Chapter 21: Sleepless in Seattle

"Sam was an architect whose wife sadly passed away from cancer. To heal his inner pain, he moved to Seattle with his son Jonah."

"Jonah, who was seven years old, felt his father Sam's loneliness. On a Christmas night, he called a radio station program and said his Christmas wish was to find a wife for his dad."

"Reporter Annie from New York happened to hear this program while driving and was deeply moved by Sam's story. Hence, she went to Seattle, wanting to meet Sam..."

"Afterward, they arranged over phone calls and letters to meet at the Empire State Building's observation deck on Valentine's Day."

"While Sam and his son were waiting at the observation deck, Annie was in a restaurant across the street from the Empire State Building and was proposed to by her boyfriend. However, she eventually rejected the proposal and ran to the Empire State Building to meet Sam, and they left hand in hand!"

On Greenwich Street, in the offices of Castle Rock Entertainment, Arthur was recounting the story of Sleepless in Seattle in front of Alan Horn and others.

"You can think of it as a story where a child acts as a matchmaker between his widowed father and a woman reconsidering her fiancé," Arthur smiled. "Believing in true love and fate overcoming all obstacles is the theme of the film!"

Alan Horn also smiled, "A lovely fairy-tale romance, art imitating life. This isn't a shallow entertainment piece; it's quite good."

"Thank you," Arthur then sat down. Basically, the people here had the final say on investment amounts and casting choices.

Anyway, Arthur's intentions were already in the submitted plans; it was up to Nora Ephron to secure them.

Next, Arthur acted as a listener and only spoke when asked for his input...

In the afternoon, after the discussion ended, Alan Horn asked Arthur to stay, "Your script is quite good. Castle Rock is willing to spend $350,000 to purchase your script. And, you will also participate fully in the film's development as one of the screenwriters and producers!"

Alan Horn expected to see an excited expression on Arthur's face, but his youthful features remained as calm as ever.

Alan reminded, "Arthur, a first-time script selling for $350,000 is quite impressive!"

Arthur nodded, "I know, it's not easy. But I believe my script is worth this price, isn't it?"

Right now, scripts are in high demand, especially original screenplays that are fetching hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

After all, the script craze in Hollywood won't cool down until after the millennium, when remakes and sequels would dominate, reducing the appeal of original scripts significantly.

"The '87 crash and economic slump are over; now the economy is recovering, and Hollywood's movie market is expanding. Last year, the North American box office totaled around $3.5 billion. According to forecasts, this year's North American box office will exceed $4 billion. With economic growth, Hollywood's market will keep on growing. And the market for laser discs and VHS tapes is booming; the film industry is more prosperous than ever!"

Arthur smiled and talked about the current Hollywood industry and environment instead of discussing Sleepless in Seattle.

"I'm well aware of what my script is worth, whether it's $250,000, $350,000, $450,000, or $550,000. I honestly don't care much!"

"Really?" Alan Horn glanced at Arthur again, "Never underestimate young people. When someone says they don't care about immediate gains, they usually have bigger ambitions. But, Hollywood never lacks ambitious people. State your demands!"

Arthur said seriously, "I just want Sleepless in Seattle to start production quickly and be released by next summer."

"I have confidence that Nora Ephron will become another great comedy director in Hollywood, and Sleepless in Seattle will do as well as When Harry Met Sally..."

Alan Horn smiled, "Castle Rock Entertainment indeed plans to launch the Sleepless in Seattle project. Your confidence is good, but when it comes to a $20 million investment, that's a big deal. I think we should discuss your script first."

Arthur replied helplessly, "You should talk to my agent about these matters!"

"Arthur, you're a smart guy. Someone who writes this kind of plan, do you think a mere agent can control you for long?" Alan Horn shook his head, "We have to consider the interests of investors and distributors!"

"If you can allocate the production costs by October, I'll sell my script for $350,000," Arthur said with a smile. "In fact, I won't take a cent of the advance; just give me substantial bonuses after the movie's release!"

"You're that confident?" Alan Horn knew Arthur well enough. He has only played a small supporting role in Edward Scissorhands so far, and his parents also died in a car accident. He also dropped out of school.

How would such a person be unmoved by the offer of hundreds of thousands of dollars? The script fee, adaptation salary, and film production salary must have added up to more than $500,000!

Arthur looked at Alan Horn, "If Sleepless in Seattle doesn't gross $50 million in North America next year, I'll sell the script to you for $1. As long as you promise to prepare the film's shooting budget within a month and allow me to work with director Nora Ephron!"

"Hahaha, Arthur, are you trying to imitate James Cameron?" Alan Horn laughed. The script for Sleepless in Seattle wasn't just attractive to Castle Rock. If put to auction, his judgment said the script could fetch around $650,000.

James Cameron sold The Terminator for $1 to direct it himself. Arthur had similar intentions, prioritizing the development of the script over its monetary value.

The difference was that Cameron was a newbie director, while Arthur would be a screenwriter and producer.

Although he is a person behind the scenes, if Sleepless in Seattle succeeded, Arthur Smith would gain both fame and fortune!

"So, what do you think? Do you want to consider it?" Arthur smiled as he proposed.

Alan Horn adjusted his glasses, "Your proposal is very tempting, Arthur!"

Castle Rock indeed wanted to develop this project, and Arthur's sincere push would ensure he gave his all to the film.

Alan Horn understood Arthur's intentions!

As long as the film started shooting with him involved as a producer, even if the film failed, he'd end up with an impressive resume.

As for producer fees? As a newbie, he wouldn't command much. If the film was a significant hit, Castle Rock wouldn't skimp on giving him a healthy bonus!

"I'll return to Los Angeles tomorrow and discuss it with the company's higher-ups," Alan Horn didn't give an immediate answer. He wasn't too concerned with the script's price but feared Arthur might find other film companies or investors to support Nora Ephron.

Arthur nodded, shook hands with Alan Horn, "I hope we can work together..."

*****

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