NOVEL NEXT Exploiting Hollywood 1980.
Chapter 244 A Leap of Imagination
Chapter 244 A Leap of Imagination
In a small hall of a large multiplex studio in Los Angeles, the movie "The Lost Ark of the Covenant" has finished playing the ending of the reunion of the hero and heroine, and along with the theme music, the subtitles began to appear.
This new ending is an opinion put forward by Martha Lucas. The final emotions of the hero and heroine did not give the audience an emotional climax.Spielberg cast Harrison Ford and Karen Allen as co-stars, and took a day off to film the reunion scene on the streets of Los Angeles.
The newly added ending made Paramount very satisfied.In the week before the release, a small-scale second trial screening was arranged in theaters across the country, in order to obtain feedback from the audience's sample survey and use it to strive for better film arrangement from the theaters.
This is a special booking.There were no other spectators in the small hall, only a few people were seated.In addition to the director of the film, Spielberg, several managers from Universal Pictures and CAA, and Ronald.
Chief among them is Sidney Simberg, president of MCA, the parent company of Universal Pictures.
Simberg is very busy. MGM recently acquired United Artists and acquired the latter's distribution channels.However, CIC, an overseas film distribution company jointly established by Paramount, Universal, and MGM, is facing the problem of dismantling.
Fortunately, Simberg cooperated with Eisner of Paramount Pictures, allowing the lawyers to find loopholes in the original joint venture agreement, which prevented MGM from withdrawing from the joint venture.
But before he took a breath, he was again annoyed by the news that Spielberg's new film was preempted by Columbia.
Tom Mount, the MCA-born tycoon who succeeded him in the production business of Universal Pictures, did not report directly to himself.
After the box-office failure of 1941, Mount may have felt that Spielberg would soon pass away and become a mediocre film director.Decided not to participate in the project investment of "ET", the sequel of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".
Turns out ET's project is now being snapped up by Columbia's Frank Price.Let Simberg shake his head in his heart.
Sitting next to Simberg is director Steven Spielberg.
After 1941, he no longer had complete decision-making power over new projects as before.Many "senior executives" within Columbia Pictures also came out to offer various opinions, and everyone wanted to teach him how to make movies.
He misses Simberg who discovered his fledgling "Jaws" back then.Such a good boss is only responsible for investment and operation, and it is good to leave other parts to him.It's a pity that after he was promoted to become the president of MCA, Tom Mount, who took over, had his own ideas.
Next to him is Michael Ovitz, president of CAA.Some people in Columbia objected to President Frank Price giving the green light to the ET project, and Ovitz wanted to return ET to Universal, where Simberg was.Take the opportunity to do Spielberg a favor and see if there is a chance to sign him.
"Wonderful, Steven, you are still so imaginative." Simberg likes this movie very much, and it will definitely make a breakthrough at the box office. Paramount's Eisner even played it in every major theater for marketing. Made models of two camels, a horse, and a poisonous snake.
With this movie, Spielberg is about to become one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood.
"Steven, how about we cooperate again, just like Jaws did back then." Simberg said to Spielberg, "I heard that your ET has encountered resistance in Columbia?"
Spielberg wiped his small round glasses and said, "Yes. It is mainly the person in charge of the marketing department. She believes that ET is aimed at the young market and has limited potential, so she voted against it. In addition, the person in charge of their overseas distribution also I don't think the script is scary enough to appeal to teenage audiences."
In front of his Bole and the most tacit partner, Spielberg did not hide his views.
"The script isn't scary enough." Sinberg smiled. These executives hired from the TV station didn't understand the difference between the big screen and the small screen. "The script of Jaws back then was also very plain, not scary at all."
Spielberg smiled, too.Yep, Jaws' script isn't scary either.The secret of this type of movie is not in the script.
Simberg continued, "Steven, remember? When the Jaws model broke, the crew doubled the shooting time, and the shooting budget was 30% overrun. They said they were going to replace you, but I insisted that , you know what you're doing.
After going to the set once, I didn't care about it. Sure enough, that summer vacation, we achieved a legend in the history of American movies.
Frank Price is a TV expert and a script expert, he doesn't understand the secret, why don't you come to Universal to continue ET's project? "
Simberg is still persuading Spielberg to come to Universal with the ET project.
"I have an agreement with Columbia." Spielberg said helplessly.
"Price put ET on the turnover list, as long as Universal is willing to buy it out..." CAA President Ovitz answered.
"Put it on the turnover list? Price is a veteran, and he won't sell it so easily." Simberg shook his head, and then said to Ovitz, "Would you like to propose an invitation to Price for me and Steven?" ?”
"Of course, no problem." Ovitz agreed.
If Universal buys Columbia directly, it will arouse the doubts of veteran Price and re-evaluate the prospects of the ET project.If proposed through a broker, it is more like a normal move to facilitate the establishment of the project.
"Price's senior script reader always judges the project's prospects through the script, while the films directed by Steven can always break through the constraints of the script. If I call him directly, it will arouse his suspicion. ’” Simberg said.
"Of course, only you can absolutely trust Steven." Ovitz complimented.
"Hollywood knows that I trust Steven, but they don't understand why I can trust Steven." Simberg is very proud, "I dare say you know why it is useless, because you can't find a second one." Steven."
Looking at Ovitz and several subordinates and assistants sitting in the back row with puzzled eyes, Spielberg pushed his glasses, smiled and said to Ronald sitting among them, "I remember you I have asked similar questions about the ET script, now that you have watched The Lost Ark, can you answer it? Ronald."
Ronald and Nisita also watched the test screening of "The Lost Ark of the Covenant" together. This movie really shocked Ronald speechless.
Ronald, who was still watching with a learning attitude, was deeply attracted by the story shortly after the opening, and unknowingly became an ordinary audience, worrying and cheering for the protagonist in the story.
Nisita brought him here, taking advantage of Simberg's presence, to recommend him to direct "Fast Tempo," and now that Spielberg recognizes Ronald, it's even easier.
Ronald opened his mouth and said unhurriedly, "I think this movie, like Jaws and Star Wars, has unimaginable spectacle on the screen. It is difficult to reflect the splendor of these spectacle in the script, From the script to the final film, there is a huge gap in the middle..."
He himself finally understood why when he read ET's script, where did the feeling of "just so" come from.
Just like in "The Lost Ark of the Covenant", Dr. Indiana Jones accidentally touched the mechanism in the ancient tomb, and a huge stone ball rolled down along the track, crushing all creatures on the road.
In the script, it is nothing more than the words "a huge stone ball". Who would have thought that the stone ball would be so huge and the track would be so long?Dr. Indiana Jones is so skilled, narrowly dodging the stone ball?
Such a large stone ball, if it is made of heavy materials such as stones, the actors will be in danger during filming.But looking at the shots on the screen, Harrison Ford is clearly on his own, at least in the panoramic shot.I really don't know how Spielberg made it.
If it is made of light materials, how can you shoot the heavy rolling feeling of the stone ball?
All of this requires extraordinary imagination and the skill of turning that imagination into a convincing picture on the screen.
That's why Simberg said that it's useless to know the secret. Only a few directors like Lucas and Spielberg are sure to realize the spectacle on the screen.
This is really, tell you that you don't even know how to plagiarize.
"... To cross this gap, extraordinary imagination is needed as rocket fuel to make a leap." Ronald finished the answer he understood.
"Very well. Is this your new apprentice? Steven?" Simberg was a little surprised when he heard Ronald's answer.
"No, Ronald is a very good screenwriter. I asked him to read ET's script and gave me a very good opinion." Spielberg replied.
"He happened to be trying to shoot a film for Universal." Nisita seized the opportunity to talk to the president of MCA.
"Are you Ovitz's colleague? I remember meeting you. What do you mean by striving?" Simberg knew what Nisita wanted and asked him what he wanted.
"We want a fair chance, Mr. Sinberg." Nisita made an appointment for Mount to interview Ronald for 2 weeks, and then found that someone was looking for an agent for himself, claiming that he would definitely get the director's contract within 2 weeks things said again.
"Well, you take my business card, contact my secretary, and when I am free, arrange an interview, let your client come with that Heikelin, I interview with Mount, and finally decide Who will be the director."
Simberg handed Nisita a business card with a direct line number for his secretary.He remembered the time when he met the young Spielberg, and after chatting for a while, he was impressed by his talent and enthusiasm, and gave him a chance to direct a TV movie.
"Just take a look at this kid's quality, whether he is another genius." Simberg explained the good thing, got up and left first.
Nisita obtained Simberg's contact information and achieved her greatest purpose of coming.He put his business card in his arms and discussed the next move with Ovitz.
Nisita will first contact Colombia to discuss the price, and then Ovitz will act as a backup.The two discussed how to contact Frank Price, the amount to buy the ET script, and the method of payment, and so on.
Ronald let go of the stone in his heart. Since it is a fair competition, he has room for himself, and he will not be afraid of competition from a related household.
He is still full of curiosity about the making of this film.Seeing that Spielberg was present, he didn't want to let go of the opportunity, so he stepped forward and asked:
"Mr. Spielberg, can you tell me what material the stone ball is made of? Why does it look like a real stone material when it rolls? How to solve the safety problem of the actors."
Spielberg smiled and replied, "There's nothing we can't say, it will all be revealed in the sideshow documentary. The material of the stone ball is fiberglass..."
(End of this chapter)
In a small hall of a large multiplex studio in Los Angeles, the movie "The Lost Ark of the Covenant" has finished playing the ending of the reunion of the hero and heroine, and along with the theme music, the subtitles began to appear.
This new ending is an opinion put forward by Martha Lucas. The final emotions of the hero and heroine did not give the audience an emotional climax.Spielberg cast Harrison Ford and Karen Allen as co-stars, and took a day off to film the reunion scene on the streets of Los Angeles.
The newly added ending made Paramount very satisfied.In the week before the release, a small-scale second trial screening was arranged in theaters across the country, in order to obtain feedback from the audience's sample survey and use it to strive for better film arrangement from the theaters.
This is a special booking.There were no other spectators in the small hall, only a few people were seated.In addition to the director of the film, Spielberg, several managers from Universal Pictures and CAA, and Ronald.
Chief among them is Sidney Simberg, president of MCA, the parent company of Universal Pictures.
Simberg is very busy. MGM recently acquired United Artists and acquired the latter's distribution channels.However, CIC, an overseas film distribution company jointly established by Paramount, Universal, and MGM, is facing the problem of dismantling.
Fortunately, Simberg cooperated with Eisner of Paramount Pictures, allowing the lawyers to find loopholes in the original joint venture agreement, which prevented MGM from withdrawing from the joint venture.
But before he took a breath, he was again annoyed by the news that Spielberg's new film was preempted by Columbia.
Tom Mount, the MCA-born tycoon who succeeded him in the production business of Universal Pictures, did not report directly to himself.
After the box-office failure of 1941, Mount may have felt that Spielberg would soon pass away and become a mediocre film director.Decided not to participate in the project investment of "ET", the sequel of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".
Turns out ET's project is now being snapped up by Columbia's Frank Price.Let Simberg shake his head in his heart.
Sitting next to Simberg is director Steven Spielberg.
After 1941, he no longer had complete decision-making power over new projects as before.Many "senior executives" within Columbia Pictures also came out to offer various opinions, and everyone wanted to teach him how to make movies.
He misses Simberg who discovered his fledgling "Jaws" back then.Such a good boss is only responsible for investment and operation, and it is good to leave other parts to him.It's a pity that after he was promoted to become the president of MCA, Tom Mount, who took over, had his own ideas.
Next to him is Michael Ovitz, president of CAA.Some people in Columbia objected to President Frank Price giving the green light to the ET project, and Ovitz wanted to return ET to Universal, where Simberg was.Take the opportunity to do Spielberg a favor and see if there is a chance to sign him.
"Wonderful, Steven, you are still so imaginative." Simberg likes this movie very much, and it will definitely make a breakthrough at the box office. Paramount's Eisner even played it in every major theater for marketing. Made models of two camels, a horse, and a poisonous snake.
With this movie, Spielberg is about to become one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood.
"Steven, how about we cooperate again, just like Jaws did back then." Simberg said to Spielberg, "I heard that your ET has encountered resistance in Columbia?"
Spielberg wiped his small round glasses and said, "Yes. It is mainly the person in charge of the marketing department. She believes that ET is aimed at the young market and has limited potential, so she voted against it. In addition, the person in charge of their overseas distribution also I don't think the script is scary enough to appeal to teenage audiences."
In front of his Bole and the most tacit partner, Spielberg did not hide his views.
"The script isn't scary enough." Sinberg smiled. These executives hired from the TV station didn't understand the difference between the big screen and the small screen. "The script of Jaws back then was also very plain, not scary at all."
Spielberg smiled, too.Yep, Jaws' script isn't scary either.The secret of this type of movie is not in the script.
Simberg continued, "Steven, remember? When the Jaws model broke, the crew doubled the shooting time, and the shooting budget was 30% overrun. They said they were going to replace you, but I insisted that , you know what you're doing.
After going to the set once, I didn't care about it. Sure enough, that summer vacation, we achieved a legend in the history of American movies.
Frank Price is a TV expert and a script expert, he doesn't understand the secret, why don't you come to Universal to continue ET's project? "
Simberg is still persuading Spielberg to come to Universal with the ET project.
"I have an agreement with Columbia." Spielberg said helplessly.
"Price put ET on the turnover list, as long as Universal is willing to buy it out..." CAA President Ovitz answered.
"Put it on the turnover list? Price is a veteran, and he won't sell it so easily." Simberg shook his head, and then said to Ovitz, "Would you like to propose an invitation to Price for me and Steven?" ?”
"Of course, no problem." Ovitz agreed.
If Universal buys Columbia directly, it will arouse the doubts of veteran Price and re-evaluate the prospects of the ET project.If proposed through a broker, it is more like a normal move to facilitate the establishment of the project.
"Price's senior script reader always judges the project's prospects through the script, while the films directed by Steven can always break through the constraints of the script. If I call him directly, it will arouse his suspicion. ’” Simberg said.
"Of course, only you can absolutely trust Steven." Ovitz complimented.
"Hollywood knows that I trust Steven, but they don't understand why I can trust Steven." Simberg is very proud, "I dare say you know why it is useless, because you can't find a second one." Steven."
Looking at Ovitz and several subordinates and assistants sitting in the back row with puzzled eyes, Spielberg pushed his glasses, smiled and said to Ronald sitting among them, "I remember you I have asked similar questions about the ET script, now that you have watched The Lost Ark, can you answer it? Ronald."
Ronald and Nisita also watched the test screening of "The Lost Ark of the Covenant" together. This movie really shocked Ronald speechless.
Ronald, who was still watching with a learning attitude, was deeply attracted by the story shortly after the opening, and unknowingly became an ordinary audience, worrying and cheering for the protagonist in the story.
Nisita brought him here, taking advantage of Simberg's presence, to recommend him to direct "Fast Tempo," and now that Spielberg recognizes Ronald, it's even easier.
Ronald opened his mouth and said unhurriedly, "I think this movie, like Jaws and Star Wars, has unimaginable spectacle on the screen. It is difficult to reflect the splendor of these spectacle in the script, From the script to the final film, there is a huge gap in the middle..."
He himself finally understood why when he read ET's script, where did the feeling of "just so" come from.
Just like in "The Lost Ark of the Covenant", Dr. Indiana Jones accidentally touched the mechanism in the ancient tomb, and a huge stone ball rolled down along the track, crushing all creatures on the road.
In the script, it is nothing more than the words "a huge stone ball". Who would have thought that the stone ball would be so huge and the track would be so long?Dr. Indiana Jones is so skilled, narrowly dodging the stone ball?
Such a large stone ball, if it is made of heavy materials such as stones, the actors will be in danger during filming.But looking at the shots on the screen, Harrison Ford is clearly on his own, at least in the panoramic shot.I really don't know how Spielberg made it.
If it is made of light materials, how can you shoot the heavy rolling feeling of the stone ball?
All of this requires extraordinary imagination and the skill of turning that imagination into a convincing picture on the screen.
That's why Simberg said that it's useless to know the secret. Only a few directors like Lucas and Spielberg are sure to realize the spectacle on the screen.
This is really, tell you that you don't even know how to plagiarize.
"... To cross this gap, extraordinary imagination is needed as rocket fuel to make a leap." Ronald finished the answer he understood.
"Very well. Is this your new apprentice? Steven?" Simberg was a little surprised when he heard Ronald's answer.
"No, Ronald is a very good screenwriter. I asked him to read ET's script and gave me a very good opinion." Spielberg replied.
"He happened to be trying to shoot a film for Universal." Nisita seized the opportunity to talk to the president of MCA.
"Are you Ovitz's colleague? I remember meeting you. What do you mean by striving?" Simberg knew what Nisita wanted and asked him what he wanted.
"We want a fair chance, Mr. Sinberg." Nisita made an appointment for Mount to interview Ronald for 2 weeks, and then found that someone was looking for an agent for himself, claiming that he would definitely get the director's contract within 2 weeks things said again.
"Well, you take my business card, contact my secretary, and when I am free, arrange an interview, let your client come with that Heikelin, I interview with Mount, and finally decide Who will be the director."
Simberg handed Nisita a business card with a direct line number for his secretary.He remembered the time when he met the young Spielberg, and after chatting for a while, he was impressed by his talent and enthusiasm, and gave him a chance to direct a TV movie.
"Just take a look at this kid's quality, whether he is another genius." Simberg explained the good thing, got up and left first.
Nisita obtained Simberg's contact information and achieved her greatest purpose of coming.He put his business card in his arms and discussed the next move with Ovitz.
Nisita will first contact Colombia to discuss the price, and then Ovitz will act as a backup.The two discussed how to contact Frank Price, the amount to buy the ET script, and the method of payment, and so on.
Ronald let go of the stone in his heart. Since it is a fair competition, he has room for himself, and he will not be afraid of competition from a related household.
He is still full of curiosity about the making of this film.Seeing that Spielberg was present, he didn't want to let go of the opportunity, so he stepped forward and asked:
"Mr. Spielberg, can you tell me what material the stone ball is made of? Why does it look like a real stone material when it rolls? How to solve the safety problem of the actors."
Spielberg smiled and replied, "There's nothing we can't say, it will all be revealed in the sideshow documentary. The material of the stone ball is fiberglass..."
(End of this chapter)
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