Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 201 Eisner's Little Trouble



Chapter 201 Eisner's Little Trouble

"Want to know what's going on between me and Calvin? Nothing"

There was an ad for Brooke Shields' CK jeans on TV.Ronald made a series of this commercial, but only this one was broadcast repeatedly by the TV station.

"I heard that she is the most popular young girl in America right now?" Minahan Golan raised his thick finger, pointing at Brooke Shields on TV and asked.

"Yes, her blue coral reef is very hot. I heard that she is now participating in a new film 'Endless Love.'" Yoram replied.

"We also want to invite her to film. She looks very classical, and our Cannon can praise her as an Oscar queen."

On the pretext of not being hungry, Ronald did not have the fast food with the pagoda pattern, but Minahan and Yoram ate it all.

When the two Israelis first saw the slogan, they laughed loudly. It seems that even foreigners have no problem understanding the implication of the slogan.

Presumably, Minahan also arranged for the beautiful heroine to sing a song called "I'm Coming" in the blockbuster "Apple".It can be seen that no matter what foreign language you learn, the first thing you learn is swear words and that kind of words.

Ronald didn't want others to know that he shot this vulgar advertisement, so he didn't make a sound.The TV station singled out this one and played it repeatedly. It seems that Brooke Shields and her daughter will be under a lot of pressure.

……

"Want to know what's going on between me and Calvin? Nothing"

Michael Eisner, president of Paramount Studios, is also talking about the ad.

“The people in the distribution department didn’t want to go to theaters to sell this CK jeans ad. They made the excuse that there wasn’t a precedent for an ad before the movie aired, but they were just unwilling to accept change and had no motivation.”

Michael Eisner, the president of Paramount Productions, sat across the desk from a bald man with a bigger head and thicker neck than himself, reporting to him.

"Michael, we know each other well. Honestly, do you think it's a good idea to run commercials before the movie opens in theaters?"

The speaker was Paramount Chairman and CEO Barry Diller.Diller is Eisner's old boss. Since he jumped from ABC and took over Paramount in 1974, he also hired Eisner and arranged him as the president of the studio. He is the right-hand man who directly reports to him.

In the past few years, Diller's main focus has been on producing series for TV stations, and he has gradually let go of film affairs to this subordinate who had an outstanding performance at ABC but had a rough style. .

This style has a tendency to intensify when it comes to Paramount.Recently, many people from the film production department and external investors of the film have sued him, stating a lot of Eisner's arrogant actions.

Barry Diller knew that Eisner was pushing his own strategy, and he offended a lot of bigots and partners.In fact, he was very satisfied with Eisner's propulsion ability, but things were out of control, and he needed to be reminded in person.

"I think there is no difference between movies and TV in essence. TV stars can naturally make movies. And there is no problem with advertising on TV programs in movie theaters." Eisner talked eloquently. The integration strategy must be closely followed.

"I heard that you want to fire Marion Dorotti, the studio's vice president in charge of casting?" Barry Diller suddenly mentioned a personnel arrangement.

"Marion, she's always making trouble for me." Others may rarely see Eisner's complaining side, only in front of this boss and mentor, he still retains some of the straightforwardness of the year.

"I actually like the casting of Marion Dorotti, she is the first woman to add the title of independent casting director in the subtitles. The year before last's 'Grease', last year's 'Urban Cowboy', she discovered by herself John Travolta. Eisner praised her first.

"But she is an old stubborn, unwilling to implement the strategy of integrating film and television, and always has an objection to TV actors participating in movies, and spreads this idea in front of her subordinates.

I don't have a problem with her personally, but we hired her from the casting studio in New York, not to be the casting director, but to be the vice president in charge of casting.This is a blatant violation of the established strategy. I have no choice but to let her go. "

Eisner explained his motivation for firing Marion Dolotti as being contrary to the company's strategy.He knew that this was Barry Diller's bottom line, and the boss had always valued the TV business over the film business.

"And Robert Sterwood, he also came to me and complained that you didn't like Andy Gibb, who he chose for the Grease sequel."

Barry Diller clicked again.

"Come on, Andy Gibb can't act at all..."

"I didn't mean to accuse you." Barry Diller stopped Eisner from explaining, "We are old acquaintances, Michael, you did a good job."

Returning to his studio president's office in high spirits, Eisner easily fought off rumors about him at Barry Diller's side.He whistled and practiced his golf putt against the artificial turf in the office.

"Pa", another push into the hole.Humming, Eisner stepped forward and bent down to take out the golf ball from the hole.

When you bend over and bow your head, blood flows to your brain.Eisner looked down at all the furnishings in the office, upside down, with the desk above and the chandelier below.

Suddenly a burst of doubts rose from my heart.Eisner puts down the putter and sits back in his chair to think about it.

"Why did Barry Diller specifically mention Marion Dolotti and Robert Sternwood?" Eisner rubbed his chin.

"Could it be that my opponents in the studio system heard the news that I was going to fire Marion?" Since I took office, I have adopted a strategy of dividing and attacking, and never let the person who opposes the most fiercely have the most support. By.

However, Marion Dolotti, the vice president in charge of casting business, is the leader of many Oscar-winning actors, and she has deep connections in the industry.Moreover, the founding studio is still running in New York.She often quarrels with herself face to face, and she is not afraid of the threat of her own dismissal at all.

And Robert Sternwood, armed with the power of several blockbuster movies, began to dictate to himself.The lucky record salesman, who thinks he's found the secret to blockbuster movies, is trying to do it again.

Eisner first made a phone call to his eyeliner at Brothers, "Okay, Warner Bros. has met her? She didn't agree to change jobs? Thank you, I understand."

Marion Dorotti has actually been in contact with Warner Bros., and has not yet agreed to the other party's poaching.If she agreed to the other party, there would be one less vice president in the company who opposed her.But maybe I can use her upright character to remember her hard and establish my own prestige within the company.

"Ms. Dorothy, please come to my office." Eisner thought over and over again, and first pressed the call button to order to the secretary.He decided to talk to Marion Dolotti first.

Eisner and Dorotti have accumulated deep conflicts.At the high-level meeting, the eyes of the two of them no longer met.

Marion Dorotti was also surprised to learn that Eisner was looking for her, and she walked to the long-lost CEO's office.

"Marion, please don't leave us." Eisner unexpectedly waited outside the office door, holding Marion Dorotti's palm with both hands. "I heard you have thoughts of leaving Paramount? Even though we disagree on some things, we can't live without you."

Eisner ushered Marion into the office and said some ramblings. 10 minutes later to see her out personally.

Marion Dorotti had a guess in her mind, and after returning to the office, she called her subordinate Julia Taylor, who took over the casting studio in New York after her.

"Julia, it's Marion... I'm afraid Eisner will fire me. I will accept Warner Bros.' invitation to work there. You should know where I am going first."

Michael Eisner is very satisfied with his operation.If Marion had been smart, she would have resigned herself and accepted an offer from Warner Bros.It would be better if she was stupid enough to stay. The effect of public dismissal would be more shocking to the inside and outside of the company than resignation, and her power in Paramount Studios would be more stable.

"Give me Katzenberg." Eisner connected the call of the subordinate in charge of production.

"Jeffrey, this is Eisner. How's the Grease sequel going?"

Jeffrey Katzenberg felt a little sudden on the other end of the phone.Eisner rarely asked about the details of specific productions.

"Storwood has found a screenwriter, and he still insists that the film can be produced and completed before the end of the year. As long as they reach the start-up, we must invest the agreed production cost according to the contract."

"Accept his request, don't start shooting after getting the script. I will go to Sidney from MCA, understand?" Eisner explained a few words and hung up the phone.

Sidney of MCA refers to Sidney Simberg, the president of MCA, the parent company of Universal Pictures.

Since the early 70s, Paramount and Universal have formed a joint venture in which the two studios share distribution channels outside North America.Therefore, the two studios often exchange projects. If Paramount is not optimistic about the project, Universal may buy it and take it over, and vice versa.

"Robert Sterwood, the owner of the record company, how did he offend Eisner?" Katzenberg was well aware of Eisner's plan.Sterwood wanted to make popular singer Andy Gibb popular.And his contract stipulates that the sequel of Grease must start filming by the end of the year in order to obtain Paramount's automatic investment.

Eisner first pretended to agree to the shooting plan, and then found a reason to stop it, put the script on the rotation list, and let Universal take over.In such a short time, Sterwood is under investment pressure, and it is very likely that he will be forced to give up Andy Gibb as the protagonist, and suffer a dark loss.

"Anyway, Andy Gibb really can't act, and that long face doesn't look good on camera." Katzenberg picked up the phone, "Put me through Ovitz from CAA, and ask their writers to talk about 'Grease Sons' tomorrow." ' script contract."

(End of this chapter)


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