Hollywood Hunter - Chapter 6 I am very curious about your age

After more than twenty minutes, after reading the script for more than half a time, Jonathan Friedman forcibly stopped the idea of ​​continuing to read. There are other jobs today, and now is not a good time to read the script.

Moreover, although only half of it has been completed, Jonathan Friedman has determined that the quality of the script of "Butterfly Effect" is absolutely as good as its creative story. If it can be shot, it will definitely become a very classic film.

Of course, with Jonathan Friedman's professional vision, the shortcomings of this script are also very obvious.

First of all, the name ‘butterfly effect’ seems too niche. Most ordinary people still can't understand this professional theoretical term that was only proposed in the 1970s, which will undoubtedly hinder many people's interest in the film. However, after Simon explained the meaning of the butterfly effect, Jonathan Friedman couldn't find other more appropriate names for a while. This point can only be temporarily put aside.

Second, the overall style of the story is too gloomy. Especially at the end of the story, the actor returns to his mother's body and strangles himself with an umbilical cord. Thinking about it carefully, it even makes people feel creepy.

However, the whole script also fits the style of his client's work.

In the process of reading just now, Jonathan Friedman was actually still contemplating certain ideas.

Due to the internal turmoil of WMA, a large number of customers left one after another, and Jonathan Friedman was also affected.

Brian de Palma, a well-known Hollywood director who has directed films such as "Witch Carrie" and "Scarface" under his name, was recently invited to have the idea of ​​hopping to C+. According to the information he received, C+ has even prepared a project as a meeting gift.

The reason why Brian de Palma did not leave as straightforwardly as Al Pacino, Barbra Streisand and others is mainly due to some affection cultivated through cooperation over the years.

However, Brian de Palma has failed in two consecutive large-scale productions with an investment of more than 10 million US dollars in recent years. As an agent, if he cannot find a high-quality project with sufficient box office guarantee for the other party as soon as possible, Jonathan Friedman believes that he will soon lose this customer.

Now, "Butterfly Effect" seems perfect.

Creative enough, wonderful story script, and at the same time is the type of thriller that Brian de Palma is best at. Moreover, judging from the storyline, the budget of the film is not too high, which undoubtedly makes it easier for the studio to initiate the project.

Adding all these favorable elements, Jonathan Friedman believes that the "Butterfly Effect" does not have much possibility of failure, and it is not even much worse than Brian de Palma's famous work "Carrie".

Moreover, as a group play with richer roles, this film can be used to promote young artists under his own name. Since C+ can make a series of successful packaging projects, the overall strength is no less than that of C+'s WMA, there is no reason not to copy the other party's experience.

Now, the low-budget and low-risk "Butterfly Effect" can obviously be tried as a good packaged project.

After weighing all the details, Jonathan Friedman looked up at the opposite youth. Perhaps, occasionally signing a film screenwriter is also a good choice.

Making up his mind, Jonathan Friedman spoke again: "So, Simon, do you have any other scripts?"

Simon listened to Jonathan Friedman's tone, and knew that he would be worthwhile.

However, since "Butterfly Effect" has aroused Jonathan Friedman's interest, he does not intend to immediately take out another script. Doing so will only distract the agent's attention in the script promotion process.

In fact, Simon originally planned to submit the script every one to two months as long as he could find an agent.

Nevertheless, in order to continue to increase his weight in Jonathan Friedman's heart, Simon replied with a certainty: "Yes, but the script is still being perfected and it will take some time. This is a story about death, combined with Eastern A kind of fatalistic view. In the concept of Easterners, they believe that if death confirms a person’s death date, then that person will not be able to escape the entanglement of death anyway."

Jonathan Friedman had just asked casually, but Simon's remarks aroused his interest again.

However, Simon did not go on, and Jonathan Friedman stopped asking.

There will definitely be many opportunities to chat in the future, and now we still have to solve the current issues.

"In this case, let's talk about the signing of the contract. Simon, since you have done so much preparation, you must have some understanding of signing with the brokerage company. Let me talk about your requirements first?"

Simon nodded and said, "First of all, I only write scripts that I am interested in. I do not accept commissioned scripts or long-term employment. Therefore, I hope to sign a simple script agency contract."

Just listening to Simon's first request, Jonathan Friedman couldn't help but want to shake his head.

There are only a few hundred film and television programs based on original scripts in Hollywood every year. If you only rely on original scripts to make a living, the two major screenwriting unions on the east and west coasts of North America combined may have more than 10,000 members starved to death. Therefore, most of Hollywood screenwriters rely on commissioned tasks such as script adaptation, script doctors, and long-term employment by film and television production companies.

Simon's request at this time is tantamount to restricting his personal career to a very narrow range.

I wanted to explain, but looking at the young face opposite, Jonathan Friedman chose to dispel the idea.

Since you are young and frivolous, it is better to experience some setbacks.

Simon probably understood the other person’s thoughts from the changes in Jonathan Friedman’s expression, but he didn’t pause, and continued: “Secondly, if conditions permit, I hope I can try the film director’s job, so I hope to Keep a certain degree of autonomy in your own script."

Jonathan Friedman still felt the corner of his eyes jump off, and looked at Simon a few times before finally saying: "Actually, Simon, I am very curious about your age?"

Simon took out his wallet and handed over the driver's license, saying: "Mr. Friedman, although I don't intend to hide this from you, I still feel that in the process of selling the script, you need to avoid The top of the film company talked about my personal age."

Jonathan Friedman took Simon's driver's license and scanned the date of birth on it.

February 22, 1968.

Although he knew it, Jonathan couldn't help but glanced at the date on the desk phone display. Today is June 19, 1986.

In other words, the little guy in front of him just turned 18 at the beginning of this year.

Some shook his head and smiled speechlessly, and handed the driver's license back to Simon. Jonathan Friedman said: "Well, I will ignore this as much as possible next. But Simon, you have to know that most of Hollywood The director only got the first chance to direct a film after the age of thirty, so you are too..."

Without waiting for Jonathan Friedman to finish, Simon couldn't help but shook his head and interrupted: "You are wrong, Joe. Steven Spielberg is not, Martin Scorsese is not, George Lu Cass is not, nor is Francis Ford Coppola. In that case, why should I be the mediocre majority?"

Jonathan Friedman was stunned.

Until many years later, Jonathan Friedman still clearly remembered the high-spirited young man's loud words in his office one afternoon in the summer of 1986.

Steven Spielberg is not;

Martin Scorsese is not;

George Lucas is not;

Nor is Francis Ford Coppola.

He didn't even know that the young people at that time had less than 100 dollars left in their pockets. If they couldn't find a job that could make ends meet as soon as possible, they would probably have to sleep on the streets.

After a while, after regaining consciousness, Jonathan Friedman continued to discuss the signing of Simon.

Simon had already left a deep impression on him during this meeting, and Jonathan Friedman couldn't help but no longer set too harsh signing conditions for Simon on the basis of a newcomer.

In fact, in the final analysis, the height that a screenwriter can achieve in Hollywood is ultimately limited, and the benefits to agents are irrelevant to agents at the level of Jonathan Friedman.

Jonathan Friedman instinctively felt that giving this young man some convenience at this time might be able to get unexpected gains in the future.

Therefore, the two quickly negotiated a basic contract framework.

A simple script agency contract with a contract period of three years and a commission of 10%. Simon has a certain degree of autonomy in his script. Simply put, if he wants to direct one of his own scripts, he does not need to use an agent to prepare the project himself.

The detailed contract content is naturally not so simple, so Simon needs to come back to sign the contract tomorrow.

Finally, in order to ease the feeling that Jonathan Friedman was obviously scared by himself, Simon also took the initiative to explain a few words, saying that his next goal is to make some ultra-low-cost experimental movies as exercise.

Probably the kind of a 16MM camera, a few thousand dollars, two or three people.

Jonathan Friedman was more willing to accept Simon's rhetoric and offered to provide some help within his capacity.

The two talked very happily. When the meeting was over, the time had passed 5:40 unknowingly.

Once again to bid farewell to Jonathan Friedman who personally sent him to the door of the office, Simon turned around and found that there were two men and a woman waiting in the outer lounge, both young men.

As the office door opened, the three people who were chatting stood up respectfully and couldn't help but look at Simon, the guy who kept them waiting for more than an hour. The two young men had obvious envy and vigilance in their eyes, and the girl with short black hair also looked at Simon with curiosity.

Simon just nodded slightly to the three of them. Although the girl with short hair felt familiar, he walked out without thinking.

It was not until he left the WMA headquarters building that Simon remembered a name that Jonathan Friedman had said more than an hour ago, and then realized that the short-haired girl should be Courteney Cox, the one in the famous "Friends" has compulsion Monica Geller.