Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 162 I Never Lie

Ovitz hurried back to his office, picked up the phone and dialed Sylvester Stallone.

"Sly, Ovitz, I have a notebook..."

"No No No, Michael, I just came back from Hungary, don't tell me about the script. The Hungarian government won't allow us to shoot this goddamn football movie during the actors' union strike. I don't understand why the union in America is on strike, The Hungarian government also supports it?

Now director John Huston went to Paris to find locations, and we only had 5 days to shoot, and the fucking ghost went on strike and shut down the crew.Originally, I went to a socialist country to shoot to save money, but now I might as well shoot in Hollywood. "

"Sly, this script is of good quality, don't you want to read it?"

"Don't fuck with the script, I'm jet-lagged. I played the goalkeeper on the Hungarian set and got fucked by Pele and I'm still bruised."

"Well, Sly, your instincts are the best...beep...beep...beep..." Stallone had hung up the phone.

Ovitz rubbed his hands together and found Sean Connery's phone number.But he hesitated before dialing.

The first star client signed by CAA is now in a crisis.Signing a star is the best way to expand the strength of a brokerage company.The problem is that celebrities generally don't like TV shows, but like to make movies.

Ovitz spent a lot of energy trying to enter the film industry from the TV industry, and proposed that every agent must sign a screenwriter policy, just to break into the film circle and guarantee the film contracts of his stars.

Especially Sean Connery, in order to attract other stars, CAA spent resources that do not match his status on this outdated Scot, the purpose is to set an example for the company and attract more stars.

"Even Sean Connery, they can sell." This is CAA's biggest reliance on attracting other star clients.

But Sean Connery is not a worry-free client. He thought that 007 had restricted his acting and resigned from the Bond film.But he didn't find a new way to play. Roger Moore took over 007 and was well received, and Connery regretted it a bit.

Because of his regret, CAA overturned his previous idea of ​​changing the way of acting.Put the focus on the lone hero again.But it's not easy for an actor to go uphill after going downhill.

It's been over a year since Sean Connery landed a satisfying James Bond role.Every time they communicated, they threatened to change jobs again, and Ovitz was a little bit annoyed by him. In fact, it was impossible for him to return to United Artists for 007 if he signed any other agent.

But for the sake of the company's overall reputation, he had to try his best to find him a suitable movie role.

After thinking about it, Ovitz still called Sean Connery.

"Sean, this is Ovitz..."

"What about my new job?" Connery asked in a thick Scottish accent.

"Yes, I have a book here, the Vietnam War, anti-war, brotherhood..."

"Stop, although I won't play 007 anymore, I still have to maintain my image. It is impossible to oppose the war...Listen, Michael, I like you and Meyer, but my patience is not infinite, you have to Find me a role as soon as possible, like James Bond."

"Beep...beep...beep..." the Scot hung up.

"You like Bond so much, why don't you continue to act? Are there any more 007 movie roles than 007?" Ovitz complained in his heart.

Taking off his glasses and rubbing his nose with his hands, Ovitz picked up the star list of CAA agents and looked at it. He slid his fingers over the names one by one, and finally stayed on the name starting with F, and then Find a phone number and dial it.

The filming of the new film "Golden Pond" was postponed due to the strike of the labor union, and Jane Fonda, who returned to her home in Los Angeles to rest, answered the phone.

"Jane, this is Ovitz."

"Oh, Michael, this place sucks." Jane picked up the receiver and began to complain, "The Golden Pond is a script I bought especially for my father Henry. I originally planned to let my father cooperate with Ingrid Bergman once, but Bergman Mann's health is also bad.

After finally getting Catherine to agree to take the filming, she was still dissatisfied with me playing my daughter.Henry is not well, Michael.As a result, the studio in New Hampshire was stopped by the union strike, I was afraid of Henry's health...we had to apply for a special exemption to hurry..."

"No, Jane, stop. I didn't come to hear you talk about the strike. I have a book in my hand, Vietnam War, Brotherhood, Anti-War, Fools, Religion, Romance between men and women... Do you want it? A package solution, including screenwriting to the director. It just so happens that your production company, IPC Films, could be considered for the next film."

"Go on..." Jane Fonda instantly got rid of the complaining state.Her own production company, IPC Pictures, has a three-film distribution deal with Universal that is about to expire.Just in need of a suitable script to continue negotiating the next distribution contract with the eight major studios.

"...Idiots are forcibly drafted into the army. Are normal people the saviors, or are they saved by idiots? That's it. This screenwriter graduated from Roger Corman Film University and understands business. He also changed the script for British director Alan Parker , with artistic ability.

Have you seen the 'Famous' he wrote?Now the industry's evaluation is very good, and there will be big gains in the awards season.

Also, the name of the script he wrote is 'My Brother's Protector', listen to it, the scriptures are easy to come by, full of gimmicks.To me, the name alone is worth 100 million. "

"I want to discuss it with Bruce." Bruce Gilbert is the general manager of IPC Films, Jane Fonda's partner.Producer for her first three films for IPC Films, "Hua Guo Syndrome," "[-] to [-]," and "On Golden Pond."

"Tomorrow morning at 10:30, my office? You and Bruce? I'll ask screenwriter Ronald Lee to chat with you guys too, he's a great guy." Ovitz suggested, "I'll let the office run The courier will run and send the script to you immediately."

"Well, I'll read the script first. If the script is as exciting as you said, Bruce and I will go to CAA at 10:30 tomorrow morning."

"Believe me."

"Well, Michael, I trust your taste in scripts. Tomorrow at 10:30. Bruce and I will be there."

Jane Fonda agreed to hang up the phone, and then suddenly said to herself, "Ronald Lee, I seem to have heard this name somewhere."

……

Ronald is in the conference room listening to Ron Meyer explaining CAA's star strategy.

"CAA now has three leading male stars. Bill Murray is the representative of CAA's key strategic comedy films. Stallone is a popular star, self-written, directed and acted, a triathlon, and the object of the eight major studios. And veteran 007 Sean Connery, the first male movie star to sign with CAA."

Ronald understood that Meyer said this because he wanted him to tailor scripts for several stars, but he was a little absent-minded.

Rick Nisita said that Ovitz and Meyer value every client very much. Now they are focusing on promoting the screenwriting strategy, using scripts to sell to studios, and then introducing directors and actors into the project.Provide a package solution.So their CAA respects screenwriter clients very much.

But Ronald didn't see any respect for himself today.

Meyer just wanted to finish his lines routinely, and Ovitz had disappeared. In short, this trip to see the partners of CAA was very dissatisfied with the result.It seems that I am not a customer they value at all, but rather just make up the number.

Among my three agents, Rick Nisita is busy with his own business while writing with a pencil, Paula is all about Tom Cruise, and the only one who values ​​himself is Richard Lovett, who has the lowest position. Didn't even get a chance to speak at the meeting.

The reality is depressing, and Ronald also understands his position on the ladder of CAA's customer pyramid - the bottom.He found an opportunity to interject between Mayer's routine speeches:
"Mr. Meyer, thank you and Mr. Ovitz for taking the time to interview with me. It gave me a 'deep' understanding of CAA's business scope and client list. You are all busy. I will discuss matters with my script in the future. Just get in touch with Chad."

"Okay," Meyer smiled, "As usual, Michael will take a group photo with the first-time client. Mary, you can ask him about the next arrangement."

Freed from the task-based interpretation work, Meyer started to work in the conference room on the spot, took out her work log, picked up the phone and called her secretary, and asked her to come and arrange the time with her schedule book. .

When Ovitz finishes his work, he can go back to work after taking a group photo.The filming of Stallone's new film "Victory" encountered a strike problem. The Hungarian government was forced by ideological issues and could only support the Amerika Actors Union, which is also a working class.

The stoppage of filming has caused a huge financial overrun for the film, and the main actors include Bailey, former England goalkeeper Banks, and many active professional players. If the stoppage time is too long, a new professional league will start immediately. Recalling them will be difficult.

Director John Huston had to go to Paris to see the scene, hoping to find a suitable location to finish shooting with only one week left.

In fact, Hungarian government officials prefer to continue filming, so that they can earn valuable foreign exchange dollars.We can take advantage of this to get the endorsement from the Hungarian Ministry of Culture and apply for a special exemption from the trade union, allowing them to finish filming for the remaining week.

Long Meyer began to prepare the next work plan.

The door was suddenly pushed open, and President Michael Ovitz rushed in quickly.

"OK, you and Jane Fonda, her producer Bruce Gilbert, discuss the script together at 10:30 tomorrow." He pointed to Ronald and said loudly.

Surprised, Ronald raised his wrist and looked at his watch, "Are you kidding me? In just 10 minutes, you arranged for Jane Fonda to come see me?"

Lon Mayer and Rick Nisita both laughed.

Naturally, they were no strangers to Ovitz's ability to close deals quickly, a reaction to Ronald they often see in first-time clients working with CAA.The established brokerage companies in the industry, WMA and ICM are too old and inefficient. Many brokers actually work from nine to five.

Ronald misunderstood the meaning of their laughter, and said seriously:

"You have a great sense of humour, Mr. Ovitz. You can make jokes, but please don't make jokes about me in the future. I'm a young man, and I'll take it seriously, and if I don't arrange a meeting afterwards, I will think you CAA are lying. "

Ronald hated this kind of tactics commonly used by Alan Parker. He used a joking tone to talk about the business, and it was his own credit if it was done.

Ovitz was about to walk out of the meeting room again, and continue to contact the studio to discuss "My Brother's Protector". Hearing this, he stopped in the door, turned his head to Ronald, and slowly And firmly said a word:

"I never lie!"

(End of this chapter)