The Biz Quiz

It was a year when Godzilla’s fire was doused at the box office, audiences chose not to meet Joe Black, people wondered if POE (“Prince of Egypt”) would make any ROI

(return on investment) and whether the ROO (return of Ovitz) would matter. Here’s the annual Company Town quiz to test your EIS (entertainment industry savvy):

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For DreamWorks SKG, the biggest challenge posed by “The Prince of Egypt” was:

a. Taking on animation giant Walt Disney Co.

b. Marketing a serious animated film without the usual fast food and merchandise deals.

c. “Redefining” animation as we know it.

d. Keeping a straight face when telling people the budget was only $75 million.

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For Hollywood executives, the Internet offers an exciting future of:

a. Being on the leading edge of the blending of entertainment and technology.

b. Developing “portals” to lure millions of Web surfers to your content.

c. Developing e-commerce for entertainment products

d. Making a killing by getting in early on an Internet public offering.

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Which was the bloodiest scene produced by Hollywood in 1998?

a. D-day invasion in Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan.”

b. Slashing scenes in “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.”

c. Combined box-office results for Universal’s “Meet Joe Black” and “Babe: Pig in the City.”

d. Sales results of “Godzilla” merchandise.

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Match the executives with the studio that fired them:

a. Casey Silver

b. Frank Biondi

c. Buffy Shutt

d. Marc Platt

e. Howard Weitzman

f. Universal Studios

g. Universal Studios

h. Universal Studios

i. Universal Studios

j. Universal Studios

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In Hollywood, you know you’ve arrived when:

a. You spend summers in Tuscany.

b. Michael Ovitz’s new management company poaches your employees and clients.

c. You receive a two-year pin for long-term service from Seagram Chief Edgar Bronfman Jr.

d. You are telling the truth when you claim you saw New Line executive Mike DeLuca in flagrante delictoat an Oscar party.

e. You are a 19-year-old writer on a hip, new TV show.

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In Hollywood, you know you’re on the outs when:

a. Michael Ovitz’s new management company makes no effort to hire your employees.

b. Workers show up at your house with orders to dismantle the $2.3-million screening room the studio built for you.

c. You’re coming up on your three-year anniversary working for Edgar Bronfman Jr.

d. You went through the year without receiving a lifetime achievement award.

e. You are a 19-year-old writer on a hip, new TV show who is asked to produce your birth certificate.

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In Hollywood, the biggest challenge in 1998 was:

a. Trying to launch a movie amid scores of other films in the crowded marketplace.

b. Staying calm when you heard your new CEO was Mel Karmazin.

c. Attempting to list all the ways Tele-Communications Inc. head John Malone gets rich selling TCI to AT&T.;

d. Reading 20 pages of Michael Eisner’s autobiography “Work In Progress” in one sitting.

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In Hollywood, the definition of financial independence is:

a. The ability to raise money to fund projects you are “passionate” about.

b. .000000000000000000001% of what George Lucas’ net worth will be after “The Phantom Menace,” the “Star Wars” “prequel,” comes out in 1999.

c. 30% or more of what Grammy chief Mike Greene makes.

d. The cumulative severance from your last two firings.

e. You expect to be able to afford a personal seat license in the new football stadium Ovitz wants to build in Carson.

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You know you’ve been in Hollywood too long when:

a. You remember when “filmmakers” were called directors or producers, “films” were called movies and “artists” were called singers.

b. You still go to the Cannes International Film Festival every year expecting to score a big deal.

c. You remember the plots of all the “Lethal Weapon” movies.

d. You remember when Stanley Kubrick first started shooting “Eyes Wide Shut.”

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The dumbest thing you did in 1998 was:

a. Called the Dodger ticket office and told them you’re friends with Rupert.

b. Wept during James Cameron’s Oscar night moment of silence for Titanic victims.

c. Bought Laker season tickets next to Jack’s.

d. Bought a house in Pacific Palisades for Bill Clinton to live in when he leaves office to become president of your studio.

e. Wished Walt Disney executives good luck releasing “Antz.”

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BONUS QUESTION

Hollywood’s new breed of young stars are eager to make:

a. independent, quality movies outside the studio system.

b. savvy career choices that will make them A-list stars.

c. a difference in today’s troubled world.

d. bail.

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Answers:

1) d

2) d

3) c and d

4) any

5) b through e

6) All

7) b, c and d

8) b through e

9) All

10) Any of them