At a café in North Hollywood, Eric and Michael are discussing the details of their collaboration.

Eric didn't dwell on royalty sharing, and took the 7% royalty share that is common for newcomers. It's just that the two of them negotiated and clashed in terms of film and television copyright.

With Michael's old and spicy eyes who have been in the industry for more than ten years, of course, I can see the huge potential of this film in film and television adaptation. In addition, Eric did not raise any objections to the royalty sharing, which made Michael feel that Eric was very young and easy to fool, so he proposed a plan that the night elves and Eric shared the film and television copyrights, and the film and television copyrights were fully handed over to the night elf publishing house.

After patiently listening to Michael's proposal, Eric categorically refused, "This is impossible, Mr. Klaus. ”

Michael Krauss was stunned for a moment, as if he couldn't react to Eric's decisive refusal, and adjusted his feelings, Michael Krauss continued: "Eric, listen to me, you know, I just sold one of our publishing house to Twentieth Century Fox, and that's millions of adaptation costs. And if the author talks about it himself, he may not even get 500,000 US dollars, which is the advantage of the publishing house......"

The next two talked for more than ten minutes, and Michael Krauss wanted to fool Eric into accepting his terms, and took the initiative to reduce the publisher's share of film and television copyrights.

In the end, Michael Krauss was disappointed to find that this little guy is a fledgling stunned young man, just like him, an old fritter who has been in the society for more than ten years, although he is not too familiar with the various twists and turns of the publishing industry, but he can keenly perceive the hidden mysteries in some seemingly advantageous conditions.

What surprised Michael even more was that the young man was not at all as impulsive as a young man of his age, and even if he found a trap, he did not point it out directly, or simply slapped his blood in half, but implied that he understood the trap without a trace.

In the end, Michael gave up his plan to meddle in film and television rights with a wry smile.

The ensuing negotiations were naturally unimpeded, and the two men soon signed a cooperation agreement.

"Happy working together, Eric, I'm sure you won't regret leaving it to me." After signing the contract, Michael became the uncle with a bookish temperament and a spring breeze, as if the shrewdness and cunning on his face when he was negotiating just now were illusions.

"Happy working together, Michael, and I hope that's the same."

The two shook hands, sat down, and chatted a few more words, and Eric seemed to be nonchalant: "Michael, do you have any connections in those studios?" ”

Michael Krauss raised an eyebrow: "Of course, how else would I recommend my publisher's book to Twentieth Century Fox?" Actually, I know people from some other film companies, you know, when I was at Simon Schuster Publishing, I was in charge of working with film companies on book rights for a while. So, Eric, hand over the film and television rights to the Night Elves, and I can recommend it directly to the producers of the six major film companies. ”

Eric shook his head and said, "Let's not talk about this issue, Michael, I won't give up a penny of the film and television copyright." However, I'm currently working on a script and I'd like you to recommend it for me if you can. ”

Michael Krauss's newly-ignited hope was extinguished again, and when he heard what Eric said about the script, he was not too interested, but out of politeness he said patiently: "Can you tell me the general plot of the script?" ”

"That's right," Eric said, "Eighteen years ago, seventeen-year-old McO'Donnell was going to play in a basketball game that was important in his life, because as long as he did well, he would be admitted to an Ivy League school, and there would be a generous scholarship attached to it. However, before the game, his girlfriend suddenly told him that he was pregnant, so in the middle of the game, Mike resolutely threw away the basketball in his hand and turned away from the court, choosing to take his own responsibility. Eighteen years later, the glory and glory of the past are gone, and Mike is a middle-aged man with a failed career, and his marriage to his wife Scarlett is coming to an end......

Eric doesn't go into too much detail, but just tells the story briefly, and when he hears the Runkels' quarrel, it quickly occurs to him that this movie is perfect for his plan. A seventeen-year-old young man has the soul of a middle-aged uncle hidden in his body, which is simply tailor-made for Eric.

Michael Krauss's eyes became brighter and brighter, he was already very optimistic about Eric, a young man, but he didn't expect to get this one, and Eric immediately gave him another surprise.

Movies that travel through the past and return to the future or transform into a transformation have only just emerged in recent years, and they are not as widespread as later generations, so as long as the quality of the movie is good, it usually achieves a good box office.

Not to mention the annual box office champion in 1985, this year alone, there are two such films that have achieved good box office, one in April, and the other has only been released for two weeks, and the cost has been recovered, and the final box office may exceed 100 million, this film also made Penny Marshall the first female director in North American film history to exceed 100 million at the box office.

"It's a good script, Eric. But don't you think there have been too many movies in this time-traveling genre over the years? What's more, you're just a newcomer with no name. In order to get the initiative in the negotiations, of course, Michael had to take a little bit of control, and the negotiations on film and television rights just now made him feel a sense of frustration.

Eric smiled slightly, of course, he could see that Michael was pretending, and directly stretched out five fingers: "Fifty percent commission!" ”

"What?" Michael was a little incredulous, why was this guy suddenly so generous, it couldn't be that he heard it wrong, right?

Eric repeated: "Michael, you heard it right, if the script is successfully sold, I can give you 50% of the script's remuneration as a commission!" Do I have one condition, though? ”

Sure enough, there is no free lunch in the world, Michael heard Eric's last words, and breathed a sigh of relief, things seemed to be back on the same track, and the shrewd little guy was still opposite.

"Tell me?"

"I'm going to be the male protagonist of this film, the young Mike O'Donnell."

"It can't be." Michael subconsciously said: "Even the director doesn't necessarily have the power to decide the role of the movie, let alone you as a rookie screenwriter." ”

"In the far east, there is an idiom that says that it is up to man to do things, and it is up to heaven to make things happen." "If you don't try it, how do you know it's impossible, and that's even more so with the release," Eric said. ”

Michael Krauss couldn't turn around: "What does this have to do with it?" ”

Eric casually stirred the hot coffee he had just poured in front of him with a spoon and said: "I think that this movie is likely to have a box office of over 100 million, if this is the case, for a script of the same genre and the script is good enough, maybe someone will consider my conditions." ”

Michael Krauss hadn't seen the movie, but he believed Eric and said, "Okay, Eric, I can try, but the commission is ......."

"Michael, you're so greedy, do you want to take more than me, the original author!"

Michael couldn't help touching his nose with his index finger, a little embarrassed: "It's not as strict as you say, and if you become the leading actor, even if you are a newcomer, the salary is about 500,000, and I think it's good to get 200,000 in the script." ”

Having said that, Michael Kraus didn't mention the commission again, and when he said goodbye outside the coffee shop, Michael Kraus suddenly said, "Actually, Eric, I have the illusion that you are indeed suitable for the role of the male protagonist of your script." Because, when I first negotiated the contract, I felt that I was negotiating with my peers, not an eighteen-year-old high school student. ”

Eric smiled, "Don't worry about these details, Michael, I'll hand you the script in two days, I hope you can bring me good news." ”