Hollywood Hunter

During the conversation between Simon and Robert Egger, ABC also faxed more detailed ratings data.

On the first day of the broadcast, the viewership of "Who Will Be a Millionaire" reached 13.65 million, and the viewership percentage was as high as 13%.

Moreover, the audience rating of the core audience aged 18 to 49, which is the most important by TV networks and advertisers, also reached 5.9, which means that 5.9% of all core audiences aged 18 to 49 in North America, regardless of whether the TV is turned on or not, watched last night This show. According to the total scale of this part of North America of about 120 million people, the specific core viewership reaches 7.1 million.

All of these have far exceeded the previous expectations of the ABC television network.

Due to viewing habits, the number of viewers during the summer vacation in North America is only equivalent to 60% to 70% of the popular fall season. Therefore, ABC has set a passing line of 6.5 million viewers for "Who Will Be a Millionaire".

The reality is that this program has reached this level with only a core audience of 18 to 49 years old. Next, even if the ratings data for the pilot episode of a week is only 13.65 million on Monday, by the fall season, "Who Will Be a Millionaire" is destined to become a popular program with a viewership of 20 million.

Seeing the ratings data on the first day of "Who Will Be a Millionaire", ABC executives generally regretted not having finalized all cooperation conditions in advance. Now, although it has a certain degree of initiative, at least Daenerys Pictures will not be able to sell "Who Will Be a Millionaire" to other TV networks, but ABC wants to ensure this program, but it has to pay high The price.

Robert Iger said on the phone that the ABC wanted to have a meeting with him immediately to finalize more details of cooperation. However, now that the show has been successful, and perhaps it will be more successful next, Simon will naturally not be as eager as ABC.

Rejecting Robert Iger's meeting invitation, Simon flew back to the West Coast as planned.

In the next few days, with the further spread of popularity, the ratings of "Who Will Be a Millionaire" rose steadily.

Following Tuesday’s 15.5 million and Wednesday’s 16.8 million, the pilot episode’s ratings on Thursday also reached a peak, with 17.3 million viewers and a viewing percentage of 18%. The core audience’s ratings of 18 to 49 years old are even as high as 8.2 (10.2 million).

If calculated according to the average of 65% of the audience base in the autumn season in the summer season, the 17.3 million viewers in this June are equivalent to 26.6 million in the autumn season.

Even in this era when cable television is still in the ascendant and public television networks are still dominant, TV programs with 26.6 million viewers are absolutely few.

Therefore, when "Who Will Be a Millionaire" became popular among the audience, the North American media immediately noticed this reality show that turned out.

The New York Times unabashedly exclaimed, ‘Simon Westero seems to have suddenly created a miracle again, even a cultural phenomenon that has been rare for many years. In just a few days, Regis Phil’s numbing multiple-choice problem has become a topic of most concern to the entire American people. Some friends around me have even suggested that George Bush and Michael Dukakis Give up the boring debates of mutual insults and accusations, and decide who will become the next president of the United States by participating in "Who Will Become a Millionaire".

The operating conditions of the ABC television network in recent years are actually not good.

After Warren Buffett and Tom Murphy bought the TV network for a huge sum of US$3.5 billion in 1985, due to internal turmoil caused by the change of ownership, the ABC TV network lost US$70 million and 3,000 respectively in 1986 and 1987. Ten thousand U.S. dollars.

Without the emergence of "Who Will Be a Millionaire", the ABC television network is destined to continue to lose money this year due to the Hollywood screenwriter's strike.

For a large media group, if it is a pure loss, the loss of tens of millions of dollars is completely within its tolerance. However, the stock price of Metropolis-ABC Group, the parent company of ABC Television Network, caused by the loss, is not a shareholder. And what management wants to see.

As the pilot episodes become more and more successful, the ABC side has become more and more urgent to finalize the cooperation plan as soon as possible. ABC executives also generally hope to make "Who Will Be a Millionaire" a resident program of the TV network starting in July, not just the 69 program originally scheduled to fill the schedule for the lack of programs this fall.

So, after a few days of reluctance, on Thursday, the president of Metropolis-ABC Group Daniel Burke personally came to Los Angeles to discuss with Daenerys Films the specific cooperation matters of "Who Will Be a Millionaire".

Santa Monica.

In an audition room at the headquarters of Daenerys Films, Simon and Terry Semel sit in the center, and other staff members stand or sit around.

On the other side of the audition table, a man and woman are performing.

The woman is Valerie Galino, who has been confirmed to play Catwoman Selena Kyle, and another tall man named Adam Baldwin. Mention of the surname Baldwin is always reminiscent of the famous four Baldwin brothers in Hollywood.

However, Adam Baldwin is not a member of the Baldwin family.

Adam Baldwin is 26 years old and debuted in 1980. The most famous character before that was the image of a brutal soldier in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Shell".

In Simon's memory, this Hollywood actor with a famous "striped face" also starred in many films such as "Lone Day", "Firefly", and "Out of the Tranquility", but these are all supporting roles. Adam Baldwin is mainly a TV actor in the original time and space, and has had resident roles in famous American dramas such as "X-Files", "Bones" and "Crime Scene Investigation".

Among the last batch of "Batman" actor candidates for Daenerys Films, Adam Baldwin has obvious advantages. He debuted at the age of 18, has rich acting experience, has no bad habits, and his appearance, image and age are all suitable for Bruce Way. Most of the features of en.

Therefore, today is the last audition for "Batman". If confirmed, Bruce Wayne will be finalized.

In the performance venue, Adam Baldwin and Valerie Galino had obviously been carefully prepared, carefully considering a segment of the performance given by Simon.

This audition scene is about Batman just ending a battle with the villain, and Catwoman came forward to help Batman at a critical moment. After getting along many times, Batman has developed a feeling for Catwoman, but stubbornly refuses this feeling. Catwoman also has a good impression of Batman.

Although they are only wearing ordinary uniforms, both of them are already very entertaining.

Adam Baldwin carried a staff member who was acting as a ‘prop’ on a chair in the corner according to the script’s requirements. This was a criminal that Batman had just caught.

Valerie Galino followed at the same time, with a look of exhaustion from the battle in her expression. Seeing Batman ignored her, she couldn't help feeling resentful, and her tone of voice changed her identity as Batman. Said: "Thank you, Selena, thank you for helping me at a critical juncture. You acted like a hero."

"Batman" still stood in place, turned around hesitantly, and rarely defended: "Everything is under control."

"Catwoman" leaned forward like a little wild cat, put her hand on the shoulder of "Batman", and said, "Yes, yes, now, be a good girl and give your fearless hero a sweet kiss."

After that, "Catwoman" cheated forward to kiss "Batman", but was firmly pushed away by "Batman". The catwoman who was just tender and sweet also turned her face in an instant, with a cat-like character, she stretched out her'claw' and grabbed the face of'Batman' without hesitation, but was easily caught Wrist.

After subduing'Catwoman','Batman''s tone is still cold, looking down at the struggling little wild cat in front of him, and said: "The performance is good."

‘Catwoman’’s body pressed up again, and her tone changed to be charming: "Then why don’t you follow along?"

'Batman' shook off'Catwoman''s wrist, took a step back and distanced her from her, shook his head slightly and said, "No, I didn't act, never will."

‘Catwoman’ watched ‘Batman’ turn around and walked away, stepped forward, but stopped immediately, and there was a bit of mockery in her tone: "Oh, what does this mean?"

"This means, Selena, we end here,"'Batman' said this with his back to'Catwoman' before turning around again and said: "This means that we can't, I, can't... Gotham needs a guardian, I need to guard this city."

'Catwoman' listened to the words of'Batman', stepped forward again, and put her hand on the shoulder of'Batman' lightly. The little wild cat just now had a little more tenderness and pity in her temperament, and said: "But I don't need your protection."

'Batman' raised his hand, not knowing whether he wanted to press the back of Catwoman's hand on his shoulder or open her again. After a pause, he put his hand down again and said, "Selena ,I should be going."

'Catwoman' rubbed her shoulders on'Batman' for a while, finally retracted her hand and said, "Well, we will see you next time."

"I don't want to see you again."

"Oh, how is this possible, you are a volunteer policeman in Gotham, and I am a bad guy, the police must be here to catch the bad guy, right?" After that, before'Batman' answers,'Catwoman' He took the initiative to retreat,'Batman' stood there watching the disappearance of'Catwoman', and turned and left.

At the end of the performance, everyone in the audition room clapped gently.

Simon also clapped his hands. After Adam Baldwin and Valerie Galino nodded to the crowd and left the audition room temporarily, he asked Terry Semel next to him: "Terry, what do you think?"

"Very good," Terry Semel nodded affirmatively, and then said: "But, Simon, a big production of 50 million dollars, is it too sloppy to choose the two of them? Valerie Galino also Okay, but Adam Baldwin, to be honest, if you didn't put his information in front of me, I would never know who he was."

"Don't you know it now?" Simon said with a smile on his face: "Moreover, by the end of next year, everyone will know the name, just like Christopher Reeve, the hero of "Superman".

Terry Semmel knew that Simon had decided, and Warner did not have the right to decide on this matter. He simply said a few words and stopped persuading more. The two continued to talk about some production matters, Terry Seymour. Mel got up and left.

Adam Baldwin and Valerie Galino were already waiting in another conference room. Simon sent Terry Semel away and sent away the other staff in the audition room, leaving only Jonathan Friedman and the other two. Matthew Steirt and Ilian Borman, the agents of the heroes and heroines of "Batman".

Although WMA has tried to strengthen the coordination and cooperation mechanism through reforms in the past two years, it is obviously not so easy for a talent agency company that has been established longer than the seventh largest to make changes. Adam Baldwin and Valerie Galino each have their own agents. Although Jonathan Friedman is the vice president of WMA, he can't get a share from this cooperation.

However, in order to expand his influence and fight for the opportunity of the next president of WMA, Jonathan Friedman tried to push Matt Dillon in his hand to the Batman position during the casting process, but took the initiative. Come forward to coordinate in the middle, the other two agents also naturally joined Jonathan's faction.

The four of them did not sit down again. Simon stood at the audition table and said to Adam Baldwin’s agent Matthew Steirt: "I heard that Adam is about to get married?"

Matthew Steel features a head: "Yes, he has a girlfriend who has been dating for five years."

Simon did not detour, saying: "Let him postpone the wedding for two years. I don't want to see Robin Williams divorce his long-term wife immediately after the hit. If "Batman" is released, he I am willing to continue marrying his girlfriend, Daenerys Pictures will give him a generous wedding gift."

Robin Williams hit the front line with "Good Morning Vietnam" at the end of last year, and this year he divorced his first wife who had been married for ten years.

Matthew Stilt agreed: "I'll take the time to talk to him."

Simon shook his head and said, "Let’s talk tonight and give me a result tomorrow. Tell him, as it is a test of feelings. Of course, if he insists on marrying his girlfriend, Daenerys Pictures will not object. But, I just said that I don’t want to see such silly things as divorcing my wife right away. So let him sign a lucrative prenuptial agreement with his girlfriend, which makes the man feel so distressed that there is no way to divorce. ."

When the three Jonathan Friedman heard this, they couldn't help showing some wry smiles on their faces.

Simon no longer bargained with them. A few people were about to leave the audition room. Amy Pascal opened the door and walked in, just glanced at the other three people, and said to Simon: "Simon, just now the Producers League A ban was issued. The Producers Union stated that they will no longer purchase any TV programs from production companies that have signed contracts with the screenwriters’ union in advance."