Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 179 You are on the front page of the New York Times

   "Don't be nervous, Ronald." Eddie resumed his normal tone, "I'll read you a paragraph..."

   "Anonymous screenwriter hits big! Here's a front page article in the New York Times today."

"Hollywood was an overnight dream machine, and now it's not just star actors, but people behind the scenes. In the first summer of the '80s, an unknown screenwriter sold his debut 'My Brother's Protector' $350,000, plus 3% on the box office..."

"The most unusual thing about this news is that so far, there has been no news about the film. This reporter asked Frank Price, the rumored president of Columbia Pictures, for confirmation from his secretary's office. No answer to comment."

   "Let's turn to the business news section," said agent Eddie, "This is also the strange part of this report. He did not appear in the entertainment section, but in the business news section."

"The most direct evidence for this rumor comes from the president of CAA Brokers, Mr. Michael Ovitz. He confirmed to this newspaper that the deal does exist and is being finalized. Columbia will invite quite heavyweight male and female protagonists, perhaps He is an Academy Award winner, but at the current stage of contact, it is not convenient to disclose specific details for the time being..."

   "Ovitz told this newspaper that CAA has gradually transformed from a TV-based brokerage company to a film business. This cooperation plan is also a good response to Kerkorian's accusations against Colombian management..."

"If I hadn't known that you signed with CAA and wrote the Vietnam War-related script 'My Brother's Protector', I wouldn't believe it was you who sold this script, hahaha..." Eddie laughed on the other end of the phone. very happy.

"To be honest, I'm not jealous, only CAA has Hollywood connections to facilitate deals, and after your name spreads, I can make high prices for advertising, so I'm going to take the New York Times to Calvin Klein. ."

   "You buy me a new New York Times too, I'll keep it in my collection."

   "Do you need it? Your name is not in the entire article."

"what……?"

  Ronald suddenly knew about this surprise, and quickly called Ovitz, what's the matter with the 3% box office share?

   "Hello, I'm looking for Mr. Ovitz, I'm Ronald Lee. I haven't made an appointment, but you told him I saw the New York Times report... OK, I'll wait for your call."

  Ovitz got the message quickly and called back.

After   Ovitz got on the phone, he blurted out the first sentence, how do you know?

   "Didn't the New York Times report it? An unknown screenwriter? Why didn't you mention my name? Mr. Ovitz."

  Ovitz didn't answer, but continued to ask, "Who told you that?" It seems that he didn't expect Ronald to read the New York Times business news.

   "It was my agent in New York who told me after seeing the report. He represented me as an advertising director."

   "What? Your advertising directing business is not represented by CAA? Are you still a director? Have you ever had directing experience? What works have you made?"

   Ronald was shocked by Ovitz's ability to ask questions, "Mr. Ovitz, I asked you first."

"This is part of the propaganda of the film project, because this report is mainly for the capital market, and the names of you and other creators are not listed, so I did not tell you. We will publish news in the entertainment media soon, and then your name will also be released. On the entertainment page of the New York Times."

  Ovitz briefly said, "Now it's your turn, have you ever been a director?"

"I graduated from high school and worked for Roger Coleman's company. I became a second-team director of an exploitative film. I also shot a few commercials in New York. I made Chewels chewing gum. I am a second-level member of the Directors Guild. …”

   "Come to the company quickly. We will sign a director agency agreement with you. Isn't your dream to be a film director? CAA is also short of director clients now."

   "Uh, Mr. Ovitz, I'm studying editing at the Diorama Productions in San Francisco."

   "What? Diorama Company, can you connect with Coppola? We at CAA also want to chat with him."

   "I know him, he doesn't know me, and he's not in the company during this time."

"Think of a way, Ronald, if you can get a photo with him, it will be very beneficial to your next publicity. Please tell me, if you can get to know Coppola, your directing road will be much smoother. ."

  Ronald imagined a photo of himself standing with Coppola, and it was put on The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, or The New York Times as a photo to introduce talented screenwriters.

   "The legacy of Hollywood's top directors." Ronald has already thought about the text explanation below the picture, and this scene is very exciting. Who cares, it's just a photo, this is also for his own promotion, and it is convenient to be a director in the future.

   "Okay, I'll go look for it tomorrow and try to take a photo with him. By the way, what does the 3% box office share mean?"

   "That's hype, the share belongs to Jane Fonda, and it has nothing to do with your salary. Columbia wants Jane to play the role with all her might."

   "Okay, I get it, Mr. Ovitz. Does the director have an idea for the script now? How should I revise my script? I still need to interview him. I took a lot of notes here."

   "When you get back to Los Angeles, I will arrange for you to meet. Remember to tell your lead agent Richard about the results of seeing Coppola and your itinerary."

"I will, and, for the role of Fool's Sister, has the director seen Michelle Pfeiffer's audition photos? What does he think? Mr. Ovitz." Ronald thought of Michelle Pfeiffer's agent Limato's order. "

   "We haven't reached that stage yet, let's finalize the revision of your script first, and you can also recommend it to the director yourself." Ovitz hung up the phone.

   Early the next morning, Ronald returned to the Sentinel Building.

The    editing room was empty, and the idea of ​​asking Walter Murkey to introduce it came to nothing.

   Ronald only wandered around in the diorama company, trying to meet the number one director in Hollywood, Francis Coppola. . Go to the studio. The diorama company invested a lot and rented a small studio in the Sentinel Building for filming.

   But he didn't see anyone, Ronald checked that the door was unlocked, walked into the studio, fumbled to find the switch, closed the switch and turned on the lights.

  In the empty studio, the lighting, recording and other equipment were well covered with black cloth, waiting for the master's blessing.

   Ronald watched for a while, and imagined the scene where he directed the entire team to make a film,

   "Record, power on!

  Camera? Full speed ahead!

Snapped,

   Shooting starts! "

  The empty studio had only his own echoes, Ronald looked at the lights above the center of the stage, and the lighting engineer had to climb over the wooden boards next to him to control the lights. To the left and right are large electric fans that create various breezes.

   Ronald turned off the lights again and came out.

   worthy of being the number one director in Hollywood, such a large space is used as a studio, and it is not used normally, so it is vacant here. Changing a director will definitely not be able to support such a large rental cost.

   did not touch Coppola, Ronald found a hotel to book a flight back to Los Angeles, ready to continue with CAA on the "My Brother's Protector" project.

  There is nothing to do at night, Ronald is going to go to the bar he just visited in San Francisco that day, where the old man bragging and chatting is quite interesting.

  After taking a shower, turn on the TV and listen to the news while drying your hair.

   "The former governor of California continued his campaign schedule and made offensive remarks in New York, referring to the current leader in Tuscumbia, Alabama, where the birthplace of KuKluxKlan started his campaign."

"The commander-in-chief dared not debate with me because he knew he would not win." The former governor's face appeared on TV, although he was old and handsome, "Even if this debate is held in the Rose Hall, the audience will be the federal government. Staff, it's not even Jody Powell."

  Ronald burst into laughter, the former movie star's mouth is very poisonous, the Rose Hall is where the White House press conference is held, and Jody Powell is the press spokesman of the commander-in-chief, so the commander can't argue with him.

   This kind of damage is really relieved. The Persian hostage crisis is still unresolved. Gasoline costs have more than doubled compared to the beginning of the year, and there are often queues.

   Turned to a channel and was showing a Cantonese TV series. Ronald looked at the stand logo. It was KTSF. There are many Chinese in San Francisco and even local Chinese TV stations.

  Unfortunately, I don’t understand Cantonese and there are no subtitles. Ronald looked at it for a while and couldn't understand it. It seemed to be the story of Shaodong from the shipyard returning home to inherit the family business.

   Continue to change to another channel, which is an advertisement, "Thompson Waterproof Paint." The soundtrack of the advertisement is very good, and Ronald stopped to watch the advertisement.

"Who'llStopTheRain" Ronald remembers this song, when Aunt Karen was at the Veteran's Day party, she played the music of this song, many veterans love this band's song, and there is a "FortunateSon" they are also very fond of Like, taunted the senator's son for not having to go to Vietnam.

   "It's been raining for as long as I can remember.

   Mysterious clouds pour down the sky, confusing. "

  Ronald also hummed a couple of sentences along with it. The song is called "Who Will Stop This Heavy Rain", and the advertisement with waterproof paint is really appropriate.

   "Good people throughout the ages have worked hard to find the sun

  I am still curious, who will stop the rain? "

   The singer in the advertisement was still singing, and Ronald suddenly felt wrong. Why is this voice so familiar?

  …

"So you're really the lead singer of 'Credence Clearwater Revival (CCR),' John Fogerty?" Ronald found the guy in the bar again, wearing a blue plaid shirt, jeans, and martin boots. uncle.

   "Is there any benefit in impersonating John Fogarty? I can't even sing my own songs now."

"I often hear your songs on Veteran Radio, but I don't have a record player, so I haven't bought your records, and I haven't seen your appearance. I just saw the TV station advertising waterproof paint, and it was only when I heard your voice. remember."

   "I understand you. I come from an ordinary family. Records are very expensive. My brother and I have to save a lot of money to buy one."

   "So you were really cheated of money by the boss Sol, and you can't even sing the songs you wrote?"

"Why should I lie to you? Saul Zaentz, if you're really in the movie business, you should know the name, 'Let's Go Over The Asylum,' he produced with Kirk Douglas' son, come on The Oscars. The money for that shoot was swindled from me."

"And he bought the other two **** in my band, signed a deal, bought the copyright of my song for a very low price, in addition to the waterproof paint, he also authorized the rainproof tires, which are used in a lot of **** ads My song, this is a distortion of the original meaning of the song..." John Fogerty began to scold the liar boss again.

   "Hey John, you're bragging there again. Stop kidding, if you're the real John Fogarty from CCR, why don't you sing us Who'llStopTheRain?"

   Several old customers in the bar started joking with John again.

   "You old bastards, I sing CCR songs at commercial performances in bars, and I have to pay Sol, I'm not stupid."

   "We'll invite you and your friends for a drink." Those regulars were regulars at the bar and often joked with John Fogarty.

   "Come on, sing a song? No one will say, the bartender brought an acoustic guitar in front of John."

   "I don't sing, you are abetting the crime, you let the boy Ronald sing."

  Ronald took over the acoustic guitar and began to sing the song "Who'llStopTheRain?", with three lines of lyrics, a few simple G chords, C chords, D chords, and Em chords, it's not difficult to sing.

   "No, no, no, the interlude here should change D, Am, C, and change it on the quarter beat rhythm." John Fogarty also taught Ronald a few hands to make the accompaniment more pleasing.

"There is only one acoustic guitar, but three rhythms must be created, one is the rhythm of strumming, the second is the rhythm of changing chords, and the other is the rhythm of the song's melody." The guests at the bar had a great time.

   It is worthy of being taught by the master. Ronald came and felt that an acoustic guitar seemed to play three rhythms of bass, drums, and melody. I also felt that the accompaniment sounded a lot better.

"A rhythm is destined to be monotonous. You have some talent as an artist, and you need to pay attention to the speed of a good melody." John Fogerty was very satisfied with Ronald's interpretation of the song. It has been a long time since I heard someone singing him live in a bar Wrote the song, "Next round of beers please."

   "Dangdang..." The bartender rang the brass bell at the bar, "The next round of beer is free, thank you John!"

"The rhythm is fast and slow. The narrative rhythm of the movie that Walter Murkey said is actually the same thing? The rhythm of the story, the rhythm of the characters, and the rhythm of the conflict must be matched to look good." Ronald unexpectedly expressed the rhythm of the film. Got some insight.

   (end of this chapter)