Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 429 Price's Last Persistence
"Hello, Mr. Price, we meet again." Ronald was the third to shake hands with Columbia President Frank Price after Weintraub and Avelson.

When Michael Ovitz, the president of CAA, came to promote the script of "My Brother's Protector", Frank Price had just become the president of Columbia, and he was in high spirits.He's a lot more subdued now because he's effectively resigned from the position.

"Come in, Ronald." Price was in a good state of mind. He patted Ronald on the shoulder. He was targeting the big star Jane Fonda for himself at the time. He still loves the lad who was hostile to the Vegas tycoon.

When Weintraub asked him to recommend screenwriters, he immediately thought of Ronald. In a few years, Ronald has become a director and has made two movies with good box office.If I hadn't stopped working in Columbia in the future, I would really have thought of signing him and making a movie for myself.But things are unpredictable, and there will be opportunities in the future.

Frank Price is widely recognized as the only president of the seven major studios who knows how to read scripts and judge the quality of movies.He had seen the script of "The Dragon Boy" that Ronald had submitted to Weintraub.The writing is smoother than the scripts of a few years ago, and it also shows the potential to sell well.

But these, almost have nothing to do with their own.Price invited them to sit down on the sofa in the office and ordered the secretary to make coffee.He can also keep the office and secretarial treatment for a few months.

"Frank, last time Barbara came to Los Angeles, Jane went to accompany her. Why didn't I see your wife Catherine?" Weintraub mentioned the ladies' party in the tone of an old friend.

"Katherine's off to Roy's graduation," Price explained.Katherine Crawford is his wife, who turned out to be a TV actress, and Roy is their third child, who has just graduated from high school.

"To be honest, Fay Vincent, that boring person, is really ignorant. Last year, most of your profits for the year were due to the share of the 'ET aliens' you fought for, right?"

"Yes, the 5.00% profit share is actually more than the combined profits of all other Columbia films." Frank Price smiled wryly.

Fay Vincent was the former chairman of Columbia, and he led the acquisition of Columbia by Coca-Cola.The lawyer-turned-entertainment tycoon also became executive vice president of Coca-Cola.

The president and CEO of every listed company will have conflicts, but like Fay Vincent, because he has different strategic ideas from his own, he desperately squeezes himself out, and it is still rare to get rid of himself quickly.

"So, you give our project the green light as soon as possible, while you're still sitting here."

"Don't be kidding, your script and director team are already great, and I didn't release it because of you." Price and his old friend laughed and cursed for a while, took out a thick Montblanc pen from the drawer, and agreed to Signed his name on the book.

"Okay, as long as you have the funds in place, you can start shooting. If you need my help, please mention it as soon as possible, and I will stop working here immediately." Price's signature means that "Longwei Boy" got it Shoot the green light.

"Let me tell you, where is your next home?" Weintraub was very interested in his whereabouts.

"I'm going to start my own production company and retire with a golden parachute."

Weintraub looked disbelieving, but he still happily took the signed consent form for shooting, and read it again and again.

With a beep, the intercom rang.Price got through to the secretary in front of everyone. "Mr. Price, Mr. Ackroyd, and Mr. Reitman."

"Ask them to come in," Frank Price straightened up his sitting posture, smiled and asked his old friend to leave first, and he would also meet the next production crew who came to interview.

After bidding farewell to Price, Ronald also left the office.He suddenly found that Nisita was chatting with a man with the CAA logo on his suit.

"Rick?" Ronald asked.

"Ronald, let me introduce you. This is Dan Aykroyd, actor and writer. This is Ivan Reitman, director. This is Ronald Lee. They are all clients of our CAA. Just came to Mr. Price with you."

"Hello, Mr. Ackroyd, hello, Mr. Reitman." Ronald greeted them.

"Ronald, John Candy tell me your name, you're a rugby fan too, huh? It's a pity he turned me down and didn't come to the movie, otherwise we could have a good chat." Dan Aykroyd is a fat comedian who speaks and laughs very enthusiastically, making people feel like a spring breeze.

"If there is a chance, let's drink Canadian beer together. I also know several Canadian directors and actors." Ronald was reminded by Nisita, knowing that Aykroyd is Canadian, and warmly extended an invitation to him .

"Why not? We're all part of the same agency anyway."

"Gentlemen, please follow me, Mr. Price is still waiting for you." The secretary reminded.

"See you then."

Seeing that Ronald's agent had other arrangements, Weintraub and Evelson prepared to leave after bidding farewell to Ronald.

There are still a lot of casting and scene selection, and the two need to continue to discuss.Weintraub is a boss who loves to get into the details of film production, and he wants to know everything.

"Hey Susan, let's put this young man Ronald aside and you go on a date with me." Everson saw Weintraub's secretary Susan and began flirting with her again.

"John, we still have to talk about casting, you know? Many old Hollywood stars have called me when they heard about my investment in a teen movie." Weintraub said Put an arm around Avelson's shoulders, separating him from his secretary Susan.

"Of course, who?" Everson asked.

"There's Steve McQueen's widow..."

The two walked out shoulder to shoulder, and Susan, who had red hair and looked a little fat, followed behind.

In the president's office, Frank Price was arguing with another CAA agent.

"This asking price is too high," Price shook his head, "How much total cost do I have to pay for the director's remuneration of 500 million? You must also have a main star in this movie." As he spoke, he looked at the director Ivan Reitman, "What do you think the movie was budgeted for?"

"The total price is 500 million to 3000 million." It is also the first time for Ivan Reitman to direct such a large-scale production. He has no concept of how much this special effects movie will cost, and he has not discussed it with his agent in advance.But when things came to an end, Reitman had to multiply the budget of his last film by four, and randomly reported a number, anyway, he could still let the agent bargain.

"Has your actor been chosen? Is it Dan?" Price pointed to screenwriter Dan Aykroyd who came in with him.

"I'm only suitable for this role like 'Cowardly Lion', the protagonist is a 'scarecrow', we feel that we need a famous star to play." Aykroyd used the characters in "The Wizard of Oz" as a metaphor for the movie role in .

"I understand, I understand, it is impossible for a comedy to sell well at the box office. Since you are asking for a production budget of more than 500 million yuan, we must find a big star. Has anyone chosen?" Frank Price didn't think This price is too high, just to guarantee the box office, put forward their own requirements.

"We can find Bill Murray!" Director Ivan Reitman did not expect that the other party did not counter-offer the budget he said casually.He immediately thought of Bill Murray, who is also a client of CAA, one of the hottest male comedy stars now.

CAA's agent was also overjoyed and told Reitman that he was doing the right thing.

"Bill Sneer has the right style, but he's always too late to decide whether to be in a movie or not, and last time he approached me to pitch his own 'Blade' project." Frank Price He felt a little unsafe, and he didn't want any twists and turns in the last few projects he decided before leaving.

"I can help convince him, Mr. Price." CAA's agent quickly agreed, with a budget of 500 million to 3000 million, and the fact that the protagonists were selected from CAA's clients, such a good condition made him excited No end, immediately take it all together. "

"Then it's settled. If you can sign Bill Murray, or a male star of similar fame, I agree to give your project the green light."

"Then let's talk about the sharing conditions now. On behalf of CAA, I proposed 30.00% of the box office profits, as the upper limit of the total sharing of CAA's actors and directors participating in this movie."

"You must be joking. I can't agree to this condition." Frank Price smiled, which was the lion's mouth.

"I think this share ratio is very reasonable. The script, director, starring role, and even the earliest ideas are all handled and promoted by our CAA."

"That's impossible, this price is a robbery!" Frank Price stopped the pen he signed.

"Mr. Price, this is the lowest ratio I have won for you within the scope of my authorization. If you disagree with this ratio, then I can only call Mr. Michael Ovitz and ask him to come and negotiate with you. You negotiated the price.

I didn't mean to set a high price on purpose. You know that if Mr. Ovitz got involved, it might not end up at this price. "

"Okay," Frank Price succumbed. No studio executive would face that aggressive CAA president. He signed and said, "Sometimes, I really don't know who's running the business." This movie company, me or Ovitz?"

"One last question, Mr. Price." Screenwriter and actor Dan Aykroyd was very happy to see Frank Price sign the consent form happily. The only studio executive who knows how to get a good script from a bad one has a well-deserved reputation.

"Please." Price has always had a special preference for screenwriters.

"The name of my script collided with the name of a children's program on Universal TV in the 70s. I wonder if you can help contact Universal TV to solve it? I know that you were the president of Universal TV at that time."

"Ghostbusters?" Frank Price looked at the cover of the script.

"Yes, if that name doesn't work, we'll just have to call it 'Ghostbusters,' 'Ghostbusters,' or 'Ghostbusters.'"

"Don't worry about it, I'll help you solve this matter." Frank Price waved his hand, indicating that it was just a trivial matter.

Dan Aykroyd, and director Ivan Reitman stood up to say goodbye.They saw Ronald who was waiting at the door, and the happy two invited Ronald to a party to celebrate.

"Sorry, you don't have an appointment, so you can't go in." Price's secretary stopped a short man in a suit and leather shoes behind them who wanted to break into the president's office.

"Go away, I am the lawyer representing the CEO, Mr. Fay Vincent, my name is Dick Gallup"

The secretary still insisted on asking Price through the intercom before letting him in.

"Hi, Dick." Frank Price signaled the secretary to back out first, and closed the door behind him.

"Frank, do you want to rush to approve the movie project at the last minute?" Lawyer Dick angrily walked to the desk to see the two projects that Frank Price had just given the green light to.

"You name it, I'm approving a movie based on its potential," Price said, sitting up.

"Are you kidding me? A horror comedy with special effects? A budget of $500 million to $3000 million?"

"I can forgive your rudeness, Dick. But I'm still the president of Columbia, so I don't know what a movie has the potential to sell. The fusion of comedy and horror is the big trend in the next year or two."

"You must be crazy." Dick Gallop had no choice but to rush out of the office again, find a conference room, and directly dial Coca-Cola Executive Vice President and CEO of Coca-Cola Columbia Studios, Fay Wen Center's phone.

"Mr. Vincent, Price is crazy, he's out of control..."

(End of this chapter)