This arrangement became standard long ago among Hollywood studios and screenwriters. Much bickering preceded its acceptance.
| Step | 1: | CLIENT decides PROJECT will be done. |
| Step | 2: | CLIENT and WRITER confer about doing PROJECT. |
| Step | 3(a): | CLIENT and WRITER agree on READING FEE. |
| 3(b): | If CLIENT and WRITER do not agree on READING FEE, CLIENT and WRITER go elsewhere. | |
| Step | 4: | CLIENT pays READING FEE to WRITER. CLIENT loans WRITER preliminary material. |
| Step | 5: | WRITER reads CLIENT’s preliminary material and sizes up PROJECT. |
| Step | 6: | WRITER returns preliminary material to CLIENT. WRITER submits APPRAISAL of PROJECT to CLIENT. APPRAISAL mentions FULL SUM for PROJECT. |
| Step | 7: | CLIENT and WRITER negotiate on FULL SUM. |
| Step | 8(a): | CLIENT and WRITER agree on FULL SUM. CLIENT and WRITER sign CONTRACT. CLIENT pays WRITER half (50%) of FULL SUM. |
| 8(b): | If CLIENT and WRITER do not agree on FULL SUM or payment terms, CLIENT and WRITER go elsewhere. | |
| Step | 9: | WRITER completes FIRST DRAFT of PROJECT. |
| Step | 10: | CLIENT pays writer quarter (25%) of FULL SUM. WRITER submits FIRST DRAFT of PROJECT to CLIENT. |
| Step | 11: | CLIENT reads FIRST DRAFT of PROJECT. |
| Step | 12(a): | If CLIENT is satisfied with FIRST DRAFT of PROJECT, CLIENT pays WRITER quarter (25%) of FULL SUM. No further steps are taken. |
| 12(b): | If CLIENT is not satisfied with FIRST DRAFT, CLIENT tells WRITER in writing what changes WRITER must make. | |
| Step | 13: | WRITER completes SECOND DRAFT of PROJECT. |
| Step | 14: | CLIENT pays WRITER quarter (25%) of FULL SUM. WRITER submits SECOND DRAFT of PROJECT to CLIENT. WRITER takes no further steps. |
| Step | 15: | CLIENT reads SECOND DRAFT of PROJECT. |
| Step | 16: | If CLIENT intends further steps, CLIENT is at Step 1. |
AGREEMENT is reached—or not reached—at Steps 3, 8, and 12.
PAPERS are submitted at Steps 4, 6, 8(a), 10, 12(b), and 14.
MONEY is paid at Steps 4, 8(a), 10, and 12(a) or 14.