Ronald sat in the living room of his hotel room, across from Michelle Pfeiffer and her agent, Ed Limato.
Limato insisted on coming to see him with Pfeiffer this time, so Ronald changed to a larger room. With a huge royalties as the backing, Ronald opened an executive suite, which had an extra living room than an ordinary room.
As a place to talk things over.
"So, overall, you lost the power struggle on the set?" Limato bluntly pointed out Ronald's situation.
"You can't say that, I can't be considered a failure. At my age, if I can sell a script to a big production starring Jane Fonda, I am considered a success." Ronald couldn't listen to this kind of words.
Too pleasant to the ears.
"It's not a failure at all. I made a mistake, Ronald. As an ordinary person, anyone who can rely on his own abilities to achieve what he is now can proudly say he is a success.
But that’s not the case in Hollywood. I’ve been in this industry for a long time, and there are many examples of screenwriters becoming famous overnight. Most of them won an award, wrote a big-budget book, and then went silent.”
After Limato apologized for his statement, he gave Ronald some reasoning.
In Hollywood, screenwriters are at the bottom of all creative professions. Not to mention those who sold a script like him, even those who won the Oscar for Best Original/Adapted Screenplay, there are many who disappear immediately.
This is because the output of real large-scale productions in Hollywood is limited. At the level of the eight major studios, one company can only open about 10 large-scale productions a year with a production budget of more than 8 million US dollars. As for small-scale movies, there are requirements for screenwriters.
It's not that high. Exploitation films like Roger Corman's don't pay screenwriters much.
Famous screenwriters can either continue to produce high-quality scripts and become the top presence that major studios compete for. Or they can switch to the television industry, which is the stage for screenwriters. Countless new TV series and renewals of old TV series are produced every year.
For different episodes of this TV series, the screenwriters there have already begun to work in separate teams.
"You are a mature man, Ronald. And you helped me in the process of signing Michelle. I treat you as a family member. So I said some things directly, and I should be honest with my family.
Treat each other well," Limato said to Ronald.
"My plan for Michelle is to first play important supporting roles in various medium-sized theatrical films and TV movies, give up TV dramas completely, and then look for opportunities to play major roles in small and medium-sized productions."
"This was originally a good opportunity. Being able to play a supporting role in Jane Fonda's film would allow the audience to remember Michelle Pfeiffer, which would be very helpful for her to make the 'crucial leap' from supporting role to leading role."
, you should insist that screenwriters have a strong say in many film productions."
"But not this one," Ronald interrupted, "You don't know that this is Jane's crew, and she is the most valuable asset in this movie. I even asked the president of Columbia to adapt the power
In front of Mr. Price, I tried to explain the importance of the main line of my design, but..." Ronald was speechless for a moment.
"Well, Hollywood is a place that only looks at results. Without this key role, I can only continue to work for her. There is a TV movie 'Cawley and Her Sons' that is looking for important supporting roles. I will contact you right away.
Casting Director.”
"This failure will at least delay Pfeiffer's 'key leap' for more than half a year." Limato glanced at Pfeiffer, who was sitting, and motioned for her to go with him.
"Ms. Pfeiffer will be very busy next. The acting class will help her a lot. Director Charlie Chen praised her acting skills very well. She doesn't have much time to waste on you..."
Michelle Pfeiffer, who was sitting, suddenly stood up, "I don't allow you to talk to Ronald like this, Ed."
"Please give Ronnie and I some alone time," Pfeiffer said to agent Limato.
"Michelle, actually this matter is not completely hopeless. Mr. Ovitz promised..."
"Ronnie, is this what you want to tell me?" Michelle Pfeiffer came closer, leaned against Ronald and raised her head to look directly into his eyes.
"I won't end with this, Michelle. Believe me, I will definitely write a script that impresses the producer, and I will also direct it myself. Then you will be the heroine." Ronald opened his arms and hugged her
Michelle Pfeiffer said.
Pfeiffer moved in his arms and gently pushed Ronald away.
"Ronnie, you still don't quite understand a woman's heart."
"I'm not asking you to find me more roles, that's Limato's job."
"What I want is the company of a man."
Pfeiffer continued in Ronald's arms, "I actually don't have to be a big star. Now I have filming, advertising jobs, a rented apartment and nice clothes. There's nothing dissatisfying about this kind of life."
.
I just want to be like a normal lover, we can eat together, walk together, travel together, I will bring you dry cleaning, and you will help me blow dry my hair."
"But you were born to be a star, Michelle."
"I don't know, Limato said the same, but what I need is your company. And you are always busy with your career, and your studies are also in New York..."
"I can come and accompany you..."
"Really? Can you move to Los Angeles?" Michelle Pfeiffer raised her head and asked.
"I……"
"Or do you live here six months a year?"
Ronald remained silent.
"Ronnie, you are my savior, and I will always love you. But I am a fragile person, and I am afraid of living alone..." Michelle Pfeiffer whimpered in Ronald's arms as she spoke.
The ground started to cry.
Ronald patted Pfeiffer's back gently, "Don't cry, Michelle. You will succeed, and your fans will make you wish you were alone."
Michelle Pfeiffer burst into laughter in her arms and hit him gently, "You always make me laugh. We will always be friends, Ronnie."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Limato walked into the room at the right time, saw Michelle Pfeiffer's somewhat red eyes, and smiled imperceptibly.
Falling in love between an actress and a screenwriter is the worst choice in terms of commercial value. It is basically the destination for many actresses after they age and become less attractive.
But Michelle Pfeiffer is a rising star, so she should find a star actor, a producer, and preferably a director who is suitable for her acting style and make a movie specifically for her.
Just like the legendary actress Ingrid Bergman is to Roberto Rossellini. Or the popular sexy actress Bo Derek is to her husband John Derek.
It would be best to let her and the screenwriter break up naturally without damaging her relationship with Michelle.
…
A few days later, at an Italian restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard, Ronald invited old friends Gale Hurd, assistant to the president of New Century, and James Cameron to have dinner with him.
"Ronald, I hope your story is true," Gale said after listening to Ronald's story, "but as a friend, I want to say, do you think it's difficult for an actress to perform that kind of emotion?
"
"I don't know, but people's intuition for lies is actually very powerful. I do think Michelle really meant what she said."
"Ha, you are such a hopelessly romantic boy." Gale picked up a bottle of beer and drank it.
"I think this is a normal thing. Artists are always full of emotions. If Ronald considered emotional issues very rationally, he wouldn't be able to write such a good script." Came, who just returned to Los Angeles from the New York set.
Long has a different opinion.
"Many famous artists in history have their muses. The time when they are with the goddess in their mind is the most vigorous stage of their creativity. Some lucky masters have different outstanding women as them at different stages.
The muse appears."
"I don't see that Jim, you are also a romantic person. Who is your muse? Your wife, Sharon?" Gail glanced at Cameron.
"No, I'm just a stunt engineer. I haven't met the muse in my artistic life yet." Cameron shook his head. The Escape from New York crew returned to Los Angeles, and the producer Embassy Pictures rented a Universal studio for them to shoot.
Indoor drama. Cameron, the stunt engineer, takes a break and goes out to meet old friends.
"So how did you sell your script?" Gale was very interested in the news that had been filling the entertainment headlines these two days. After all, it was a big production. The transfer fee of the script alone could be used to film a movie at New Century Productions.
It's a movie.
"Honestly, I don't know. In hindsight, it was more luck." Ronald also took a sip of beer. "The biggest deciding factor in this matter was Jane Fonda. Ovitz discovered Jane Fonda.
Looking for another Vietnam War movie, Columbia needed news about big-name movie stars to join in the fight against hostile takeovers, and I was the one who wrote the right subject at the right time."
"How was the filming of Escape from New York?" Ronald asked Cameron about the progress.
"It's quite hard. The whole film is a night scene. We shoot until 7 a.m. every day, then go to bed, and continue shooting at 7 p.m. As the main creative team, we have to get up an hour early to watch the daily dailies, which we haven't seen in the whole month.
Sunlight."
"Is the movie good?" Gale was also interested in the film, which had a similar theme to Roger Corman's exploitation films, but with a bigger budget of several million.
"It's very good. John Carpenter is good at making low-budget movies, in the studio sense of course. This movie will be a hit."
"What about you? Ronald, when are you going to Canada?"
"I'll go as soon as I get my passport. It will take a few working days to apply." Ronald snapped his fingers and called the waiter to pay.
The waiter brought a bill on a plate. Ronald took out his wallet from his hip pocket, took out a brand new Wells Fargo credit card, added two banknotes as a tip, and gave it to the waiter.
The waiter used a machine at the front desk to put the card on the carbon paper, quickly swiped the credit card with the black slider above, and the protruding numbers on the plastic card were printed on the carbon paper, and then took it to the credit card company to request payment.
"A new toy was given to me by the bank. It is said that it can also be used in Canada. I have to get familiar with it, otherwise I will be in trouble if I can't use it in Montreal." Ronald explained to two friends.
Click, the cashier swiped the card again, but the number on the copy paper was still unclear. "Sir, we still need to call the credit card company to confirm."
"Well", Ronald didn't expect that there would be problems with using the new credit card given by the bank, "I'd better use cash."
Gale next to him burst out laughing, "Let Ronald handle it here. Jim, where is your Harley? Send me home."
"Well, it looks like I have to cash some traveler's checks." Ronald thought to himself.