Hollywood's famous tough guy star, Steve McQueen (Steve M), was diagnosed with lung cancer at the end of 1979. Everyone said it was related to his heavy smoking all year round, two packs a day.
McQueen is a strong tough guy who was tortured to the bone. For a while, people who smoked in the entertainment industry were a little scared. Although cigarette factories also cite the latest research that lung cancer has nothing to do with smoking, no one believes in the ethics of capitalists.
Peter Guber had already taken out his cigarette and thought it would be better not to smoke, at least until the Steve McQueen incident was over.
"What's your reason?"
"Reason? Every boy in America is crazy about her." Ronald felt that Gubel was also out of touch with the interests of the lower class. Brooke Shields is the dream girl of all high school boys. Do you need to ask for a reason?
"And she just finished filming 'The Blue Lagoon'. She played a girl who was stranded on a desert island with a boy due to a shipwreck. The two got married and had children. I heard that this movie has Lots of nudity, what boy wouldn’t want to be stranded alone on a desert island with Brooke Shields?”
"May I have your name?"
"Ronald Lee, I am also an advertising director and film screenwriter." Ronald finally had the opportunity to introduce himself and hurriedly handed over his business card.
"I remember your name, Ronald." Then Peter Guber called everyone, "Contact Brooke Shields' mother Terry as soon as possible. We must finalize the contract before The Blue Lagoon is released."
Director Franco Zeffirelli had nothing to do with the heroine. Shirley Knight looked sad and angry. Who told her not to find a heroine as soon as possible after rejecting Brooke Shields?
In this way, the casting of the heroine has basically been finalized, and there are already several candidates for the hero Franco Zeffirelli. Ronald is busy filming commercials again.
The country's countess, parachutist, cheerleading girls... have filmed nearly 10 commercials one after another, and Darcy Maguire, who is wearing formal suits and trousers, often comes to the set to show off. Ronald found that for professional women who often run business, wearing pants is really more convenient than wearing skirts. The so-called women’s rights were just a practical need at the beginning.
Spike Lee and cinematographer Dickinson made a lot of money for their services. The two of them had some money and flew to Los Angeles to find funding for the movie.
Now helping Ronald take photos are Katherine Bigelow of Columbia University and Persian-born photographer Amir.
Previously, the commander-in-chief issued an order to expel more than 140 Persian college students who had flawed procedures and were studying mechanical, electronic, and nuclear engineering. An art student like Amir survived. His family's assets on Wall Street suffered no loss, and his relatives were also preparing to return to the United States through a third country.
Ronald and Katherine Bigelow both sympathized with his Persian compatriots who were expelled innocently. They also felt that the commander-in-chief was venting his anger because of the consequences of his mother country. It was the commander-in-chief's failure to support the Shah of Persia that gave the Ayatollah the opportunity to return home.
The Grand Ayatollah made a condition that as long as the Shah of Persia is returned to his country for trial, the hostage crisis can be ended and oil exports can be resumed. However, the commander-in-chief did not want to be accused of being unjust, so he sent the Shah, who was being treated in the hospital, to Panama by military plane.
Now that Persia can't be dealt with, he drives away his old friends and vents his anger on innocent students. It's really not something a leader of a superpower can do.
The income from advertising shoots is considerable. The equipment rental and personnel labor fees given are only a small part compared to the money received. Ronald took the check issued by Director Darcy Maguire, happily credited it to Wells Fargo Bank, and notified accountant Lawrence.
"You have to invest this money again, otherwise when tax filing season comes, your federal income tax and state income tax will eat up half of your income." Accountant Lawrence reminded Ronald.
"What? I remember the tax rate wasn't that high?"
Lawrence began to explain to Ronald that income tax included federal and state levels, as well as corporate income tax and personal income tax, all of which were progressive. Ronald's shooting company took over the filming of 10 series of advertisements in a short period of time, and the income has exceeded the next highest tax rate, and that part of the money has to pay a tax rate of more than 50%. For most of the rest, 30-50% also applies.
"Wang Dehui, this is too high." Ronald felt a little uncomfortable. Why didn't I feel it before?
"In the past, you were a low-income person receiving subsidies, and you relied on these taxes." Lawrence said with a smile.
"Okay, what should I invest in? Stocks? Bonds?"
"It's up to you to decide. In addition to these, houses are also a good investment and can fight inflation. Stocks may lose money, but bonds cannot beat inflation. Houses can beat inflation and basically won't lose money. That's why Chinese Americans like to buy houses the most. ." Lawrence said.
"You're right, we should buy a house." Ronald thought of his aunt and Donna, who also should have a place to live in Manhattan. Renting a house is not bad, but you still have to buy a house if you can afford it.
After asking the real estate agent, Ronald really couldn't buy a good house with this little money. The only option is shared ownership apartments. All residents in a building form an owners' committee and pay for water, electricity, gas and security together. They own the property rights of the apartment and pay the annual property tax themselves.
The advantage of shared ownership apartments over traditional apartments is that the owners committee is just a management organization and does not have the power to decide whether to accept new residents. It can just resell and rent the apartments by itself. Of course, the disadvantage is also here. If a large number of black people flood in, housing prices will fall.
Ronald thought about it again and again, but what finally made his decision was Kathryn Bigelow's party. She waited in line for a rent-controlled apartment vacancy in upper Manhattan, passed the inspection by the homeowners committee, and moved into a so-called upscale community.
The predominantly white owners' committee was satisfied with her ethnicity and work, and the people she interacted with were directors and actors in the film industry, so Catherine was accepted.
Ronald quietly inquired about the rent. This traditional apartment was built before 1974. The law stipulates that the rent can only increase by a small amount each year, such as 1-2%.
After the dollar was decoupled from gold, inflation skyrocketed, but rents could not rise. The rent paid by Catherine was now far from the market price, only about half of the surrounding apartments without rent control. It is conceivable that as time goes by, this ratio will become even more exaggerated. .
After learning about this difference in rent, Ronald immediately called an agent and found a house not far from the apartment he rented. In the name of the production company, the small two-bedroom apartment was purchased for Aunt Karen and Donna to live in, while Ronald continued to live in the same place.
Anyway, the two apartments are not far apart, a 10-minute walk. The new apartment is very close to the Academy of Performing Arts and not far from Stuyvesant High School. Although there are expenses for security, management fees and other aspects, it is the best choice after all considerations. Anyway, it is better than half of it being taken away by the IRS.
This tax rate is really killing people. No wonder businesses in America are in recession. Small and medium-sized enterprises simply don’t want to expand. It seems very difficult to maintain the current scale. Ronald's thinking has changed from a civilian to a small business owner.
"It would be great if that former Hollywood actor really became the commander-in-chief. At least it would reduce taxes for the film and television industry." Ronald thought viciously.
In his spare time, Ronald still practices summarizing old movies. The synopsis he writes gets better and better, and he can almost submit it to a weekly TV magazine as a plot introduction.
In addition, he still maintains the habit of sending letters to major screenwriting agencies every day. Every week he will call several agents to whom he sent letters last week to find out whether he has received his cover letter and whether he is interested in signing it. Get off yourself and wait.
But 99% of the time, Ronald was chatting with his agent's secretary. Chatting with a secretary is a skill. If you make one phone call every day, you will accumulate not only phone bills but also tons of experience.
The work of these secretaries is very boring. They have to answer the phone, type and copy in a routine every day, which makes them eager to be recognized for their work.
Ronald became familiar with making phone calls, and gradually discovered that there were real people behind the phone with all kinds of emotions, so he began to joke with them, care about their work, and gradually made friends with some secretaries.
From getting only official answers to now expertly making flirtatious jokes with his secretaries, Ronald has become more like a Hollywood animal.
However, there has been no substantial progress in the agent's matter, although several secretaries have vowed to help him, quietly putting his resume at the top of the recommendation list, helping to mention his name, etc. But after all, Ronald didn't have any famous screenwriting works, so that was all the secretaries could do.
Maybe things will improve after "Famous" comes out.
"Ring ring ring ring..."
The phone rang again that day, and it was Julia Taylor who asked him to go to the casting studio. Something happened again with the casting of "Endless Love".
"Brooke Shields' mother, Terry, suddenly declined the invitation to audition." Julia said to Ronald, you have to continue taking photos of the audition candidates. "
"What's going on? Why did he refuse?" Ronald recommended Brooke Shields to the CEO of PolyGram Pictures. Refusing to audition meant that he had no familiarity with the big boss.
"Her original words were that this script cannot reflect Brooke Shields' acting skills. Her daughter only needs to stand there and look beautiful. It is not good for Brooke Shields' star development."
"Ha..." Ronald was amused.
"Brooke Shields, can't you just stand there and look beautiful? Acting and stuff like that are just overthinking."
"The real reason may be that the test screening of Blue Coral Reef was well received. Her mother wanted to wait for the price and wait until it is officially released before negotiating the contract. This way she can charge a higher price."
"What about us?"
"Gubel was dissatisfied and instructed us to continue with the casting process. If there was a good candidate, we would kick her out."
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