Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 679 Chapter 309 The audience of The Sound of Music is missing

  David Simkins is a script assistant hired by Ronald. His main job is to select a variety of potential and interesting scripts for Ronald.

   This job is much more interesting than the similar job at TV.

  Because Ronald is a director who understands screenwriting. He met in person once or twice a week, or exchanged scripts with David over the phone. From Ronald's words, David Simkins learned a lot about how to look at a script from a director's and producer's point of view.

   David Simkins, who originally only looked at the script from the perspective of the script itself, quickly understood what kind of script would be loved by directors and producers.

   To be precise, the angles of the two are not quite the same. The director likes to find room for play from the script, what kind of performance space is there, who can play what role, and the final film will be different because of the different roles.

   And the producer's point of view is all from the cost. How much does it cost to film these lines? How much costumes, makeup, props are needed for this scene? Is there a way to control costs? How to choose a scene to shoot at the lowest cost.

   Of course, if the actors and stars read the script, they will think more about whether they can play their acting skills, overshadow the rival actors on the screen, and whether they can deepen the star image of the audience.

  David Simkins feels well trained. The truth in Hollywood is to give the director as much room as possible within the budget.

   Now the major labor unions have strongly raised the minimum wage. The most popular way to save money in the past two years is to go to Australia or Canada to shoot. In addition to lower wages, more working hours, and tax rebates.

   He also works very hard. In addition to learning knowledge, Ronald also promised him that if the script he wrote himself met the requirements, Ronald would also consider casting it, or recommend it to a suitable producer.

   Of course, the most important thing now is to summarize all kinds of interesting scripts, and discuss with the boss the possibility of directing him personally.

   "Mr. Spielberg thought about it for a long time after talking with you, but he still didn't let go. He was a little concerned about the script adapted from his deeds. I hope that it will not be too obvious in the script, so that people can guess it is him."

  David Simkins passed on the phone call of Spielberg's assistant Katherine to Ronald.

   "What? He still doesn't want to reveal the secret? Hmm..."

   Ronald knew in his heart that Spielberg was essentially a shy man. This kind of story, based on his early years as an apprentice at Universal, made him a little uneasy. The director is shooting the story for others to see, not showing his own story to others...

"I'll have a chat with him when I get back from London. Mr. Frank Price, that's the answer, right? Michael J. Fox is on a four-month schedule anyway, and he's always on the tie between seasons. Filming is possible."

"Then I'll go back to Price like this?" Nisita approached, "Fox is now focusing on preparing the movie about the life of a rock band that he most wants to make. I'm afraid his focus will be mainly there. ."

   "This is just right. If Steven is not willing to come out and promote it, the movie will have some problems in marketing."

   Ronald was a little concerned about the box office of the film Frank Price had asked him to direct.

   He and Spielberg chatted about the script, and Spielberg pointed out on the spot that the film, coupled with ordinary marketing methods, may not attract enough moviegoers to watch.

   That was April before Top Gun hit theaters. Ronald and Frank Price, Spielberg, met at Universal, arranged by CAA's president, Michael Ovitz.

  The storyline of this movie is actually a story that happened when Spielberg was working in the Universal Television production department in the 1970s.

   Spielberg graduated high school at the time and dropped out of college to work at Universal Studios. Because of his youth, no project is willing to hire him as a director.

   Spielberg loves movies so much that he grows a beard, tries to look older, and then imitates Universal's executives, putting on well-pressed suits and roaming around studios and offices.

  Because he has a work card from Universal, the directors and photographers on the set do not know what this person is. So let him hang out on the set, asking people technical questions and dealing with art. The field personnel were also willing to answer his questions.

   He soon discovered that when you act on the set and in the office, as long as your clothes are ironed, your tie is on, your shoes are polished, and as long as you show confidence, no one will find out that you are lying.

This made Spielberg, who has been relatively introverted since childhood, but has a rich imagination, very proud. He played this set for more than half a year, and even got himself an office in the office building of Universal, and put all the script materials in it. There, go to work every day.

   It wasn't until one day that Sidney Simberg, the president of Universal at the time, saw him and asked who this very knowledgeable young man was. Spielberg revealed the truth.

   But Simberg admires his hard work, courage, and adventurous spirit. Instead of blaming Spielberg, he gave him the opportunity to direct a few TV films, and only then did he make a great episode of "Jaws".

   Originally, Price wanted to show Spielberg the script, but the other party was not interested at all. That's why Ronald was called to take over.

  Ronald wondered why Spielberg was not interested. The story was well written, and the characters were well-made. It is said that it has the potential to get good reviews at the box office and reviews.

   But what Spielberg said to him at the time only deepened Ronald's doubts, and even he himself was a little unsure.

   "You know this movie is for The Sound of Music audience who have been missing for a long time."

   "The Sound of Music? The Julie Andrews one?" Ronald didn't quite understand what Steven meant.

   "You should understand, Ronald. I see you've always known how to attract audiences in your movies. Do you know who the audience for The Sound of Music is?"

   "I think those housewives, and some adults who are fathers, may take their children to see it." Ronald thought for a while and replied.

"Yeah, they are the audience that disappeared from the movie theater after the invention of television. But sometimes, they are inspired by a movie and re-enter the theater. We don't know what's the point here, it's a gamble ."

  "Oh", Ronald kind of understood what Spielberg meant, and also why Frank Price wanted Spielberg to be involved in the movie, based on his true story, as a movie marketing gimmick.

  After the invention of television, the first person to disappear from the fixed audience of the movie theater was the housewife.

   Their entertainment has shifted from movies made specifically for housewives in the cinema to watching soap operas on TV.

   Ronald has also seen a lot of market research reports on movies, and there is a proper noun in it, called movie audience.

   In this regard, Hollywood has a clear definition, that is, audiences who have walked into the cinema more than ten times in the past year and have fixed movie viewing habits.

These housewives, who may occasionally go to the cinema once or twice a year, such as Ronald's "Top Gun" or Spielberg's "ET Alien," stay away from the rest of the movie .

   If the main audience for your movie is these people, then you are gambling. Bet your movie has some quality that fills in the gaps in the movie, addresses some big real-world issues that no previous film has ever touched on, and most importantly makes it look good.

   In this way, you can arouse more people who don't usually watch movies, "The Sound of Music Missing Audience" through word of mouth, and the possibility of re-entering the cinema.

   This possibility is actually relatively small, so mature directors like Spielberg should stay away. Especially after his last film "Purple", which reflected a major reality issue, was a complete failure at the awards.

   This movie, which Spielberg had high hopes for, has already earned more than 80 million at the box office in April due to its large-scale publicity and the stunt of his first exposure to reality.

   But at the Oscars, Spielberg was humiliated. The movie "Purple" received 11 nominations, including best picture and best adapted screenplay, but none of them gave Spielberg a nomination for best director.

   In the end, at the awards show, all 11 nominations were lost, and Ronald felt embarrassed on the scene, especially every time the camera swept to Spielberg.

   Even the host Jane Fonda above was embarrassed when she announced the best picture award guest. Spielberg didn't attend the after-party party either and walked away.

   Anyway, in the short term, he and the Oscar Organizing Committee, which did not nominate him for the best director, formed a relationship. Those members with voting rights did not want the young Spielberg to win the award so quickly.

   Because of this experience, Ronald also had a lot of concerns about directing this reality film.

Plus……

   "Is Helen still pestering you to play the lead role?" Nisita took a chance to ask Ronald alone.

   "She thinks so, I feel a little annoyed..."

   Ronald was a little embarrassed, he didn't really want to direct Helen Slater. On the one hand, her acting skills are not very good, but she has high self-esteem. Director Ronald, who was close to him, felt that it was not easy to speak heavy words.

   On the other hand, there are many not-so-good plots in this movie. The heroine is a lover who clings to the boss of the company, and only becomes the supervisor of the finance department by relying on the relationship of the boss. Although he ended up getting married with the male protagonist, this kind of plot is harmful to the actor's image.

   However, Helen Slater's requirements for the space for acting skills exceed everything else. She wanted to play the heroine very much, pestering Ronald to flatter. On the one hand, Ronald enjoys Helen's gentleness, but on the other hand, he feels a little annoyed. It is best not to direct himself or Helen to not play the leading role.

   But it's not easy to say, it's a little embarrassing, only the agent can find a way to mediate in the middle, not only to persuade Helen to give up, but also to find an excuse not to hurt his self-esteem.

  "I'll talk to her more." Of course, Nisita actively shared Ronald's worries. "You go to London first, and when you come back, I should deal with it almost."

   "Hmm," Ronald turned back and asked assistant David Simkins, "How about the script that Eleanor sent?"

"The script is a good one, but it's an old story from the era of Kennedy's leadership, and there is a problem with the audience. The audience who liked to read the story of the little girl at that time are now middle-aged housewives, and they are also... "

   "It's also the missing audience from The Sound of Music, right?" Ronald waved his hand, you give me a copy of the script, and I'll take a look on the plane. Until I get back from the royal premiere of "Top Gun" in Britain.

   (end of this chapter)