Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 339 Investing in Amberlina

This morning, the manager Richard came to find Ronald, and they went to Spielberg's Amberlin Production Company to visit to see if the big director was interested in investing in his own "Night of the Comet".

The money is hard to earn, the face is ugly, and the producer shakes his head when he hears the subject of science fiction.Ronald has had his fair share of rejections.

The budget gap of more than 100 million US dollars is not a lot for filming, but no one is willing to invest. Ronald came up with an idea and considered whether to invest part of his own money in it.

"Directors don't put their own money into filming. This is a Hollywood practice. You don't have to do this, Ronald." Richard persuaded Ronald in the car, "Nine out of ten directors who do this They're all bankrupt."

"And another one?"

"There was another one that made money, but the production and distribution company took most of it."

"Well, I won't." Ronald was actually thinking about it. He still had his aunt and cousin's life, as well as his own personal life. The risk of investing his own money was very high, and he might not be able to bear such a risk.

Even if there is a blockbuster endorsement from Dreamland, it's one thing for the director's work to sell well, but it's another thing to get a dividend.

I still don't quite understand how the distribution channels divide the money. Except for old acquaintances like Roger Coleman, they didn't deduct their due money in the distribution of "Rock High School", which is worthy of trust.He didn't dare to agree to the conditions offered by other companies for him to become a shareholder.

"Isn't it Columbus Day today? Why are people taking to the streets?" Ronald looked at the crowd in front of them, dressed as North American Indians, wearing feather headdresses, with red paint on their bodies and faces, walking on the street. walk around.

"Tomorrow." Richard honked the horn twice, and the team was still advancing slowly. The team was not large but was escorted by LAPD. It seemed that it had been filed.

"Hey, buddy, what kind of parade is this? Isn't tomorrow the celebration of Columbus's discovery of America?" Ronald poked his head out and asked the last one who looked like an Indian.

"It's Indian Day, don't you know? The day before the Italian colonists invade our land."

Delayed by an unexpected parade, by the time Ronald arrived at Spielberg's Amberlin studio, Spielberg had already begun hosting the next wave of guests.

The pair apologized to Spielberg's assistant, Kathleen Kennedy.

Catherine signaled that it was okay, "Steven is very grateful for your help in contacting Jennifer Jason Lee. Now that Vic Morrow's family has reached a settlement with Steven, this matter has not been widely reported. Steven is a good thing."

After chatting with them, Catherine asked Ronald to wait outside.

Ronald felt bored and looked around the studio.

The box office of ET Aliens has exceeded 5000 million, and it will definitely reach [-] million by the end of the year.Spielberg's production company also moved out of his home and found a house not far away.

"Ronald, I'm Chris Columbus. Remember me?"

Ambrose's screenwriter, also named Columbus, came out from the side, saw Ronald and greeted him.

"Of course, are you still writing scripts for Steven?" Ronald thought of this young screenwriter, and happened to meet him when he came to find Spielberg last time.

"Ah, yes. I'm writing a play. Would you like to see it?"

Ronald waved his hand to signal no need, and he will see Steven later.

"It's a very good story, telling the story of little goblins." Columbus was very excited.

"Little monster, what is that?" Ronald was moved by his enthusiasm, so he had to chat with him.

"It's a kind of elf, very small, but it's mischievous. Loves to play tricks."

"So it's a sci-fi movie?" Ronald became interested, if Spielberg also likes sci-fi movies?

"No, it's a comedy horror movie."

"Hey?"

Ronald didn't get it, a comedy is a comedy, a horror is a horror, what is a comedy-horror?
"This is a new trend, and many people in Hollywood recognize it. Scientists have conducted experiments and found that when people laugh, they have similar brain waves to when they are afraid.

So horror films can be combined with comedy to become a new genre. "

"I see," Ronald nodded, "Then who will direct? Steven? Or you?

"Me? I can't, I just directed short films in college, I can only do screenwriting. Steven also has to prepare the sequel of 'The Lost Ark of the Covenant'. When George finishes working on Star Wars, they will start preparations."

"Then who is the director?"

"Joe Dante, have you seen any of his movies?"

"Ah, of course. He and I are old acquaintances." Hearing the name of an acquaintance, Ronald relaxed a little, and chatted with Columbus for a few more words.

"Ronald," Catherine called Ronald.

Just in time for Spielberg's last wave of guests, the two came out of the reception room and nodded politely to Ronald when they met him.

Ronald also nodded and entered Spielberg's office.

"Ronald? Which Ronald? Is he very young?" one of the last group of guests asked Catherine.

"It's the Ronald Lee who gave you comments on the script, and filmed the 'fast-paced' cutting-edge director."

"It's him?" The two looked at each other and simply waited outside. They wanted to chat with Ronald.

"Hi, Ronald." Spielberg hugged Ronald with a smile.

The new films of the two directors have made a lot of money for Universal, and they also have a lot of connections, so it is very easy to chat.

"I heard you have a new script?" Spielberg cut to the chase.

"It's a sci-fi movie, comets, girls, and zombies." Ronald didn't detour in front of real people, and directly stated the elements of the movie.

Spielberg flipped through the outline of the script, "It's a good story, but my Amberlin has just been established and has limited manpower. With the current production capacity, I can only shoot one movie at the same time. If you are willing to wait, I will You can buy your movie script first."

"I've been preparing for a while and found a suitable special effects director. Now I'm actually close to investing, if..."

"It's still an old problem. My An Bolin's strength is not enough. But I like your script writing ability very much. If you can sign a three-movie script agreement with An Bolin, I will consider starting the next movie after the completion of the next film." Your movie."

"I have to think about it again. I also want to meet people from other studios." Ronald felt that the agreement was a bit harsh, so he shirked.

"It's okay, you haven't been to my new studio, have you? Here are the latest versions of Atari games."

Spielberg warmly invited Ronald to play the game, and the two played Big Bee.

Ronald was quite skilled at operating planes and machine guns, and Steven had a great time with him.

"Let me tell you a secret, ET aliens will also be adapted into games. I like Atari's idea very much. It will be released next year and made into a special game for Atari 2600."

Ronald bid farewell after playing a few games, and he was just stopped by two guests who had seen Spielberg outside the door.

"Ronald?"

"It's me, who are you?" Ronald was surprised to see the two, who seemed to have been waiting for him here for a long time.

"Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale."

The two declared themselves home.

Ronald remembered these two familiar names. Isn't this the signed screenwriter of the movie "Back to the Future" that Spielberg asked him to comment on the script?
"Hello, are you here this time?"

"Let's talk somewhere else."

The two called Ronald and his agent, and the group found a quiet cafe, and the two began to chat with Ronald.

"We like your comments on 'Back to the Future' very much. The cost of the nuclear explosion scene is too high, and it is more realistic to use a sports car." Zemeckis looked very energetic with his glasses on.

"I hope you don't mind," Ronald replied.

"No, we like your suggestion on adaptation very much. This is a movie that we both must make, and it has been in preparation for a long time. We would like to invite you to join in the adaptation of the script this time."

"To tell you the truth, I have my own script to work on, I'm afraid..."

"It's okay, our movie won't be shot for another year or two, so..."

"That's no problem. This is my agent Richard. If I'm not in Los Angeles, he can find me."

Richard handed the two his business cards.

"What? Your film project approval?" Ronald asked after hearing Zemeckis say that the film would take a long time.

"The two most difficult things in the world are to put the thoughts in your own head into other people's brains, and to make money from other people's pockets into your own pockets.

Being a film director is equivalent to doing two things at the same time, isn't it very difficult? "

Zemeckis was very funny and made everyone laugh with a joke.

"You also went to see Steven just now, didn't he? Didn't he invest in you?" Ronald asked.

"We'd much rather work directly with the seven major studios, there's always a layer through Steven, and he's got a movie to work on right now."

Ronald nodded, indicating that he was in the same situation here.Spielberg is an artist as a director, but he is also a shrewd businessman as a producer.

"So do you have a studio willing to invest in your project now?"

"It's very difficult. It's very difficult to describe a film that has not been made to the producer in words," Zemeckis said.

Ronald felt the same way, hey.There are great flaws in language when describing pictures. Unless you have already made a similar movie, the producer may not know what you are talking about. The picture in his mind is different from the picture in your mind. go far.

"So we took an adventure movie, and after proving our ability to direct this type of movie, we shot Back to the Future."

"Oh? What's your new movie?" Ronald didn't expect them to like "Back to the Future" so much.

"Romancing the Stone, Michael Douglas bought the script, [-]th Century Fox released it, can you imagine? He bought it from a barmaid."

"Ah?" Several people chatted for a while. It turned out that Diana Thomas, the emerald screenwriter, usually worked part-time as a restaurant waiter in Hollywood. When Douglas came to her restaurant for dinner one day, she offered to recommend herself, and finally paid $25. sold the script to Douglas for a price.

Hollywood is truly a place where dreams come true.

After leaving Zemeckis, Ronald and Richard exchanged a lot of opinions.

Spielberg's contract is too harsh, it is best not to sign him.However, major studios still have doubts about their own director experience, but Zemeckis's method may have something to learn from.

Ronald wondered if he should put the project on hold and make a film that better showcased his directorial abilities.When the time comes to promote the script of "Night of the Comet", the producers will be more interested.

(End of this chapter)