"Ronald, you surprised me." Lindsay looked at Woody Allen's evaluation of the script that Ronald gave him, "I didn't expect you to have this trick. I think this time the director can also switch.
position."
"Do you think so too? Then let's go negotiate with them right away. The other party's lawyer said that they will leave the set at 5pm today."
Lindsay looked at the clock on the wall, 12:30. "Okay, we'll leave right away."
"David, this is my lawyer, Miss Lindsay Dole. Please call the director and lawyer Mickey Kanter, and we will resolve this matter this afternoon."
Ronald introduced the lawyer to the producer and asked for a meeting.
David da Silva looked at him for a long time and said, "I hope nothing unexpected will happen to me again this time." He then told his assistant to ask for the director and lawyer.
After director Allen and lawyer Mickey Kanter were seated, Ronald introduced the lawyer lady to them again.
"Let's get down to business, shall we? What's your client's attitude?" Mickey looked up and down at Lindsey Dole again with his gray eyes.
"My client wishes to communicate alone with director Alan Parker for five minutes." Lindsay made the first motion.
"What the hell are you doing?" the producer fumed.
"It was just a private communication. I guarantee that he will only have a positive impact on solving the problem today," Ronald said.
The producer and Mickey's lawyer whispered a few words and said to Ronald: "Okay, we'll give you five minutes and hope you won't do any more tricks."
"And you, Lawyer Dole"
Ronald nodded to the lawyer, and she left her seat and went out with him.
"Tell me what you want, Ronald. If you think $3,000 is not enough, I can give you more," Director Parker said.
"I rewrote the script for Doris, and this is the conclusion I asked someone to evaluate." Ronald handed over a copy of Woody Allen's note.
"What's this?"
Allen looked suspiciously.
"Director Woody Allen commented on the plot of Doris I wrote."
"Do you know Woody?" The director was a little surprised.
Ronald shrugged, "I'm not exactly new to Hollywood."
"Is this true? You really found a solution to Doris's problem?"
After reading the note, Allen was still a little skeptical.
"This is the evaluation director Woody Allen gave after reading my script. He cast Julia. If you don't believe it, you can call and ask."
Allen stood up and went out to make a phone call.
The producer and lawyer Mickey outside were a little surprised when they saw Alan go out to make a phone call quickly, so they returned to the room and asked Ronald what he had done.
"Alan is just confirming one thing. We just have to wait patiently."
After a while, Director Allen returned to the conference room.
"Ronald, I talked to Julia, and she also spoke well of your script. Tell me, what do you want?"
"I just want what I deserve." Ronald wanted to continue answering, but was stopped by the lawyer.
"I am Lindsay Dole, the attorney representing Mr. Ronald Lee. I think now we can talk about the details of the contract."
Attorney Lindsay Dole handed a draft of the contract to Mitch Kanter. Attorney Mitch opened it and flipped through it.
"Also, I have a photo here that can help this movie solve a major hidden problem at the box office. If you are willing to sign a contract with me, I can tell you right away, David."
Ronald took out another envelope and waved it to the producer.
"What do you mean? What are the hidden dangers of the movie?"
"I can't tell you now, you can choose not to believe it, David." He said and put the envelope away.
The producer and director exchanged glances.
"I have no objection to Ronald signing the script." The director nodded.
"He can co-sign as 'script'. 'Story' is attributed to the original author, Christopher Gore." I went to call him. The producer got up and walked away.
After a while, producer Da Silva returned to the conference room and nodded to lawyer Mickey to indicate that it was done.
"It turns out he was prepared." Ronald thought to himself.
Mickey handed over a piece of paper and said, "My client agrees to let the nun's client sign the script of 'Hot Lunch' in the following form:"
Ronald and the lawyer took a look and found two lines of words on it.
Story: Christopher Gore
Screenplay: Christopher Gore & Ronald Lee
Attorney Lindsay Dole took a look, crossed out the &, and re-penciled "and"
"In the handbook of the Screenwriters Guild, it is clearly stipulated that if two screenwriters are connected by &, they belong to the same team. If they are connected by and, they are independent revisions. Our client obviously belongs to the latter, which can better reflect his screenwriting ability.
."
Mickey Kanter took back the piece of paper, "We have no objection."
"It seems like a trap set deliberately?" Ronald and the lawyer lady looked at each other.
"Your client has the right to sign the script, but does not have the right to receive screenwriting awards, including Oscar nominations." Mickey Kanter then proposed the next clause.
"Since our client has one of the signatures of the 'script', he should have corresponding rights when the film is nominated for a screenwriting award."
"No, Ronald, the condition for Christopher to accept the contract modification is that if he wins an award, he must have the exclusive honor of going on stage to receive the award." Producer Da Silva interjected.
"This is not in compliance with industry practices and union regulations." the lawyer protested.
Letter. If he wins, he is not allowed to go on stage to receive the award, so Christopher can still enjoy the honor alone."
"I want to make a phone call to confirm. In principle, there is no problem." The producer went out to make a call again.
"Your client voluntarily gives up any cash remuneration and any subsequent derivatives..."
"Wait a minute," Lindsay interrupted Mitch, "my client received a contract quotation of US$3,000."
"That's the quote from the screenwriter doctor, and your client has given up."
"No, our client was additionally recognized by the director and given his signature based on the excellence of the completed work. The quotation contract should still be regarded as valid."
Mickey and the producer looked at each other and said, "I can agree to it for $3,000."
"No, according to industry regulations, the price of modifying a script should be equivalent to the acquisition price of the script, or 10 times the script option."
"Your client is not a member of the Writers Guild."
"But this does not affect the results of his work. Authoritative directors and screenwriters in the industry have affirmed that his work is excellent."
The lawyer lady was calculating Ronald's income with the opposing lawyer.
Ronald's mind has already turned to other places. He is happy that he can sign the script and join the Writers Guild by virtue of it.
Director Allen has bright eyes and is waiting to see the updated script after the negotiations are over.
The producer walked in from the door and confirmed with Mickey that the original author Christopher agreed to the arrangement of winning the award. He looked a little upset, and maybe he had to pay a little financial loss.
"$40,000 is impossible," Mickey's lawyer vetoed.
"You can make a counter-offer." Lindsay said.
Mickey whispered a few words to the producer, wrote a number on a piece of paper, and handed it to the lawyer.
"It's $5,000." Lindsay opened the paper and gave Ronald a look, then whispered in his ear: "I suggest rejecting it."
Ronald nodded.
"We think that the script that Wood Allen thinks is excellent should be worth at least this." Lindsay wrote down the number 25,000, folded it and handed it over.
The two sides went back and forth several times, and finally stopped at $8,000.
Lindsey Dole showed Ronald the numbers and whispered in his ear again, "I think that's acceptable."
Ronald nodded to indicate that it was okay.
Mickey went out to prepare a formal contract.
After a while, producer David DaSilva and Ronald signed the contract on behalf of both parties. After reviewing it, Lindsay Doerr said it was OK.
Ronald took out the script he wrote and handed it to the director.
"It turns out that the problem lies in the admission interview, when Doris was changed from the music department to the performance department."
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show? was a natural transition so that Doris' drive to overcome her shyness became more reasonable."
"Woody is right, you did take the character of Doris from mediocre to great."
Director Alan Parker read the script and took a deep look at Ronald.
"Where's my share?" The producer stretched out his hand, indicating that Ronald could hand over the box office risks.
"This is a photo I took at a midnight cinema. Someone followed suit and directed Alan Parker and made an adult movie, also called 'Hot Lunch.' The director's signature is Al Parker, which is easy to associate with
You." Ronald handed over the poster photo taken by Antonia.
Director Parker picked up the photo and took a look at it. He was so angry that he threw it back on the table: "This is too much. I want to find out who did it..."
"What? Why didn't MGM lock in this title at the Western Film Exhibition in Las Vegas in April?" Producer Da Silva was surprised and asked lawyer Mickey.
Mickey frowned, "Maybe the secretaries at the company headquarters have some problems. I will report this matter to the president when I get back."
"I will also call him. But no matter what, we have to consider changing the title. The film has been released in theaters in New York, and the impact has already been caused." The producer began to scratch the few hairs left on his head.
Soon, Ronald got an $8,000 check in an envelope. After confirming it was correct, Ronald stood up and shook hands with the other person.
"Ellen, it's the rule of Hollywood not to hurt your temper?"
"No harm." Director Alan Parker shook hands with him.
"David, I hope that changing the film's title will increase the box office."
"You're great, Ronald." Next came producer David DaSilva.
"Mitch, maybe you don't have to wait a year or two, you can do it now."
"You impressed me again, Ronald. And you, Attorney Dole." Mickey Kanter shook hands with them and said goodbye.
"Ronald, are you okay?" Gene, Antonia and Lucy saw Ronald walking out of the conference room and surrounded him.
"No, the result is very good. The director and producer agreed to my request. They are both good people." Ronald was a little tired and sat on a long chair.
"Let me explain to you, Ronald is a little tired, let him rest for a while." Lindsay Dole pulled the three actors aside.
"...So Ronald is the screenwriter of the movie?" Gene asked.
"Yes, you can understand it that way." The lawyer lady replied.
"Oh, man, I just said he's great, it's okay." Gene and Lucy danced rhythmically together and returned to the rehearsal room.
The lawyer lady turned around and saw that Antonia was beside the long chair, looking at Ronald who was dozing with his eyes closed. She took two steps forward and whispered to Antonia: "He looks a bit handsome when he is asleep."
"Yes." Antonia stretched out her right hand and lightly touched his eyelashes.
"Hee..." Seeing that Ronald seemed to feel a little itchy and sniffed, Antonia and Lindsay Dole couldn't help laughing.