Hollywood starts with an agent

Chapter 25 Samuel Gowen II

Manhattan, New York.

Aaron Anderson brought Nicole Kidman to meet director David Lynch and others, and asked her to audition for "Wild at Heart" with Nicolas Cage.

Nicolas Cage, 25, had a low-budget black comedy horror film "Vampire's Kiss" released last month, in which his fiery performance attracted David Lynch;

Nicole Kidman's performance in the thriller "Over the Horizon" also caught the attention of David Lynch.

Of course, Aaron Anderson recommended Nicole Kidman to the head of PolyGram Films, which was also an important reason. After all, the main source of funds for Wild at Heart was PolyGram.
Together with France's Canal+ TV station and North American distributor Samuel Goldwyn Films, which also contributed part of the funds, David Lynch's "Wild at Heart" was budgeted at $1000 million.

"Aaron, don't worry, David has seen Nicole's performance in the movie 'Over the Horizon', there's nothing wrong!"

In PolyGram's U.S. offices, Michael Kuhn, head of film, spoke to Aaron with a smile.

Aaron nodded and looked at the other party, "PolyGram is also going to produce its own movies, right?"

"Yes, PolyGram Films just acquired 49% of the shares of the British Studio Pictures, and they are indeed going to produce their own works;"

"As you know, the British film market is completely monopolized by Hollywood. Our works cannot compare with Hollywood projects."

Michael Kuhn said, handing Aaron a glass of wine.

It is obvious that PolyGram is targeting American independent films, after all, the cost is low, right?

This year, "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" became the first American independent film to win the grand prize at the world's top film festival;
Aaron Anderson's vision has attracted the attention of many European filmmakers.

Aaron walked to the window and said, "Although independent films have appeared for a long time, mainstream Hollywood has always had a condescending attitude towards them."

“To the mainstream, independent films are nothing more than street vendors!”

"Michael, it won't be long before independent films become big business, and savvy Hollywood studios will package and release their mainstream films as independent films."

The streets are bustling with people. Today, New York City, as the heart of the world, has endless opportunities and challenges.

Michael Kuhn smiled and said, "PolyGram needs to establish its own reputation first. Showing up at international film festivals is very necessary."

Los Angeles on the west coast of the United States is a well-known center of the film industry, while New York on the east coast is the center of independent films;
Have you ever thought that New York is the birthplace of American movies? At the beginning of this century, in order to escape Edison’s film monopoly, those Jews ran from New York to the West Coast and established Hollywood!

"Aaron, you're more suited to being a film producer than an agent."

"Really? There is also the profession of manager in Hollywood." Aaron shook his head, but the manager is tied to the artist, and Aaron is not interested in spending too much of his time on a few artists.

"What are your thoughts on Wild at Heart?"

"Let's go to the film festival. This kind of artistic work is more mainstream in Europe!"

"Yeah, that's what I mean," Michael Kuhn thought.

"Director Steven Soderbergh, do you have any new projects coming up?"

Aaron shook his head, "His debut film Sex, Lies and Videotape will start showing next month in August;"

"Let's wait until the movie comes out. He doesn't have any new ideas right now."

Then, Aaron smiled and said, "Maybe we can work together soon in the future!" "Oh, Aaron, do you have any scripts you like?"

"Well, I'll send you the plan when the time comes." It is difficult for Aaron to attract investment in Hollywood, and his target still has to be Europe and Japan.

In the evening, Aaron and Nicole Kidman returned to the hotel together. Judging from each other's expressions, the audition must have gone well.

“Is that Nicolas Cage really the nephew of Director Coppola?”

Nicole Kidman sat on the sofa and asked with some confusion.

"How could it be true? At such a young age, he can already appear in various movies. How can someone from a prominent family be like an ordinary person?"

"Well, his performance was very good, and it was very comfortable to play opposite him!"

"A good performance?"

Aaron smiled. That was Nicolas Cage. He had appeared in various film and television works when he was a teenager, and he had already played the leading role in a movie when he was 19 years old.

So what if he changed his last name? Doesn't everyone know that he is Francis Ford Coppola's nephew?
Even he himself said that he was able to get those roles mainly because of his identity effect.

However, Nicolas Cage's acting skills are indeed good, and he has been honing his acting skills in art films!

Aaron leaned back on the sofa and said, "You are only 22 years old, still very young. It is necessary to hone your acting skills in this kind of art film;"

"When the time is right, I'll arrange for you to take on some commercial films. Awards are important, but Hollywood always looks at the box office!"

"Yeah, I know," Nicole Kidman leaned in front of Aaron, "Let's go rest..."

In July, competition for the summer blockbuster movies remains fierce.

Warner Bros.' Batman was a runaway success, surpassing Paramount's sequel, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade!
At the same time, Aaron also took advantage of the production of "Wild at Heart" to discuss the release of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" with Samuel Gwen II, the head of the distributor Samuel Gwen Pictures;

After the film was wrapped, producer Thomas Rugg gave Aaron a rough cut so he could use it to promote the film.

In a small conference room, Samuel Goldwyn II rubbed his eyes. “Aren’t the scenes in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles a bit violent?”

"It's originally an R-rated film, and the sharp and simple action scenes are the biggest selling point of the film. This type of film has a large audience base," Aaron explained.

"But the sets were cheap, the costumes and props were a bit crude, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was just a cheap B-grade action movie."

Samuel Gerwin II looked at Aaron and said, "Maybe the videotape market is a good place for it!"

Aaron shook his head. "It's definitely not possible to release it directly on videotape. It has to be released in theaters."

"For $300 million, I want the North American distribution rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, including theatrical, video, and television distribution."

Aaron laughed, "No way, we are very confident in this "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", and the film cost $1350 million to produce;"

"Buying out the North American distribution rights would cost at least $700 million..."

(End of this chapter)