Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 688 Without Ronald, you can't make anything

   "Ronald, I'm Billy, Chris is next to me, we're the Top Gun cut, do you remember us?"

   "Of course, how could I forget? Have you watched the finished film? We may succeed this time, and it is expected that the top three in the annual box office will be expected."

   Ronald suddenly received a call from the two editors of Top Gun, and he chatted with them about the box office situation with a smile.

   The fourth week of the box office was another anomaly. Paramount added more than 400 theaters nationwide this week and released more than 700 new reprints.

The    weekend box office suddenly jumped 20%, breaking the 10 million mark once again.

   Two abnormal box office rebounds, Hollywood has not seen such a strong movie for many years. The king's posture has appeared, and various evaluations, analysis, and aftermath have been called. Everyone is analyzing why "Top Gun" is so powerful.

   Some people think that Ronald is good at using hit singles and movies to market each other. Starting with "Night of the Comet", each movie has a nice interlude that simultaneously hit the top ten when the movie was released.

  This time, "Take My Breath", even hit the top of the list in one fell swoop and stayed there for a long time. Fans and fans will interact with each other. Watching the movie and thinking that the song is good will boost sales. After watching the single on MTV, many people are attracted to the cinema.

   Others see it as a fast-cut narrative rhythm led by Ronald. The film critic also found Ronald's MVs and commercials, and pointed out that "Top Gun" was the first Hollywood blockbuster to learn the editing rhythm of MVs and commercials.

   The first generation of post-baby boomer teen audiences are coming of age, and more audiences are still watching MTV every day, and commercials on all public television stations.

  To insert a complete bridge or story within ten seconds to three minutes, we must use faster editing speed and shorter shots to reconstruct the grammatical content of the film.

   He described Ronald as the first director of the 1980s to deeply understand the dramatic changes of teenage. And it is predicted that in the future, Hollywood's fast narrative rhythm, which omits a lot of transitional bridges, will gradually become a popular trend.

   There are also some people who feel that no matter what kind of movie Ronald makes, there is a sense of reality. The fighter-fighting footage is very much like that. And when he shoots karate, it gives people the feeling of a professional karate master.

  's deep understanding and presentation of the content involved in the industry is exactly what makes Ronald's films attractive.

   Of course, Ronald didn't think it was true. Especially the third statement, those instructor pilots at Miramar Base still have a lot of criticisms about their aerial combat footage.

   "Of course we watched it, Ronald. We called you this time to talk to you about something." Billy and Chris, the two editors, raised the topic.

   "Oh, please speak." Ronald packed up

"Last weekend, Paramount's top management sent a project manager to let us call up all the 'Top Gun' flight stunt shots and look at them carefully. Even some of the junk movies you didn't use, they also looked for them. Come on, stitch it together again according to the editing log, and take it away."

"I remember that I didn't shoot any extra shots. Basically, I used all the shots that could be used in the feature film. If the rest didn't have impact or were flawed, they couldn't be used. Even the Navy's specially approved Sidewinder missile launch. I have used the lens several times."

   "Yeah, that's what we said. But the manager didn't care about that, he took all the work copies. We thought it was unusual, so I gave you a call."

   "Okay, thank you. What did that person say?"

"We asked, but he didn't answer. But he asked us a lot of questions about how long the original film was, and the editing log was checked one by one. After working with us all day, he checked all the films before leaving. ."

   "Okay, thank you, I have written down this favor."

   Ronald hung up the phone and immediately called Nisita, "Call that **** Ned Tanin, what does he want to do? Take the rest of my footage and go make a sequel?"

"I know, I'm going to protest." Nisita switched the phone to another ear, "However, in theory, you do not have the ownership of the film lenses. Even if these lens films are not used in the feature film, the property rights belong to Paramount. Yes. They are the production companies, so in theory if they do that, we can only blame them morally. It's best not to go outside the circle."

"Fcuk! Impossible. I almost missed the shot of the aerial combat stunts. If they want a sequel, just figure it out, don't get any tips from me. Fuck, Ned really Shameless."

   "It's good that I don't take advantage of him. I will work with several CAA agents to put pressure on Paramount. This is really disappointing."

   The gold dollar storm brought by Minahan Golan has greatly affected Hollywood. In the past, the president of the Seventh National Congress could not do such a thing to a popular director. But now the salary is going up and down. If you don't make some tricks, the next year's financial report will be a loss, and the seat will be lost, so you can't care about the future.

   Ronald even felt that in this day and age, being a senior executive of one of the seven major studios, although he has a high position and can determine the fate of many people, is also constrained by stars and famous directors.

This is not a good job. If you don't work for a few years, you can leave the company and start your own production company to get a guaranteed distribution contract. It is estimated that people like Ned Tanning and Tom Pollack are not willing to to sit in that seat.

   "Sorry, let's continue."

   Ronald answered the phone and walked into the West Hollywood office of Daydream Pictures.

   There are two middle-aged women sitting, one is Eleanor Bergstein, the screenwriter of "Dancing Hot", and the other is Linda Gottlieb, the producer she found.

   There is also a middle-aged man, Michelle Cannold, the production director of the videotape producer and distributor "Weston Pictures" that Linda went to.

"It's okay. We saw the script that Linda brought and wanted to do it, it's a very unusual movie, it tells the whole story from a girl's point of view, it's a female version of 'breakdance'. "

  Michelle Cannold continued the topic just now, Weston wanted to buy the production rights and start filming this "Spicy Dance".

  Weston is a small company in Connecticut. Before 1986, they mainly produced video tapes for the seven major studios and were the seven outsourcers.

   In addition, they also make some X-rated movies, which are not shown in theaters, but sent directly to video rental stores.

   But starting this year, fire cannot be contained in paper. Weston's profitability was so good that they started to acquire other production companies and distribution channels. This has aroused the vigilance of the Seventh Congress. Since the video tape market is so profitable, why should we outsource it instead of doing it ourselves?

  So starting this year, Weston has been unable to get the list of outsourced videotape production and sales for Hollywood blockbusters. They started making their own films, and Michelle Cannold was their production director and had experience making two B-movies.

   "What you said is very interesting, but I originally wanted to buy the production rights of the whole movie and cast it myself. Weston is a lover."

   said Ronald glanced at the screenwriter Eleanor.

The producer, Linda, attached great importance to the film, because Ronald went to London for the premiere, so she took this opportunity to persuade Linda to meet Weston's people, and the two hit it off, Weston said Five million dollars could be invested to make the film.

   But as Michelle said, whether it was the screenwriter Eleanor or the producer Michelle Cannold, the first director they thought of was Ronald.

  No way, they came back and contacted Ronald again, hoping he could direct this little production.

"It's not that I don't want to make this movie, I'm very optimistic about it. But the movies I'm making now have a budget of tens of millions. Unless my company makes this kind of small production, I have no reason not to direct it. Movies with stars in them."

"Yes, that's what we came to you to talk about." Michelle Cannold is a very frank person, all his production experience is X-rated video tapes, if you want to make such a Jewish girl's story well , it is best to find someone with experience to operate the knife.

   "So how did you think about it?" Ronald also learned to listen to the other side first when he encounters something.

"That's what we thought, ahem..." Michelle Cannold cleared his throat, "We Weston can give up a portion of the investment, and your Daydream Films will be responsible for the production, and we will use the investment And the release to join the collaboration. This is the second film we have made on our own at Weston, and the first film that is not X-rated, and we want to have a theatrical release.”

   "Well, I agree in principle to participate in the production, and the director will look for it according to your ideas. I can check the art, and then help you find suitable teenage actors to audition."

   Thinking that he did not get all the production rights, Ronald was not very interested. Since he has a little investment share, he can do as much as possible.

   "Okay, I'm glad you're joining the project. Let's go back and discuss it with the top of Weston."

   "You guys better hurry up, I'm going to Dongying soon to attend the premiere of Top Gun there, I don't want to make trouble outside the festival."

This kind of thing suffered a loss, and Ronald wanted to understand. He told the general manager Eddie the bottom line of the conditions for signing the contract, and let him take full control of the negotiation. When the time comes, he will participate more in this "spicy dance". , It is also the first time for Daydream to get involved in the production and distribution of theatrical films, so as to accumulate experience for the future.

   "Ronald, don't you have a chance to direct?" the screenwriter Eleanor asked quietly.

   "I said, why didn't you wait for me to come back? If I invest myself, maybe I'm still interested in directing."

"Linda is my best friend, and we both went on a double date when we were young. So she begged me, saying the name of the movie was worth a million dollars, and I promised her to go to Weston. ."

   "Okay, then I'll let the agent intervene and introduce you to a few suitable directors. As long as I fully communicate with the director on production, I can still grasp the overall temperament."

  Ronald thought to himself that he had dreamed of a few wonderful dance clips. He drew the storyboard for this part himself, so the director must have been able to execute it well.

  …

   "Ronald, are you not a director? Then I don't want to act anymore." Michael J. Fox heard that Universal had changed directors and called Ronald.

   "It doesn't have to be like this. I resigned from the director for other reasons. You don't have to resign because of me, if you like this movie."

   "I really like this script, but I originally wanted to work with you once. It's not because of creative differences, right? Is it because the new president of Universal has a conflict with you..." Fox said on the phone.

   "Not really, I can trust you, Michael." Ronald asked.

   "Sure, what's the secret?" Fox's curiosity was hoisted.

   "Have you heard the rumors about that global high-level boxing match?"

   "What? Is that true?"

   "Almost, I happened to witness everything by the side, so it is not convenient to continue the project led by Frank Price. Actually, it has nothing to do with you."

"What about your girlfriend Helen? If you want her to be the protagonist, I'll let the agent let her go. If you don't want to be the director, I'll resign. When they come to beg me, I'll bring her for you. ."

   "You're too polite, let's not interfere too much with the new director's choice. Besides, Helen..."

"What's up with her?"

"It's nothing. When I was a director, I didn't like being interfered with in casting, so I didn't want to do this to others. That's what Confucius said." Ronald didn't say anything. Helen was much taller than Fox. To really play male and female protagonists, it is impossible to say that you have to make various adjustments like McGillis and Tom Cruise.

   "That's it, don't forget me if you have a chance in the future, we always have to collaborate on a movie."

  …

"Fuck, Ronald, this sly guy, can't find the aerial combat footage that Top Gun can use for a second. He edited it all into the movie." Ned Tanin cursed loudly after listening to the report. , the sequel failed.

   "What does Michael J. Fox mean?" Tom Pollack asked the "Secret of Success" production director, squinting. "He still wants to work with Ronald?"

   "He said that he originally came to the crew for Ronald. Unless we find a replacement who is at the same level as Ronald, he will consider withdrawing from the project."

   "Well... It seems that without Ronald, this project really can't be made."

   "You have to give him something, the heroine I remember as one of Ronald's girlfriends?"

   "But Helen is too tall to play with Fox."

"What do you think?"

   "Ronald submitted a casting call for the opening scene, how about we grant his wish?"

   "Okay, you go and communicate with Nisita, we didn't mean to offend Ronald."

   (end of this chapter)