Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 159 The thing capitalists fear most has happened

"The strike ultimatum from the two major screen actors' unions expires tomorrow night, very inside sources, tell me that the Producers Guild refuses to compromise.

All film and television actors will go on strike at [-]:[-] a.m. the day after tomorrow. The production of all movies, TV dramas, live broadcasts, and radio programs in America will be stopped. From the day after tomorrow, major TV stations will only be able to broadcast episodes that have already been filmed.

After the next weekend, the TV station can only play reruns of old dramas or imported TV dramas.All film productions were also stopped, and the American people had no new films to watch after half a year. "The agent Limato said.

"What? The production of all entertainment programs has stopped?" Ronald looked dull.

American film and television actors belong to two major actor unions: the Screen Actors Guild (SAG for short) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA for short), also known as TV actors. union).

Beginning in March of 1980, the two major actor unions began collective negotiations with the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to demand better treatment.

Both sides of the negotiation, one party is a trade union registered with the government, which can initiate collective wage negotiations on behalf of all union members, and initiate a strike when the negotiation breaks down. All union members must obey. Fired in the name of "thief".

On the other side are associations, which have no enforcement power over member institutions.But this association is a producer association, an association of capitalists.No one is willing to let the trade union share more benefits for no reason.

Coupled with the fact that AMPTP has fewer people, is more united, and has a stronger tolerance for strikes, in a sense, it will have more bargaining chips than the two major actors.

The two sides have been talking about May since March. The Producers Association AMPTP will not make any concessions. The two major actor unions vowed to launch a strike if they do not achieve their goals.

At this stage, no one has taken the threat of strike seriously. Two years ago, in December 1978, when Ronald participated in the filming of "Rock High School", the two major actors' unions also threatened to strike, and the management soon Compromise and end the labor dispute.

But this strike, the news from agent Ed Limato is very pessimistic.

The reason is that the two major actor unions have made seemingly very unreasonable demands, and their negotiator Ed Asner (Ed Asner) is a desert cobra, and he will not let go when he bites his opponent.

The Screen Actors Union, and the Television Actors Union, have made two big demands.

The first is to continue to increase the minimum wage of actors, increase the minimum wage by 40%, and increase the daily wage from US$225 to US$315.When Ronald heard it, it was even more difficult to join the actors' union now.

Even more deadly is the second, the actor union demands a share in the home video sector.In addition to being paid fixed salaries during film and television productions, all actors are required to participate in VHS tapes, Beta tapes, and pay-TV revenue sharing.

The union requires that 12% of the pay TV revenue from all video tapes must be included in the remaining value of the actors, and the film and television dramas will be handed over to the two major actor unions, and then the actors will write checks to the members to distribute the remaining value.

"Is there a lot of income from this part of the video?" Ronald didn't know how much this part of the money was for a while.

"It seems that the proportion is high, but the total amount is very small." Limato, Pfeiffer's agent, replied, "Now only 2% of households in America have video recorders, and the proportion of pay TV is similar. This is a small amount of money."

"But it will become popular in the future, right?" Ronald himself has a VHS video recorder, which has recorded many classic movies, and it is very convenient to use.

"It's hard to say, who's going to see a movie in a movie theater when there's videotape? The eight studios hate this stuff. Now Universal is suing Sony, the maker of the Beta videotape, to ban the possibility of VCR sales in America." very big.

So many people don't understand why the union negotiator Ed Asner is so tough? "

Limato was well informed.Just like television destroyed many market segments in Hollywood, housewives no longer go to the cinema to watch movies, but watch TV at home.If teenagers watch videos at home, then the last piece of Hollywood butter cake will be gone.

"It's not for the interests of the union and the actors, then it's for their own interests." Ronald is no longer a naive child. If things go wrong, there must be problems, and this Asner is probably no exception.

"Yes, you're smart, Ronald. Rumor has it that Asner is seeking the SAG chair."

"Isn't he a TV actor?" Michelle Pfeiffer knew Asner's name after being in the TV business. Actor in residence, playing a character named Lou Grant.

This role is very popular. After the Mary Tyler Moore show ended, CBS also opened a spin-off series for him called "The Lou Grant Show".

"How can a TV actor have the social influence of a movie actor?" Limato hates this cobra very much, which has stagnated the work of his actors, and Limato's are all star actors, and he doesn't care much about the union Fight for the interests of the bottom actors.

"He is the extreme left of the Donkey Party, an active member of the Socialist Association of the Donkey Party of America. He was inspired by the former California governor who won the Elephant Party's leadership candidate, and he also wants to follow suit." Limato pointed out Asner ambition.

"How long will the strike last?" Ronald asked.

"No one knows, but Asner will last at least a month, otherwise he won't get a lot of headlines, which is what he wants in the election season."

Limato pressed Ronald's shoulders, and continued: "I know about you and Michelle, but Pfeiffer is a rare star seed. Her face is naturally suitable for widescreen, and her hair color and temperament are excellent. Just one chance away from flying into the sky."

"I contacted her for the advertisement of Lux soap. Now the news of the strike has not been leaked to the public. As long as we quickly go back to Hollywood to sign the contract, we can get few job opportunities during the strike. Lux is a mass consumer product. Her advertisement will Known all over the country.”

Ronald looked at Michelle Pfeiffer, intending to ask her what she thought.But seeing the desire for success in her blue eyes, she suddenly realized that she didn't need to ask, and she knew Pfeiffer's answer.

"when are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning." Limato replied on her behalf. I will pick her up at eight o'clock tomorrow morning. You can have a good chat in the evening.Then he turned and went out the door.

"Ronnie, I owe you twice forever. You helped me get rid of the liars and signed me to a good agent. You will come to Hollywood sooner or later. I know your ambition. I will wait for you in Hollywood." Michelle Pfeiffer approached Ronald and said hesitantly.

Ronald also didn't want to make the brief parting sentimental, "Do you know that I'm a commercial director? You go to shoot a Lux soap commercial, you can act it for me first, and I'll tell you about the scene."

Pfeiffer smiled and hugged Ronald. The smell of Lux soap evaporated from his body, passed through his hair, and radiated into Ronald's nose.

With slightly wet hair draped over her shoulders, Pfeiffer folded her hands on her chest and smiled back, "Lux soap makes my skin smoother." The smooth back with this perfect curve is fascinating.

Ronald picked up the Nikon camera and began to snap shots.

"That's it, Michelle. The way you look back and smile is the most charming."

Putting down the camera, Ronald ended the "Special Acting Direction", the two lay hugging together, Pfeiffer drew on Ronald's chest with his finger, "I am a person who is afraid of being lonely, come to Los Angeles as soon as possible .”

"Yes, if there is progress in this script, I plan to suspend my studies at New York University. After finishing the endless love crew, I will go to San Francisco first. I have a meeting with Coppola's editor, Mr. Merch A promise, I will go there to study for a while, and I will go to Los Angeles to meet you when I am free on weekends."

"Kiss me, Ronnie." The two had a very lingering night.

Ronald got up early the next morning to prepare a hearty breakfast for Pfeiffer, and finished eating with her with a smile until the manager Limatola knocked on the door.

"Aren't you going to take me to the airport?" Pfeiffer noticed that Ronald hadn't stood up.

"No, I found that I can't bear to say goodbye at the airport, so let's just say goodbye here, like ordinary couples say goodbye in the morning."

"Hahaha, it's not common in America for a husband to send his wife out to work."

"Settle down and call me." The two kissed affectionately goodbye, and Ronald helped Pfeiffer's luggage downstairs and put it in the taxi called by the agent.

After sending Pfeiffer away, Ronald started calling people in the circle he knew.First, his agent Richard.

"Strike tonight, I got the exact news."

"Oh, Shxt. Is the news reliable?" Richard's level is obviously not high enough to know this inside information in advance.

"Very well, Pfeiffer's agent took her to Los Angeles, giving up the role in Endless Love."

"I'll tell Nisita right away that several actors in his hands will be affected, and Jane Fonda's 'Golden Pond' will also be stopped. I will contact you later." Richard hung up the phone.

"Paula, there's a strike tonight, and you'll have to rearrange Tom's plans."

"Is the news reliable? ... Well, I will let him go back to Hollywood first and rent him an apartment. We need to keep the role of Endless Love as much as possible. Now what he needs is an appearance on the screen."

Then there's Eddie, his own ad agent.

"Eddie, have you heard? The two major labor unions have decided to strike tonight. The advertising project at Calvin Klein can continue.

Brooke Shirley's mother got the news, she will definitely go to the 'Endless Love' crew to drop the price first, Guber will shake the scales of the heroine again, from the girl named Meg Ryan, we have to catch During the time of the strike, which led to the shooting of the ad, Terry wouldn't stand for her daughter to be out of work for a month. "

"Leave it to me, wait for my call." Eddie Cohen put down the phone and went to contact Calvin Klein, the designer of CK jeans.

Then director Zeffirelli said, "Franco, it's Ronald. I got the exact news that the two major actor unions will announce a strike tonight. It will last at least a month."

"Fanculo! Ed Asner is a viper, I knew he was going to stand strong. We need to stop filming, I'll go to Mr. Guber."

"He may already know. I will break down the completed script and hand it over to you. I think your assistant director should be free."

"Sorry, Ronald, but when filming resumes, I welcome you to the crew."

"Thank you, Mr. Zeffirelli."

Ginger is still hot, Ronald thought of Helen Slater's father, Gerald, who was obviously busy with this before. Most of PBS's programs are educational, documentaries and imported British TV series.

These programs do not have videotapes and pay TV, and have different contracts, so they are not affected by the strike. On the contrary, the three major public TV stations still need to purchase programs from PBS TV stations to fill the gap of the lack of new TV series produced by the strike.

However, if the strike lasts for a long time, then the movies scheduled to be released next will also be affected. The copies of "Rock and Roll High School" that have entered the long-term screenings and midnight screenings can sell more, and I seem to be able to reach the second place soon. The conditions for the second dividend.

Ronald stroked his chin and thought that maybe he could ask Mr. Roger Coleman for more bonuses.

　Three shifts today to see if I can keep up with the rhythm.If I have time to write more in the future, I will add more at noon.

　
(End of this chapter)