by Lynda Obst
Best Achievement in Keeping Me Going goes to my über-editor, Alice Mayhew. Through lunch after inspiring lunch at Michael’s, she egged me on as she helped me sort out what was happening on the left coast. We made each other laugh as I found the plot. She was my champion, my best company and finally my friend. Without her there would be no book. I wrote to her—as she said to me, “I am your audience, not Hollywood. Make me understand all this.”
Best Male Actor Supporting a Female goes to my terrific agent, Sloan Harris. Sloan puts the “literary” in literary agent, through his reading, editing, careful encouragement and brilliant management of the entire process. As a person who married, birthed and is a sister to agents, I know a great one when I find one.
The Best Supporting New York Cast goes to the first-rate editors who surrounded Alice and became indispensable to me: Karyn Marcus and Jonathan Cox.
Back in Los Angeles are the recipients of the Best Local Editors award: Andrea Cagan, whose input on first read and inspiration kept me going, as it did on Hello, He Lied; and Rachel Abarbanell, who is the president of my production company and was charged with keeping it going while I hid out and wrote; she turned into an editor—and a gifted one—herself toward the end of the final draft.
To Kiwi Smith, strategic partner in girl power, pledge sister and early reader with constant, wonderful suggestions and support, my continual thanks, and the title committee—a shout-out to my fine, foxy Silver Lake crew.
And my final award is the Sine Qua Non award. The “Without Which, Nothing” award goes to my interviewees. The generosity of the people to whom I spoke at length and who helped me figure out the puzzle cannot be overestimated. Thank you to Peter Chernin, Sherry Lansing, Jim Gianopulos, John Goldwyn, Michael Lynton, Sue Kroll, Gail Berman, Patrick Moran, Kevin Goetz, Jonah Nolan, and especially my brother, Rick Rosen. Not only is he a smart, superb and classy agent with great creative instincts, he is the best, most generous brother imaginable.
All of these industry leaders took significant time out of their absurdly busy schedules to talk to me for this book. They didn’t do it for me (except maybe Rick) but for the love of what they do—this crazy, difficult, constantly changing business. They want the world to understand how the whole puzzle actually works, and how hard they try to make good movies and TV shows.
© AMY AND STUART
Lynda Obst, author of the bestseller Hello, He Lied, was an editor for The New York Times Magazine before entering the film industry. She has produced more than sixteen feature films, including How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Contact, The Fisher King, Adventures in Babysitting, Hope Floats and two films with Nora Ephron, Sleepless in Seattle and This Is My Life. She is now producing television as well.
FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR: Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Lynda-Obst
MEET THE AUTHORS, WATCH VIDEOS AND MORE AT
SimonandSchuster.com
ALSO BY LYNDA OBST
Hello, He Lied
We hope you enjoyed reading this Simon & Schuster eBook.
*
Join our mailing list and get updates on new releases, deals, bonus content and other great books from Simon & Schuster.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
or visit us online to sign up at
eBookNews.SimonandSchuster.com
SOURCES
SCENE ONE: THE NEW ABNORMAL
Aljean Harmetz, quoting Laura Ziskin in the Hollywood Reporter. “Laura Ziskin, Producer of ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘Pretty Woman’ Dies at 61,” New York Times, June 13, 2011.
Oly Obst, comments in discussion with author, 2011.
Kevin Goetz, comments in discussion with author, 2011.
SCENE TWO: THE GREAT CONTRACTION
Peter Chernin, interview with author, November 2011.
Cassian Elwes, comments in discussion with author, July 2011.
SCENE THREE: HAVE YOUR POPCORN WITH SOME CHOPSTICKS
Jim Gianopulos, interview with author, September 12, 2012.
Richard Verrier, Ben Fritz, and Sergei Loiko, “Coming Soon to a Theater Near Yuri,” Los Angeles Times, June 25, 2011.
Sanford Panitch, interview with author, September 15, 2011.
Michael Cieply, “In China Movie Pact, More 3D, Less Reality,” New York Times, February 19, 2012.
Rachel Abrams, “China’s Film Quota Cracked,” Variety, February 20, 2012.
Clifford Coonan, quoting Zhang Hongsen, vice head of SARFT’s Film Bureau, “China Clears ‘Dark Knight,’ Spidey Showdown,” Variety, July 19, 2012.
Nikki Finke, “Thomas Tull Forms Legendary East Ltd: Marks Formal Entry into Chinese Film Market,” Deadline Hollywood, June 8, 2011.
Steven Zeitchik and Jonathan Landreth, “Hollywood Gripped by Pressure System from China,” Los Angeles Times, June 12, 2012.
SCENE FOUR: CREATING PREAWARENESS
Vincent Bruzzese, comments in discussion with author, 2011.
Sue Kroll, comments in discussion with author, August 19, 2009.
SCENE FIVE: FROM PARAMOUNT TO PARANOIA
John Goldwyn, interview with author, March 27, 2009.
Sherry Lansing, interview with author, October 11, 2011.
Donald De Line, comments in discussion with author, August 12, 2012.
SCENE SIX: THE CATASTROPHE
Rick Rosen, comments in discussion with author, 2011.
Marc Norman, interview with author, August 18, 2011.
Patric Verrone, comments in discussion with author, October 24, 2012.
Robert Evans, The Kid Stays in the Picture (Beverly Hills, CA: New Millennium Press, 2002).
Nikki Finke, quoting an insider, “Exclusive: Talks Day #3 ‘Stalemated,’ ”
Deadline Hollywood, November 29, 2007.
Chris Keyser, interview with author, December 7, 2011.
SCENE SEVEN: THE DIASPORA
Rick Rosen, comments in discussion with author, 2011.
James Wolcott, “Prime Time’s Graduation,” Vanity Fair, May 2012.
Gail Berman, interview with author, September 15, 2011.
Todd Milliner, interview with author, October 3, 2011.
Jonathan Nolan, interview with author, January 4, 2012.
Patrick Moran, interview with author, June 24, 2011.
SCENE EIGHT: DOES THE FUTURE HAVE A FUTURE?
Jonathan Nolan, interview with author, January 4, 2012.
Michael Lynton, interview with author, December 16, 2011.
PHOTO CREDITS
1. Licensed By: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
3. Courtesy of Sue Kroll
4. Courtesy of Kevin Goetz
5. Courtesy of Jim Gianopulos
6. Photo by Eric Charbonneau / BEImages
7. Courtesy of John Goldwyn
8. Photo by Eric Charbonneau / BEImages
9. Courtesy of Gail Berman
10. Photo by Leroy Hamilton
11. Photo by Michael Jones
12. Courtesy of Rick Rosen and Howard Gordon
13. Courtesy of WME
14. Photo by Mike Yarish—© 2012 Viacom International Inc. Courtesy of TV Land
15. Photo: John P. Filo/CBS © 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
16. Photo by Jamie Rector / www.jamierector.com
17. Photo by Susan Baker
INDEX
Abandon, 119–24
Abarbanell, Rachel, 206, 230, 253
ABC Studios, 223, 228
Abduction, 26
About Schmidt, 92
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, 61, 247
Abrams, J. J., 156–57, 200
Accused, The, 110
Adorno, Theodor, 105, 258
Adult Swim, 234
Affleck, Ben, 6, 7, 15, 82, 254
Aftershock, 71
aggregation, 262
Alias, 156
Alice in Wonderland, 5, 67
Al Jolson Sings, 246
All in the F
amily, 221
Almost Famous, 125
alternate venues, 233–34
Amazing Spider-Man, The, 5, 9, 70, 72, 241, 258
Amazon, 39, 209, 233, 234, 261
AMC Entertainment, 69, 236–37
American-Arab AntiDiscrimination Committee, 114–16
American Horror Story, 199
American Idol, 150, 199, 209, 222, 235
AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) [aka Moguls], 163, 233
see also writers’ strike
Anastasia, 230
Anderson, Paul Thomas, 92, 159
Anderson, Wes, 258
“Angry Birds,” 5
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, 157, 159
animation, 3, 129
Annaud, Jean-Jacques, 75
AOL, 262
Apatow, Judd, 8
Apple, 233
Apple Pie quadrant, 87–88, 90, 99
Apted, Michael, 185
Arbitrage, 45
Argo, 6, 16, 82, 254
Aronofsky, Darren, 92, 250
Arrested Development, 204
Assassin’s Creed, 5
Association of Talent Agents (ATA), 186–87
Attanasio, Paul, 201
Aurora, Colorado, shooting, 242
Avary, Roger, 250
Avatar, 48, 51, 63, 67, 71, 75–76, 89, 244
Avengers, The, 5, 110, 242, 244
Aviv, Oren, 104
Awards Season, 29–30
Bachelorette, 45
Bad Teacher, 21
Bardem, Javier, 62
Basic Instinct, 250
Bateman, Jason, 34
Batman franchise, 5, 6, 47, 204
Battleship, 5, 244
Battlestar Galactica, 231
Bay, Michael, 249
Beasts of the Southern Wild, 45
Beatty, Warren, 133n
Bend It Like Beckham, 157
Bening, Annette, 114, 115
Berman, Gail, 146–48, 150–52, 156–58, 199–202, 224–26, 230
Berry Pie quadrant, 87, 90, 99
Bertinelli, Valerie, 214
Besson, Luc, 26
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The, 152, 249, 259, 260
Beverly Hills Cop, 109
Bible, 250
Bicks, Jenny, 210
bidding wars, 23
Biden, Joe, 67
Bieber, Justin, 45
Big Bang, 238
Big C, The, 203, 222
Big Chill, The, 10
Bigelow, Kathryn, 7, 47, 254
Big Love, 236
Black Swan, 16, 123, 198, 250
Blair Witch Project, The, 99
Blake, Jeff, 86, 103
Blocker (production exec), 131–32, 139, 141, 144, 145–46, 148
Body of Lies, 149
Bonaventura, Lorenzo di, 138
Bond, James, 19, 254
Borgias, The, 199
Bourne Ultimatum, The, 146
Bowen, Marty, 229
box office, stability of, 242–43
BoxOfficeMojo.com, 246
Boyle, Danny, 66
Branagh, Kenneth, 8
Bratt, Benjamin, 124
Braun, Lloyd, 199, 201
Brave, 262
Braveheart, 3
Brazil, 9
Breaking Bad, 205, 220, 221, 223, 236
Brewer, Craig, 145
Bridesmaids, 13–18, 33, 204, 249
and buzz, 15
and chick flicks, 8, 9, 16, 17–18
opening, 15, 18, 100
and Oscar nominations, 199
overperformance of, 18, 58, 98–99
and quadrants, 88, 98–99
and risk-taking, 11
tracking numbers, 8–9, 13–14, 18
Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, 143
broadcast television, FCC rules for, 222
Brothers and Sisters, 229
Bruckheimer, Jerry, 109
Bruzzese, Vinny, 83, 98, 99, 102, 104–5
BSkyB, 52n
Buchwald, Art, 184
Budde, Jordan, 221, 228, 231
Bullock, Sandra, 53, 61–62, 203, 245n, 249
Burns, Michael, 245
Butler, The, 42
buzz, 14–15, 84, 101–2
CAA (Creative Artists Agency), 69, 124, 133, 137, 138, 152, 154, 207
cable TV, 215, 219, 236–37, 239
Cagney and Lacey, 209
Call of Duty, 5
Cameron, James, 7, 48–49, 51, 54–55, 130
Camp, Colleen, 136
Campbell, Joseph, 108
Can You Keep a Secret?, 131, 139, 141, 151–53
Captain America, 5
Cars, 11, 89
Casablanca, 105
CBS, 208–10, 211–12, 215, 223, 239, 252
Central Division, 209–12
CGI, 3, 129
Chadha, Gurinder, 157
Chan, Jackie, 101
Chase, David, 204
Cheezburger, 261
Chen Guangcheng, 70
Chernin, Peter, 34–40, 255
and Fox, 34–36, 52, 106–7, 117, 200
as producer, 52, 249
and Titanic, 48–50
and writers’ strike, 186, 187
chick projects, 8–9, 15–17, 244–45, 251–52
China:
coproduction deals in, 69–74, 75
as fickle friends, 72–74
film market in, 56–57, 64, 65, 69–76, 77
government regulations, 74–76
piracy in, 68
and sequels, 76–78
and 3D, 57, 67–68
Xi Jinping’s U.S. visit, 67, 72, 73–74
China Film Group, 72
chops (acting talent), 21–22
Christo, 84
Clash of the Titans, 79, 85
Clear and Present Danger, 205
Clios (advertising awards), 82
Clooney, George, 6, 7, 23, 92, 124, 133n, 202
Clue, 60
Coen brothers, 159
Columbia Pictures, 112
Columbus, Chris, 120
Comic-Con, 28–29
Connelly, Jennifer, 133n
Connick, Harry, Jr., 53
Contact, 193, 251
“Cookie,” 139–41, 146, 148, 150, 151, 153, 157–58
Cooper, Bradley, 43
Coopers, Mini, 138
Costner, Kevin, 9
Coto, Manny, 230–31
Count of Monte Cristo, The, 227, 228–29
Cowboys & Aliens, 61, 244, 247
Creative Artists Agency (CAA), 69, 124, 133, 137, 138, 152, 154, 207
creative destruction, 111
creativity, waning, 33
Criminal Minds, 209
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 102
Crowe, Cameron, 125
Cruise, Tom, 109, 151, 154–56
Cruz, Penélope, 18, 62
CSI, 209, 210
Cuesta, Michael, 197
Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The, 104
CW network, 208, 210, 215, 223
Damages, 205, 221
Damon, Matt, 80, 81
Danes, Claire, 196–97, 203
Daniel, Sean, 118
Daniels, Lee, 42
Dark Knight franchise, 5, 27, 63, 69, 70, 72, 84, 215, 216, 217, 242, 254
Dauman, Philippe, 155
Davidson, Eben, 137
Dawson’s Creek, 198
Days of Thunder, 109
DC Comics, 146, 247
Deadline Hollywood, 28
DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com, 169–70
Defectives, 230
Definite Interest Intensity (DII), 99–100, 101, 102
De Line, Donald:
and Paramount, 137, 138–39, 140–41, 142, 143, 145–50, 249
and Warner Bros., 149
Dench, Dame Judi, 259
Deng, Wendi, 74–75
Departed, The, 47, 67
Depp, Johnny, 59–60
Dern, La
ura, 199, 203
Descendants, The, 92, 104
Desperate Housewives, 235
Devil Wears Prada, The, 88
Dexter, 230
DGA (Directors Guild of America), 164, 167–68, 180, 183, 185–88
dialectical movement, 248–49
Diaz, Cameron, 21
digital production, 43–45, 232, 261
Dippold, Katie, 249
Disney Studios, 4, 65, 110, 200, 247, 254
Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The, 153
DMG Entertainment, 73
Dodd, Chris, 67–68
Dolgen, Jon:
and DVD rights, 2–3, 127
and Paramount, 2–3, 5, 109, 110, 117, 127–29, 130, 131, 133, 143, 150
and Viacom, 5, 129, 142
Donnie Brasco, 201
Douglas, Michael, 109
Downey, Robert, Jr., 133n
DreamWorks Studios, 47, 74, 89, 143, 160, 254
Driving Miss Daisy, 10
DVD rights:
keeping, 2–3, 127
and Old Abnormal, 36, 37, 40, 232, 233, 240, 256
piracy of, 68
replacing the revenue from, 39, 40, 50, 57, 106, 234, 260
slipping sales of, 11, 37–40, 191, 232, 240
and technology, 38–39, 57
and writers’ strike, 163, 174, 189, 191
Eat Pray Love, 86
Eisner, Michael, 200
Elwes, Cassian, 41–42, 43
Emily Swan, 228
Endeavor, 203–4
Endgame, 73
Enlightened, 199, 203
Ephron, Nora, 120, 131–32, 194, 198, 251, 252
Evans, Robert, 126, 174
Facebook, 86, 209, 233
Fail Safe, 202
Family Guy, 249
Fast and the Furious, 12, 33, 129
Fast Five, 8, 11, 33
Fatal Attraction, 109, 110
FCC (Federal Communications Commission), 222
Felicity, 156
Few Good Men, A, 204
Field of Dreams, 9
Field, Todd, 133n
50 Cent, 145
Fifty Shades of Grey, 5
Fighter, The, 16, 159
Fincher, David, 21, 86, 104, 203
Finke, Nikki, 169–70, 174–76, 180, 187–88
Fisher King, The, 9, 10, 257
Flashdance, 23
Flight, 254
Flying Tigers, 71
Ford, Tom, 133n
Forgetting Sarah Marshall, 198
Forrest Gump, 3, 9
Foster, Jodie, 62, 110, 193
Founding of a Party, The, 71
Fowkes, Richard, 144
Fox:
author’s departure from, 106–7, 112–13, 117
and Cameron, 48
