Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 323 Where did you get the money to make the movie?

"Helen Slater, a girl from New York, became the luckiest one among the thousands of girls who auditioned. She beat Brooke Shields, who had been very popular before, and was selected to play 'Supergirl'.

Warner Bros. announced that she has signed a contract with Supergirl, and the first film will start shooting in Britain at an optional date. "

The "Hollywood Report" has a very short project approval information, which published the news that Helen was selected as a superwoman actor.

"I'm so happy." Helen said with her arms around Ronald's neck, and it really helped to put on a Supergirl uniform to audition.

She was notified to ask the photographer to take a set of photos of her uniform under the lighting environment, so that the costumes and props can be used as a reference to order real movie costumes.

"When will you start filming?" Ronald asked Helen.

"Warner wants us to go to the UK to shoot some scenes with the 'Superman Part [-]' which is currently being filmed at Pinewood Studios outside London, Britain. The official shooting will take place next year. They said I have to go to the gym and grow some muscles. fit the role."

"Okay. In fact, this role is very suitable for you, and the acting skills are not high..."

"How come? I still want to act with Jane Fonda and Peter O'Toole. They have high requirements for acting skills. Gerald has already found a good acting training teacher for me."

Ronald smiled. Gerald still cared very much about the daughter he had with his ex-wife.He invited the famous Shakespeare drama coach to train Helen's lines and acting skills.

Although Ronald felt that the film might not require such lines, he did not intend to interfere.It's healthier than the so-called "method school" actor's studio method.

"Any other roles chosen?" Ronald asked about other "Supergirl" role candidates.

"They're going to get Jane Fonda to be my mother, Dolly Parton to be the witch in the comics, and then Peter O'Toole to be my mentor. But that hasn't been finalized yet and may change."

"Yes, filming is very uncertain, and sometimes schedule changes will make the actors who were originally promised not available." Ronald remembered that in his dream, except for Peter O'Toole, everyone else had changed actors.

"There is also a Hollywood TV actress named Demi Moore. She came to play Supergirl's best friend Lucy Lane. I heard that she was also a candidate for Supergirl."

"This world is so small. I used her audition photos before as an advertisement for my portrait photography business..." Ronald couldn't help but sigh, Demi, a girl who is very good at looking for opportunities, finally stepped into the show business circle .

Helen's classmates who majored in acting were also very envious of her, and began to call her constantly to invite Helen to attend a party.

"I never knew I was so popular in high school. They all liked that Erica Kimpel and chose her to be the queen of the prom." Helen received another invitation call and complained to Ronald explain.

"Oh, I don't know, has she acted in any movie?"

"She played CoCo in the TV version of 'Fame'."

"Isn't that the role played by Erin Cara in the movie version?" Ronald thought of the role of the play, dance, and sing triathlon.Irene Cara's career center has now turned to a singer, and she sings "Famous Around the World" on variety shows every day, no wonder she has to act in the TV series version.

Ronald was very happy. Every time she appeared on TV, she increased her income from writing lyrics, and the next quarter would be another check.

"Aren't you going to their party?"

"Oh, it's not interesting, I might as well pick out the new jazz record, I have to take Shakespeare drama class later, how about you?"

"I'm going to meet two producers." Ronald got up and drove.

"When we see Ronald later, we must praise him. You know that Americans like other people's compliments." Two fat men were talking about Ronald in the hotel suite.

"Why didn't I see that he had such a good director talent?"

"Hi Ronald. Long time no see!"

The two Israeli producers, Minahan and Yoram, got up and hugged Ronald and his agent Richard.

"Your fast pace is really amazing. Our film costs more than yours, but the box office is only a fraction of yours." Minahan began to compliment Ronald.

The movie he's talking about is Cannonball Films' "The Last Virgin in America," which has already been released.The total income in America is less than 600 million US dollars, which is not as high as the cost of filming and music copyright.

"Movies are hard to say, and I don't know what I did right." Ronald said modestly, "I heard that your overseas copies sell well?"

Ronald did not want to meet the two Israeli brothers, and discussed with his agents Richard and Nisita, and declined their invitation.

But Nisita's words caught Ronald's attention.The two brothers have received a large investment in Europe and are preparing to start shooting blockbuster films worth tens of millions.

All the films shot in America lost money, and they still managed to attract such a large investment, which made Ronald very interested in chatting with them, so he agreed to the meeting.Richard also specially flew over to accompany the meeting.

"Ah, yes. Ronald, why don't you help us direct a movie, or a youth movie, so that we can join forces, and the Oscar for Best Picture and Oscar for Best Director are no problem.

The box office of these two films made me somewhat understand that I have not yet grasped the tastes of the American people, so the box office failed. "

Minahan Golan gushes about his movies.

"Why are your movies so popular? Ronald. Do you have any secrets?"

"Success is a poor teacher. If I fail, I can talk about my lessons. But if the box office is successful, I really don't know where I am right?"

"Oh? So can you talk about why our 'Last Virgin of America' failed?"

Minahan himself is a director. Although he is not named as the director of this film, he went to the shooting scene many times to guide, and most of the final edits were written by him. He really couldn't figure it out.

Teen movies, nudity, abortions, all kinds of girl-picking scenes.Ordinarily, Cannon Pictures' movies have more blockbuster elements than Ronald's "fast-paced" movie. There are more than a dozen actresses in the film alone, which is much more than Ronald's movie.

But the teenage audience in America just didn't like it.His own investment in distribution far exceeds that of Universal, but the box office of a single theater is tightly suppressed by the "fast pace". Now others still have a box office of 300 million per week, and his films have already been invited out of the cinema.

"If you tell me how you got the funding to shoot in Europe, I'll tell you why your movie didn't sell well in North America." Ronald had a smirk on his face.

"I don't care about this matter, it's Yoram who will talk about it."

Yoram is like a small Minahan, except that his head is one size smaller than his cousin, and his whole body is fat.

"We mainly rely on the pre-sale of this movie and European bank funds." Yoram didn't speak much, mainly listening to others.

But what he said was very important knowledge to Ronald. "May I ask what's going on with the pre-sale?"

"The pre-sale is when the film has not yet started shooting. In Europe and Asia, we sell the rights to local releases. We use the pre-sale money to make the film. The delivery will be delivered after the filming is completed."

"How can I pre-sell a movie?"

"You have to have a successful precedent. There must be stars recognized by foreigners in the movie, or some connections." Yoram still didn't say much.

"And what about the bank funds?"

Ronald also wanted to find out more about the secrets of Cannon Pictures' frequent loss of money and the ability to attract big investment.

"Ronald, this is our core business secret. If you want to know more about the pre-sale, I can help you. Next time you go to the country of hair with us at the Cannes Film Festival, you will understand .”

"That's right, Ronald, you can go to Cannes with us next year. It's a paradise for film directors, and the beach is full of..." Minahan happily described the courtesy he received in Cannes.

"It's your turn, Ronald. What the hell is wrong with our movie?"

"I can't say I'm right, but I think the movies you make are about American stories in the eyes of foreigners, not American stories in the eyes of American people."

"What do you mean?" Minahan stared bull-eyed, a little puzzled.

"I've seen a few of your films, like that 'Apple' shown in Montreal, which was about a hippie."

"Yes, hippies save the world..."

"Minahan, I guess you haven't been exposed to the hippie way of life."

"how do you know?"

"I grew up in America, and I've seen a lot of hippies in my life. And you're an Israeli, and you know about hippies on TV, or in magazines."

Seeing that Minahan listened attentively, Ronald expressed his opinion.

"In fact, the core idea of ​​hippies is freedom. I can smell hippies on the road. They always drive second-hand broken cars, have long hair, wear flowers, play guitars and sing, but that's just appearance. Their true spirit lies in freedom.

And your movie, gather the hippies, let them obey the command of a leader, sacrifice themselves to accomplish great things.How can this be?In the eyes of North American audiences, this is not hippie at all. "

"So I said, your movie may be suitable for foreign audiences to see American stories, and those stories fit their imagination of America, but North American audiences don't feel that it is their story."

Ronald raised his glass to signal that he was done.

Minahan stared and remained silent for a long time.Suddenly he hit the table with his fist, "Ah... I see."

"Ronald, why don't you direct the next movie for us? Youth, beauty, and love are exactly the elements you are good at."

"Ahem..." Richard suddenly choked on the wine and coughed.

"I'm sorry, Minahan. I still need a break, and I don't feel like doing any more teenage exploitation films these days. You know I turned down an offer from Atlantic Distribution the other day to do their film."

Recently there was a song called "Valley Girl" that climbed to the top of the pop charts and made a big impact.

CBS TV station also specifically criticized this kind of valley accent and made a special report.Criticizing this kind of emphasis on speaking and not paying attention to grammar will have a great impact on the language expression and reading comprehension ability of Americans in the future.

Atlantic found Ronald, and wanted to ask the director who started the "Valley Girl" trend to make another movie called "Valley Girl".He writes the script as he pleases, and the remuneration is 20. Ronald decides on casting and editing.

"Well, you deserve that privilege, and America's blockbuster director deserves that privilege. Blame me for being an idiot for not taking the time to ask you to direct a Cannon movie."

Minahan made several exaggerated gestures of regret.

"When will you make a new movie next? What subject will you make? Don't forget me and Yoram, Cannon Pictures will always welcome you. Our financing ability and tolerance for talented directors are unmatched by the top seven in Hollywood." Yes, you are a fool not to cooperate with us."

"I don't know. I don't have any inspiration yet. Maybe it's a sci-fi movie?" Ronald felt that the two brothers really had a lot of fighting spirit, and no failure could destroy their confidence to keep going forward.Having such blind confidence is sometimes a good thing.

"It is rumored in Hollywood that their money was given by a Belgian bank, and it is all money laundered in Europe."

On the way to send Ronald home, Richard said.

"What about the facts?"

"I don't know, but the cousin of Minahan today, what he said is indeed a good financing path. Including the funds for Supergirl, it was also raised from the pre-sales in Europe and Asia. Now the seven majors in Hollywood Studios, too, are beginning to learn this approach.

If they can really find pre-sale funds from Cannes, I am afraid that the so-called dollar laundering is just a rumor. "

"You should go back to Hollywood, Ronald." At the door of Ronald's aunt's house, Richard began to urge Ronald to return to Los Angeles.

"The movie's box office has already exceeded 300 million, and if it continues, it will be a long-term screening. There are many people in Hollywood who want to cooperate with you. If you don't appear in front of them for a long time, Hollywood will be very forgetful."

"I know, I'll go back after I finish some things." Ronald patted Richard on the shoulder.

"Ronnie, hold me down here."

Donna saw that Ronald was back, holding one end of the telescope, asked Ronald to hold it down, and then put away the lens barrel.

"Why don't you watch comets?"

"Haley's Comet has been discovered, I can't get into the newspaper news." Donna shrugged.

"Why do so many people want to see Halley's Comet?"

"Because comets are very popular now. It is said that the extinction of dinosaurs was caused by a comet hitting the earth."

"So scary? What if human beings are wiped out by comets?"

"No, the probability of hitting the earth is very low, and many small celestial bodies are blocked by the moon."

"What would happen if you were a survivor if it hit the earth and caused mass extinction?" Ronald thought it would be a good subject for a disaster movie, so he asked Donna.

"Huh? I'll probably collect my books and keep the spark of human technology."

"Haha, what about yourself? What do you want to do?"

"It's nothing, maybe I'll go to the Library of Congress and get all the good books there." Donna thought for a while and said, "Then I'll get some beautiful clothes that I can't usually afford, toys that I can't play with, and a motorcycle. open."

(End of this chapter)