Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 244 The leap of imagination

  In the small hall of a large multi-room studio in Los Angeles, the movie "The Lost Ark of the Covenant" has finished the end of the reunion of the hero and heroine, and the subtitles have begun to appear along with the theme music.

   This new ending is an opinion made by Martha Lucas, and the final emotion of the hero and heroine did not give the audience an emotional climax. Spielberg cast Harrison Ford and Karen Allan in the lead roles and took a day off to reshoot the reunion on the streets of Los Angeles.

  The newly added ending makes Paramount very satisfied. A week before the release, a small-scale second screening was arranged in theaters across the country, in order to get feedback from the audience's sample survey and use it to strive for a better film arrangement from the theater.

  This is a special charter. There were no other spectators in the small hall, only a few people sat. In addition to the film's director, Spielberg, several managers from Universal Pictures and CAA, as well as Ronald.

   They are headed by Sidney Simberg, president of MCA, the parent company of Universal Pictures.

  Simberg is very busy. Recently, MGM acquired United Arts and acquired the latter's distribution channel. The original overseas film distribution company CIC, a joint venture between Paramount, Universal, and MGM, is facing the problem of dismantling.

   Fortunately, Simberg cooperated with Eisner of Paramount Pictures, so that the lawyers found the loophole in the original joint venture agreement and prohibited MGM from withdrawing from the joint venture.

   But before he could catch his breath, he was **** off by the news that Spielberg's new film was preempted by Columbia.

  Tom Mount, who was born in the MCA department and succeeded him as a small tycoon in charge of the Universal Pictures production business, does not report directly to himself.

After   's 1941 box-office failure, Mount may have felt that Spielberg would soon be out of breath and become a mediocre film director. Decided not to participate in the project investment of "ET", the sequel to "Encounters of the Third Kind".

   As a result, ET's project is now preemptively signed by Colombia's Frank Price. Simberg couldn't help shaking his head in his heart.

Sitting next to   Simberg is director Stephen Spielberg.

  After 1941, he no longer has the complete decision-making power over new projects as before. There are many "senior executives" within Columbia Pictures who also came out to give various opinions, and everyone wanted to teach him how to make movies.

   He misses Simberg, who filmed "Jaws" when he was a fledgling man. Such a good boss is only responsible for investment and operation, and the rest is just left to himself. Unfortunately, after he was promoted to MCA as president, Tom Mount, who took over, had his own ideas.

Next to it is Michael Ovitz, president of the CAA. There were people in Colombia who objected to President Frank Price giving the ET project the green light, and Ovitz wanted to bring ET back to the world where Simberg was. Do Spielberg a favor and see if there's a chance to sign him.

"Wonderful, Steven, you're still as imaginative." Simberg likes this movie very much, and it will definitely make a breakthrough at the box office. For marketing, Paramount's Eisner even put it in every major theater. Models of two camels, a horse, and a viper.

With this film, Spielberg will soon become one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood.

   "Steven, how about let's work together again, just like the Jaws did." Simberg said to Spielberg, "I heard that your ET was resisted in Columbia?"

Spielberg wiped his small round glasses and said, "Yes. It's mainly the head of the marketing department. She thinks that ET is aimed at the low-end market and has limited potential, and she voted against it. In addition, their head of overseas distribution also voted against. I didn't think the script was scary enough to appeal to a teenage audience."

   In front of his Bole and the most tacit partner, Spielberg did not hide his views.

   "The script wasn't scary enough." Simberg smiled. These executives poached from TV stations didn't understand the difference between the big screen and the small screen. "The script for Jaws was also very bland, not scary at all."

   Spielberg also smiled. Yep, the Jaws script isn't scary either. The secret of this type of film is not in the script.

Simberg continued, "Steven, remember? The Jaws model was broken, the crew doubled the lead time, and the shooting budget was overrun by 30%, and they all said they were going to replace you, but I insisted that , you know what you're doing.

After    I went to the studio once, I didn't care. Sure enough, that summer, we made a legend in the history of American cinema.

  Frank Price is a TV guru and a screenplay guru, he doesn't understand the secret, why don't you come to Universal to continue the ET project? "

  Simberg is still persuading Spielberg to bring the ET project to the world.

   "I have an agreement with Colombia." Spielberg said helplessly.

   "Price put ET on the turnover list, as long as Universal is willing to buy it out..." CAA President Ovitz answered.

"Put it on the rotation list? Price is a veteran and won't sell so easily." Simberg shook his head, then said to Ovitz, "Would you like to make an offer to Price for Steven and me to go? ?"

   "Of course, no problem," Ovitz agreed.

   If Universal acquires Columbia directly, it will arouse the suspicion of the veteran Price and re-evaluate the prospects of the ET project. If proposed through a broker, it's more of a normal project-promoting move.

"Price, the senior script reader, always uses the script to determine the prospects of the project, and the movies directed by Steven can always break the shackles of the script. If I call him directly, it will arouse his suspicion. ," Simberg said.

   "Of course, only you can absolutely trust Steven." Ovitz complimented.

"Hollywood knows that I trust Steven, but they don't understand why I can trust Steven." Simberg is very contented, "I bet you know why and it's useless, because you can't find a second one Steven."

Looking at Ovitz and the several subordinates and assistants sitting in the back row, each with a puzzled look, Spielberg pushed his glasses, smiled and said to Ronald sitting among them, "I remember you I've been asked a similar question about the ET script, and now that you've seen The Lost Ark, can you answer it? Ronald."

   Ronald and Nisita also watched the preview of "The Lost Ark of the Covenant" together, and the movie really left Ronald speechless.

   Ronald, who was still watching with a learning mentality, was deeply attracted by the story shortly after the opening, and unknowingly became an ordinary audience, worrying and cheering for the protagonist in the story.

  Nisita brought him here, taking advantage of Simberg's presence and recommending him to direct "Fast Pace," which is even better now that Spielberg recognizes Ronald.

Ronald opened his mouth and said unhurriedly, "I think this movie, like Jaws and Star Wars, has unimaginable wonders on the screen. It is difficult to reflect the wonderfulness of these wonders in the script. From the script to the final film, there is a huge gap..."

   He finally understands why that feeling of "it's just that" came from when he read ET's script.

   Just like in "The Lost Ark", Dr. Indiana Jones accidentally touched the trap in the ancient tomb, and a huge stone ball rolled down the track, crushing all creatures on the road.

   In the script, it is nothing more than the words "a huge stone ball". Who would have thought that the stone ball would be so huge and the track would be so long? Dr. Indiana Jones is so skillful that he narrowly avoided the stone ball?

   Such a big stone ball, if it is made of heavy materials such as stone, the actors will be in danger when shooting. But looking at the footage on the screen, Harrison Ford is obviously playing by himself, at least in the panoramic shot. I really don't know how Spielberg made it.

  If it is made of light materials, how can you get the heavy rolling feeling of the stone ball?

  All of this requires extraordinary imagination, and the skill of turning it into a convincing image on the screen.

   That's why Simberg said that it's useless to know the secret. Only a few directors such as Lucas and Spielberg can be sure to realize the spectacle on the screen.

   This is true, tell you that you don’t know how to plagiarize.

   "...To cross this gap, you need extraordinary imagination as rocket fuel to make a leap." Ronald finished the answer he understood.

   "Very well, is this your new apprentice? Steven?" Simberg was a little surprised to hear Ronald's answer.

   "No, Ronald is a good screenwriter. I asked him to read ET's script and gave me a good opinion." Spielberg replied.

   "He's just trying to make a film for Universal." Nisita seized the opportunity and spoke to the president of MCA.

   "You're Ovitz's colleague, right? I remember seeing you. What do you mean by fighting?" Simberg knew Nisita's intention and asked him what he wanted.

"We want a fair chance, Mr. Simberg." Nisita made an appointment for two weeks after Mount interviewed Ronald, and then found that someone was looking for an agent for him, claiming that he would be able to get the director's contract within two weeks. thing said again.

"Well, you take my business card, get in touch with my secretary, arrange an interview when I'm free, let your client come with that Hecklen, I'll interview with Mount, and finally decide Who will be the director?"

  Simberg handed Nisita a business card with a direct phone number for his secretary. He recalled the past when he met the young Spielberg, and after chatting for a while, he was convinced by his talent and enthusiasm, and gave him a chance to direct a TV movie.

   "Just look at the quality of this kid, will he be another genius." Simberg explained good things, got up and left first.

  Nisita got Simberg's contact information and achieved her biggest purpose. He put his business card in his arms and discussed his next move with Ovitz.

  Nisita will first approach Colombia to negotiate the price, and then Ovitz will act as a backer. The two discussed how to approach Frank Price, the amount of money to buy the ET script, and the payment method.

  Ronald put down the stone in his heart. Since it is a fair competition, he has room for his own play, and he will not be afraid of the competition of a related household.

   He is still curious about the making of this film. Seeing Spielberg's presence, he didn't want to miss the opportunity, he stepped forward and asked:

   "Mr. Spielberg, can you tell me what material the stone ball is made of? Why does it look like a real stone material when rolling? How to solve the safety problem of the actors."

   Spielberg replied with a smile, "There is nothing that can't be said, it will be revealed in the documentary. The material of the stone ball is fiberglass..."

   (end of this chapter)