The matter of joining the Producers Alliance was quickly settled. Ronald entrusted Eddie Cohen, the general manager of Daydream Pictures, to participate in the first meeting of the negotiations on video dividends.

"This is our first time to attend this alliance meeting. I mainly went with my ears." Eddie came back from the meeting, met Ronald and started to report.

“The leading force in this alliance is still the seven major studios, plus Orion, Carocco, Heimdall, and De Laurentiis, several medium-sized producers that have membership in the film association MPAA.

They have the main say in the content of the negotiations. President Nick Conte, who is a lawyer, is mainly the person to negotiate. He will make negotiation postures based on the opinions of these members.

Basically, the current attitude of the Producers Union is not to make things worse than the two-year strike situation in the early 1980s."

"Then do they want to recognize the proportion of the remaining dividends?" After hearing this, Ronald continued to ask about the details of the meeting.

"Actually, from my observation," Eddie took a sip of the coffee handed to him by Ronald, "the seven major producers use this residual dividend to block the mouths of actors and directors. This kind of dividend is

It is a small fixed ratio and the payment period is extended to more than one year.

For them, after admitting it, they can use this regulation to block... celebrities and directors... Hey, hey..."

"To stop the stars and directors from asking for separate share ratios?" Ronald's dual identity still made Eddie a little unable to change. So he simply said it himself.

"Yes, that's it. Stars are also actors, and directors who make blockbuster movies are also directors. Anyway, in the long run, the trend of allocating a little surplus to the three major labor unions is unstoppable. It's better to admit it early and let their ordinary actors and

Stars with heads biting each other."

"These capitalists... Actually, it's not a big problem to give the actors points. Making a movie is a matter of luck. If you make a lot of money, part of it should be given to the co-creators. I don't think there is any problem with this.

Many actors become famous or win Oscars, but then they make a bunch of bad movies. In fact, the reason why their previous contracts were unreasonable is that they lowered their artistic standards for money."

Ronald has been in the industry for a long time and has a certain understanding of the Oscar curse. Before becoming famous, actors did not make much money, so it is not easy to become popular. Take the time to receive more and pay more during the time that the audience will remember.

It’s human nature to earn more money from bad movies.

Take Stallone for example. In his heart, he definitely wants to make another deep and blockbuster movie like "Rocky" or "First Blood". But he can't stop his wife Brigitte Nielsen's lavish spending.

Bought a mansion in the most expensive area of ​​Fuli Hills.

Moreover, Brigitte Nielsen also participated in the sequel to the popular action comedy "Beverly Hills Cop". This movie was abandoned by Stallone but became a huge hit.

Stallone, an Italian of Italian origin, was very unhappy with this kind of thing that offended his self-esteem. However, his own movie "Over the Top" did not do well at the box office and was released in the next week. He had no choice but to buy all kinds of expensive jewelry and clothes to support himself.

Male status in the family.

Entertainment newspapers have stories almost every week about the new toys the couple has purchased.

If it weren't for Minahan Golan, who gave him a salary that far exceeded that of ordinary male stars, Stallone himself would have lost his dignity at home.

"Perhaps one or two movies can be ok if they are so generously distributed to the main creators, but even those medium-sized studios only produce about ten movies per year. The profits from many blockbuster movies have to be used to subsidize those that are flat or loss-making."

What Eddie said makes sense. The family is big and the business is big. If a hole is opened, everyone will want to share the money in the future. Now Hollywood's financial balance is already very fragile, and it may be broken if it doesn't work.

"That's true, but when I make money from movies I invest in, I still have to share some of it with the actors, as well as the screenwriters and photography directors."

"I don't object to this. We are daydreaming, and now we are trying to gain some reputation in the industry. As long as you don't reveal the size of the dividend."

Eddie is very clear about Daydream Pictures' current status in the industry. It is a small company that makes low-cost exploitation films. Only by using the reputation of the actors and creators to make big money can they attract good actors.

"Nick Conte, the president of the Producers Guild, is very interested in you. He asked me to give you a message. If you go to the Directors Guild gathering, I hope you can give it to their president, Franklin Schaffner.

talk."

"Bring a message? I won't be a traitor." Ronald thought Conte wanted him to collude with the president of the Directors Guild in private.

"Traitors are the most hateful. You can't do this kind of thing. I learned in school when I was a child that bats are neither birds nor beasts, and they will be disliked by both." Ronald frowned and objected to Eddie's idea.

"Hey? Is there such an article? Why don't I remember it?" Eddie raised his eyebrows, "I'm not asking you to act as an intermediary for the negotiations between the two parties in private. I'm asking you to actually bring a message."

"Oh? What are you talking about?"

"Conte hopes that the directors' union can start negotiations with the producers' union as soon as possible.

The cooperation agreement between the Producers Alliance and the three major artist unions will expire next year. If we can negotiate earlier, everyone will have more room.

Conte said, you can say this in front of members to avoid suspicion."

"That's okay," Ronald nodded. He spoke openly and openly, but it was a matter of both sides.

Anyway, there are not many directors and producers in Hollywood who have both identities. I am younger than Spielberg, so I should run errands.

…

"Because I am a member of both parties, I will not participate in your closed-door meeting. I am just helping the Producers Alliance express their attitude. They hope to start negotiations as soon as possible."

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! A few days later, Ronald found a high-end Chinese restaurant to entertain the old directors who came to attend the Directors Guild meeting.

This restaurant is of good quality, the food is delicious, and the red wine is imported from Bordeaux. More importantly, the waiters here are all wearing dresses and bow ties, and the decoration is very old-school. It is just right for these old men to be nostalgic.

"You are very good, Ronald. If you had been born in our time, you might have made a good apprentice."

An old director took out a napkin and wiped the food on his body.

"Don't brag. The total number of movies you directed is not as much as the box office of one movie by young people."

"Can it be the same? It's all because of Nixon's cancellation of the gold standard. Our box office at that time, if inflation is taken into account, is actually not bad now."

"That's right, plus inflation, I think the movies at that time had better box office than now. After all, there were no TV series at that time." Ronald flattered several old men.

"Not only do you look like a director from the golden age, you also talk and act like one." The old man put on his dentures. "Didn't you date Brooke Shields before? We all did it with popular female stars at that time."

"You old guy, stop bragging in front of young people."

"Why am I bragging? Grace Kelly and I, hey hey hey..."

"Which director here has not slept with Grace? On the set...that is to say, she is strict-tongued and does not publicize much. Unlike Katharine Hepburn, who likes to use the most vulgar swear words to scold directors who have an affair with her."

Ronald was sweating after hearing this. These are all ancient secrets. I don’t know how much is true and how much is a boast.

"Talk about it, who was the best at picking up girls at that time?"

Several old men thought about it for a long time and couldn't decide. Some people said it was John Ford. When he was not filming movies, he always changed his female companions.

Some people think it was Lubitsch, who played every night while filming a movie, and finally died of a heart attack in a woman's bed.

"Billy, who do you think you are?" a director asked an old man who was sitting at the table and not participating in the discussion. He was wearing a plaid suit, a scarlet scarf on his chest, and tortoise-shell glasses.

Slowly tasting red wine.

"Who else, Orson?"

"Hey...it is indeed him." Everyone marveled. The deceased Orson Welles not only had the support of Rita Hayworth, the sexy Hollywood woman at the time, but also had a deep and profound love for Orson Welles.

When she returned to Hollywood, she did not hesitate to cut off her long hair to play a role. She even offended the studio because of this.

None of the directors discussed earlier could have such a beautiful woman who would sacrifice her acting career for him.

"Billy, you're actually not bad at all. After Audrey married you, you still had so many beauties to keep you company outside, and she was totally devoted to you."

"Yes, yes, you are awesome too." The old men all began to tease the old man named Billy.

"Mr. Wilder, do you have any secrets in your skills? Can you teach them to me?" Ronald heard this. He had shot classic business cards such as "The Apartment", "Some Like It Hot", and "Sunset Boulevard".

Director Billy Wilder has such ability. I quickly flattered him and asked him seriously.

"This is actually very simple. Audrey is a smart woman. I am lucky to have met her."

Ronald nodded, does this mean that his wife doesn't mind?

"Besides, you'd better find a supporting actor or a stand-in instead of a popular star."

Well, this means don't let your lover's status make your wife feel threatened. This old man has a theory, but I don't know if it is reliable or not.

"Of course, the most important thing is not to let them know each other's existence." Billy Wilder slowly revealed his most important secret.

"Hahaha..." Ronald picked up the wine glass and toasted to everyone. This is true, but it can't be so easy to do.

The old men were very satisfied. The standard of today's banquet was comparable to those of those years ago.

"This year's Oscar nominations are coming out soon. It's not convenient for us to nominate your Top Gun. Will there be a new film next year? If it's not so big on selling popcorn, we can vote for you and let your agent work it out. Maybe you will get it."

Nominated for Best Director.”

Billy Wilder was an old man who lived very clearly. After finishing his meal, he quietly chatted with Ronald about Oscar.

"Next year, MGM and I will collaborate on a movie called 'Moonlight'. It's a drama about a middle-aged man's love story. Maybe it's suitable for the Oscars?" Ronald also lowered his voice and whispered.

Ask the elders for advice.

"Dirty Dancing" didn't have the help of a major studio, and it was also a commercial film for box office, so it might not suit the taste of the Oscars. After thinking about it, Ronald decided to put "Dirty Dancing" instead.

"Oscar award nominations require votes from people in the same union. We old guys like to watch old-fashioned dramas. If you ask your agent to work hard, you may be able to secure a nomination.

In this industry, to convince producers and other star actors, all it takes is one nomination."

Ronald quickly expressed his thanks and personally put Billy Wilder in the limousine and took him to his house in Beverly Hills.

"You're quite interesting, you can call me if you need anything in the future." Billy Wilder was very satisfied with the respect shown by Ronald. He now lacks the respect from the producers.

Ronald feels this method is good and he can learn a lot of techniques from old directors.

He then approached the new president of the Directors Guild, Franklin Schaffner, and said that he could sponsor more union activities in the future.

…

A few days later, the nominations for the 59th Oscars were officially released.

The importance that television stations attach to the Oscars is completely different from the perfunctory treatment of the Golden Globes.
To be continued...