Roger Ebert spoke highly of "To the Heart" and gave it four stars. He called it that rare movie that can teach us some truths about life. It didn't preach, but it was about moral choices.
And the observation is so meticulous that it helps us see ourselves clearly.
This is the same as Ronald's evaluation of Cameron Crowe. He is a talented director. People who are directors can tell whether they are talented or not by just looking at the shots they shot.
However, debut directors are often not very skillful enough. This film gives many nuanced observations about young people facing the unknown and persisting in love. One side effect is that the public does not like it enough. Profoundness and popularity often cannot have both.
The ability to produce films that appeal to both refined and popular audiences is called a master.
The movie's opening weekend box office fell short of expectations, and Cameron Crowe looked embarrassed in Ronald's office.
"This is not your problem, it's the audience's taste. This is always the most difficult thing to figure out." Ronald asked his assistant, Little Fat Girl Lake, to make a cup of black tea and pass it to Crowe.
"I just feel sorry for your full support..." Crowe has long hair, but he still doesn't understand this kind of business matters.
"Don't worry about profitability. This kind of movie often has a good reputation in small circles. We can try to run it for a long time and then test the waters in the video tape market. Daydream will continue to support your next work.
you do not need to worry."
"Oh... I feel more relieved when you say that. I've been so anxious that I couldn't sleep these past two days." Crowe immediately let out a sigh of relief when he heard that there was hope for help and that he could still make another movie. The director doesn't make money.
The saying that there was no chance was widely circulated in the circle, and he was so nervous that he had to go see a doctor.
He looked up at Ronald, thinking that his old friend was still reliable.
"It's all a process. You may have forgotten that when I made my first movie and it was released, I was very nervous. Daydream doesn't judge the success or failure of a single movie..." Ronald smiled.
Daydream is not the kind of studio that gambles on the success of one movie and then repeats it. Ronald has good relationships with major distributors. Emile Adorino's debut film "The Second Life of the Beauty"
" was also released, and its opening weekend box office was even worse than "Love to the Heart".
But on the one hand, Samsung shares the cost, and on the other hand, such large studios also have to pursue awards and film reviews to complete the KPI indicators of executives. The overall score of the film critics of "The Reincarnation of the Pretty Man" is also very good, Rona
De watched a screening and the problem also appeared in the song "High and Low".
Moreover, the acting style of the leading actor Robert Downey Jr. is inconsistent with the rhythm of the entire movie in the 1970s (because the stars Sybil Shepard and supporting actor Ryan O'Neal, who were brought in to invest, both have old-school acting styles), he is alone
The seemingly out-of-the-box performance style gave the audience a strong sense of drama.
But in other parts of the movie, Emil did a great job. Of course Ronald will give him another chance.
…
"Hahaha, Ronald. Disney basically listens to me now. It feels like I have returned to my days at Paramount..."
Michael Eisner, whose voice in the company has greatly increased, knew that Ronald was coming to discuss the filming of "3000" with Katzenberg, so he came over to chat with him for a while. The third phase of the Screen Fund has also been raised.
Different from the previous two issues, this time he has the final say on all the US$400 million. If he wants to make cartoons, he can make cartoons, and if he wants to make live-action movies, he can make live-action movies...
"Mr. Eisner, you are a business genius, and you are a winner everywhere. As Confucius said, the ability of genius is like putting an awl in your pocket, it will naturally pierce and protrude..."
"Hahaha... I like this metaphor, call me Michael." Eisner was amused by this high-level flattery. "Our next strategy is to build and expand more Disney stores everywhere. What do you have?
For a good project, you must remember Jeffrey (Katzenberg), OK? I will give you the best terms..."
After seeing off the energetic Eisner, Ronald came back to chat with Katzenberg.
"With this modification, the film will not have much of a film noir feel, and will be regarded as a typical romantic film..."
Katzenberg now gives Ronald's project the green light. He just wants to know more about the details of the movie and whether there are any typical scenes that will be put into Disneyland to cooperate with boss Eisner's grand strategy.
"I have a request..." Seeing that Katzenberg approved the new script revision, Ronald put forward his own additional request. His status could already imitate the big stars and get some special treatment, such as a masseur on the set.
, such outrageous demands as pet allowances are not out of the question.
"Of course, please say..."
"It would be best if this movie could be shot entirely in Los Angeles..."
"Oh? Oh..." Katzenberg knew that the cost of local filming would be a bit higher, but apart from the star's salary, this kind of movie didn't have much cost. He suddenly thought of Diane Lane's recent movie
The almost tough attitude of trying to steal the heroine made me understand what Ronald was thinking.
"No problem, I'll ask the crew to arrange more professionals so that Diane can go home on time every day..."
"Thank you..." Ronald thanked him happily. Shooting a romantic film is a high-risk moment for directors or leading actors to fall in love with actresses. Many female stars were stolen at this time, so he had to take precautions.
"Are you going to direct it yourself? Or find someone else?" Katzenberg asked a question. If Ronald is willing to do it himself, then Disney will get a big deal. Many directors will also cast their girlfriends or wives.
Very tight.
"I plan to ask Penny Marshall, the director of Diane's last movie 'Grown Up'. She worked very well with Diane last time..."
"That's it..." Katzenberg was not dissatisfied. Finding a female director would give her a delicate perspective on romantic films, and on the other hand, it would completely eliminate the possibility of anything happening between the director and his girlfriend. It seems that
Ronald is serious about Diane Lane and seems to care about her very much.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! The two continued to discuss some casting candidates. Just when Ronald stood up to leave, Katzenberg seemed to have just remembered something, "Yes.
Okay, do you have any suitable candidates to direct children's films?"
"Why? Don't you have the most suitable director?" Ronald was referring to Chris Columbus, who directed "Adventures in Babysitting" for Disney. Several young actors in that movie were trained very well by him.
"He can't do it. The last movie 'Elvis' was a huge failure at the box office, and Michael doesn't like him..." Katzenberg pointed upward, meaning that Eisner put Columbus in another book.
"You are really wasting your talent. He is not suitable for making movies about celebrities. But for making children's movies, it is difficult to find anyone more suitable than him, except Steven (Spielberg)..."
Katzenberg shrugged, it didn’t matter. The person who was sentenced to death by Eisner was not a director. He had his own set of criteria for judging. The movie based on the kidnapping of Elvis Presley was a fool for Eisner.
I was almost attacked by the old men at the board meeting.
"What script are you going to shoot?" Ronald calculated and realized how many talents he still had in his pocket.
"The 1987 box-office hit "Three Dads and a Baby" is going to have a sequel. The original director, Mr. Spock, doesn't want to repeat himself..." Katzenberg made a gesture of love in the Star Trek TV series.
.
That blockbuster children's film was directed by Leonard Nimoy, who played the alien Spock in Star Trek. He believed that the original film had finished telling the story and refused to direct a sequel.
Amy Heckerling is making another children's film, so let's give it to Emile Adolino.
"Have you seen the reincarnation of the handsome man?..."
Ronald did not sign any prostitution contracts with these directors, but he came and went freely. In today's Hollywood, big studios do not have their own domestic distribution channels, so even if directors are tied up with contracts, they will be bought out.
It's better to leave some incense and love. Anyway, few directors are popular at the box office, and the situation is changing, so there will always be a day when it's suitable for cooperation.
Emile Adorino went to interview the director of his new film. His tendency to be nervous did not go away, and he blushed and was speechless in front of Katzenberg. Fortunately, Ronald's relationship was strong enough, and he recommended the film "Reincarnation".
The hard work in "The Pretty Man" was also good, and Katzenberg still gave him the director's position.
Anyway, the salaries of the three leading male actors in the sequel have increased significantly, which is just right for a cheap director like him.
After leaving his job in Hollywood, Ronald flew to New York again. The movie "Love to the Heart" received good reviews in New York. The audience here is highly educated and is much more receptive to this kind of romantic movie with a very literary flavor.
.
Helen Slater received great praise in her hometown. Several newspapers in New York and female writers in the film review column were also in line with the trend, and they were full of praise for her innocent performance in the movie.
In the past few days, Helen went back to the "Naked Angels", an actors' community founded by Helen Hunt and others, and gave a public speech. She talked about a lot of theoretical knowledge about acting, and unexpectedly received a lot of praise.
Ronald did not return to the apartment and stayed at the Peninsula Hotel. Helen came directly back from the auditorium of the Naked Angel, wearing the small black suit and black skirt she had worn when giving a speech, and came to the hotel to meet him.
"You are very sexy and beautiful today..." Ronald praised. Helen was actually not suitable for the kind of girly style she liked. Instead, she dressed like a working girl today, full of the characteristics of a high-IQ woman.
At first glance, she was charming and looked like a female college graduate who graduated from a prestigious school and worked in a multinational company. She successfully aroused Ronald's desire to conquer.
"Hehe... do you like it?" Helen smiled and kissed him.
"This is for you..." Ronald took out a bracelet inlaid with sapphires and diamonds. It was a Cartier retro style with a royal nobility. It was also Cartier's imitation of Europe before World War I.
The designs of the royal family’s custom-made jewelry are replicas and are available in limited quantities.
Diane wore the precious jewelry she gave her to her audition, and her photo was even published in the Hollywood Reporter. As a star's daily photo shoot, it was normal publicity.
In order not to favor one over the other, Ronald also asked Cartier to send some high-end models, and ordered one to give to Helen as well.
"I think I look better wearing it than the necklace..." Helen touched the golden bracelet on her wrist and kept posing in front of the mirror.
"Hey, woman..." Ronald wiped his sweat. Even Helen Slater, who usually didn't like to compare, was not immune to this. "Do you like it?" He stepped forward and asked.
Holding Helen's slender waist with her hands behind her, she looked at the beautiful woman with big eyes in the mirror.
"Ronald, I like everything you gave me..." Helen smiled, "But I like the character you gave me better..."
This must be after reading the news leaked in the Hollywood Reporter that Diane went to audition for a new Disney project, and Helen saw it. The two gifts and jewelry are relatively fair, but what about the role?
"Um... I'm asking Richard to help you find a suitable one, but he is an agent of CAA, and you are not signed with their company, so the priority is lower..." Ronald wiped his sweat again,
In desperation, I came up with a reason.
"Well..." Helen's voice became very sweet. She enjoyed the relationship with the top Hollywood directors. She was like the muses who inspired the great Hollywood directors in the past. She will write her own name in the history of film in the future.
name.
"I'm actually optimistic about a script, which is also a romantic film. It's about the love of college students. Don't you think there are too many romantic stories about high school students nowadays, and there is a lack of ones about college students?"
"Again?" Ronald remembered the last time she made the "Sticky Fingers" movie go crazy.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Hmm..." However, Helen looked very sexy dressed like a working girl. The black and white fish-mouth high heels she wore slipped halfway off her feet and swayed.
Swing up and down on your feet.
"It's a romantic movie anyway, a small production." Ronald ignored it and went up and kissed Helen from behind. Even if he lost money, it wouldn't be much money.
"I have a condition..." Ronald kissed for a long time and thought of a question.
"Um...what's the condition?" Seeing Ronald stop, Helen took the initiative to kiss him back.
"Well... you'd better shoot the whole movie in Hollywood... not... New York..." Ronald took the medicine as prescribed.
"Okay, it's a movie that reflects New York University anyway..."
After settling matters on both sides, Ronald returned to work the next day. He received James Wells, the editor-in-chief of the Daily News, who came to visit him at the hotel.
"Mr. Wells, please take a seat." Ronald, accompanied by little Doug, met this reporter who graduated from a prestigious school.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Li. I came here to ask, do you have any intention to enter the media industry?" James Wells's report was very sharp, but the real person is a reserved person, and his words are not aggressive, but give people
Feeling a little shy.
He knew that when dealing with smart people like Ronald, all he had to do was talk about interests. So he told Ronald about the current situation of the "Daily News".
Since its inception, this newspaper has prided itself on positioning itself as New York photo news. The front page is printed in full color, with many photos. It is completely different from the New York Times, which mainly focuses on text and paintings. It is aimed at the public rather than the highly educated.
Elite level.
Sure enough, Ronald and little Doug looked at each other. James Wells took the initiative to show his influence and contribute to Ronald's new film review. This must be required.
Little Doug feels that their business may have some financial problems and they are constantly losing money, so they need to bring in investors or shareholders for blood transfusion.
"How much money do you need now?" Ronald didn't beat around the bush, it was easiest to just talk about the benefits.
"With an investment of about one million U.S. dollars every year, our newspaper can operate more normally. Our newspaper reports a lot about the entertainment industry and has a strong influence on the people. You have already felt this. This is
A very good deal..."
Ronald heard the implication, this seemed to be a good deal, "If I pay, how many shares of Daily News Group can I get?"
"No, no, you misunderstood, Mr. Li. This is not an acquisition of the Daily News, but as a sponsor of the newspaper, help us tide over the difficulties. Accordingly, our editorial department will repay you and your industry.
When the time is right, we may be able to convince shareholders to open investment opportunities to you."
"Huh? I spend one million every year to fund the newspaper, and then I have no shares? My interests can only be guaranteed by your goodwill?" Ronald felt that this kind of proposal was too outrageous, and he did not regard himself as a typical one.
"Hollywood idiot" is here to play?
"I'm from New York...don't talk about these stupid conditions..." Ronald was unhappy.
"You misunderstood me, Mr. Li. I didn't mean to deceive you." James Wells quickly explained.
He really didn't mean to treat Ronald as a fool investor. The problem is more complicated. The Daily News is not a single newspaper. They have always used Manhattan as their main distribution market since they opened in the 1920s.
Profitable for many years before television became popular, they also had their own newspaper building, the Daily News Building, on Second Avenue in Manhattan.
Starting in the 1950s, in order to compete for news, they also stationed commissioners in the Southern District of the NYPD and the courts to inquire about the latest news and use radio to send the latest reports to the press. This radio station later evolved into New York's Channel 11 WPIX
, and then purchased FM channel resources.
Later, when New York issued TV station licenses, the Daily News also photographed the second TV station license in New York City, also named Channel 11. It is now the fifth-ranked radio and television channel in New York. With reports that are close to the people, and late-night high-profile
Known for quality film resources.
And these television and radio station licenses, decades after New York City stopped issuing photography licenses, are sky-high today. Plus a building, it is indeed not an asset that can be bought with one million dollars a year.
Moreover, James Wells, a newspaper editor-in-chief, could not comment on the entire company's shares.
He is just a conscientious editor who does not want this very good newspaper to go bankrupt due to the shortsightedness of the management. Although even if the newspaper closes, the Daily News Company can still live well with its TV stations and building real estate...
"I will think about it carefully..." Ronald sent James Wells away.
"What do you think? If we work hard, we can still negotiate the price. I estimate that we can reduce the price by about 25%. Having a newspaper will be very good for us..." Little Doug said to Ronald. Local
The Hanson family also has media, but it is limited to the Stanton Daily News on Staten Island. Having a newspaper that speaks for itself is the standard for the rich in these places. Now that there is a chance to enter Manhattan, little Doug is no more interested than Rona.
De Xiao.
"Hmm, I think we should not bargain, but should raise the price... We can't be limited to newspapers, TV stations, and radio stations. Those are more difficult fields to enter..." Ronald thought much bigger than Little Doug.
, is there a chance to eat up the entire local comprehensive media group?
"Mr. Ed Bastian, please come to the Peninsula Hotel. I have a big business here that I want to consult with you..." Ronald called his accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He teamed up with his personal lawyer and personal accountant.