Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 302 Solving Problems with Oscar-winning Technology

"This is very unusual, Ronald. Generally speaking, MPAA rarely overturns previous classification decisions. This must be someone targeting us." Lin Sen and Azov, the two producers who got the news, rushed to the editing room, Show support to Ronald and discuss ways.

   "MPAA's rating description made it very clear that they received a letter of protest from a number of industry insiders, so they re-examined the rating decision.

   This time, they 'carefully' found out that there was a front-facing shot that exposed the whole body, which did not meet the R-rated regulations. As long as we reprocess the footage, we can submit it again for review.

   If you are lucky, you can get the R rank again. "

  Ronald spoke slowly, and called up the frontal shots of Jennifer Jason Leigh and Robert Romanus on the editing table. It took a lot of hard work to make it in the first place.

   "Are you lucky?" Agent Richard, who was also with him, asked Ronald.

  CAA learned that the movie was rated X, Richard stayed with Ronald all day, bought him food, and helped with some chores.

   At this time, he was afraid that Ronald would be under too much pressure. Since X-rated has this classification, it has been generally regarded by audiences as adult movies.

  If it hadn't been revised, Ronald could have kissed goodbye to his dream of making his first film a box office success.

   "Have you forgotten? At that time, Zeffirelli's 'Endless Love' was still starring Brooke Shields. It was only because it was Polygram that it was submitted for trial. After five trials, the X grade was removed and the R was obtained."

   "You're in a good mood, Ronald. It's not about your editing skills at all, it's the **** Mount, who is connected with a lot of old stubborn seniors at Universal."

   Producer Lin Sen is very clear that the film he produced was involved in a high-level struggle, and was swung as a big stick by the two presidents to attack each other.

The box office of "ET Alien" has already broken many records. The number of theaters released has increased from more than 1,100 at the beginning to more than 1,300. The calls for reprinting copies are still coming from the front. come.

  Tom Mount objected to ET's project approval and shooting. If he didn't grab a point to fight back, the day ET won the first round of screenings was when he was swept out.

   Of course, a seven studio president, even if he was fired, would have a golden parachute. Millions, tens of millions of dollars in severance pay, plus investing in their own production company, and finally signing a five-year-plus film underwriting agreement with their new company.

  There are too many bad things in the film industry, these hush money has become an industry practice, and Mount is no exception.

   "We will unite and fight against those old and stubborn old men. They are all brilliant old men before the 1950s. They don't understand today's movie market. They don't know what kind of movies can attract audiences."

   Azov, as the producer of the MCA faction, stood firmly in Simberg's position.

   "Yeah, Mr. Spielberg will help you speak too." Richard also helped.

   "However, what are you going to do with this censorship opinion, Ronald?" Lin Sen is still a director, although the box office is poor. But he knows that this specific review opinion is not easy to bypass.

  It has to be honestly revised, coupled with the efforts of Simberg’s faction within Universal, and PR to MPAA, in order to get the letter R again.

"A reshoot is out of the question. The hero Romanus has found a new job and started filming for the TV series. And Jennifer is in mourning again, and now calling her in for the exposure scene is giving Mount the opportunity to exploit Jewish girls. The truth."

   Ronald said softly, twisting the control **** of the editing table in his hand, watching this film repeatedly.

  An excuse for Tom Mount to connect with old diehards is to use Jennifer Jason Lee's eagerness to debut to force him to undress and make teen exploitation films.

   Now that Vic Morrow has suffered a violent death, he has to stand up for his daughter, and a young director cannot do such a thing to a beautiful Jewish girl like a treasure, the future Barbra Streisand. Originally, there were not many beautiful girls of this ethnic group.

   "So what? Cut it out?" asked producer Azov.

   "I thought about it. Of course, the benefits of doing this can pass the MPAA's review right away, but this is the core of the two characters, Stacey and Ox Mike. If they are cut off, these two characters cannot be established."

   "Relax, there will always be a way." Producer Lin Sen came over and poured Ronald a glass of water. "We're going to a meeting with Nisita and Ovitz at CAA, with Steven, who's going big right now, and fighting them at a higher level.

   Guarantee that your modification will not be tricked again. Steven appreciates your pushback against Landis for not letting him spread the rumor that Steven was there at the time. "

   Ronald took the water and nodded. Continue to scrutinize the shot in front of the editing table, "Close the door for me, Richard, I need to concentrate."

   No matter how the two producers discussed with the CAA people. No matter how they took advantage of Spielberg's ET sales and gave Simberg an advantage, they tried every means to counter Mount's offense.

   Ronald was still fighting in the editing room. He watched this scene repeatedly, and finally came up with a solution for him.

   MPAA's re-examination opinion clearly stated the reason for the rating of X.

  Although this shot was shot to show Stacey and Mike getting nervous and out of control. After watching it, the audience will only feel a fear of teenage men and women secretly tasting the forbidden fruit in their hearts. There will never be longing thoughts.

   But the rules are the rules. After being complained collectively, MPAA cannot, as usual, turn a blind eye to the films of the seven major companies such as Universal.

Just like Spielberg's previous work "The Lost Ark of the Covenant", there are obviously a lot of violent scenes, as well as gunfights, sword fights, etc., because it is published by Paramount, produced by Lucas, and directed by Spielberg. Randomly gave a PG rating.

  PG is the level recommended for parents to accompany them, and let those children watch Harrison Ford shoot down the villain chief, be chased by a big stone ball and almost die, and kiss a woman. In order to save America's movie box office, MPAA is not so strict in front of the seven major studios.

   So the problem now is that Ronald wants to give MPAA an explanation, an explanation that "I have followed your review and have sincere modified it". Then look at Simberg's.

  MPAA makes it clear which parts do not meet the rating. The main problem with being rated as X is that the male and female protagonists are completely naked at three o'clock. In fact, as long as you can delete the bottom half of the screen, you can avoid the X rating.

The problem with    is that deleting a part of the inside of a shot in this way cannot keep it consistent with the original negative. The audience will notice that the frame of the deleted picture suddenly jumps, and then becomes smaller, and thus realizes what the director has done, it is difficult not to play.

   Reshooting the hero and heroine is also an option, but it is difficult for the actors to get back the original feeling. This kind of scene was shot after the scene was cleared, and the two actors were in a mood of worrying about gains and losses, which just fit the mood of the characters.

   It would be nice if you could cut this part of the film, cut off the bottom half of the frame, and then re-exposed it and combined it with the original negative. In this way, the picture that the audience sees is like cropping the original frame of the camera, and then zooming back to the original frame, the audience will not feel that the picture is wrong.

   "Huh? I seem to have seen a machine that can achieve this function somewhere." Ronald seemed to have a hint of inspiration in his heart, but he didn't grasp it. In a hurry, he stood up and turned around.

   "What's the matter with you? Ronald." Richard, the agent who accompanied him in the editing room, looked at him and thought he was too anxious. "It really doesn't work. Our CAA will come forward to help you and ask the actors to retake the film. We can say that it was an extra shot that was shot at that time."

"No, reshoots can't reproduce the actor's performance." Ronald, who has been in contact with Coppola for more than two months, is very clear that he has little experience in directing actors when he is shooting "fast-paced". , this one shot happens to be one of the few good shots taken by accident.

   "I was just thinking of a machine that would help me with the editing problem. I must have seen this machine somewhere, but I just can't remember what it's called."

   "Do you have any impressions? I can help you think about it together."

   "I remember being with Roger Coleman. But not in New Century."

   "Who else was there then?"

   "As if I remember Johnny Carson's voice."

   "Johnny Carson? Are you watching The Tonight Show with Coleman?"

   "No, there should be someone next to me."

   "By the way, it's the cultural counselor of the Soviet Union's embassy. Help me find it. At last year's Oscars ceremony, a technology award was awarded to the inventor of a machine. What's that machine called?"

  Richard immediately called CAA's mailroom to find the winners of last year's Oscars.

   "That device is called an optical printer."

   "Yes, it's called an optical printer."

   Ronald remembered the name and immediately contacted the producer Lin Sen to coordinate the rental of a film optical printer for editing.

   "First make a copy of this part of the negative, then cut out Mike's lower body lens in proportion to each frame, and finally copy it to the original size with a film optical printer, and finally replace this part of the negative."

  Ronald told the film editor and special effects engineer about his requirements in Universal's film editing room.

   "Your creativity is good, it's hard for you to think of such a cut."

   The special effects artist smiled bitterly. The original intention of this machine was to make the special effects composite shots of the Tie fighters and X-wing fighters of the "Star Wars". Now used to cut out sensitive parts of an actor.

   "Hahaha, I can't do this either." Ronald laughed.

   The new negative that was replaced was re-edited into it. Universal remade a copy as quickly as possible and sent it to the MPAA for review.

   At the same time, Simberg also received a call from Spielberg, asking him to **** Ronald's film this time, get an R rating from the MPAA, and release it on time.

"This kid helped me again. Landis is like a mad dog now, he'll bite when he catches him. Can't let him wreak havoc with Tom Mount. I heard he's also got a bunch of Universal's widowers together. Write joint letters, file complaints everywhere. What are they trying to do?"

   "Steven, it's the National Day weekend, ET is at a critical moment, the box office is expected to exceed 100 million soon, we are stepping up the printing and copying, and it may be increased to 1,500 theaters next week.

   On this momentum, ET will hopefully surpass your friend George's 'A New Hope for Star Wars', putting you back as America's single highest-grossing owner.

   At this time, it is best not to create extra branches. As for Mount, I already have a plan against him. "

   Spielberg was silent for a while, "I don't want Ronald to be hurt in any way, this is a very good film director seedling, if the first film fails at the box office, I'm afraid he will lose confidence.

remember? Sidney. When I was shooting Jaws, I was overdue and over budget. If it weren't for your support..."

   "I see, Steven." Simberg didn't expect Spielberg to have such a high opinion of Ronald, "I will try my best to make sure his movie is released on schedule."

"It just so happens that major studios are switching to teen movies, Disney's 'Texas Guy' and Paramount's 'Grease II' are all part of this trend. That's fine, just take a look This Ronald is a good director," Simberg said to himself after he put down the phone.

   (end of this chapter)