At the weekend, Ronald, accompanied by his agent Niceta, and Joel Silver, met the most popular male star in Hollywood today, Harrison Ford.
"Hello, Harrison."
Ronald observed Harrison Ford carefully. He looked exactly the same in real life as he did on the screen. On his very tough face, there was an American optimism that didn't matter any difficulty.
"I often heard Steven (Spielberg) and George (Lucas) talking about a young director who was very imaginative. I didn't expect it would take so long for us to meet."
"Well, it's a very busy industry and a lot of viewers think we should all get to know each other."
Most stars in Hollywood have a kind of extraordinary charm. In other words, the reason why they can stand out and become stars is that ordinary people do not have this ability to make people they get along with feel happy.
As long as they're willing to make you happy, celebrities can make anyone they hang out with feel like a really nice guy in a matter of seconds.
Just like Harrison Ford now, his attitude towards director Ronald and producer Joel Silver is similar.
"What they said really aroused my curiosity. It's not like before when young directors have the opportunity to direct their own movies after working on the set for a period of time. How did you get into this industry?
Ronald?”
"I was very lucky because I met Roger Corman, and I was working on minimum wage to rewrite the script for him. One day on the set, the director happened to feel unwell and went to the hospital..."
"Oh, ha, it's him. Many people started out from him. I know that he gave the federal minimum wage, not the union minimum wage, hahaha..." Harrison Ford's voice was low and very masculine.
Charming. His laughter put everyone present at ease.
"So, Harrison, how did you get into this industry?" Ronald chatted happily with him and asked about his experience in the industry.
"I'm about the same as you. At that time, I was playing a supporting role on the set. I also earned the minimum wage of $120 a week. I played a courier in my first movie, and the producer didn't like me very much. He said I would never
Might make it in Hollywood.
'When I first saw a star, I knew they would be a star. Don't think too much about it. Just like when I saw the big star John Curtis, he played a department store in his first movie.
The salesman, as soon as I saw him, I thought he could become a star'
Then I just leaned over and looked at him."
At this point, Harrison Ford also imitated the look at that time, turned to look at Ronald sideways, and I asked him, "Don't you think Curtis plays like a department store salesperson?"
"Hahahaha..." The crowd burst into laughter.
Ronald also laughed. Some of the jokes people told were actually not that funny in the first place. But the way they told the jokes still made you feel that this was the funniest joke in the world.
"So, Harrison, what do you think of this script?" Joel Silver couldn't help but asked the big star what he thought of the script.
"I like this script very much. As you know, my principle for taking on roles now is that every new film must have different changes. I don't want to repeat the roles I played in the past."
Ronald nodded slightly. For such a famous star, what he is now pursuing is not commercial success. Instead, he has the opportunity to win awards and recognition from film critics, as well as further broaden his acting career.
He doesn't want to play any more space cowboy heroes like Han Solo or scholar heroes like Dr. Indiana Jones.
In Joel Silver's new script, the NYPD detective comes to Los Angeles to defeat terrorists, which is a very fresh idea for Harrison Ford.
"I like the setting of the protagonist John McClain very much. He is devoted to his family, merciless to his enemies, confident and smart..."
Ronald listened, something was wrong. Harrison Ford didn't seem to be talking about the civilian police detective in the script, who lived apart from his wife, didn't make as much as his wife, and was facing divorce.
"I just feel that something is wrong with some plot settings, so I invite you and Ronald to come and see if you can talk to him thoroughly."
"Oh, what's wrong?" Ronald and Joel Silver looked at each other and thought at the same time, here it comes!
Stars are more important to production companies than directors and producers, and far more than any screenwriter.
On the one hand, they can attract investment, and banks will give them preferential loans because of their reputation. On the other hand, they can save marketing costs. When audiences see stars starring in movies, they will watch them without advertising.
Therefore, celebrities often abuse their status to exert influence on movies and change the characters and plots in a direction that is beneficial to them.
However, Harrison Ford is still relatively disciplined among celebrities. He politely invited Ronald and Silver to come over for discussion, and would not be rude and directly ask for modifications...
"For example, the background of this character is that of a less successful police detective. I have read the original novel, in which there is a retired police detective in a high position. Only such an experienced police detective can come out to deal with terror.
Those methods of molecules, aren’t they?”
"Ronald..." Joel Silver admitted that he did not understand the consequences of these plot changes, and looked to Ronald to ask for expert opinions.
"But on the other hand, the protagonist in the original novel is a retired police detective who goes to see his daughter with whom he has a bad relationship. This is also a kind of heroic character who appears with frustrations in life. At the end of the story, he not only
He solved the terrorists and also solved the problems in life...in his own way."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Ronald understands very well that the core of this movie is different from the protagonists played by Harrison Ford in the past who appeared with the aura of success, and even
Unlike all other Hollywood movie protagonists before.
This is a protagonist with ordinary people's worries and problems. This is an important reason why the audience can sympathize with him and become concerned about his story. If Harrison Ford were to play that kind of high-rise version
Han Solo, Ronald is not optimistic about the box office performance of this kind of story.
"Well, what you said makes sense. At the beginning, due to the estrangement between him and his wife, and the fact that his wife used her maiden name to work in the company, I felt a little uncomfortable here, but I can't explain the reason."
Harrison Ford frowned slightly and continued to raise a plot issue.
"This is a marriage in which the woman is strong and the man is weak. McClain's wife is the vice president of a multinational company and earns much more than a New York police detective. This is why we set up an annoying character who wants to be with him.
The reason why the wife played the role of the male vice president who had a one-night stand. The audience must have hated the person who seduced the male protagonist’s wife like this, so we later killed him with one shot.”
"Hahaha, indeed, I felt relieved after watching that part."
Harrison Ford understood that Ronald was unwilling to rewrite major parts of the plot to suit his already established star image. However, we are all people with status in the industry, so when it comes to this, everyone can understand each other.
"Would you like to visit my collection? I also have the laser gun from Star Wars." Harrison stopped insisting and stood up to chat with Ronald. Seven or eight out of ten Americans were
Star Wars fans.
"Of course, can you give me a picture and sign it for me? My cousin is a big fan of Dr. Indiana Jones."
Ronald asked for an autographed photo of Harrison Ford for his cousin.
"Of course. What's your cousin's name?"
"Donna, she graduated from the MIT Department of Physics. She always felt that the doctor you played changed the perception of academic masters. Doctors can be so charming..."
"Hahaha", Harrison Ford was very happy and signed a still of his Raiders of the Lost Ark "To the Charming Donna..."
…
"Can't you really change it? What about the plot? Harrison is the most popular male star now." Joel Silver said to Ronald in the car after leaving Harrison Ford's house
Just to make sure again, he didn't want to lose this opportunity.
"I can't say, but if you still want this story, he is not suitable. If the script is changed, it will not be this story."
Ronald spread his hands. It's not that he doesn't like Harrison Ford joining the movie. But the acting career of such a big star has certain elements, that is, it cannot damage the image of the star itself.
Whether he is a policeman, a cowboy, or even the president, Harrison Ford must be the one who can solve all the troubles when he appears. He cannot have the same troubles as ordinary people.
"Although what you said is right, but... what a pity..." Joel Silver took out a bottle of champagne from the refrigerator, opened it with a bang, and poured it for Ronald. Then he turned on the car
TV and watched the news.
"Huh?" Ronald felt that familiar thought again. Is this the plot of a movie he dreamed of?
"Boring news." Silver saw that the tragedy of hurricanes in Western Europe was still being broadcast on TV. He found a video tape from the corner and inserted it into the car VCR.
"Uh...ah..." A blonde girl was lying on her back, and another handsome guy was using an ice cube, starting from her navel, along her body to let her feel the coldness of the ice cube, teasing him.
Then he took out a piece of cloth to cover the girl's eyes, and then let her taste strawberries, and finally replaced it with a chili pepper, making her scream that it was spicy.
"Is there any mistake, we are two men, why are we watching this?" Ronald recognized his friend, director Adrian Lyne, sexy blonde Kim Basinger, and handsome boy Mickey Rourke starring
"Love you for nine and a half weeks".
"Why, do you want to go to my place? There are many blond girls waiting to meet you. Hahaha..." Joel Silver laughed out loud.
"Seriously, what do you think of Mickey Rourke as the leading actor? How about him playing John McClane?"
"Ronald, Ronald..." Joel Silver saw that Ronald was distracted and thought he approved of his casting.
"Then let me go talk to Mickey Rourke's agent?"
"Ah, okay." Ronald came back to his senses. The scene of watching the pornographic video tape in the car just now seemed to have triggered some familiar feelings.
…
"Adrian, I'm Ronald. Why doesn't Mickey Rourke want to be in my movie?"
The communication with Mickey Rourke's agent was very difficult. When the other party heard that it was a project for Ronald Lee and Joel Silver, he immediately rejected it and said that Mickey Rourke had begun to focus on business other than acting.
Don't want to repeat myself.
Ronald was confused and had to call his old friend, director Adrian Lyne. He directed Mickey Rourke's "Nine and a Half Weeks", which was a commercial success and launched Rourke into a star career.
Now let him transform into a police detective role, wouldn't it just pull him out of the pornographic film track and give him a chance to reach a higher level?
"There's something wrong with his brain. Maybe he was boxed too much. He also acted in an X-rated movie, 'Angel Heart,' and I made '9 and a Half Weeks,' which was R-rated.
"
"X-rated? Who still acts in X-rated movies nowadays?" Ronald was relieved now. It was indeed not Mickey Rourke who looked down on himself, but that he looked down on everyone.
"Isn't he an old acquaintance of yours and mine, Alan Parker? This 'realist' director who specializes in filming the dark side of society?"
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "It turns out to be him," Ronald thought. No wonder, only this British director who is at odds with himself would make such a film that is destined to have no box office.
, a movie that reveals the dark side of America. The question is, you must have a lot of dark sides in Britain.
"I advise you to give up on Mickey Rourke. He is now confused and becomes a screenwriter. He wants to write a movie about boxers, 'The Man with the Iron Fist'. Let me tell you, if he finishes filming 'Nine and a Half Weeks to Love You'
', and 'Angel Heart', and then was beaten to death directly in the boxing ring. Maybe he became a more successful legend than James Dean."
"Huh..." Ronald put down the phone, thinking that this old friend was very mean to Mickey Rourke, and he seemed to be very angry. He was also very dissatisfied with Alan Parker, who was also a British compatriot.
They look convinced. They are both role models for British directors in the Hollywood film industry. It depends on who can get an Oscar nomination first.
"Joel, there is no chance. My friend Adrian said that Mickey Rourke has a brain problem and now he is a screenwriter..."
Ronald called Joel Silver to break the bad news.
"Ah, it was such a dark weekend. We lost three leading actor candidates. Do we really have to postpone it to next year?"
"If I can't find a suitable casting, I would rather wait for Bruce Willis. You know, in the circle of casting directors in New York, there is a saying that if there is no suitable actor, then the best
The choice is not to shoot."
"Shxt!" Joel Silver cursed, he didn't like this sentence.
"The Commander-in-Chief made a speech at the White House. He stated that he would consider raising tax rates and reducing the amount and period of tax exemptions for investment income in order to reduce the runaway federal deficit." Ronald turned up the volume as the news broadcast came from the TV.
.
"I would consider raising taxes to reduce the deficit...what? Unintelligible..."
Ronald looked at the TV. The high-spirited commander-in-chief, who was wearing a brown suit and a red tie, pretended not to be able to hear the reporter's question and avoided the question of tax increase. He pointed to the propeller of the helicopter parked on the South Lawn and signaled.
Too noisy.
"Sorry, I can't hear your question clearly."
The commander-in-chief turned around and boarded the "Marine One" helicopter, preparing to go to Camp David for vacation. He and First Lady Nancy waved to the camera below by the porthole. The rotors of "Marine One" began to accelerate and took off.
go.
"The acting is really good." Ronald chuckled.
…
Life goes on. Unlike independent producers like Joel Silver who are affiliated with major studios, Ronald belongs to Daydream Productions, not a skinny company like Silver Pictures
.
His daydream has its own distribution channel and its own production plan. Although it has been delegated to Eddie and Michelle Cannold, a low-cost shooting plan of less than one million US dollars, but like "Ecstasy"
"Master", this kind of big joint venture project with Roger Coleman still requires his personal intervention.
Today is Monday, which happens to be the time when Ronald went to Coleman's place to hold a simple opening ceremony. The heroine, Cassandra Peterson, has been waiting for this opportunity to be the heroine for a long time.
"Hey, where's Roger?"
At nine-thirty in the morning, Ronald and Cassandra were nowhere to be found in Coleman's Concorde Company conference room where the start-up ceremony was supposed to be held.
"I don't know, Roger is never late." Ronald pulled over a female secretary and asked about Coleman's whereabouts.
Roger Corman is a real iron man. When he made twenty or thirty movies a year, he and his wife Julie were the two people in charge, and there was no mistake.
"I called him, but he didn't answer." The female secretary couldn't find anyone either.
"Where does he usually go at this time?"
"He is usually in the office. Roger will come to the office at six o'clock in the morning, look at his stock investments, make a few phone calls, and then he won't go to the studio to watch the filming until after noon."
"Have you contacted Julie?" Ronald thought of Roger's wife Julie Coleman.
"nor."
"It's strange, nothing will happen." Ronald turned around and pretended to be calm, talking to the heroine Cassandra, "Maybe it's Roger's children. His four children happened to be in high school.
It’s time to graduate and go to college. You know how noisy boys at this age can be.”
"Hey...it's okay. In fact, the actual shooting won't start today. I just used to shoot movies for companies like Cannon, and I have never had such a formal opening ceremony." Kassandra took out a bottle of mineral water and drank it.
Had two bites.
"It's estimated that the ceremony won't be held today, so we'll go first. I'll definitely make up for a beautiful ceremony for you, and arrange for some reporters to come by then." Ronald waited for another half an hour, but no one answered the phone.
He asked Coleman's secretary to keep in touch with him, got in the car, and was going home to read the script.
"Zi..." When the driver, Little Bud, saw Ronald picking up the car phone, he started pressing the button to close the fender.
"It's okay. I'll call Donna. I found a signed photo of Harrison Ford for her." Ronald looked at the time. It was already noon in New York. It was a time when the transaction volume was relatively small. The employees could have some lunch.
, make some personal calls.
"Hello, I'm Donna Parker, please leave a message after the beep."
"It's me, Ronnie. I got you a gift. It's a signed photo of Dr. Indiana Jones. Do you want me to send it to your office or home?"
Seeing that it was a phone message, Ronald explained the matter and then hung up the phone.
Ronald thought for a while and called his agent Rick Niceta to discuss with him whether there were any other male actors.
"Hello, I'm Rick Niceta, please leave a message after the beep."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "Why aren't you here?" Ronald put down the phone.
Well, let’s talk about financial support for the new film with my financing partner, former Wall Street banker Bannon.
"Hey... Steve?"
This time the call was picked up.
"Mr. Bannon is not here, please leave your name and phone number. He will get back to you when he is free."
The anxious female secretary wrote down Ronald's name and quickly hung up the phone.
"Why are you so rude?" Ronald hung up the phone.
"Bud, let's find a Chinese restaurant for dinner. Is Lucy available? Invite her too."
"She is waiting for lunch in the office. She made the sandwiches in the morning. Let's go by ourselves." Little Bud smiled when he talked about his girlfriend, and Ronald saw two rows of white teeth in the rearview mirror.
"Call her, we haven't seen each other for a long time."
"Okay", little Bud turned the steering wheel and went to the computer company where Lucy worked.
"Lucy, Lucy?"
Arriving at the computer company where Lucy worked, little Bud found everyone standing at the front desk, watching the news around a TV.
"Lucy?" Little Bud spotted his girlfriend.
"Bud?" Lucy turned back, came over and hugged little Bud tightly, her body still trembling slightly.
"What's wrong?"
"The stock market crashed! It dropped more today than it did during the Great Depression? Are we in America going to be doomed?"
"Due to the inability to proceed with a large number of deliveries in the overnight securities futures market, a total of 95 stocks in the S&P 500 Index postponed their opening this morning.
After the market opened, the stock market began to plummet. Today was Wall Street's biggest single-day drop since Black Friday of the Great Depression.
Of the 2,257 stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange, 195 had their opening postponed or canceled because overnight futures were unable to be delivered.
Due to the large amount of sell orders flooding into the market, the computer system of the New York Stock Exchange was unable to operate normally. Starting at 10 o'clock in the morning Eastern Time, for about an hour, trading was jammed and normal delivery was impossible."
The CUU channel has 24-hour rolling news, and the host's face is not as calm as usual. The big news one after another makes them nervous and panic while reading, and the female host's voice is trembling.
There were scrolling subtitles at the bottom of the screen, and each stock code on the stock exchange was followed by a red decline percentage.
There are many stocks that fell by 20%, 30%, or even more.
"Oh, my God, Coca-Cola has dropped so much. I'm going to run out of money for my child's college tuition." A middle-aged man who looked like a manager in Lucy's company turned pale with fear.
"Fortunately, I sold it and didn't buy it back." Ronald crossed himself secretly.
No wonder everyone was gone this morning.
Fortunately, I didn't hold a position, so I didn't receive a call from the stockbroker and personal accountant Lawrence.
Look at those who have invested in the stock market. They are all sweating like rain, and their shirts are soaked through in the autumn, like dry pickles.
And those who are engaged in the stock business on Wall Street will be even more miserable. Roger Coleman and Bannon must have suffered heavy losses.
"No, Donna." Ronald was also frightened and sweating, and quickly ran out to the car, but was locked out of the car.
"Bud, Bud!" Ronald anxiously asked Bud to come over and open the door. After getting in the car, he called Donna.
"Hello, Donna." Donna's voice came from the phone.
"I'm Ronnie, are you okay? What happened to the stock market today? I'm scared to death."
"Fortunately, our losses are limited. Many hedge funds that used leverage to place long bets in the stock market, some of them jumped off the building today." Donna's voice was fairly steady.
"I'm still busy with things here. Let's talk about it after the market closes."
"Ring ring ring ring..."
Just as I put down the phone, Niceta called.
"Are you okay?" Ronald and he both called at the same time.
"I'm fine. We had an emergency meeting this morning. Many Hollywood stars suffered heavy losses on their investments. I hope it won't fall like this again tomorrow. I heard that during the Great Depression, many stars in Hollywood sold their houses to pay off their debts."
"It's okay. It's scary. Fortunately, I sold the stock last year."
"Yes, yes. Fortunately, neither you nor Tom have heavy positions. I heard that Stallone suffered heavy losses. His financial analysts helped him buy a lot of hedge fund products."
Ronald called his female friends again.
Diane Lane listened to her own advice and deposited all her money in the bank, but there was no loss. Helen Slater didn't have much money herself, but from what she said, it seemed that their new families were all affected by the stock market crash after their parents divorced.
The loss is very small.
In the evening, Ronald talked on the phone with his friends in the industry. Everyone was worried about the future of themselves, Hollywood, and the country.
Today, the Dow Jones Index in New York plummeted 22%, creating the largest single-day decline in history, surpassing the Great Depression.