"Mr. Tom Coleman from Atlantic Distribution Company is more sincere, Richard. We met with several production companies and distribution companies, and only they clearly expressed their interest in investing."
I met with more than a dozen potential investors in a row, and most of them said very nicely that they would cooperate with Ronald in the future. But when they heard that it was a joint venture, they all put it off.
It’s no wonder that the sooner a joint venture produces a movie, the better the terms will be. Now that the domestic and overseas distributors have determined, the remaining part can only get a capped fixed income. The small companies in the circle are just thinking about it.
It's not surprising that a guy who got rich suddenly refuses to let go.
"Actually, Atlantic is optimistic about you, Ronald. They originally wanted to invite you to direct the 'Valley Girl' they are currently filming. However, their financial resources are not very good, and the movies they are currently making take up most of their funds. I have watched the most
Invest one hundred thousand in your project."
Agent Richard has been accompanying Ronald to meet people during the day these past few days, and has also helped Ronald write summaries and prepare materials at night, which is very hard.
"It's pretty good. I think I'm lucky to be able to convince them to invest."
"What will you do about the next funding gap?"
"I have asked Nicita to help with a new script revision project. You know, although the script is not signed, the income is higher than writing the script. I will try to fill the gap before 83 years ago. Then we will see what happens.
There are no opportunities to direct commercials or anyone willing to place ads in the film."
“Happy Thanksgiving holiday.”
"The same to you."
It was almost Thanksgiving every year at the end of November. In his apartment, Ronald reflected on all the past events of his entry into the film industry, and found that he really had a lot of people to be grateful to.
Roger Corman was the first to give himself a chance to enter the industry, Joe Dante signed himself as a second-team director and obtained union qualifications, Rick Niceta signed his own financial contract as a screenwriter, and Spear supported him on the set.
Berg...
No matter what their purpose was when they helped him in the first place, objectively they helped him make a big step forward in the film industry. When he becomes famous, he will repay them if he has the opportunity. Of course, those who have trouble with him will
, you have to "repay" one or two things.
"Ronnie, what are your plans for Thanksgiving? Are you going back to New York?" It was Gale Hurd who called.
"I'm busy raising funds and won't go back for the time being. Where are you and Jim?"
"He is still focused on improving the script of 'Terminator'. I have something to ask you. Can you come to the Sunset Club?" Gale reported an address.
"Okay, what is it?"
"My friend is a director for the first time and would like to ask you to provide on-site guidance."
Ronald arrived at this strip club on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood as scheduled. When Gail gave her the address, he felt a little strange.
Today there is a closed sign at the door of the Sunset Club. It seems that the venue is reserved for movie shooting.
"Hi Ronnie, let me introduce to you, this is my good friend Martha Coolidge"
Gale enthusiastically introduced a middle-aged woman to Ronald. She looked about thirty-four or five years old and had a very capable appearance.
"Hi, Martha. Nice to meet you. What kind of movie are you shooting?" Ronald looked around. Only the lighting team was setting up the lights, and the actors hadn't come out yet. He didn't know what kind of movie you were shooting.
"Valley girl," Martha Coolidge replied bluntly.
"Oh, I know this movie. It's a story about a valley girl, right? There seems to be a song called this name, and it's very popular."
Ronald did not expect that Coolidge would direct the same low-budget production that Atlantic had invited him to direct. The director's circle was really not that big.
"Okay, let's take a look at Martha's directing skills." Gale pulled Ronald aside.
Several actors came out and moved with the camera crew. Ronald laughed when he saw them. They were all old acquaintances.
The male lead is played by Coppola's nephew, Nicolas Cage. The supporting actress Michelle Melink also has a role in "The Kid" as the best friend of Cherry, played by Diane Lane.
He did not say hello to disturb Director Coolidge, but waited with interest to watch their performance.
"action!"
Randy, the male protagonist played by Cage, has a crush on Julie, played by Deborah Foreman.
In the bar, Randy immediately fell in love with Julie and confessed his true love to Julie.
Nicholas's performance is very real, very much like an emotional high school boy who really wants to move forward but is afraid of being rejected by the high school girl he likes.
"This guy's acting skills are really good. Why don't we cast him in 'Night of the Comet'?" Ronald pondered behind the camera.
The male protagonist in "Night of the Comet" in the dreamland had no acting skills and seemed very dull when speaking his lines. Cage worked hard on his acting skills in "Fast Pace", and today he seems completely capable of playing the leading role.
"Any comments?" Martha Coolidge asked Ronald.
"Very good, very good. I think you directed it very well. This bar scene is a multi-person dialogue scene, and you arranged it very well."
Ronald sincerely admired that there were not many female directors in America, and Coolidge’s level was very textbook. It seemed that he came from an academic school and was well-organized.
"Director Ronald said very well, let's do this print again," Martha Coolidge ordered.
Ronald frowned and only nodded in response to Cage and Meylink's greetings to him. Director Coolidge's words were somewhat subtextual.
He looked back at Gale Hurd.
"It's okay. I'll ask you to chat after the shooting. There's a little misunderstanding." Gale smiled and said in Ronald's ear.
During a break in the filming of this scene, Ronald and Gale, the director Coolidge, sat in the trailer together. Gale opened two bottles of beer, handed them to Ronald and Coolidge, and then took one herself.
I bumped into two people.
"As I said, Martha Ronald is a very upright person, and he will not come to steal your directorship."
"Ah?" Ronald was surprised, where could he start talking about this?
It turned out that after meeting with Ronald, Tom Coleman, the president of Atlantic, said a few words that he regretted not inviting Ronald to direct "Valley Girl."
Somehow this matter spread more and more, and when it came to Martha Coolidge, it turned out that Ronald wanted to replace her and took over the director's job halfway.
She complained to her good friend Gale Hurd that the independent directing opportunity she had finally won was snatched away by a male director.
When Gale heard that it was Ronald, he even said it was impossible. So he asked Ronald to come and have a look to clear up the misunderstanding.
Coolidge was a person of great character, but she may have experienced a lot of gender discrimination in the industry. Directors need to have strong commanding skills, and women must become as tough as men. So she was a little unhappy with Ronald's attitude.
Ronald explained that his new film has been distributed by New World Company, and Atlantic only has a stake in it.
After the misunderstanding was resolved, Coolidge was still a very easy person to communicate with.
The two are also alumni of New York University's Tisch College. Coolidge came from a well-known family. Her grandfather once served as governor of Massachusetts and was also a relative of the former commander-in-chief Coolidge.
"When will you finish filming 'Valley Girl'? I'd like to find Nick to try out as the leading actor in my new movie."
"It can be completed by the middle of next month."
"Then there will be a schedule after the Christmas and New Year holidays?" Ronald thought to himself, this is good, and his own funds may be able to solve it by then.
"Oh, Nick is good." Coolidge said, "In order to play the role well, he even wrote love poems to the heroine, and he was very involved in the role."
"That's good. When I saw him perform for the first time, I knew he was a very serious actor."
"Sometimes he is too serious. I think he really fell in love with Deborah who played Julie."
"Hahaha... Is Nick also a Methodist?" Ronald didn't expect this to happen, and he was too involved.
"He actually belongs to the German Expressionist school... He uses high-contrast lights, strong shadows, and performances that are divorced from reality to express dark film themes..."
When it comes to acting, Ronald is not very good at it. He listened to Martha Coolidge. Martha had studied the method school and studied with several realistic acting teachers.
Expressionism is actually a bit incompatible with Methodism, as it does not pursue realism. Cage was influenced by the early German film "Metropolis" that was highly praised by his uncle Coppola, and his acting methods tend to be extreme.
The three cleared up the misunderstanding and walked out of the trailer. They found that Cage was writing poetry to Deborah again.
"Deborah, this is a love poem I wrote for you."
"The poem is called 'America Girl'"
"Hi hi", Nicholas cleared his throat and began to say,
"A beloved lady.
on top of all other things.
It is her home, decorated with the soil of my beautiful land.
She is the crystallization of love and fire.
Rules the hearts of men by divine right.”
"Stop reciting it in public, give it to me..." Deborah snatched up Nicolas Cage's poem, took the notebook into her arms, and went to the trailer to appreciate it carefully.
"Hahaha..." Ronald couldn't help laughing. This humorous recitation really didn't look like a realistic performance method.
Cage blew a kiss to Deborah, then came over to greet Ronald, "Hi, Ronald. Why are you here?"
"Let me see your performance. When did your filming of 'Betta' in Oklahoma end?"
"last month."
"What movie dates do you have next?"
"My agent Limato is contacting me to audition for a new film, but it hasn't been decided yet." Cage said, "What, you have a new film?"
"Yes, a story about comets and zombies, are you interested?" Ronald asked him to come closer, and then whispered his idea to him.
"Oh, oh..." Nicolas Cage put his head in his hands, looking surprised, "Has the God of Drama favored me today? I'll call my agent Limato."
"Don't worry, the film's financing has not been completed yet, I will contact Limato."
"You know, how much I envied Sean Penn when he was in 'Fast Pace'." Cage was very happy. He looked like he could also play a larger role in a blockbuster film.
Cage excitedly pulled up the actors on the set and introduced him to Ronald, "Hi Lisa, Mike, this is Ronald Lee, the director of 'Fast in Richmond'. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have a union card."
.God, I’m so happy today.”
"Nice to meet you, I have to go, otherwise Director Coolidge will be unhappy." Ronald shook hands with the actors and said goodbye.
"I'll find Limato." Before leaving, Ronald made a phone call gesture to Cage.