Ronald took the standard film distribution contract drafted by Roger Corman, returned to the CAA's office, and began to fax it to Lindsay Doerr, a personal lawyer in New York.
In the first few years of the 1980s, cheap Japanese fax machines began to enter the American market. Xerox's bulky and expensive machines were no longer needed to send faxes. Lindsay Dole's small law firm also bought a small Japanese fax machine.
Produces fax machines.
"Squeak..." Lindsay Dole stood guard by the fax machine. The thermal paper was slowly printing out Ronald's contract line by line under the roller of the small fax machine.
"Hey! Ronald, pages five and twenty-nine... try again, I hung up." Japanese fax machines are cheap, but they often print unclearly in some places. Some key points are printed unclearly.
If the legal terms differ by one word, the meaning may be completely opposite, so you must be cautious.
"Hey, Ronald, is this Roger Corman from Hollywood? Why are there no traps in his contract? I've read it several times and you can sign it. Some of the terms seem strict, but they are actually applicable to you too.
Protect.
It's not like a Hollywood contract, it's like a wholesale contract between a food company and a supermarket channel." A few hours later, Lindsay Dole called Ronald.
"Hahaha, he is not actually from Hollywood. Although he is also filming in Hollywood..." Ronald explained Coleman's background to Lindsay.
Corman and those big studios have to share the box office with various investors in the end, and the contract is always different from the battle of wits and courage between the parties. When he makes a film, he always sells the film first and gets the advance payment before making it.
Small investment, quick shooting, quick turnover model of multiple shootings, reputation is more important.
"Very good, then there is no problem. But this is the first movie you have produced. Are you setting up a new corporate entity to operate it? This can isolate the investment in the movie from your personal and other assets?
"
"Okay, I'll go back to New York recently and I'll entrust you to handle it. I need to raise investment first, and there's still a lot of money left."
After hanging up the phone, Ronald started asking his agent Richard to take stock of the small and medium-sized production companies he could negotiate with.
"I remember this Atlantic company once asked me to film a film?" Ronald asked Richard, pointing to a company in the information.
"They are now fully engaged in the production of 'Valley Girl', which they wanted to invite you to direct last time. I am afraid that small companies do not have more financial resources to release two movies at the same time."
Atlantic is also a company that does its own theatrical distribution, so Ronald asked Richard to help him find out what Atlantic meant. This time, Ronald found New World to distribute new films, and Atlantic could also take a share if interested.
"What about the two Israelis? Why don't you ask them to vote for you?" Richard asked.
Ronald knew he was talking about Minahan and Yoram, so he nodded and said, "They have already expressed their intention to invest in my film project."
"They don't have any real connections in Hollywood. You have helped them a lot, and it's time for them to repay you."
"I will visit them."
Call Minahan and make an appointment for Ronald to visit.
"Ronald, how long has it been since you came to see me? How about taking a look at our new office?" Minahan, with his growing beer belly, took Ronald to visit his newly expanded office.
Based on the original rented offices, Cannon Pictures expanded several rooms, and those employees who originally worked in the corridors finally moved into serious offices.
"It's very nice here. Are these all your new movies?" Ronald looked at the various movie posters posted on both sides of the corridor, some of which he had never heard of.
"Hey, some are produced by us, and some are distributed overseas by us." Minahan pointed to a poster on the wall and said, "This is the Japanese ninja movie we just released, "Enter the Ninja"
ninja), it did well at the overseas box office.”
It turned out to be a B-level exploitation film that copied Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon" in name and content.
"This is the sequel to the best action movie of the 1970s, and we invited the original actor Charles Bronson." The best action movie? Ronald looked at it and saw that it was the sequel to "Death Wish".
"It seems that your company's operations are going very smoothly. How is Brooke Shields' 'Sahara'?" Ronald felt that he had underestimated Minahan's ability. With so many movies produced and distributed, it seems that he has made a lot of money.
He is no longer the first timer who wanted to jump off the building because of the failure of "Apple".
"In January next year, we will start shooting in the Negev Desert in Israel. It is still very hot there now, and January will be the coolest time in the desert. Then you can come and watch this movie that is aiming for the Oscar in 1984.
Blockbuster.”
"Then I'll wait and see." Ronald said and handed over his "Night of the Comet" script. He had already expressed his intention to Minahan on the phone.
"Hmm... um... it's very good here. It's too slow here. The pace here can be sped up." Minahan looked at it and found fault. His voice was not quiet, which made Ronald, who was sitting next to him, frown a little.
"Ronald, although your creativity in the battle between the Valley Girl and the zombies after the meteorite disaster is extraordinary, and I have seen good designs in various scenes, your script has a major flaw. It is difficult for such a script to receive investment.
People are dear and dependable.
Maybe you don't care about the box office and want to entertain yourself and make the movie you want, but I still suggest you make some changes."
"Oh? What is it?" Ronald did not expect Minahan to give him a straightforward negative comment.
"Star! Your script lacks stars. Your shooting plan only requires 1.5 million. How can you hire stars with such a small amount of money? We should invest at least 15 million so that we can hire someone like Brooke Shields.
A star will play the heroine. Do you have a choice for the male lead?"
"Well, Minahan, I'm afraid I can't make it into a big production. I took the script and went to a circle of big studios, and they didn't have confidence in me to do a big production..." He doubled it ten times, Ronald
I think Minahan is a bit bluffing.
"I have confidence in you, Ronald. How about I invest in this movie? This year my funds are mainly used to shoot 'Sahara' starring Brooke Shields. When it is released, my funds will be abundant, and I will invest in you."
This is a science fiction masterpiece.
One thousand and fifty... no more than 20 million investment. Let's go to Europe to find investors, and then select the best actors. For the 1984 Oscar, we will let Brooke Shields become the best actress. For the 1985 Oscar, we will give you the best one.
Best director, at least nominated...hahaha..."
Ronald took out his handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his head. He will shoot again in 1984, so you don’t have money now.
"I have found a distributor who is willing to distribute my movie. So I came here to see if you are interested in investing in it."
"How many?"
"New World is willing to invest 500,000 yuan."
“They do domestic distribution?”
Ronald nodded.
"Hollywood is the holy land of movies. It's really unfortunate that no one has spent hundreds of thousands to make movies for artists like you. I don't know why they still say they have the largest movie base in the world. Every year, those actors and directors can make up to two movies.
Months, then playing golf, tennis, vacation, waste!
They should invest more in directors like you who are capable and have box-office guarantees. Those actors, Stallone, why are they taking such a long break? You should make more movies so that they can stop picking up girls and drinking at the beach and make more movies."
Ronald wanted to say - you are right. But Hollywood doesn't have the confidence to invest in itself. He said it so plausibly, but I wonder how much it can invest in itself? Do you have one hundred thousand?
"Give me the overseas distribution package, and I am willing to invest 300,000... Domestic income will be as usual." Minahan stated his conditions.
"Thank you, Minahan, I didn't expect..." Ronald was really moved now. Overseas issuance generally requires selling country by country, and the income from overseas markets is generally not as large as domestic.
Minahan did not dislike his small production, and immediately allocated an investment of 300,000 in proportion. Now he only had 500,000 to 700,000 to start the project.
"You are my true friend!" Ronald stood up and hugged Minahan.
"But I have a condition." After they separated, Minahan raised three fingers and said.
"Please tell me..." Generally investors will always put some conditions, such as inserting a girlfriend to act as a supporting role or something.
"You go to Cannes with me next year and help me watch the movies. I know you found a lot of good movies in Montreal."
"no problem."
"Also, you are coming to attend the press conference for the filming of 'Sahara'. I need some Hollywood friends..."
"That's okay too."
"If you have a chance in the future, you will direct a movie for my cannon."
"This...I can't promise you, but if the opportunity is right, I will."
"Hahaha...Okay! Bahba bah..." Minahan followed the custom of Eastern Europeans and kissed Ronald three times on the left and right sides of his face.
"Come here, let me show you our newly released movies. They are all good movies. Let Yoram draft an agreement for you."
…
After faxing the Minahan Cannon agreement to Lawyer Lindsay, Ronald continued to work with Richard to identify about ten of the most promising production companies to invest in, and planned to make phone calls to make appointments and visit them one by one.
However, after Ronald returned to his apartment, his first call was not to the producer, but to his high school classmate and wrestling teammate, Staten Island landowner Douglas Hansen III.
"Doug, how are you doing in New York?"
"Hey Ronnie, are you coming back for Christmas?"
After exchanging pleasantries, Ronald asked, "How was the last Kathryn Bigelow movie you raised money for?"
"Forget it, Bigelow's movie still hasn't found a distributor willing to release it. All my money is stuck in it and I haven't gotten it back."
"Ahem, that's really unfortunate."
"Ronnie, do you have something to ask me about? Do you want to make a movie and need money?" Little Douglas was very sensitive and heard the implicit meaning in his good friend's words.
"I have found publishers, domestic and overseas, but they are still a little short of the budget. I originally wanted to ask you...since your investment has not been recovered yet..."
"I invest. You are my best friend in the film industry. If I don't invest, who will you invest in? I don't want to go back to Staten Island to be a landlord. My interest is in the film and television entertainment industry. If I have the opportunity, a director with 40 million will take me."
Entering the industry is what I want."
"Thanks, Doug."
"But I don't have much money. I only have one hundred thousand to invest in movies. I can send you a check now."
"Wait until I return to New York. I will also register a film production company. Then we will talk about buying shares. I will give you the best conditions."
"My check is waiting for you at any time." Douglas hung up the phone, "Haha, I finally don't have to go back to Staten Island. Ronald's movie will definitely be successful, and I can show my grandfather some results."