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A Test of Character
I asked the independent producer quoted below to elaborate on the eternal trusim that anyone who smacks of any kind of competitiveness or type-A ambition is always threatening to the person above them. She passed along an allegedly true story about a senior production vp who'd just taken over the job of studio president, having arranged to get his previous boss fired. Obviously not wanting the same thing to happen to himself, he had to decide which of the studio's production vps he could trust and which he couldn't. Who stays and who goes?
The studio chief decided on a brilliant deciding strategy. As an ostensible gesture of support, he offered all of the studio production vps a new car on the studio's dime, telling them to choose whatever they'd like. Almost all of them asked for a super-expensive prestige car -- BMWs, Mercedes-Benz, etc. But one studio vice-president asked for a VW Cabriolet. The studio chief decided to keep that guy and fire everyone else. He knew that anyone who would choose a Cabriolet is not that ambitious and probably a guy who deep-down sees himself as some kind of second-rater, and would therefore not scheme to get the studio chief fired down the road. He was probably right.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 13, 2008 at 3:04 PM
comment #1
actionman
says ...
That or the person who requested the VW Cabriolet is smarter than the studio president
But seriously, this is quite funny, and if true, not all that surprising about this town.
Posted by actionman
at March 13, 2008 3:27 PM
comment #2
Dave
says ...
Agree with Actionman-- I could totally see a Machiavellian seeing through a stunt like that.
"Pick the Cabriolet now. . . stab the studio chief later when they sleep."
I mean, c'mon-- who gets to be a studio VP in Hollywood *without* being ambitious and greedy?
Oh, and judging by 95% of what gets greenlit, brain-pan draining stupid as well ;-)
Posted by Dave
at March 13, 2008 4:10 PM
comment #3
erniesouchak
says ...
Actually, in many of the places I've worked, mere competence was perceived as a threat to my superior.
Posted by erniesouchak
at March 13, 2008 4:55 PM
comment #4
Jay T.
says ...
Now THAT is a great Hollywood story...
Posted by Jay T.
at March 13, 2008 4:55 PM
comment #5
MilkMan
says ...
This must be a sisyphean task in an industry where 100% of the people are A-Type Assholes.
Posted by MilkMan
at March 13, 2008 5:30 PM
comment #6
MAGGA
says ...
Given the tone of the talkbacks on this site in general, it makes it difficult to say something like this and sound sincere, but I loved that story, and think it would be a good basic idea to base a great screen character on. The character of the guy who ordered the duller car could have been a Capra-esque guy until the truth dawns on you: He'll never get anywhere.
Posted by MAGGA
at March 13, 2008 8:37 PM
comment #7
nemo
says ...
I'm glad I'm not in the entertainment industry. In my company, I chose the guy who refused to accept any car because it's a frivolous waste of the company's money that jeopardizes the future survival of the company.
Posted by nemo
at March 13, 2008 10:50 PM
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