The two sat in the coffee shop until evening, with Simon explaining the details of 'Run Lola Run' to Sandra Bullock in great detail.
Sandra Bullock, a straightforward person, unhesitatingly agreed to Simon's request to dye her hair and stated that she would start exercising to prepare for the upcoming high-intensity filming.
Finally, Sandra also expressed no objection to the $5,000 remuneration Simon offered.
The matter of the female lead was thus settled.
Another week passed in a flash.
After the article in the Los Angeles Times last Thursday, some media outlets indeed shifted their attention to the story content of 'The Butterfly Effect' in the following days.
Having taken over the project, Fox, noticing this situation, also began to leverage it for pre-release publicity for 'The Butterfly Effect'. WMA was even more pleased to see the media's attention shift from internal company struggles to the packaged project itself.
Thus, under multi-party guidance, the slightly obscure phrase 'Butterfly Effect' gradually began to attract more and more attention.
However, although many media outlets started to associate Simon Westeros's name with topics related to 'The Butterfly Effect' screenplay, Jonathan successfully fended off all invitations for interviews with Simon himself.
As a newcomer, a script deal of $200,000 was indeed astonishing, but ultimately, he was just a film screenwriter not many people paid attention to. Just as few people remember that a new original script called 'Lethal Weapon' was also sold for a high price of $250,000 last year.
Ultimately, script deals are primarily of interest to fellow screenwriters who also hope to make a name for themselves. Most ordinary people, even if they notice, often exclaim in surprise, express envy, and then they quickly forget about it.
Thus, Simon's life remained very peaceful, just as he had hoped.
Since he had made an agreement with Roger Griffin, Simon still did not leave the convenience store in the new week. The chubby boss was also happy for Simon, a young man who worked diligently and responsibly for low pay, to continue working for him.
After several days of intensive negotiations, the final signing date for WMA and Fox's packaged contract for 'The Butterfly Project' was set for Tuesday.
Simon arrived at WMA headquarters around 8:50 AM, and Jonathan's black Mercedes sedan also happened to turn into the parking lot.
After locking his bicycle, Simon walked up to Jonathan, who was waiting for him not far away, shook his agent's hand, and said, "Good morning, Jonathan".
"Morning, Simon".
Jonathan smiled and shook Simon's hand, then looked at his bicycle.
Jonathan had lent Simon $20,000 before Simon went to San Francisco last week, and Simon only spent $500 throughout the process.
However, after returning, Jonathan did not take the money back. He knew Simon was still living in a motel and merely urged Simon to choose a suitable residence as soon as possible, considering this money an advance on his 'The Butterfly Effect' manuscript fee.
Jonathan originally thought that with a sudden large sum of money in his hands, Simon would be eager to improve his life. Unexpectedly, Simon still rode that second-hand bicycle today, and his attire hadn't changed much either.
Although somewhat admiring the young man's self-control regarding money, Jonathan still advised, "Simon, you'd better buy a car as soon as possible. You can't get by without a car in Los Angeles. Even if the Fox payment still needs a few days, those $20,000 should be enough."
Simon smiled and nodded, saying, "I'll definitely consider it".
Simon wasn't actually unwilling to improve his life. He had already booked an appointment with a real estate agent and planned to rent an apartment as soon as possible in the coming days. Living in a motel was, after all, too inconvenient in many ways.
But besides that, Simon also had no immediate plans to buy a car or other new possessions.
On the one hand, Simon was too busy; he kept his time very full and didn't have much free time for shopping or spending.
On the other hand, as the preparations for 'Run Lola Run' deepened step by step, Simon increasingly felt that he might have misremembered a very important matter regarding the finances of the original, an error even more serious than choosing Roger's convenience store as a filming location. This made him even more cautious with his spending.
After Simon and Jonathan arrived at WMA headquarters, several other key creators of 'The Butterfly Effect', including director Brian De Palma, male lead Matt Dillon, and female lead Elisabeth Shue, also arrived one after another.
After a brief intervention by senior executives like Lou Weiss, Jonathan was now solely responsible for the entire project.
Everyone held a small, simple meeting and then headed together to the Fox Studio, not far from WMA headquarters.
On the Fox side, Fox President Ronald Goldberg also appeared at the signing ceremony, along with David Giler, the producer responsible for 'The Butterfly Effect' on behalf of Fox.
The signing ceremony began at ten o'clock.
However, the entire process was quite low-key, which was actually a mutual desire of both parties.
In a conference room at Fox headquarters, witnessed by lawyers from both sides, Simon, like the others, frequently signed his name on two thick copies of the contract. After more than ten minutes of such busy work, everything was finally settled.
This was followed by a simple luncheon, where everyone dined together at a restaurant within the Fox Studio. The heads of the two companies introduced and presented the various staff members who would be specifically responsible for the 'Butterfly Effect' project.
During this time, Simon was also notified that the first production meeting for 'The Butterfly Effect' would be held next Monday, primarily to discuss script revisions.
Although Simon was very confident that the script he provided was already quite complete, such things are unavoidable; the studio has the right to revise the script based on actual circumstances or even the personal wishes of the person in charge.
Of course, Simon could actually refuse.
But if he did, the studio might be even happier. They could simply find a more compliant screenwriter to revise the script, and Simon would no longer receive the remaining $60,000 balance from the contract.
It can be said that the power to revise the script later is both the studio's power and the screenwriter's own power. No screenwriter would want their script to be revised beyond recognition and ultimately made into a bad movie. Rather than letting someone else revise it, it's better to revise it oneself.
After lunch, Brian De Palma and others drove directly away from Fox Studio, but Simon hitched a ride with his agent back to WMA headquarters, where his bicycle was still parked.
"Fox's fund settlement is very timely. If all goes well, you'll receive the check in the next few days" Jonathan said, looking at the boy across from him in the agent's office. "So, Simon, the $200,000, do you have any plans for it?"
Simon smiled and replied, "Making movies, you know that's my plan".
Jonathan also smiled and said, "Speaking of which, besides 'The Butterfly Effect,' you haven't shown me your other scripts yet, especially 'Final Destination.' The studio saw it first".
Simon took the 'Final Destination' script from his backpack and handed it to Jonathan, saying, "I've been too busy lately, I almost forgot to give it to you".
Jonathan took the script but didn't rush to open it, saying, "Fox has actually taken an interest in this story, and I've read the outline. It's a very unique concept, not much worse than 'The Butterfly Effect.' Simon, the question now is, do you want to give the script to Fox now and get another sum of money, or wait until 'The Butterfly Effect' is released?"
Simon didn't hesitate at all, saying, "Of course, after 'The Butterfly Effect' is released. I still have that much confidence".
"The Butterfly Effect" has already become a greenlit project at Fox. Although the release date has not yet been set, the latest it will be released is next summer.
If Simon were to sell the script to Fox now, he wouldn't get a very high offer due to the option contract restrictions.
But if he patiently waited until 'The Butterfly Effect' was released next year, the situation would be different.
Of course, things don't necessarily always go in a better direction.
Once 'The Butterfly Effect' is a box office success, the selling price of Simon's second script will naturally rise. Conversely, if 'The Butterfly Effect' flops at the box office, Fox will not only further suppress the offer, but in more severe cases, they might even completely abandon Simon's script.
Simon's option contract with Fox is for a term of five years.
Within five years, Fox will have the first right of refusal for two of Simon's other scripts. The so-called first right of refusal simply means that with an equal offer, Fox can gets priority in acquiring Simon's script.
Moreover, over the years, a tacit understanding has actually formed among film companies.
As long as a screenwriter signs an option contract, unless that company actively gives up, other studios generally will not participate in the competition for that screenwriter's scripts. This also means that the relevant screenwriter can only negotiate their remuneration with the studio based on the performance of their previous works.
Of course, if Fox is not satisfied with any of the scripts Simon produces within the five-year contract period, the initial $40,000 deposit does not need to be refunded when the contract expires.
After discussing this matter, Simon also proactively brought up Sandra's participation in 'Run Lola Run'.
Jonathan, upon hearing that the two had agreed on a $5,000 remuneration, also expressed no objection. Being busy with 'The Butterfly Effect' package project these days, the agent still didn't know much about 'Run Lola Run' and even felt that Simon's offered pay was a bit high.
However, as Sandra's agent as well, such words naturally couldn't be spoken aloud. Since the two had agreed, Jonathan simply told Simon to find Owen when he had time and ask him to prepare a contract for Sandra.
Regardless, the agent's commission was still due.
Simon still had to rush to Roger's convenience store. For the last few days, he was working the mid-shift, from 3 PM to 11 PM. After discussing these matters with Jonathan, Simon got up to leave.
Leaving Jonathan's office, Simon had just turned a corner in the hallway when he heard a group of hurried footsteps behind him, faintly carrying an arrogant aura as if wanting to crash through anyone in their way.
Somewhat curious about who would be so ostentatious at WMA headquarters, Simon moved to the side of the hallway, turned his head, and saw Matthew Broderick, his expression filled with resentment and anger, walking quickly without any regard for the quiet office environment, his footsteps thudding as he approached.
Moreover, a group of equally noisy men and women followed behind Matthew.
Matthew Broderick clearly hadn't anticipated encountering Simon in the WMA headquarters hallway at that moment.
When he suddenly saw Simon in front of him, and remembering the events of the past few days, the resentment and anger in his eyes immediately turned into a hint of hatred. He glared fiercely at Simon, but his steps didn't slow, and he quickly brushed past Simon, heading towards the building exit.
Simon didn't know that WMA, in order to quickly quell the incident, ultimately chose to sacrifice the interests of Norman Brokaw and Matthew Broderick.
However, feeling the hatred in the other party's eyes, Simon's heart still held a bit more vigilance.
The six or seven men and women behind Matthew Broderick also passed by Simon one after another. The guy from the bar whom Simon had lifted with one hand even provocatively tried to bump into Simon, but Simon easily dodged him.
This was not the place to cause trouble.
Simon also saw Courteney's former roommate, Kristy Swanson, among the crowd, but she clearly pretended not to see Simon at all, walking arm-in-arm with a boy and leaving with a few other young people.