The famous Hollywood tough guy star, Steve McQueen, was diagnosed with lung cancer at the end of 1979. Everyone said it was related to his heavy smoking all year round, two packs a day.
McQueen is a strong and tough guy who was tortured to the point of breaking bones. For a time, people who smoked in the entertainment industry were a little scared. Although the cigarette factory quoted the latest research that lung cancer has nothing to do with smoking, no one believed in the ethics of capitalists.
Peter Guber had already taken out his cigarette and thought it would be better not to smoke, at least until the Steve McQueen incident was over.
"What's your reason?"
"The reason? Every boy in America is crazy about her." Ronald felt that Guber was also out of touch with the interests of the lower class. Brooke Shields is the dream girl of all high school boys. Is there any need to ask for a reason?
"And she just finished filming 'Blue Lagoon'. She played a girl who was stranded on a desert island with a boy due to a shipwreck. The two got married and had children. I heard that this movie has
There are so many nudity scenes, what boy wouldn’t want to be stranded alone on a desert island with Brooke Shields?”
"May I have your name?"
"Ronald Lee, I am also an advertising director and film screenwriter." Ronald finally had the opportunity to introduce himself and hurriedly handed over his business card.
"I remember your name, Ronald." Then Peter Guber called everyone, "Contact Brooke Shields' mother Terry as soon as possible. We must finalize the contract before The Blue Lagoon is released."
Director Franco Zeffirelli was all about the heroine. Shirley Knight looked sad and angry. Who told her not to finalize a heroine as soon as possible after rejecting Brooke Shields?
In this way, the casting of the heroine has basically been finalized, and there are already several candidates for the hero Franco Zeffirelli. Ronald is busy filming commercials again.
The country's countess, parachutist, cheerleading girls... they filmed nearly 10 commercials one after another. Darcy Maguire, who was wearing formal suits and trousers, often came to the set to show off. Ronald found that he often ran business
For professional women, it is really more convenient to wear pants than to wear skirts. The so-called women's rights are just a practical need at the beginning.
Spike Lee and cinematographer Dickinson earned a lot of labor fees. With some money, they flew to Los Angeles to find funding for the movie.
Currently helping Ronald take photos are Katherine Bigelow of Columbia University and Persian-born photographer Amir.
Previously, the commander-in-chief issued an order to expel more than 140 Persian college students who had defective procedures and were studying mechanical, electronic, and nuclear engineering. Art students like Amir survived, and his family's assets on Wall Street suffered no damage.
My relatives are also preparing to return to the United States via a third country.
Ronald and Katherine Bigelow both sympathized with his Persian compatriots who were expelled innocently. They felt that the commander-in-chief was a little venting his anger because of the consequences of his mother country. It was also the commander-in-chief who did not support the Shah of Persia.
Only then did the Grand Ayatollah have the opportunity to return to his country.
The Grand Ayatollah offered conditions that as long as the Shah of Persia was returned to his country for trial, the hostage crisis could be ended and oil exports could resume. However, the Grand Commander did not want to bear the reputation of being unethical, so he used military aircraft to transport the Shah who was being treated in the hospital.
Sent to Panama.
Now that Persia can't be dealt with, he drives away his old friends and vents his anger on innocent students. It's really not something a leader of a superpower can do.
The income from advertising shooting was considerable. The equipment rental and personnel labor fees were given, but they were only a small part compared to the money received. Ronald took the check issued by Director Darcy Maguire and happily went to Wells Fargo Bank.
Enter the accounts and notify accountant Lawrence.
"You have to invest this money again, otherwise when tax season comes, your federal income tax and state income tax will eat up half of your income." Accountant Lawrence reminded Ronald.
"What? I remember the tax rate is not that high?"
Lawrence began to explain to Ronald that income tax includes federal and state levels, as well as corporate income tax and personal income tax, which are all progressive. Ronald's shooting company took over the filming of 10 series of advertisements in a short period of time, and the income
If it has exceeded the next highest tax rate, that part of the money will have to pay a tax rate of more than 50%. Most of the remaining money will also be subject to a tax rate of 30-50%.
"Wade, this is too high." Ronald felt a little uncomfortable. Why didn't I feel it before?
"In the past, you were a low-income person receiving subsidies, and you relied on these taxes." Lawrence said with a smile.
"Okay, what should I invest in? Stocks? Bonds?"
"It's up to you to decide. In addition to these, houses are also a good investment and can fight inflation. Stocks may lose money, but bonds cannot beat inflation. Houses can beat inflation and basically won't lose money. That's why Chinese Americans like to buy houses the most.
." Lawrence said.
"You're right, you should buy a house." Ronald thought of his aunt and Donna. They should also have a place to live in Manhattan. Renting a house is not bad, but you still have to buy a house if you can afford it.
After asking the real estate agent, Ronald really couldn't buy a good house with this little money. The only option was a shared ownership apartment. All the residents in a building formed an owners' committee and paid for the water, electricity, gas and security fees together.
The property rights belong to you, and you pay the annual property tax yourself.
The advantage of shared ownership apartments over traditional apartments is that the owners committee is just a management organization and does not have the power to decide whether to accept new residents. It can just resell and rent out by itself. Of course, the disadvantages are also here. If a large number of black people flood in, the housing prices will rise.
It's about to fall.
Ronald thought about it again and again, and what finally made him make up his mind was the party thrown by Kathryn Bigelow. She waited in line for a rent-controlled apartment vacancy in upper Manhattan, passed the inspection of the homeowners committee, and moved into the so-called
Noble community.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! The mainly white owners' committee is very satisfied with her ethnicity and work, and the people who interact with them are also directors and actors in the film industry. Catherine was
Accepted.
Ronald quietly inquired about the rent. This traditional apartment was built before 1974. The law stipulates that the rent can only increase by a small amount each year, such as 1-2%.
After the US dollar was decoupled from gold, inflation skyrocketed, but rents could not rise. The rent paid by Catherine was now far from the market price, only about half of the surrounding apartments without rent control. It is conceivable that as time goes by, this ratio will become even more exaggerated.
.
After learning about this difference in rent, Ronald immediately found an agent and found a house not far from the apartment he rented. In the name of a production company, he bought this small two-bedroom apartment and later rented it.
Aunt Karen and Donna moved in, and Ronald continued to live in the same place.
Anyway, the two apartments are not far apart, a 10-minute walk away. The new apartment is very close to the Academy of Performing Arts and not far from Stuyvesant High School. Although there are expenditures on security, management fees and other aspects, it is the best choice after all considerations.
It's a good choice, and it's better than the IRS taking away half of it anyway.
This tax rate is really killing people. No wonder all businesses in America are depressed. Small and medium-sized enterprises don't want to expand at all, and it is very difficult to maintain the current scale. Ronald's thinking has changed from a civilian to a small business owner.
"It would be great if that former Hollywood actor really became the commander-in-chief. At least it would reduce taxes for the film and television industry." Ronald thought viciously.
In his spare time, Ronald still practiced writing synopses for old movies. His synopses got better and better, and he could almost submit them to weekly TV magazines as plot introductions.
In addition, he still maintains the habit of sending letters to major screenwriting agencies every day. Every week he will call several agents who sent them last week to find out whether they have received his cover letter and whether he is interested in signing it.
Get off yourself and wait.
But 99% of the time, Ronald was chatting with the agent's secretary. Chatting with the secretary is a skill. After making one phone call every day, he accumulated not only phone bills, but also tons of experience.
The work of these secretaries is very boring. They have to answer the phone, type, and copy in a routine every day, which makes them eager to be recognized for their work.
Ronald became familiar with making phone calls, and gradually discovered that there were real people behind the phone with all kinds of emotions, so he began to joke with them, care about their work, and gradually made friends with some of the secretaries.
From getting only official answers at first to now expertly making flirtatious jokes with secretaries, Ronald has become more like a Hollywood animal.
However, there has been no substantial progress in the agent's affairs. Although several secretaries have vowed to help him, quietly putting his resume at the top of the recommendation list, helping to mention his name, etc. But after all, Ronald has nothing.
With famous screenwriting works, there is only so much that secretaries can do.
Maybe things will improve after "Famous" is released.
"Ring ring ring ring..."
The phone rang again that day, and it was Julia Taylor who asked him to go to the casting studio. Something happened again with the casting of "Endless Love".
"Brooke Shields' mother Terry suddenly declined the invitation to audition." Julia said to Ronald, you have to continue taking photos of the audition candidates."
"What's going on? Why did he refuse?" Ronald recommended Brooke Shields to the CEO of PolyGram Pictures. Refusing to audition meant that he had no familiarity with the big boss.
"Her original words were that this script could not reflect Brooke Shields' acting skills. All her daughter had to do was stand there and look beautiful. It would be detrimental to Brooke Shields' stardom."
"Ha..." Ronald was amused.
"Brooke Shields, can't you just stand there and look beautiful? I'm just overthinking my acting skills."
"The real reason may be that the test screening of Blue Coral Reef was well received. Her mother wanted to wait for the price and wait until the official release before negotiating the contract. This way she can charge a higher price."
"What about us?"
"Gubel was dissatisfied and instructed us to continue casting. If there is a good candidate, we will kick her out."