Chapter 503 bundled release

   "Is this how you dance?"

   "It seems to be like this, it's always wrong, hey."

  After the trial screening ended, the selected audience of college students, many of them, imitated break dancing in the front hall of the cinema.

   A lot of people in the audience are trying to moonwalk, but no one can figure out why it looks like they are stepping forward, but when they jump out, they are going backwards.

   "HipPop is so intense, so exciting,

  That beautiful girl dances well. "

  A few viewers who watched the trial screening sang IceT's impromptu rap lyrics, and they discussed it when they walked to the bathroom door to line up.

   "Hey, at the Motown concert in the first half of the year, did MJ just dance like this?"

   "Indeed, but when I saw the motor in the movie, it danced more gracefully than MJ."

   "It's a pity that MJ didn't dance in the movie, otherwise you can watch him compare with Ma Da."

   "What, where is MJ in the movie?" An audience just came out of the bathroom and was at a loss after hearing their conversation.

   "Didn't you watch the ending? Isn't that the one who came to dance with them on the street?"

   "That's right, he said it very well, break dancing is a street art."

   "I...I came out early to go to the bathroom, I'm afraid the queue will be too long."

   "Then you are miserable, the last part is wonderful."

   "Really? When will this movie be released again?"

   "This is a trial screening, idiot, you'd better wait for the official release."

Seeing the heated discussions in the hall and the audience trying to figure out how to do the spacewalk, Ronald was overjoyed, "It's all right now. This is the first time I have encountered such an enthusiastic response since I became a director. "

  Minahan stood beside him, also extremely excited. Never has a cannonball movie been so popular. Perhaps the "Lemonade" filmed in Israel five years ago may have reached this level in Israel.

   But this is America! Dozens of times the market capacity of Israel.

   The remake of "Lemonade" "The Last Virgin in America" ​​with high expectations failed at the box office in the North American market. If it succeeds this time, how much money can it make!

  Minahan turned his head and looked at the representative of the distribution department sent by MGM. He had jumped to the only pay phone in the cinema and was calling the company:

"Yes, I promise, it's a good movie. Cannonball has never made such a good movie. I don't care if their other movies are **** or not, this one will do. Apart from the plot and the dancing, this movie Just in time for pop craze breakdancing.

  ...Yes, it's the one that Orion invested 9 million...Yes, it's called Hot Street Kid...It's not a problem, whether their movie is better or not, the point is that this Breakdance will be sent to the MPAA for rating soon.

Yeah, I think we can get it out early and catch them off guard... no, listen to me, I don't know how they did it, and got a MJ cameo, and which MJ... well, I'll let him bring a copy once. "

MGM's distribution representative, after the phone call, came back and said to Minahan, "My boss asked you to bring a copy to MGM headquarters for a showing. I can't convince them right away, but I think your film can be done. arrive."

   "Hahaha, then it's a deal." Minahan solemnly shook hands with him to finalize the deal.

  Having good news, Minahan began to think about it.

  Such a good movie, should MGM release it? Wouldn't it be possible to make more money if Cannon issued itself?

   "Do you think our Cannon's distribution department can eat the release of Breakdance now?" Minahan asked his cousin Yoram in the car when he returned to the office after the trial screening.

   "No, even if Cannon has this ability, it must be released by MGM."

  Yoram disagrees. Movies like "Breakdance" do not have stars starring, and they rely entirely on distribution channels to promote them.

   The most important thing is to attract enough audiences to the set in the first week of release. The distribution department of Cannon has just been established, and has not gone through the running-in of the project, nor does it have familiar theater channels.

   Relying on oneself, it is absolutely impossible to get more than a thousand theaters. The final box office performance of the movie depends on the scale of the first weekend and the audience's word of mouth.

  MGM is the company with distribution strength. Although they have to cut a large piece of meat, compared to the large number of theaters, the skilled marketing methods are still very worthwhile.

"Although MGM doesn't make movies anymore, they are still members of the MPAA's board of directors. If they come forward to rate, they will pass the rating as quickly as possible. You forgot, Orion has a film with the same theme in preparation. "

"You are right, we still have to let MGM distribute it. This can also save our precarious cooperation with them. I am just not reconciled, obviously this is a good opportunity, and it is possible to pull up our own distribution team Yes." Minahan shook his head regretfully.

Yoram touched his chin and said, "Actually, we can sign a joint distribution agreement with them. In this case, the first two months... I think this breakdance will definitely last for more time. The first two months are divided into Let them take it when it is high, and we can release it at the same time, and put the movie in the second round of theaters, township theaters, and those old theaters in big cities.”

   "Yes." Minahan nodded, "Any other ideas?"

  Yoram got excited, "I still have some ideas. If the top executives of MGM really do what the person in the distribution department said after seeing the movie, we can bundle a movie with them."

   "Keep talking."

   "Aren't they refusing to release Brooke Shields' 'Sahara' in America? We decided to release the two films in a bundle, and we can only buy them together, or not at all."

   "Hey, you kid, I like this idea." Minahan happily patted Yoram on the shoulder several times.

  Yoram is mainly responsible for distribution at Cannon, and he also grinned, being able to distribute Brooke Shields' movie can be regarded as solving a big problem.

   "Actually, I also have an idea," Minahan's eyes sparkled, "We can start preparing for the sequel."

"This is what I want to say, our company Cannonball is originally a company that makes money by making sequels. It's not about buying sequels from other companies, such as the sequels of 'Dare to Die' starring Chuck Bronson. It's our own filming of 'Ninja Tiger' The sequels of "Dou" have brought huge profits to our European business. Since MGM likes breakdancing so much, I suggest to start filming as soon as possible."

   "No, we are going to start planning Breakdancing 2 now." Minahan waved his hand, "The breakdancing trend is coming very quickly, but we don't know when it will ebb. We want to launch a sequel in the shortest possible time."

   "What are you going to do?"

"Look for the leading actors first, all the leading actors, quickly sign a film contract. Before they become famous and too expensive for the release," Minahan said, "And the screenwriter, find the screenwriter, on the basis of the first film, on the basis of the first film. Write the story of Ma Da, Cyclone, and Kelly continuing their dance careers."

   "You don't want Ronald to continue directing?" Yoram asked.

"I know him. This movie is just a play for him. It didn't take much effort, and he directed it while lying down. The movie he made in Columbia is his meticulously crafted work. If these two movies If he can sell well, he will definitely become the target of big studios, and it is impossible for us to ask him to direct such low-cost exploitation films.

   I would love to work with him again, he is a guy who can't get around. Although not credited as Breakdance's screenwriter, he did most of the script adaptations, and these adaptations played the most critical role in the film's success. The union will recognize his achievements, so the sequel must obtain his consent. "

Minahan couldn't help but hit his big head twice with his fist, "I'm so stupid, I should have signed an extra film contract with him at that time. Now we can only find him when we can raise funds to shoot a big production. He cooperates."

  A few days later, MGM's screening room erupted in applause. The head of their distribution department and the company's vice president all stood up to pay tribute to Minahan.

  Same as the previous test screenings, the test audiences were completely crazy after watching the movie. They went directly to the investigators of MGM and asked them when it would be released. They must watch it again with their friends.

  Although MGM was dissatisfied with the bundling conditions, but because of the audience's average rating of A-, they pinched their noses and signed the "Sahara" distribution agreement, responsible for the first round of distribution of the two films in America.

  The second round of distribution, and the distribution of some remote theaters, are handed over to Cannon Pictures.

   "Mazeltov (congratulations), the next thing is to quickly submit for review and get a PG rating." The vice president of MGM took the initiative to raise his glass and greeted him with a Jewish toast.

   "Then wish us a fortune!" Minahan celebrated with champagne for the first time with the executives of the seven major companies, "Hahaha!"

   "By the way, Ronald Lee was a smart choice for you to direct. He is very good at making exploitation films. Are you ready for a sequel? Don't be surprised... Who in Hollywood doesn't know that you Cannonball is the king of sequels?"

   "We have this plan, and we are going to add an advertisement at the end of the copy, Breakdance 2-Electronic Boogaloo, coming soon, so stay tuned."

   "Electronic Boogaloo?" MGM's vice president laughed, "It's a good name, and it's catchy to say."

   "Yes, it just so happens that we also plan to let Bugaloo Prawn be the protagonist of the sequel. He is now MJ's choreographer. When the sequel is released, he should be the most popular among the three leading actors."

"That's right, his moonwalk is the best dance segment in this movie," the vice president of MGM raised his glass, "Director, do you still invite Ronald? If it is him, we are willing to book a distribution contract immediately. "

   "Hahaha, he's currently working on another Columbia film in post-production, and we're talking to him too."

  Minahan raised his glass happily, "L\'Chaim! (It's a blessing to be alive.

  Minahan sent the copy for review, and then began to fully prepare and coordinate the release work, as well as the shooting of the sequel.

  Several leading actors have successfully signed contracts, and the screenwriter team has also been found, but Ronald is very busy and has no time to discuss the filming of the sequel with him.

  Because it happened that Ronald's vacation came, and he had already gone back to edit "The Longwei Kid".

  (end of this chapter)