Chapter 423 MJ said he must be the first to watch the film
After watching their filming all afternoon, I found that director Rush's level was pretty good and he was technically proficient, including common Hollywood techniques such as one master, two shoulders, etc., all done very well.
In the evening, Ronald also watched some of the demos they had shot before. Amanda Jones played the cheerleader and coach, training other cheerleaders. The youthful energy was full of attraction.
Ronald feels that this movie must have a lot of boys who are not so popular in school. When watching it, they will assume the mentality of the male protagonist. He is a nerd with social barriers and uses his part-time job money to help the cheerleader buy new clothes.
In the end, you can fake your love and win the beauty back. Isn't it a good story?
It can be used to test the trend of romantic comedies and see if American high school students can really flirt with their girlfriends without having to fantasize about it at home.
At least Ronald feels that the real society is not like what is depicted in those campus novels and movies. There are still many young boys who feel that the girls they like are unattainable and dare not pursue them.
And movies, aren’t they just a tool to help audiences realize their dreams? Just like the name of Ronald’s company, during the day, strangers sit together, turn off the lights, and have a sweet dream together in the dark.
Now that everything was normal on the crew after the troublesome union representatives left, Ronald stopped showing up on the set.
He deeply remembered the teachings of Roger Corman. The presence of a producer, especially a strong producer, on the shooting scene would put a lot of pressure on the director. And under pressure, not everyone can resist it.
You can relax under pressure and give full play to your strength.
"Ronald, why are you still practicing such girly games?"
Bannon, who returned to the motel where the crew stayed with him, was surprised to find that Ronald had laid a mat on the carpet in the room and started practicing yoga.
"Isn't this nothing? Where I used to practice wrestling, the coach told me to stretch myself frequently and do flexibility exercises. And, haven't you noticed that the actresses who practice yoga have better figures and aging than the party queens?
Much better?
Although some of them have not undergone plastic surgery, there is no sign of sagging in either face or figure. Moreover, their temperaments are all healthy and youthful.
I think practicing will help keep you young."
"Oh yeah? It seems I want to try it too. You said it can keep you young? Is it also very effective in that regard?" Bannon became interested.
"I don't know, I'm very young myself."
Of course, it cannot be said that Ronald just talked about the benefits of staying young and looking good because he wanted to have a dream. As for what Bannon would understand it, it doesn't matter.
At night, Ronald made the bed and started to sleep. He didn't choose pillows or bedding. Except for little Bud who was asked by Aunt Karen to bring him a good thin wool blanket when he went on a business trip, Ronald usually
Use hotel bedding.
After practicing yoga breathing techniques for a while, Ronald gradually fell asleep.
"What do you mean? My friend is talking to a girl on your 'turf' in the cafeteria, and you have to look good to him?"
There was a loud bang, and Ronald was startled. It seemed that he had just entered the state of separation between consciousness and body, and suddenly he dreamed of a scene of "boy renting girl."
The protagonist, Ronald, played by Patrick Dempsey, bangs the dining table with a baseball bat. He lectures the top male baseball player in the school's social circle.
"Don't pretend to be another person. When you were a child, you fell from a tree and broke your arm. It was Kenneth who was scared by you and took you twelve blocks to the hospital. We used to be friends, why did you
Pretending to be someone you're not?
It’s very hard for us to be ourselves.”
"Hey, it seems to have worked. It seems to be the reason for practicing breathing?" Ronald was overjoyed.
On the other hand, Patrick Dempsey is quite talented as an actor. He hit the table with a baseball bat just now and scared the actors next to him. He has good explosiveness and empathy.
Because he began to think rationally, Ronald's breathing began to quicken again. The images in the dream began to slowly dim and were about to disappear.
Ronald immediately gave up thinking and began to focus on yoga breathing methods, trying to regain the long, slow breathing rhythm he had just lost.
Sure enough, the screen slowly brightened up again. But it seemed like a lot of time was wasted, and the movie was almost at the end.
I saw Amanda Peterson jump out of the jeep with her girlfriend. After hesitating a few times, she still decided to follow her heart and not consider that nerds are at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Then she jumped on her favorite actor Ronald.
Drive a lawnmower.
Patrick Dempsey started the lawnmower and drove Amanda Peterson, just like a girl sitting proudly on a sports car, regardless of face issues, but respecting her heart, hugging each other with her arms, the two were in the morning sun,
They kissed while sitting on the lawnmower.
“Can’t Buy Me Love…”
As the scene of the two passionately kissing was frozen, an old Beatles song "Can't Buy Love" played and the subtitles began to rise.
"Ah, this name is better than the boy renting the girl." Ronald woke up.
The dream I induced by practicing breathing was worse than the original dream I didn’t know how to dream about.
In addition to the fewer clips, as long as I am distracted, the picture will soon disappear.
But no matter what, it is always a good thing to have more channels to dream.
Moreover, a good thing is that you won't roll under the bed when you wake up.
“Can’t Buy Me Love…
I'll buy you a diamond ring
If you really want it..."
Ronald was in a good mood, humming old Beatles songs while taking a shower.
"Steve, I'm thinking of an old song called "Can't Buy Me Love" by the Beatles. Do you think it would be better to use this name? And we can also buy their copyright.
Used as an interlude.”
"To tell you the truth, the director also thought of this song, but the Beatles' copyright is very expensive. We asked about the price, but we couldn't get our hands on it at all."
Bannon looked at Ronald and thought, do you want to increase your investment to buy the copyright and name of this song?
"It won't be very expensive. You haven't found the right person. Leave it to me. I'm familiar with this."
Ronald remembered that the broker Jimmy Lehner had done the job quickly and well the previous two times he bought the copyright, so he would leave it to him this time too.
…
"Ha, it's from the Beatles. You don't have to think about it. It's impossible to get the authorization without a million dollars."
Jimmy Lehner is busy producing the original soundtrack of "Dirty Dancing". The copyright of the songs has been obtained. The record company's original master tapes still need to undergo unified technical adjustments before they can be recorded into a record.
The sound remains the same size.
He has been busy at a record company in Los Angeles recently. This recording studio and equipment were rented to Ronald at a low price by Jerry Weintraub.
"No way, why are they so expensive? Aren't the other classic songs you bought very cheap?" Ronald was shocked.
"They are the Beatles, and they don't really like to give their copyrights to movies. I heard that there were some unpleasantnesses in the past. Some movie projects used their songs and had some bad plots.
So they are willing to negotiate only if the price is very expensive.
Moreover, since the death of John Lennon, their copyrights have changed hands several times, and now they are in the hands of new buyers, so they are very careful. Haven't you noticed that their songs are rarely used in Hollywood movies now?"
"That's right." Ronald thought about it. Although the Beatles' songs are widely popular in America, and one person can hum the melody of "Yesterday", there are really not many movies that use their songs.
Doing interludes.
"There's nothing we can do? One million dollars is too expensive? Who owns the copyright now? Could you please contact me and I'll go talk to him."
Ronald felt that the price was too outrageous. The movie only cost 2 million yuan to shoot, but an interlude cost 1 million in licensing fees? He is famous. At this year's Oscars, two film interludes won the best original film song.
The nomination has put many movie episodes on the charts.
As a MV shooting master, he should be given some face. If the Beatles' song becomes popular again, wouldn't it be possible for the copyright owner to make a fortune?
"Others said that, so I advised them not to think about it. But if you come forward, it might really be possible."
Jimmy Lehner looked Ronald up and down, "The current copyright holder of the Beatles songs is your old friend Michael Jackson. Since you can ask him to make a cameo in your movie Breakdance, it must be him.
Friends, you can chat with him."
"Yes, I would have forgotten it if you didn't tell me."
Ronald remembered that when he, Walter Murch, and Coppola were filming MJ's three-dimensional short film "Captain Io", wasn't he acquiring the rights to the Beatles' songs?
…
Back in Los Angeles, Ronald contacted MJ's manager Dario through his agent. It happened that MJ was preparing a new album and filming a series of promotional videos in Los Angeles.
Ronald came to visit with sincerity. Dario asked him to sit down in the reception room.
There was a cartoon style here, and Ronald found that there were many superhero dolls from comics, as well as a white skeleton. It looked hard to tell whether it was real or fake.
Dario was amused when he saw Ronald's expression. Most of the guests who came here were shocked by the skeleton. He said, "It's true. It's allowed by law. MJ bought it from the hospital. Originally, he bought it from the hospital."
I wanted to offer $1 million to buy the skeleton of the Monomorphic Man (Joseph Merrick, who was made into a movie by David Lynch) at the London Medical College, but he was rejected.”
"He's the character in that movie? Did MJ really buy it?"
"He has always had a keen interest in movies..."
Ronald and Dario had nothing to talk about. As long as they were interested in movies, they might be able to get a cheap price for themselves.
"He is a little troubled now. When you see him later, don't be surprised by his skin color." Dario knew that Ronald and MJ were old acquaintances. They were friends before MJ was not so famous.
Therefore, there is not much taboo against Ronald, and he mentioned the biggest taboo against MJ now.
"Oh, okay, what's wrong?" Ronald didn't care about MJ's news and didn't know what was going on.
"It's just that... when he performs on stage now, he uses thicker powder. Some tabloids are rumoring that he has bleached his skin. It's all nonsense."
"Tabloids, they are like parasites that feed off celebrities like MJ. Don't pay attention to them."
"Hi, Ronald." A soft voice greeted him. Ronald looked up and saw MJ walking out of the lounge, in good spirits.
"Hi, MJ...ah..."
It's been a long time since I've seen MJ. When I first saw him, Ronald was a little surprised. MJ has changed a lot in the past two years. The small pit in the middle of his chin is very deep. It has changed from a chin type common among black people to a chin type more common among white people.
A vertical double chin.
The facial features on the face seem to have become more three-dimensional. Much like those handsome men and beauties who have entered Hollywood, they always need to make some small adjustments to make themselves look better."
More importantly, his skin seemed to have been out of the sun all year round and became a little whiter than before.
"It can't really be vitiligo, right?" Ronald felt that his skin was indeed powdered very thickly.
MJ still spoke very softly, motioning for Ronald to sit wherever he wanted, "I heard that you want to buy Beatles songs to be used as movie inserts?"
“Yes, it’s the song Can’t Buy Me Love.”
"I was unwilling at first, but Dario said it was your movie, so I have a request. As long as you agree, I will sell it to you cheaply."
"What conditions?" Ronald cheered up.
"You have to show me your movie first and I'll be satisfied. Otherwise, you have to pay according to the market price."
"That's no problem, you'll like it." Ronald actually didn't know what movies MJ liked, but he couldn't show his lack of confidence, so he started talking nonsense, "This is a romantic comedy for young people, and the male protagonist has always been
I have an inferiority complex and feel that I am not worthy of the heroine.
Occasionally, the heroine needs a sum of money for an emergency. The hero sells the instruments for her science class and asks the heroine to help her become more confident. In the process of getting along, she discovers that the hero is her true love...
Hey, are you listening? MJ, do you like this story?"
Ronald noticed that MJ had put on his sunglasses while listening, and he didn't know whether he liked it or not.
"Very good. I was very moved when I heard what you said. You must let me be the first audience of your movie. Promise me, Ronald."
"Uh, okay, I'll contact Mr. Dario after I get the final copy, and I'll read it with you. If you don't come, I won't read it either."
Ronald added.
"Very good, very good, that's it. I'm a little tired." MJ stood up to see the guest off.
Ronald scratched his head, wondering if MJ had a similar experience and remembered his own past, right?
…
"You have to work hard. MJ said that as long as the movie is made to his satisfaction, he can transfer the Beatles song to the crew at a low price. Not only will it be used as an episode, but he will also be given the title license for the movie."
Ronald immediately called the crew in Arizona.
"Low price? How low?" What Bannon is most concerned about is the price. His budget is only 2 million. He used non-union actors for the filming, which saved a lot of money. It can be completed for about 1.7 million, preferably the copyright fee.
It can be done within 500,000.
"Very low... MJ and I are good friends, have you never seen the break dancing I filmed?" Ronald asked.
"Very good, but...how low is it? Is there 500,000...lower than that? 300,000...?"
"Use your imagination, Steve. Do you think that based on my relationship with MJ, he can make a free guest appearance and charge me more than $100,000?"
"Okay, I'll let them take a good picture."
"Don't put too much pressure, just mention it. After the movie is completed, MJ will be the first audience to watch it."
Bannon used the good news that big stars liked their movie to motivate the crew without mentioning it.
Ronald began preparing for the Oscars ceremony at the end of the month. This year's awards ceremony will be held in advance to the end of March.
This time Ronald had to attend and was assigned a female companion to attend.
In other words, he is the male companion of a female star.
She is the heroine of "Top Gun", Kelly McGillis, whom Ronald has not seen for a long time.
This arrangement is mainly to continue to build momentum for the "Top Gun" video.
The number of pre-orders for the video tape, which is still a few weeks away from going on sale, continues to rise, and has now reached 1.9 million boxes sold.
This is already three times the highest sales of the original movie video. It also broke the sales record of Jane Fonda's fitness video.
Paramount expects that sales will continue to rise as a large number of ready-made products are put on the market after the sales begin. They are very optimistic that they will eventually sell more than 2.5 million boxes.
Ronald was really envious. He also decided that if "Dirty Dancing" does well at the box office and exceeds expectations, he will also release the video tape and set the price at around US$30-40. This price has been tested by the market.
On this day, Ronald made an appointment with Kelly McGillis to try on clothes. Female celebrities always have to book their outfits in advance to avoid crashing with others. Ronald always understands the needs of female celebrities and arranges them in advance.
I've got a luxury car and a special trip to accompany you.
"Ronald is in there?" Kelly McGillis was wearing jeans, a leather jacket, and sunglasses. She didn't look like a celebrity.
Little Bud whispered, "I'm on the phone."
"Why? The Oscars are a very grand occasion. They want you to sing, why don't you want to come?"
Ronald was on the phone with Terri Nunn, the lead singer of the band Berlin.
She sang "Take My Breath Away" and was nominated for Best Original Song. The Oscars party invited Terri Nunn, who was on tour, but Terri declined the invitation to the scene.
It is a pity for the Oscars that this single won the first place in the singles chart last year. If the original singer can sing it at the awards night, the ratings will definitely increase a lot.
Ronald's other movie, "The Kid 2", was also nominated, and the singer, Peter Setra, was very cooperative and agreed to sing live. Ronald also felt regretful and called Terri.
· Nunn, let’s see if there is any room for redress.
"I'm on tour, so I don't have time." Terri Nunn has no dissatisfaction with Ronald. She now sings this song wherever she goes, and it has become her first masterpiece.
“Can’t even the Oscars find time to perform live?”
"Hey, let me tell you the truth. I originally wanted to go, but they said I can only sing one section, and the other nominees can only sing the climax of tens of seconds. I don't want to lose my place. I am the lead singer of a Berlin band,
When did you fall to this point?"
Oh, Ronald got it. The Berlin band is so popular right now that every concert is sold out. Their most popular song, "Take My Breath Away," actually only got the chorus at the party.
Definitely not satisfied with the skewers part.
"You can't look at it that way. I actually won an Oscar. Let me tell you, this is for my family. My aunt and cousin were so happy when they saw that I won the award. Now every time we talk about it, they are still very excited.
.I think I will remember the smiles on their faces forever when I see them. You also want your family to see you winning the award."
"Are you so sure that I can win the prize?" Terri Nunn and her mother depended on each other. When Ronald said this, she was a little shaken.
"Absolutely. Top Gun has done so well at the box office, it makes no sense why they don't give it a small award."
"Okay, I'll go."
Kelly McGillis had been watching for a long time. When this man talked about his family, the emotion on his face was not fake. She knocked on the door.
Ronald happily put down the phone and saw Kelly McGillis knocking on the door.
"Kelly, it's so nice to see you...Hey...why did you cut your hair?"