Script Writing System In Modern Family

Chapter 27: Negotiations With Warner Bros

Dani – "Hi, my name is Dani. I will be speaking on behalf of Warner Brothers in this deal."
Ryan – "Got it."
Nathan – "Although Dani and I have known each other for a while, I will reintroduce myself I am Nathan Ryan's dad and will be negotiating on his behalf."
Dani - "Now I will introduce you to Mr. Walter Light. "
Walter – "Hi, so I am in charge of TV shows co-produced by Warner and NBC.
Ryan might have spoken, "Hi." but on the inside, he said," I can't wait to write breaking bad and sell it to Warner. I will go. I heard your name, so I made a deluxe version of you."
Walter – "All right, without a further ado, I will take a look at your pilot. While you discuss the specifics for your movie, deal with Dani."
Ryan – "All right."
Walter then plugged in the given USB and downloaded the pilot before starting to read it in a corner.
Dani – "Alright, I think we should start with the fact that we reached an agreement with Tom Cruise, who you want as the main role."
"You don't have to worry, though. We won't buy your script for cheap instead, as promised to Tom, we will give it a fair price."
Nathan – "That's reassuring, I guess. So what's is your opening offer."
Tom – "You didn't mention the budget."
Ryan – "Good call."
Tom – "Thanks."
Dani – "Yes, so we have discussed with Tom cruise that we will be giving you the entire budget, which is also one of the reasons he agreed to work with us."
Tom – "Yes, originally, I had headed to Paramount, but they told me they would cut 12 to 15 million of the budget."
"It didn't feel like the best decision, so I searched for other studios, and warner was the only one willing to contribute the full 80 million."
Ryan – "I see. Also, before you negotiate, can I know when you will be releasing the film if we sign the contract."
Dani – "We will be done filming by March, but the release date will be in the summer of 2010."
Ryan – "Seems good to compete for that summer blockbuster title."
Dani – "With that clear, let's get back to it. As our opening offer, we will offer a million dollars with no box office share."
Nathan – "That's not even two percent. Counter-offer four million dollars with a five percent box office share. "
Dani – "We are Warner, not some lamb to be slaughtered. I can agree to 1.6 million with 0.2 percent box office share."
Nathan – "0.5 is far too low. How much box office are you offering Tom Cruise? "
Dani – "Five percent box office."
Nathan – "I see. In that case, I raise your offer to 3.5 million and 2.5 percent box office."
Dani – "No way I will give you 2.5 percent. Make that 1 percent with 2.5 million dollars."
Nathan – "No, 2.5 million and one percent is far too low Make it 1.8 percent with 3.25 million, and we have a deal. "
Dani – "Money is not the issue that box office percentage is far too high. This isn't some low-cost movie by fox for me to give you 1.8 percent of the box office."
Nathan – "Alright, at least make it 1.5 percent."
Dani – "Final offer 3.25 million with 1.35 percent of the box office."
Nathan – "Deal."
Nathan and Dani then shook hands, showcasing the agreeance of both parties. After their lawyers thoroughly checked the contract terms, Ryan signed the contract.
Dani – "Alright, now I will hand it to Mr. Walter."
Walter – "Thank you, Dani. So I have looked at the pilot, and a couple of episodes, and the show looks pretty solid. So we are willing to pick it up."
Nathan – "Good, let's negotiate the contract today itself and be done with it."
Walter Light – "Alright, so we will be looking to launch the show in March."
Ryan – "That's fine, but I have an actor for the main character in mind."
Walter – "Alright, I can hear out your suggestion, but they will have to go through an audition."
Ryan – "That's fine. I will leave you their agent's contact info. You can call and book an audition at your convenience."
Walter – "Alright, what are the names? Is it a big actor?"
Ryan – "No, just some small-time actors, James McAvoy and Victoria Pedretti."
Walter – "Alright, I will contact them later. If their audition is up to mark, we will select them."
Nathan. – "Let's start then. What's your opening offer? "
Walter – "We would like to offer you 35,000 per episode."
Nathan – "No way that's even lower than what Fox offered. Plus, he isn't a rookie anymore. He has three scripts in production with a book under publication."
Tom – "A book."
Ryan – "Yeah, it's what I wrote to help me transition from Southland to Mission Impossible. It's called "A Study In The Scarlet" I would recommend you to try it out."
Walter – "I did say starting offer, but okay, we will raise it to 45,000 per episode."
Nathan – "Counter offer 100,000 per episode."
Walter – "Please be serious. Don't make ridiculous offers. I will raise my offer to 53,000 per episode."
Nathan – "Fine, a serious counter offer 82,000 per episode."
Walter – "You might have signed a major movie, but we aren't made of money, you know, 66,000 per episode."
Nathan – "66 is still too low. How about 75,000 per episode."
Walter – "look, he hasn't had a single project air. I will not pay him a single penny above 70,000 per episode."
Nathan – "Fine deal 70 grand works for us."
Ryan – "I would also like to add a fun little condition of if all episodes hit over 10 million viewership, then I will get an additional 250,000 per episode".
TOM – "Woah"
Walter – "I have heard of your gimmick with fox, but it isn't so easy to pull the wool over my eyes. I will counter you the same offer fox agreed to 100,000 per episode if you hit 10 million viewership. "
Ryan – "Nope, I want at least 200,000. Otherwise, this deal is canceled."
Walter – "Cancel? "
Nathan – "What?"
Walter – "Fine, if you feel it so important, I will take the risk and give you this 200,000 deal anyways. It's not like you will hit it."
Ryan gave off a scary smile and didn't reply.
Like this, Ryan managed to sell all his assets and return home with an initial paycheck of 3.95 million us dollars. While heading home, he was questioned and scolded by Nathan.
Nathan – "If you want to pull such a stunt in the future, at least let me know beforehand. It might have worked out this time, but what about next time."
Ryan – "Don't worry. I will let you know in the future. Plus, it's not like there will be a next time."
Nathan – "What do you mean by that? "
Ryan – "They won't dare to agree to it once the show airs."
At this moment, Nathan realized that Ryan had confidence.
Nathan – "Having confidence is good but not overconfidence."
Ryan whispered to himself, "We will let time decide that."
At times you don't realize how fast time passes away. The day quickly changed from Saturday to Wednesday.
It is officially the day when Ryan makes all his dough. It's plot day.