Hollywood Tycoon [US Entertainment + Business War]

Although Jed's new novel offended American conservatism, it was no surprise that it was cheered by the whole of Hollywood.We must know that Hollywood has always been the stronghold of American liberalism, and Jade's new novel is obviously in line with their taste.And importantly, these two novels are not only controversial, but the quality of the novel itself is also very good.Therefore, major Hollywood production companies have surrounded them.

The ecology of Hollywood at this time is: the first legion of two heroes fighting for hegemony (MGM and Paramount); the second legion of the four kings (Fox, Disney, Warner and Universal); There are independent production companies, as well as satellite companies that rely on large companies.In short, Hollywood is full of vitality at this time, and major companies still spare no effort for excellent scripts.Even an overlord like MGM is willing to make sacrifices for an excellent script.

After obtaining Jed's consent, Sant rushed to Beverly Hills with Lister, the head of MGM's copyright department.In order to gain an advantage when negotiating with Jed, Lister also specially investigated Jed.It has to be said that before that bizarre car accident, Jed was a complete playboy.Although he graduated from the School of Motion Picture Arts of the University of Southern California, it is impossible to see that he is really a graduate of this famous academy.

The USC Academy of Film Arts was founded by Griffith and Lubitsch and other Hollywood directors in the early days. In modern times, there are outstanding director alumni such as George Lucas and Clint Eastwood.Therefore, USC's status in the eyes of Hollywood people is still quite high, but Jed looks like the scum of this college.

Fortunately, Lister doesn't know yet that the future USC Film Academy will produce such a wonderful work as Yingen Guo, but she made a movie after graduation, and even created a world record for it.But USC would never want to associate this person's name with itself, so in comparison, Jed can only be regarded as an unpromising graduate of USC.Fortunately, this graduate has made a little name in the literary world, and finally attracted the attention of Hollywood.

After seeing Jed, Lister handed over the MGM contract to Jed after a little greeting.It has to be said that MGM is quite kind, and it didn't greet Jed with a newcomer's price just because he was a newcomer.MGM gave a mid-to-low price. After all, Jade is only a newcomer, and a price that is too high will ruin the market.

"20 dollars?" Jed pursed his lips, secretly cursing in his heart, the price of such an adaptation is too low, isn't it?But Jed also knows that screenwriters in the United States have always been hard-pressed. Many newcomers are only paid 5 US dollars, and he has quadrupled it anyway.In Hollywood, this price is already considered the price of a third-rate screenwriter. "If I provide the final script, can I raise the price?"

"Of course we welcome Mr. Sherman to adapt the script himself, but writers and screenwriters are two different professions after all." Lister declined Jed with a smile.He thought to himself, what a joke!If it was that easy to be a screenwriter, Hollywood would be full of screenwriters. "But based on the company's principles, we still trust our company's professional screenwriters."

"Don't reject me so quickly?" Jed said with a smile, "At any rate, I also graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Screenwriting is my major, and writing is a part-time job. ——Look at this." Jed took another manuscript from the drawer.In fact, before writing "Hilma and Louise", Jed had already written the script.The story itself was born out of the movie "Thelma and Louise". Jed has a picture of this movie in his mind.In the novel, Jed can use words to guide the reader to slowly discover something he wants to tell the reader.But it doesn’t work in scripts. After all, movies are an art form that uses pictures to tell stories, and sound and color are in a subordinate position.Therefore, in that time and space, Jed complained that the new version of "Dream of Red Mansions" is not a real TV series at all, it is better to say that it is an electronic audiobook with its own picture effects.

Although Lister is the director of MGM's copyright department, he is also a screenwriter.After accepting Jed's script with suspicion, he suddenly discovered that it was not only a script, but also a part of the script.Generally speaking, the screenwriter will change the literary work into a literary script, and then after discussing with the director, modify the component shot script under the leadership of the director.The reason why the director is required to take the lead is because the director will have a more intuitive impression of the organization of the screen.But Lister found that not only did Jade's storyboard script not feel jerky, but it felt like it was written by a senior screenwriter who had been in the editing industry for decades.It can be said that even a director who has just graduated can use this script to shoot a nearly perfect work.

But here comes the problem again. After the end of Hollywood's golden age, directors have been deprived of less and less power.First, the screenwriter robbed the right to adapt the script, then the role director robbed the casting right, and finally even the editing right was taken away by the editor sent by the production company.But even so, based on respect for the director, the production company will still let the director participate in these links and give opinions.But the shot script given by Jed is completely a finished product, and the director might feel uncomfortable if he sees it.

Seeing Lister's tangled expression, Jed also knew what he was thinking.If Jed hadn't known that the later "Thelma & Louise" was the work of the great director Ridley Scott, he wouldn't have had the guts to write a script directly.Although Ridley is a very traditional director, he is also a director who respects art.As long as you can come up with enough good things, he doesn't care about that little reputation.Jed said lightly: "Mr. Lister might as well take the script back to see if the director agrees. If the director thinks there is no problem, use my version. If you are not satisfied, I can authorize your screenwriter to adapt it. .”

"That's really great." Lister felt that Jed was really a talkative person.Now that Jed voluntarily backed down, Lister couldn't say anything more, so the two parties reached a simple letter of intent.A formal contract will not be signed until it is finalized.Jed is not worried that Lister will never return. You must know that this movie made Ridley nominated for an Oscar for Best Director in 1992, and it also added a classic to MGM's library. work.

After sending Lister away, not long after, representatives from New Line Films also came to the door.In Hollywood, in addition to the First Corps and the Second Corps, there are also a large number of independent production companies.Since the American film market has always had a huge demand for horror films, thrillers, romance films and comedies, almost all independent production companies mainly shoot these four types of films.New Line Films is known for making horror and thrillers, but they expressed interest in adapting Half a Man and Still a Man.It was because of the dissonance of this conflict that Jed decided to meet them.

Because New Line Films is not a big company, it was a vice president of the company who came to see Jed.

"Actually, what I want to know is, why are you interested in this movie?" Jed asked straight to the point.

"It seems that Mr. Sherman has seen the films produced by our company." The vice president did not reject Jed's question, "But in addition to making horror films, we also release some European art films. We will a novel to our UK partners and they thought it would be a really good film. So we're targeting the European film festival, not the US market. You know, for a small company like us Trophies are still very important.”

After listening to New Line's explanation, Jed also understood.This time, New Line Company produced "Half of a Man is a Man" with the mentality of "losing money and making money". After all, no matter how this work is adapted in the United States, it is difficult to succeed, so it is better to go to Europe to test the waters.If a trophy can be won, then the status of Xinxian can be improved.If it can achieve a good box office in Europe, then New Line will be considered a big success.Although this explanation sounds hurtful, Jed Sherman doesn't think it matters.Since the new line is going towards the trophy, then the production standard of this movie will not be low.Jed thought for a while, and then took out the script version of "Half of a Man is Still a Man", "The Uninhibited Sky".Unlike MGM's mentality, New Line Company is saving as much as possible. Since Jade can provide the finished script, it will be even better.

Seeing that his two novels had their final ownership, Jed's mood improved greatly.But it seems that fate always wants to make a little joke with Jed. The old Bell hastily told Jed the bad news that the only TV station owned by the "Sherman Family Development Fund" has gone on strike.As early as last year, Jade transformed the TV station into a Chinese TV station serving the Chinese in Los Angeles, and renamed it Oriental TV Station.Then import programs and news from Taiwan and Hong Kong to be broadcast on TV stations, because Oriental TV Station is a rare Chinese-language wireless station. In addition to Mandarin programs, it also has Cantonese programs, and even Hakka and Hokkien programs on weekends. The station was an instant success in the Chinese community in Los Angeles and the surrounding area.If Jed hadn't been so busy, Jed would have considered whether to join the cable and satellite TV market in the United States at this time.

But while Jed was still thinking about it, a "strike" incident broke out on the TV station.You know, Jed and Tom had an agreement, and if they offended Tom because of this incident, it would be a bit of a loss.Therefore, Jed hurriedly followed Old Bell towards Eastern Television Station in San Gabriel Valley County.San Gabriel Valley County is the most racially complex area in Greater Los Angeles, but it is also the area with the most Chinese population.That's why Jade kept the TV station here and changed it to Oriental TV Station in order to enter the Chinese community.

Jed once read a media survey report in the United States in 2013. In American TV media, the first language is English, and the second language is Spanish.But to everyone's surprise, in the United States, the TV station with the third most languages ​​is actually a Korean TV station!Why in the second decade of the 21st century, Korean culture can replace Chinese culture and Japanese culture as the representative of Asian (especially the Far East) culture?Aren't these Korean TV stations gradually becoming part of mainstream American culture?Do you think PSY's "Gangnam Style" became popular in the United States by accident?You won't be surprised to find out that there are at least six national Korean-language TV stations across the United States.