Chapter 281 (1/2)

Simon has some helplessness. Jonathan's question has almost become his mantra these days.

Taking the agent to the buffet table full of food, Simon said, ”Joe, you know me, as long as the conditions are right, I will definitely give priority to wma customers.”

”Wma has more than 3000 customers. Simon, I believe any of your needs can be met.”

Simon joked, ”what if I need Robert Redford?”

”I'm trying to get some clients back from CAA recently, so Simon, you really have to help me this time.”

Simon knows about it, too.

Compared with wma's old men in their 70s and 80s, Jonathan is in his prime. He has successfully become the new president of wma and has successfully entered the board of directors. He is ambitious to revive the old talent agency.

”Joe, I don't think you need to compete for customers any more. The most important thing is to manage wma's existing customer resources well. As you just said, wma has more than 3000 customers, enough to meet the needs of any kind of film. And, you know, I'm not the kind of person who likes to use first-line stars too much. ”

Jonathan nodded, but insisted, ”but we have to dig some back.”

Everyone has their own insistence, Simon no longer persuades, but says: ”in fact, the intersection of life that Ella is preparing is a very suitable project for wma. You should have seen the script. It's a large-scale group play that needs dozens of actors. The director of Robert Altman is enough to make sure that this film attracts the attention of major film festivals. This kind of art oriented film, which has an Oscar level director and a lot of room to play the helm role, is actually the best platform to train actors. You can put in some of the actors that wma plans to cultivate in the next few years, so that similar projects can continue, and then make some nominations Most of them can stay in the first and second tier ranks

In my memory, the cast of the original ”intersection of life” includes Robert Downey Jr., Julian Moore, Chris pan, Tim Robbins, Andy McDowell, Francis mcdormond, Jennifer Jason Lee and a large number of well-known Hollywood stars.

However, in this era, these people are basically only second - and third tier actors.

For Simon, who is familiar with the future, it's easy to find such a standard road to fame for Hollywood actors by looking back.

Before the 1990s, most of the old Hollywood stars were lucky enough to play in some successful commercial films, which made them popular and maintained their fame for a long time. Like Robert Redford's ”tiger and leopard”, Harrison Ford's ”Star Wars”, Al Pacino's ”Godfather” and so on, even Robert De Niro, who is famous for his acting skills, won the recognition of the industry only after the very successful ”Godfather 2” in business, and then began to conquer the city in the Oscar.

However, after the 1990s, the new generation of Hollywood stars gradually explored a career development mode of accumulating popularity from participating in literary and art films, so as to advance commercial film stars. The key reason for this trend is the re prosperity of literary and art films in the 1990s.

It has to be said that a fat man really played a big role in this process.

Now, Hollywood has just recovered from the low ebb of the sixties and seventies. Simon can clearly see that this road to fame is somewhat patterned. Some people in Hollywood may have tried it, but before the eighties, the types of Hollywood films were not as divided as after the nineties. At least before Simon appeared, there were not many obvious successes in the circle Typical, naturally, there is no reference.

Jonathan began to think when he heard Simon's words.

After Simon's appearance, Hollywood has given birth to a similar model of fame. Sandra, who is popular with ”Lola Run”, is the most special case.

Jonathan thought of ”vulgar novel”. Although the film also used such celebrities as Robert De Niro and Robert Redford, Samuel Jackson, Nicole Kidman and other previously unknown actors also became famous through the film.

Simon doesn't have Robert Altman's old directors, but he is as famous as his counterpart.

Well, Simon's works can be popular with many people, and Robert Altman's works, which are old directors, also have such potential. Simon through the box office, these people through the awards, in the final analysis, as long as the actor's qualifications and exposure as much as possible, they are naturally easier to get more opportunities.

”I'll go back and study the script of the intersection of life carefully. Simon, wma will package all the roles of this project. What do you think? I promise to provide the best and cheapest actors for danielis entertainment. ”

If you want to participate in such a movie, you should not think about the high salary. Jonathan believes that most actors should not lack this vision. If you only have money in your eyes, there is no need to explore and cultivate it.

Simon shook his head and said, ”Joe, that's a bit too much. I can't promise you.””Well, then, it should be OK to lean towards wma as much as possible?”

”That's for sure.”

When they came to the buffet table, Jonathan followed Simon to pick up the tray to pick up the food and said, ”besides, Simon, is that new film that Brian is preparing really not good for you?”

Jonathan was talking about Brian De Palma.

Also Jonathan's client, who has helped him a lot, Simon has been in close contact with Brian De Palma.

Last year, after her cooperation on instinct, Palma tried to transform. She cooperated with Columbia Pictures to make a popular Vietnam war movie ”Vietnam war trauma”, starring Sean Penn and Michael fox, with a budget cost of $22 million and a schedule of August 18 in late this month.

Simon doesn't have much impression on Vietnam war trauma. He also thinks that Palma's War theme is not reliable, so he is not optimistic about it.

However, what Jonathan is talking about at this time is another new film that Palma is preparing recently, called ”bonfire of vanity”, which is adapted from the original novel of the same name. It tells the story of a Wall Street elite who was targeted by a tabloid reporter because of a traffic accident and then fell into the vortex of public opinion. His work life has become a mess.

In my memory, this urban comedy, which tends to be realistic and ironic, is starred by Tom Hanks. It invested a lot of production budget, but failed at the box office.

Tom Hanks has never been a bad guy on the big screen since the bonfire of vanity, and Brian De Palma has become conservative because of the film's box office fiasco. Since then, there have been few good works with distinctive personal style, which can only be used as a foil for Tom Cruise in such commercial blockbusters as mission impossible.

”I don't think there's a bright spot in this story. Moreover, if Brian insists on shooting, he must pay great attention to casting, and the budget should be controlled within a reasonable range, preferably no more than $20 million. ”

Jonathan suggested, ”why don't you take time to talk, Simon.”

Simon nodded and said, ”yes, but I have to confess that Denise can't take over the project.”

With Palma's reputation, as long as the budget control is reasonable, and there will be no major casting mistakes in the original time and space, the new version of ”bonfire of vanity” will not lose too much even if it still loses money, and it may make some money through later operation.

However, if danielis entertainment takes over this project, it must arrange a relatively excellent schedule for it and invest enough publicity resources.

Hollywood's annual hot schedule is limited. Think about the same summer season, the same $20 million budget, the same publicity investment, ”bodyguard” can sell $100 million at the box office, and ”bonfire of vanity” can only sell $10 million. This potential loss is huge.

”It's not a problem, Simon. After” Butterfly Effect ”and” instinct ”, the project Brian wants to shoot now does not lack investors. In fact, he just wants to try more types. As a director, you should have a better understanding of this mood.”

Simon nodded understandably.

Talking like this, they chose some food. They were just about to find another place to eat. Finally, someone at the scene could not bear to wait for the end of their conversation and just stepped in.

Seeing Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith approaching, Jonathan realized that he had taken up too much of Simon's time, which probably caused a lot of dissatisfaction at the party tonight.

Jonathan and Simon have too many opportunities to communicate. They are not in a hurry. After simply greeting the Johnsons, who are also customers of wma, they readily give them the space to talk.

Simon had contact with Melanie Griffith during the Cannes Film Festival last year and met again. The Hollywood actress has married another actor, Don Johnson, and is still coming to the party with a big stomach.

Patiently chatting with the Johnsons, Simon pretended to be inadvertently curious about the baby's gender.

Knowing that it was a girl, I couldn't help but warm my heart and ask the little guy's name.

Melanie Griffith listened to Simon's question, stroked his belly and said happily, ”name, we haven't thought about it yet. Simon, do you have any good suggestions?”

”I'm more inexperienced,” Simon said with a smile. ”But since it's a girl, how about Dakota?”

Melanie Griffith repeated, ”Dakota?”

”Yes.”

Don Johnson said strangely, ”Simon, what's the meaning of this name?”

Simon searched his memory and said, ”it's probably from the native Indian language, which means” eternal smile. ”

”Eternal smile”, a beautiful name, ”praised Melanie Griffith, looking at her husband,” don, what do you think? ”

Don Johnson nodded, ”that's good.”

”Then our little guy's name is Dakota Johnson,” Melanie Griffith said, looking back at Simon and saying, ”since you named him, Simon, how about being the godfather of the little guy?”Simon shook his head and refused, ”forget it. I'm not prepared for that. Besides, I'm not religious

”It's a pity,” said Melanie Griffith, holding her husband in his arms and pulling toward him. He said, ”Simon, Miami is about to end next year. Don wants to try to develop to the big screen. Do you have a chance for him with your 10 films this time?”