Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Ronald, you surprised me." Lindsay looked at the Woody Allen evaluation of the script that Ronald gave him. "I didn't expect you to have this trick. I think the director can also switch this time." position."

"Do you think so too? Then let's go negotiate with them right away. The other party's lawyer said that they will leave the set at 5pm today."

Lindsay looked at the clock on the wall, 12:30. "Okay, we'll leave right away."

"David, this is my lawyer, Miss Lindsay Dole. Please find the director and lawyer Mickey Kanter, and we will resolve this matter this afternoon."

Ronald introduced the lawyer lady to the producer and asked for a meeting.

David da Silva looked at him for a long time, "I hope nothing unexpected will happen to me again this time." Then he told his assistant to ask for the director and lawyer.

Wait until director Allen and attorney Mickey Kanter are seated. Ronald introduced Miss Lawyer to them again.

"Let's get to the point, shall we? What's your client's attitude?" Mickey looked up and down at Lindsey Dole again with his gray eyes.

"My client wishes to communicate alone with director Alan Parker for five minutes." Lindsay made the first motion.

"What the hell are you doing?" the producer fumed.

"It was just a private communication. I guarantee that he will only have a positive impact on solving the problem today." Ronald said.

The producer and Mickey's lawyer whispered a few words and said to Ronald: "Okay, we'll give you five minutes and hope you won't do any more tricks."

"And you, Lawyer Dole"

Ronald nodded to the lawyer, and she left her seat and went out with him.

"Tell me what you want, Ronald. If you think $3,000 is not enough, I can give you more." Director Parker said.

"I rewrote the script for Doris, and this is the conclusion I asked someone to evaluate." Ronald handed over a copy of Woody Allen's note.

"What's this?"

Allen looked suspiciously.

"Director Woody Allen commented on the plot of Doris I wrote."

"Do you know Woody?" The director was a little surprised.

Ronald shrugged, "I'm not exactly new to Hollywood."

"Is this true? You really found a solution to Doris's problem?"

After reading the note, Allen was still a little skeptical.

"This is the evaluation director Woody Allen gave after reading my script. He cast Julia. If you don't believe it, you can call and ask."

Allen stood up and went out to make a phone call.

The producer and lawyer Mickey outside were a little surprised when they saw Alan go out to make a phone call soon, so they returned to the room and asked Ronald what he had done.

"Alan is just going to confirm one thing. We just have to wait patiently."

After a while, Director Allen returned to the conference room.

"Ronald, I talked to Julia, and she also thought well of your script. Tell me, what do you want?"

"I just want what I deserve." Ronald wanted to continue answering, but was stopped by the lawyer.

"This is Lindsay Dole, the attorney representing Mr. Ronald Lee. I think now we can talk about the details of the contract."

Attorney Lindsay Dole handed Mickey Kanter a draft contract. Lawyer Mickey opened it and looked through it.

"Also, I have a picture here that can help this movie solve a major problem at the box office. If you are willing to sign a contract with me, I can tell you right away, David."

Ronald took out another envelope and waved it to the producer.

"What do you mean? What are the hidden dangers of the movie?"

"I can't tell you now, you can choose not to believe it, David." He said and put the envelope away.

The producer and director exchanged glances.

"I have no objection to Ronald signing the script." The director nodded.

"He can co-sign as 'script'. 'Story' is attributed to the original author, Christopher Gore." I went to call him. The producer got up and walked away.

After a while, producer Da Silva returned to the conference room and nodded to Lawyer Mickey that it was done.

"So he was prepared." Ronald thought to himself.

Mickey handed over a piece of paper, "My client agrees to let the nun's client sign the script of 'Hot Lunch' in the following form:"

Ronald and the lawyer lady took a look and found two lines of words on it.

Story: Christopher Gore

Screenplay: Christopher Gore, Ronald Lee

Attorney Lindsay Dole took a look at it, crossed out ap;, and re-penciled "and"

"In the handbook of the Screenwriters Guild, it is clearly stipulated that if two screenwriters are connected by ap;, they belong to the same team. If they are connected by and, they are independent revisions. Our client obviously belongs to the latter, which can better reflect his screenwriting ability."

Mickey Kanter took back the piece of paper, "We have no objection."

"It seems like a deliberate trap?" Ronald and the lawyer lady looked at each other.

"Your client has the right to sign the script, but does not have the right to receive screenwriting awards, including Oscar nominations." Mickey Kanter then proposed the next clause.

"Since our client has one of the signatures of the 'script', he should have corresponding rights when the film is nominated for a screenwriting award."

"No, Ronald, Christopher accepted the contract modification condition that if he won the award, he would have the honor of going on stage to receive the award alone." Producer Da Silva interrupted.

"This is not in line with industry practice and union regulations." The lawyer lady protested.

Mickey Kanter watched the two sides arguing, "Then let's do this. Ronald Lee has the right to sign the script. If he is nominated for an award, his name will be mentioned in the bulletin, but the crew will not provide him with an invitation to attend the award ceremony. If he wins, he will not be allowed to go on stage to receive the award. In this way, Christopher can still enjoy the honor alone."

"I need to make a phone call to confirm. In principle, there is no problem." The producer went out to make another phone call.

"Your client voluntarily waives any cash compensation and any subsequent derivatives..."

"Wait," Lindsay interrupted Mickey, "Our client previously received a $3,000 quotation contract."

"That was a quotation from a screenwriter doctor, and your client has given it up."

"No, our client was given a signature based on the excellent work completed, and the director's additional recognition. The quotation contract should still be considered valid."

Mickey and the producer looked at each other, "We can agree to a price of $3,000."

"No, according to industry regulations, the price of modifying the script should be equivalent to the script acquisition price, or 10 times the script option."

"Your client is not a member of the Writers Guild."

"But this does not affect the results of his work. The authoritative directors and screenwriters in the industry have confirmed that his work is excellent."

The lawyer lady was haggling with the other lawyer about Ronald's income.

Ronald's mind had already turned to other places. He was happy that he could sign the script and then join the Writers Guild.

Director Allen looked at him with a gleam in his eyes, waiting to see the updated script after the negotiation.

The producer came in from outside and confirmed with Mickey that the original author Christopher agreed to the arrangement of the award. He looked a little upset, and maybe he had to pay a little financial loss.

"40,000 dollars is impossible," Mickey's lawyer rejected.

"You can make a counter-offer." Lindsay said.

Mickey whispered a few words with the producer, wrote a number on a piece of paper, and handed it to the lawyer.

"It's 5,000 dollars," Lindsay opened the paper and showed it to Ronald, then whispered in his ear: "I suggest rejecting it."

Ronald nodded.

"We think that Woody Allen thinks that an excellent script should be worth at least this." Lindsay wrote down the number of 25,000, folded it and handed it over.

The two sides went back and forth several times, and finally stopped at 8,000 dollars.

Lindsay Doll showed Ronald the number and whispered in his ear again, "I think it's acceptable."

Ronald nodded to indicate that it was okay.

Mickey went out to prepare the formal contract.

A moment later, producer David Da Silva and Ronald signed the contract on behalf of both parties. After Lindsay Doll reviewed it, she said it was okay.

Ronald took out the script he wrote and handed it to the director.

"It turns out that the problem lies in the admission interview. Doris was changed from the music department to the acting department."

"The Rocky Horror Show? It's a natural transition, so Doris's motivation to overcome shyness becomes more reasonable."

"Woody is right. You really made the role of Doris from mediocre to outstanding."

After reading the script, director Alan Parker looked at Ronald deeply.

"Where's my copy?" The producer stretched out his hand, indicating that Ronald could hand over the box office hidden danger.

"This is a photo I took at the midnight theater. Someone followed the trend and made an adult movie called "Hot Lunch" by Director Alan Parker. The director's signature is AL Parker, which is easy to associate with you." Ronald handed over the poster photo taken by Antonia.

Director Parker took the photo and threw it back on the table in anger: "This is too much. I want to find out who did it..."

"What? Why didn't MGM lock in this title at the Las Vegas Western Film Exhibition in April?" Producer Da Silva was surprised and asked lawyer Mickey.

Mickey frowned, "Maybe there was something wrong with the secretaries at the company headquarters. I will report this to the president when I go back."

"I will call him too. But in any case, we have to consider changing the title. This movie has been released in theaters in New York and the impact has been caused." The producer began to scratch the few remaining hairs on his head.

"Let's think about this later. Let's finish today's work." Mickey said.

Soon, Ronald got a check for $8,000 in an envelope. After he confirmed that it was correct, he stood up and shook hands with each other one by one.

"Alan, the rule of Hollywood is not to hurt the relationship?"

"No harm to the relationship." Director Alan Parker shook hands with him.

"David, I hope that changing the title will increase the box office."

"You're great, Ronald." Next was producer David Da Silva.

"Mitch, maybe we don't have to wait a year or two, we can do it now."

"You impressed me again, Ronald. And you, attorney Dole." Mickey Kanter shook hands with them and said goodbye.

"Ronald, are you okay?" Gene, Antonia and Lucy saw Ronald walk out of the meeting room and surrounded him.

"No, it turned out very well. The director and producer agreed to my request, they are all good people." Ronald was a little tired and sat on the long chair.

"Let me explain to you, Ronald is a little tired, let him rest for a while." Lindsay Doll pulled the three actors aside.

"...So Ronald is the screenwriter of the movie?" Gene asked.

"Yes, you can understand it that way." The lawyer replied.

"Oh, Man, I said he is very good, it's okay." Gene and Lucy danced rhythmically all the way back to the rehearsal room.

The lawyer looked back and saw Antonia was beside the long chair, watching Ronald dozing with his eyes closed. She took two steps forward and whispered to Antonia: "He looks a little handsome when he is asleep."

"Yes." Antonia stretched out her right hand and gently touched his eyelashes.

"Hee..." Seeing that Ronald seemed to feel a little itchy and sniffed, Antonia and Lindsay Doll couldn't help laughing.