Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 182 What does the big family mean?

One is the contract given to Ronald by Columbia, and the other is the industry standard contract. Looking at the copies of the two contracts in his hand, Rick Nisita was very angry that a key clause was removed from Ronald Lee's contract, As the highest-ranking of his three agents, he was kept in the dark.

   One of the reasons why he jumped from WMA to CAA at first is that there are people like Ovitz as president here, which suppresses internal competition and does not have so many internal intrigues. Different brokers can work together to recommend projects, so that everyone's clients can share the benefits.

   is a contract for a screenwriter client, and someone took advantage of it. I thought that no one dared to do anything about this kind of project promoted by Ovitz himself, so I didn't pay more attention, but let the new agent Richard be responsible for tracking and handling it.

   If it weren't for Richard's cleverness, he almost signed this trapped contract and was taken advantage of. In the future, there may be a rumor that he is incompetent, or that CAA has a reputation for bullying the small. Ovitz will not tolerate this happening.

  The reason why Nisita didn't pay attention to Ronald's contract the whole time was because his own big client had a problem and was busy dealing with it.

   His biggest client, Sally Field (Sally Field), who was crowned the new actress with "Norma Rae", was very sad because of her boyfriend Burt Reynolds cheating, and almost made an accident to hurt herself.

  The curse of the Oscar-winning actress is not just about career.

  Reynolds is a very big man actor who also owns his own NASCAR team "Mach-1".

   After Sally was sealed, the script and remuneration she received obviously exceeded Reynolds, who could only hang out in TV dramas. This kind of thing does a lot of damage to Reynolds' big man image. Reynolds then cheated on Lorne Anderson, a blond with whom he was on TV.

   After finally getting Sally back to normal and reconciling with Reynolds, this contract accident happened again.

   "So who did the good thing? The project that Ovitz was staring at himself dared to make such a small trick?" Nisita asked.

   Paula Wagner sat next to Nisita, looking at the contract over and over.

   She is also very busy recently. Tom Cruise is very motivated, but his reading level is really bad, and he can't understand many scripts. Just let someone else read it to him.

   Unlike ordinary people, who can distinguish words at a glance, Tom has to look at them one by one. And when you encounter words that are pronounced irregularly, you will not be able to read them.

   Paula is contacting the doctor to give him a test to see if he has dyslexia. I heard that there is some behavioral therapy for treatment.

   "Who is it?" Paula also raised her head and asked Richard Lovett.

'It's Rapke' Richard sat shyly about a contract issue that could jeopardize his career, then added why, "he's recently courting Jane Fonda-appointed director Bridges. "

   "This bastard." Nisita and Paula cursed at the same time.

  The business of brokers is not a court. It does not talk about evidence, but only who is the beneficiary. Because good moral people and stupid people who leave evidence will be eliminated very quickly.

   "Jack Rapke, he was known for being unruly at the WMA." Nisita commented, "So what does Ronald think, does he want to take all 350,000 people and leave, or take the right to modify the first choice?"

   "He's a young man who wants to gain experience," Richard said.

"Tsk, it's very difficult. Even if he gets the right to revise, Bridges is still the director. If he is not satisfied with the script, he can beat him back and torture him again and again, until the movie and Ronald are dragged into planning hell." Paula Wagner interjected.

  Planning **** is film industry jargon. After the studio bought the script and confirmed the actors, due to artistic differences, different understandings of the market, and even personal grievances, it was too late to pass the planning stage, and many things were abandoned. .

  When the script falls into planning hell, it is difficult to climb out.

"Richard, you go and invite Ronald in and let's talk, this isn't the time for grudges, $350,000 is a lot of money for someone his age. Planning **** has nothing to do with his experience growth. any good."

"That's the way it is, Ronald. When Jane Fonda came into the project, she became the center of power, and now she doesn't have enough scenes, and your script always has to be revised to highlight her performance..." Sita explained to Ronald.

"But I'm ready." Ronald took out his big notebook, which contained various written records, various inspirations he wrote down at different times and places, during the rest time, and prepared to write down the script. The main line of a major operation to highlight Jane Fonda's status.

"It has come to this point, Bridges will definitely change your script as a director, and with this holiday, he will not easily let your revision pass. There are many movies, just like this endless star and screenwriter. Modify the cycle until it is abandoned." Nisita advised.

"We can't bet on Jane Fonda choosing between Bridges and you, and you want your script to make a movie and your name to appear in the opening credits, right?" Paula Also be careful to help.

   sighed, Ronald asked: "Who on earth changed the terms of my contract and removed the priority of modification?"

   "I will definitely check this matter and give you an explanation."

  Nisita and Paula saw that Ronald's attitude softened, and quickly took Ronald to complain to Ovitz.

"My client's interests have been compromised, and the terms of the contract cannot be changed without the broker's consent." Nisita put Ronald's contract, and the standard contract, on Ovitz's desk, in the missing piece Mark it with a marker.

   "Jack Rapke please come to my office," Ovitz said to the secretary who was managing his call.

  Jack Rapke has a typical Jewish big nose. His mother was a buyer of the cinema line. She was brought by her side to buy films from the studio since she was a child, and she knew a lot about the film industry.

After    was called to the president’s office, Ovitz asked him if he knew how the two contracts were swapped.

  Rapke cocked his mouth, chewing gum, and said very aggressively, "I don't know, he's not my client. If I were my client, such a low-level mistake would not have happened."

   "I strive for the best interests of my clients. But I really don't know. You should check other people. The contract may not be a problem at CAA." Rapke does not admit that he has done anything.

  Ovitz stood up and raised his hand to stop Rapke from continuing.

   "Ronald, I will handle this matter personally. I will communicate with you tomorrow to communicate with Frank Price. Be sure to punish those who modify your contract without authorization."

   "As for the screenwriter, I will compensate you, CAA will not allow its clients to be treated unfairly.

   In this matter, CAA will complete the promotion of you as a talented screenwriter according to the agreement. I personally guarantee that your name will appear in the New York Times story, but this time there is no way to guarantee the front page.

   But within the confines of Hollywood, including The Hollywood Reporter, and the Daily Variety, Variety Weekend Edition, we'll trumpet that your debut screenplay sold for sky-high prices. "

  Ovitz raised his hand and asked Ronald to come out of the office with him.

   "Isn't there any way for me to participate in the pre-production of the movie?" Ronald didn't want to give up yet.

"I won't lie to the client, Ronald. There's really no point in you going on. If you're willing to just let it go, count what I owe you and I'll make it up. You sign your director's deal, too. At CAA, I will personally recommend your new script to the major studios."

  The two walked out of the office, and Ovitz closed the door.

   "Richard made a mistake. If you have other ideas, I can change you to a main agent."

   "No, I hope the main agent can spend most of his time with me, Richard didn't let me down." Ronald declined.

   "Okay, Mary." Ovitz called his schedule secretary, "Please take Ronald to the lounge for a while, I'll discuss some work arrangements with them, and then ask Richard to accompany you back."

  Ovitz and Ronald hugged goodbye, "Do you have any other requests?"

   "I think for... Forget it, she's not your client."

   "Pfeiffer, isn't it? My relationship with WMA's Limato is not so bad. When it's not involving celebrity clients, we usually communicate with each other. I'll call him."

  Ovitz reassured Ronald and hurried back to the office. Close the door gently.

   "Jack." Nisita is still arguing with Rapke, "CAA treats all clients equally, and cannot win the heart of one client at the expense of another client's interests."

   "Besides, Bridges isn't your client yet," Paula added.

   "I agree with your values, but one of CAA's values ​​is to maximize the benefits for customers." Rapke retorted.

  Ovitz returned to his seat and glanced at both sides.

   Both sides stopped blaming each other.

   "What's wrong with you? Who put the blame on the studio in front of the client?" Ovitz said to Rapke.

"And you guys, why only Richard accompany Ronald to Colombia to sign a contract? If you don't want to represent him, put forward as soon as possible, and I can take your place in person. The writer-first strategy is CAA's foundation in the film industry. Book."

"So at any time, we must be united externally. No one can make exceptions, and all competition remains within the company. Externally we are not Ovitz, nor Nisita, nor Rapke, we have only one name, CAA broker."

  Ovitz pointed to both sides and repeated the company's creed again.

   "So the big family means something like the Corleone family? Ovitz considers himself the old godfather Vito?" Nisita and Paula walked out of the president's office and returned to their own. Suddenly Nisita groaned.

   "Who are you? Sonny?" Paula Wagner glanced at the door to make sure it was closed, then sat in Nisita's arms and adjusted his tie.

   (end of this chapter)