Editing American Graffiti (section)

===Universal Pictures===
Lucas spent the rest of 1971 and early 1972 trying to raise financing for the ''American Graffiti'' script.<ref name=sound>Hearn, pp. 54–55</ref> During this time, [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]], [[Paramount Pictures]], [[20th Century Fox]], and [[Columbia Pictures]] all turned down the opportunity to co-finance and distribute the film.<ref name="drugs" /> Lucas, Huyck and Katz rewrote the second draft together, which, in addition to Modesto, was also set in [[Mill Valley, California|Mill Valley]] and Los Angeles. Lucas also intended to end ''American Graffiti'' showing a title card detailing the fate of the characters, including the death of Milner and the disappearance of Toad in Vietnam. Huyck and Katz found the ending depressing and were incredulous that Lucas planned to include only the male characters. Lucas argued that mentioning the girls meant adding another title card, which he felt would prolong the ending. Because of this, [[Pauline Kael]] later accused Lucas of [[chauvinism]].<ref name=drugs/>

Lucas and producer Gary Kurtz took the script to [[American International Pictures]], who expressed interest, but ultimately believed ''American Graffiti'' was not violent or sexual enough for the studio's standards.<ref name=accept>Baxter, pp. 120–123</ref> Lucas and Kurtz eventually found favor at [[Universal Pictures]], who allowed Lucas total [[artistic control]] and the right of [[final cut privilege]] on the condition that he make ''American Graffiti'' on a strict low budget.<ref name=sound/> This forced Lucas to drop the opening scene in which the Blonde Angel, Curt's image of the perfect woman, drives through an empty drive-in cinema in her Ford Thunderbird, her transparency revealing she does not exist.<ref name=change/>

Universal initially projected a $600,000 budget but added an additional $175,000 once producer Francis Ford Coppola signed on. This would allow the studio to advertise ''American Graffiti'' as "from the man who gave you ''[[The Godfather]]''". The proposition also gave Universal [[first-look deal]]s on Lucas's next two planned projects, ''Star Wars'' and ''[[Radioland Murders]]''.<ref name=accept/> As he continued to work on the script, Lucas encountered difficulties on the Steve and Laurie storyline. Lucas, Katz, and Huyck worked on the third draft together, specifically on the scenes featuring Steve and Laurie.<ref name=title/>

Production proceeded with virtually no input or interference from Universal since ''American Graffiti'' was a [[low-budget film]], and executive [[Ned Tanen]] had only modest expectations of its commercial success. However, Universal did object to the film's title, not knowing what "American Graffiti" meant;<ref name=title/> Lucas was dismayed when some executives assumed he was making an Italian movie about feet.<ref name=drugs/> The studio, therefore, submitted a long list of over 60 alternative titles, with their favorite being ''Another Slow Night in Modesto''<ref name=title/> and Coppola's ''Rock Around the Block''.<ref name=drugs/> They pushed hard to get Lucas to adopt any of the titles, but he was displeased with all the alternatives and persuaded Tanen to keep ''American Graffiti''.<ref name=title>Hearn, pp. 58–60</ref>