Literary Master 1978.

Chapter 265: The Fee Can Be Negotiated

"Lin Chaoyang is so greedy that he wants to swallow an elephant. Our studio gave him 8,500 yuan in royalties, but he is still not satisfied and insists that The Shepherd is selling well.

No matter how well "The Shepherd" sells, it is a film produced by your Shanghai Film Studio. What does it have to do with our Yan Film Studio?
Old Xie, please give us your opinion. It is not an exaggeration to say that the price we charge is sky-high, right?"

Jiang Huaiyan said angrily.

Xie Jin was surprised and happy when he heard his words. He was surprised that Yan Film Studio actually gave Lin Chaoyang such a high fee; he was happy that Lin Chaoyang actually did not agree to such a high fee from Yan Film Studio.

He thought of the price he offered to Lin Chaoyang yesterday, and couldn't help feeling a little lucky.

I guess if Yanying Studio hadn't had conflicts with Chaoyang before, the adaptation rights would have been given to them long ago.

Eight thousand five hundred dollars!
While feeling secretly delighted, Xie Jin also felt a wave of pressure. You, Yan Film Studio, are really brave to make the bid.

"Hey, Lao Xie, where are you going?"

"Something happened. I have to go see the actors!"

After chatting for a few words, Xie Jin could no longer suppress his restlessness. He made up an excuse and left the main building of Yanying Studio.

Jiang Huaiyan looked at his back with complicated eyes. Old Xie, Old Xie, we have been friends for decades, how dare you say that?

Since you are in the first grade of junior high school, don't blame me for being in the fifteenth grade.

"Nine thousand dollars!"

Xie Jin stood in front of Lin Chaoyang and said in a decisive tone.

"Old Xie, it's ok, you've come to your senses after not seeing each other for just one day?"

"Stop talking nonsense. How about nine thousand dollars? Just give me a straight answer!"

Xie Jinqiang suppressed his heartache, fearing that he would regret it.

"Okay. Since you asked, why can't I do it?"

After hearing Lin Chaoyang's words, Xie Jin's momentum, which had been built up just now, suddenly deflated like a balloon with a hole in it.

Nine thousand yuan! That's nine thousand yuan!

The intense heartache made him have a vicious thought: I will not let you revise the script eight times!
“When will the script be finished?”

"Why are you in such a hurry? We just decided on the adaptation rights today, and you're planning to take it away today!"

Xie Jin gritted his teeth and said, "My nine thousand dollars was not wasted!"

"Look at your attitude. This is really problematic. Don't we screenwriters deserve nine thousand yuan?"

"Don't bother me. I haven't even taken 9,000 yuan."

“That’s because you haven’t written a work like ‘High Mountains’.”

It was a bit of a show of force for a director to talk to a writer. Xie Jin couldn't win the argument with Lin Chaoyang, so he changed the topic to the script, "Will the script be available next month?"

"Your request is too high, isn't it? One month?"

"Is 9,000 yuan a high fee?"

Lin Chaoyang thought about it seriously and said, "Not high."

He only earned 18,000 yuan in royalties for writing two scripts for Li Hanxiang, but Director Xie gave him 9,000 yuan for each script.

This is Lin Chaoyang’s client’s father!

Finally, after hearing something pleasing from Lin Chaoyang's mouth, Xie Jin finally felt a little relieved and thought that the money he spent was worth it.

"Work out the outline of the script in the next two days. I'll stay in Yanjing. You can start writing after we've discussed it. Make sure you finish it next month. The film must be finished this year." Xie Jin continued to give orders.

"Don't put so much pressure on yourself, right?"

"I've spent all my money, leave me alone!"

Xie Jin was like a rebellious teenager who could not listen to any advice.

"Okay, okay, you're the director and you have the final say."

After receiving the royalties, Lin Chaoyang focused on his good service attitude.

At that moment, Xie Jin pulled Lin Chaoyang aside to discuss some of the plots and characters in the novel, and put forward his own requirements to Lin Chaoyang.

The next day, Lin Chaoyang delivered the script outline to the guesthouse of Yanying Studio. Xie Jin was very satisfied with his high efficiency. Then he packed his luggage and returned to Shanghai.

With Xie Jin's personality, after completing a task, he would definitely have a good drink to celebrate.

However, he now felt that he had snatched the adaptation rights for "High Mountains" and felt uneasy, so he decided not to stay here for long.

But the more you fear something, the more likely it will come.

He was packing his things when Jiang Huaiyan, Chen Huaikai and Cheng Yin blocked his door.

"Old Xie, where are you going? Didn't you say you were going to audition for an actor?"

"Ah, it's all done, all done." Xie Jin said perfunctorily, preparing to leave the room.

"Congratulations, the job is done. What do you want me to have a drink with you?"

Xie Jin waved his hands quickly, "No, no, I have something else to deal with at work, I have to go back and deal with it quickly."

"It doesn't matter for a while, let's go."

The three of them almost carried Xie Jin to the restaurant, ordered dishes and poured wine. Jiang Huaiyan muttered, "Old Xie, you do the first day, and I do the fifteenth. Let's not blame each other. If we have to blame someone, blame Lin Chaoyang for being too greedy!"

Xie Jin was confused by his strange behavior, "What do you mean?"

Cheng Yin couldn't bear to watch it any longer, "Old Xie, you are too clever for your own good and have been tricked by others!"

"What do you mean?"

"Did Lao Jiang tell you that he wanted to get the adaptation rights of "High Mountain" for 8,500 yuan, but Chaoyang didn't give it to him?"

"Yes!"

Xie Jin looked at Cheng Yin, then at Jiang Huaiyan, and then at Lin Chaoyang who was feeling guilty beside him, and a sudden realization came to his mind.

"Okay, you guys..."

Lin Chaoyang waved his hands quickly, "It has nothing to do with me. I didn't ask him to raise the price!"

Jiang Huaiyan said confidently: "You came back to our Yanying with impure motives. I am giving you a taste of your own medicine."

Xie Jin pointed at Jiang Huaiyan, feeling angry, aggrieved, and a little unwilling. "The extra money was to teach you a lesson, but you've hurt the old brothers this time." Jiang Huaiyan turned the tables and said.

"Puh!" Xie Jin was so angry that he almost jumped up and down, "How dare you be sad? You set up a trap to deceive me, how dare you be sad?"

"Were you the one who played tricks on us first?"

"That's right, Old Xie, no matter how you put it, you are not right in this matter!"

……

It is natural that nothing can be achieved by arguing among several old comrades who are over 200 years old in total.

Lin Chaoyang on the side was laughing at the scene. While the snipe and the clam are fighting, I, a fisherman, will never come back empty-handed.

It would have been better if he hadn't said anything. As soon as he spoke, several people immediately pointed their spears at him.

He is the culprit behind the fierce competition between the two studios.

"Today's meal is on my table!"

After being scolded for a long time, Lin Chaoyang finally calmed everyone's anger with one sentence.

After all, no matter how much the royalties are, it is public money. When you drink the wine, it is actually your own enjoyment.

The awareness of these old comrades is still too low!
We invited the four elders of the film industry to dinner. These people had some personal grudges with us. They only ordered expensive dishes and only drank Xifeng wine, especially Xie Jin, who would grit his teeth every time he drank a glass of wine.

"Are you planning to drink all the money back in one meal?" Lin Chaoyang looked at Xie Jin drinking one glass after another and couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark. His words were undoubtedly rubbing salt into Xie Jin's wounds.

Xie Jin tilted his head back and drank a glass of wine, with a dangerous look in his eyes as he looked at Lin Chaoyang.

"Write the script well. If it's not well written, you have to revise it several times."

Listening to his naked threat, Lin Chaoyang was not worried at all. "I have already received the money, so isn't it my duty to revise the manuscript? Just don't complain that I revise it too slowly."

"You kid..."

Xie Jin plans to finish filming "High Mountains" this year, so of course he can't leave much time for the script, so Lin Chaoyang is fearless.

Seeing Xie Jin being humiliated, Jiang Huaiyan gloated over his misfortune, and Xie Jin shifted his attention to him again.

After beating up Lin Chaoyang, Xie Jin left Yanjing feeling a bit depressed and distressed.

After Xie Jin left, Lin Chaoyang spent a day finishing the novel he was writing. He did not even bother to send the manuscript to any magazine and started writing the script for "The Garland under the Mountain".

If you take the money, you have to do the job. He is a very principled person.

He is not in a hurry to publish a novel, but some people are.

On February 2, Lin Chaoyang was not on duty and was writing at home when the security guard at the door called to say that someone was visiting his home. The visitors were Liu Xinwu and Wang Shimin.

"You are rare guests!"

Seeing Liu and Wang, Lin Chaoyang greeted them warmly.

The three of them exchanged greetings for a while before Lin Chaoyang asked about the purpose of their visit today.

Liu Xinwu said: "I heard that your new work will be released soon?"

"Who said that?"

"Li Tuo."

"I knew it was him." Lin Chaoyang looked as if he had expected it, and then said, "Just finished writing."

Liu Xinwu suddenly became excited, "You didn't give it to anyone else, did you?"

"No."

"Give us October." Liu Xinwu looked at Lin Chaoyang with burning eyes.

"Well... Both Harvest and Contemporary are interested in my novel..." Lin Chaoyang looked thoughtful.

Having known each other for several years, Liu Xinwu believed that he understood Lin Chaoyang well and knew that the reason for his hesitation was probably because of the royalties.

He and Wang Shimin looked at each other. Both of them came prepared today.

Seeing Wang Shimin nodded, Liu Xinwu said, "We can discuss the royalties."

Lin Chaoyang's face lightened up. "I have a special connection with October. If the army hadn't insisted on giving Gao Shan to People's Literature, we would have had the opportunity to cooperate a long time ago."

Liu Xinwu echoed: "That's right..."

When talking about this matter, Liu Xinwu was filled with anger.

When he finished writing "High Mountains", he had already discussed it with Lin Chaoyang, but the army insisted on making trouble, saying that their "October" was not influential enough and had to be published in "People's Literature". Even with his good temper, he could not stand such humiliation.

Unfortunately, October was powerless at the time and could only watch Gao Shan slip away from its hands. After its publication, it not only led to a huge sales boom for People’s Literature, but also boosted the influence of their magazine.

Since then, Liu Xinwu felt that he was plagued by bad luck. Every time he came to Lin Chaoyang to collect manuscripts, he always missed out on Lin Chaoyang's new works.

In more than two years, Lin Chaoyang had not received any publication award for any of his three novels, "October", which really puzzled him.

This time Liu Xinwu learned from past lessons. When he heard that Renwen Publishing House had increased Lin Chaoyang's publishing fee, he immediately found the editor-in-chief Su Yu and proposed the idea of ​​raising the fee in order to get Lin Chaoyang's new novel.

Faced with his request, Su Yu was a little hesitant.

Lin Chaoyang is extremely famous now, and his royalties are already the highest. If his royalties are raised, it will not only increase the cost of the magazine, but also easily cause complaints from other magazines.

"We didn't raise the price first. When The Death of Van Gogh was published, Renwen Press paid him 12 yuan per thousand words. I heard that the price for the number of copies printed was also increased."

Seeing that Su Yu was still hesitant, Liu Xinwu said, "Why don't we talk to Lao Wang about it?"

"October" is a magazine published by Yenching Publishing House. Wang Shimin is the head of the literature and art group of Yenching Publishing House and also the founding father of "October".

Su Yu looked puzzled when he heard this, so Liu Xinwu explained, "Didn't our publishing house publish "Longing for Life: The Biography of Vincent Van Gogh" last year? In more than four months, it sold hundreds of thousands of copies. Even if I don't tell you, you know the reason, right?"

Su Yu nodded lightly. "Lust for Life: The Biography of Van Gogh" was one of the few books published by Yenching Publishing House last year with sales exceeding 50 copies. The reason for the book's popularity was naturally inseparable from the influence of "The Death of Van Gogh". Everyone in the publishing house was very clear about this.

"Nowadays, any novel with the name Lin Chaoyang in it will sell well. Some time ago, Lao Wang wanted to take over the publishing rights of Lin Chaoyang's "The Chess Master" and asked Zhang Dening to pass on the message, but Lin Chaoyang did not agree.

He thought that Lin Chaoyang and Renwen Press had an old cooperative relationship and that the publication of his works had been handed over to Renwen Press, but in fact, that was not the case at all. "

"What's going on?" Su Yu asked cooperatively.

Liu Xinwu said: "Chaoyang is a talented person with a positive attitude towards writing and a good temper. However, there is one thing that does not match his image as a young talent..."

(End of this chapter)