So I meet with Tom after work today. He's talked to John about what's next with the project. Looks like the current plan is for Tom to revert the rights back to Paul, and Paul and John are to meet with the two LA producers on Thursday. Somehow, Tom got it in his thinking that by doing so, he would then ask Paul to pay any finder's fee so that he wouldn't be left completely empty-handed after all this time. (Note the word is "time" and not "work.")

Only, Paul came back with a lower finder's fee price, which set Tom off on a frenzy of paranoia and distrust. He's going to get cut out, I'm going to get cut out, it's just like he thought -- everyone's out to screw you in Hollywood.

Fast forward an hour when I talk to John. John wasn't cool with Tom asking Paul for a finder's fee -- Tom should have asked John for the finder's fee. (Confused yet? This is why I'm not going to be a producer in the film world.)

Regardless, Tom apparently made a verbal commitment to Paul to revert the rights back to Paul -- which Paul was very grateful for. Well, if that's the case, than we're almost back to square one, except that we have a producer actively interested in the project.

So where does that leave me?

According to John, ahead of everyone else. John appreciates the fact that I've been honest and straightforward the whole time, and that I haven't tried to ask for huge sums of money. What he's told me that he will do, is give me a personal introduction to the producers I mentioned in my last post. He also wants me to "come along for the ride."

John was very up front with me. He thinks the project could turn into something bigger than we thought -- with the script getting into the hands of Swayze or Stallone. He also says that he feels obligated to me and to Tom for connecting him to this project. He wants to keep me and Tom involved at some level, although he's not in a position to tell me how he can do so at this point.

John also said that he's asking me to take a lot on faith. He knows it, but he can't offer anything more than that at this juncture.

Everything in me that's ever measured a person (call it intuition) says that John both can and will do. I feel that I can trust him. And, as Ken says, I'm better off trusting John than I am by letting Tom wander around Hollywood with the option agreement. I think he's right. Tom simply doesn't know what he's doing, or where he's going. We're probably all better off by Tom gracefully turning back the rights. If John does turn out to be as decent as I thought, the long-term benefits will outweigh any short-term sacrifices.

Here's hoping.