at new candidates. I finalized with them and sent 10 copies to New York. Do a test screening to see the effect.”

Ronald was reminded of the previous phone call where Ron Howard got his cut. Just ask Roger Coleman:

"Mr. Coleman, I discovered this market opportunity. Can I enjoy the same sharing treatment as Lang?"

Roger Coleman looked at him, smiled and asked:

"How much do you want?"

"This? I don't know the price, how can I raise it? But this should also be a test for Coleman." Ronald thought to himself.

Looking at Ron Howard's quotation, he is the director and starring, and his share is 7.5. So he has made a small contribution as a director, even if he gets 0.5 of the 3.25 director's share. The business opportunity he discovered should be worth 1.5, so Want 2 shares.

"I think I should be worth 3 shares." Ronald offered.

"This is impossible. The reason why Lang can get a score of 7.5 is because he became a big star all over the United States because of "American Gracious Painting". Stars are the guarantee of box office, and directing and acting can bring investment and theater arrangement, so He can score 7.5 points, and Ronald, you are just a nobody, you can’t score so much anyway.”

Ronald was actually very happy when he saw Coleman settling accounts and counteroffering for him, which showed that Coleman was seriously considering giving him a share.

"So, I can leave you a 0.5 share. If the copy rental fee in New York exceeds 100,000 US dollars, this share will be automatically activated.

"What if it's sold to a TV station?"

"Same proportion"

"1.5"

"1"

"make a deal."

Ronald quickly agreed, shook hands with Coleman, confirmed the cooperation in an old-fashioned way, and made his first film distribution business.

Roger Corman is flying back to Los Angeles this afternoon, and Ronald thinks he's working too hard.

Roger also feels that it may be time to retire:

"Spielberg and Lucas are using big production budgets to make B-level movies with themes like the New World. In the past twenty years, science fiction and horror themes have been my butter and bread. Because big movies Studios will not produce these types of films so that they can survive in the new world market."

"But now that the audience has become accustomed to Star Wars, I have to increase the budget by US$2 million for the new film War of the Stars in order to get it scheduled for theaters. This is my biggest investment in many years." Roger was in the car , very much revealed some of his thoughts.

Ronald didn't speak, mainly listening to what Roger Coleman said. It seemed that his New World Company was very hard-working to run.

"Jim is working on your War of the Stars crew. How is he doing? Mr. Coleman." After a while, Ronald couldn't help but ask about Cameron.

"Haha, he is a good guy. Like you, he knows that cost control is the basis for making money in movies. Last time he used McDonald's plates and trash cans to build a spaceship interior for me in one night, and it only cost 40 US dollars. "

Ronald was silent again.

"What's wrong with you Ronnie? You seem to have something on your mind?"

"Ah, yes, Mr. Coleman. I am now working as a casting assistant on the Hot Lunch set at MGM, revising some scripts part-time. I always feel that although their budget is 8.5 million US dollars, it is far less than what it was in New York City. The world does the work for you, and it’s great when you make a $200,000 movie.”

"I'm not just saying this in front of you, Mr. Coleman. In the new world, everyone is united and working hard for the movie. But in the studio crew, it feels like everyone is looking out for their own interests first. Benefits. The director will quarrel with the producer. The director of photography will buy the camera first and then rent it to the crew. If you are dissatisfied, you will say that this car also operates in the same way, so I can afford it. "

"This is normal. All things in New World are decided by me personally. There is no middle management. And under the structure of a large company, there are 45 layers from the company president, executive producer, project manager, to the crew. Agency problems inevitably arise here.

Many middle-level managers are thinking about their own interests, and directors and producers are not working solely for the box office. They can make a lot of money and develop their own personal relationships during the filming process. "

"I really miss the atmosphere of the Rock and Roll High School crew. After I graduate, I still want to work for you."

"welcome any time."

After seeing off Roger Coleman, Ronald walked out of the airport.

"Hi, it's you again, young photographer."

Ronald heard someone calling him, and when he looked back, he saw the taxi driver with his big head whom he met when he first flew back to New York.

"Yeah, it's me again, are you here to pick up your daughter again?"

"No, I'm here to bring in guests this time. Do you want to take my car?"

"I drove here this time." Ronald shook the car keys in his hand.

"Honda Accord? Are you rich? Is portrait photography so profitable?

"No, I work for Alan Parker's crew, as his driver and the crew's financial operations, you know."

"Ha, it seems that Allen likes you very much and will give you a chance to make extra money."

"He's asking me to change the script for him."

"That's no wonder, but you have to be careful. Alan Parker, this English guy, is a tyrant on the set, and he will do whatever it takes to get the effect of the film. My friend Brad Davis is the star of Midnight Express, and he tortured him so much. He said The director also did not allow the actor playing his cellmate to take a shower during filming.”

The smell is too great!