The Blue Boar Inn felt like a sanctuary of wood and stone, but inside the private meeting room, the air was thick with the cold, sterile smell of corporate negotiation. Daniel sat on one side of a heavy oak table, flanked by Tom and Elias. Opposite them sat three men from Vanguard Studios, led by a man named Harrison Reed.
Harrison Reed didn't look like a filmmaker. He looked like a man who spent his life looking at spreadsheets and litigation. He looked at Daniel with a mixture of professional curiosity and a deep, underlying condescension.
"It's a remarkable little project, Daniel," Reed said, leaning back. "Truly. To get that kind of response at the Eccles with a ninety-thousand-dollar budget is... well, it's a statistical anomaly. You should be very proud."
Daniel didn't smile. He knew how this game was played. Vanguard wasn't just any studio; it was the house that Julian Vane's father had essentially built.
The industry saw Julian as a brilliant "indie" talent, but the reality was far more cynical. Julian's father, a billionaire venture capitalist with no previous ties to Hollywood, had realized early on that his son wanted to be a "creator." Instead of just buying him a sports car, he had invested tens of millions into Vanguard Studios. In exchange, Vanguard became Julian's personal playground—a place where his projects were fast-tracked, his image was polished by the best PR firms, and his "stolen" ideas were given the budget of masterpieces. Julian liked to pretend he was a struggling artist, but he was a businessman's son playing at cinema.
"We've looked over the numbers," Reed continued, tapping a folder. "The buzz is high, but let's be realistic. It's a legal drama. No stars—no offense, Elias, you're a legend in the theatre scene, but you aren't a 'box office draw' in the modern sense. No action. No franchise potential. It's a 'prestige' piece. A niche product."
"It's a story," Daniel corrected him calmly. "Stories aren't niche. They're universal."
Reed chuckled, a dry, grating sound. "Right. Philosophy. Look, Vanguard is prepared to make you a very generous offer. We want the worldwide rights. Everything. Theatrical, streaming, physical media. We'll pay you $2 million flat. Right now. You walk away with a massive profit, your crew gets their back-pay, and you can buy yourself a nice house in the Valley to think about your next move."
Tom shifted in his seat, his eyes wide. Two million dollars. That was more money than any of them had ever seen. It would cover the budget twenty times over.
"And what about the theatrical run?" Daniel asked. "What about the backend?"
Reed's expression soured. "Theatrical? Daniel, we'd probably do a 'limited' release in New York and LA just to qualify for awards, and then move it straight to our streaming platform. As for backend... we don't offer profit shares on 'unproven' acquisitions. We're taking all the risk here. Two million is a 'thank you' for the Moondance buzz. Take it or leave it."
"So you want to buy it and bury it," Daniel said, his voice dropping an octave. "You want to make sure it doesn't compete with Julian's feature debut later this year. You want to control the narrative so I stay 'the kid from the scandal' who got lucky once."
One of the other Vanguard reps made a cynical snort. "You're being paranoid, Miller. You are young. Two million dollars is a lottery win. Most people in your position would be kissing our shoes."
Daniel stood up slowly. He adjusted his jacket, his gaze lingering on Reed.
"I'm not most people. And I'm not interested in a 'lottery win.' I'm interested in my movie being seen by the world. If you can't see the value of a film that just brought twelve hundred people to their feet, then you're in the wrong business."
"You're making a mistake," Reed warned, his voice turning cold. "No one else is going to give you seven figures for a movie shot in a dance studio."
"It was a pleasure talking with you, Mr. Reed," Daniel said, his smile polite but razor-sharp. "I hope we can cooperate some other time... when you actually see the value of my work. Let's go, guys."
As they walked out of the Inn, Tom was vibrating with anxiety. "Dan! Two million! We could have been set! Are you sure about this?"
"I'm sure," Daniel said, looking at the snowy peaks. "Vanguard doesn't want to distribute our movie. They want to own it so they can kill it. We're going to find someone who actually wants people to watch it."
---
The next two negotiations were equally frustrating. One studio wanted to turn it into a "digital only" release with no marketing. Another wanted to change the ending to something "more upbeat" through reshoots. Daniel walked out of both.
Finally, at 4:00 PM, they met with a man named Mark Solomon, the head of Horizon Distribution.
Horizon was a mid-sized player. They didn't have the billion-dollar war chest of Vanguard, but they had a reputation for being "The Filmmaker's Distributor." Solomon was a man in his sixties with a messy desk and a genuine love for cinema. He had been at the Eccles premiere, and he didn't bring a spreadsheet to the meeting. He brought a notebook full of questions about the characters.
"I love this film, Daniel," Solomon said, leaning forward. "It's been twenty years since I felt that kind of tension in a theater. I'm not going to lie to you—I can't give you millions upfront. My board would fire me."
"I'm not looking for a buyout, Mark," Daniel said. "I want a partner."
Solomon nodded, his eyes bright. "Here is my best and final offer. $750,000 upfront. That covers your debts if you're in one and puts some money in your pocket. But more importantly, I'm giving you 45% of the box office share. Typically, theaters keep half the profit, and distributors take the rest. We own some theatres and have a decent relation with some others. I'm taking a smaller cut because I believe this movie is going to have legs. I'll put it in five hundred theaters for the opening weekend. If it performs, we go to a thousand."
Daniel looked at the man. Solomon was transparent. He explained the risks—that if the movie bombed, the $750k was all they'd ever see. But he also showed Daniel the marketing plan: posters that emphasized the "twelve men, one verdict" tension, and a trailer that focused on the emotional breakdown of Juror Three.
"You've got a deal, Mark," Daniel said, reaching across the table.
"Good choice," Solomon said, shaking his hand firmly. "You could have taken the easier route of a buyout, but you'd have been a 'one-hit wonder' who vanished. With us, you're a partner. Let's make some history."
---
The departure from Park City was a blur of packing and adrenaline. As the team stood at the small regional airport, Claire, the festival coordinator, showed up personally to see them off.
She looked tired but happy. "I heard you signed with Horizon," she said, pulling Daniel aside. "It's a good move. Solomon is an honest man. He'll treat your 'baby' with respect."
"Thanks for everything, Claire," Daniel said. "The Eccles... I'll never forget that."
"Neither will the industry," she replied. She reached into her pocket and handed him a sleek, minimalist business card. "That's my private number. If you ever need anything—advice, a contact, or a place to hide from the press—call me. And Daniel? I'm expecting you back here next year. Don't make me look bad by waiting five years for your next project."
Daniel laughed and gave her a brief, grateful hug. "I won't keep you waiting."
They boarded the plane back to LA. This time, they weren't the nervous "exiles" flying in. They were the victors returning home.
---
Los Angeles – One Week Later
The afterparty wasn't held at a flashy club on Sunset. Daniel had rented out a high-end loft space in downtown LA—something with brick walls, big windows, and enough space for the whole crew to breathe.
When Daniel, Tom, and the three actors walked in, the room erupted. Sarah, Sam, Benny, and the other eight jurors were already there, surrounded by catering and music. The prepayment from Horizon had hit the account three days prior, and Daniel had made sure the first thing he did was clear the debt the production owed. His grandparents' house was safe and sound.
"Boss!" Sam shouted, throwing an arm around Daniel's shoulder. "Did you see the posters? I saw one on a bus stop in Santa Monica today! 12 Angry Men! My name is on a bus stop!"
"It's everywhere," Sarah said, joining them. She looked at Daniel with a soft, appreciative smile. "The trailer is currently trending at #4 on YouTube. Horizon's channel is doing wonders. People are actually debating the verdict in the comments."
Daniel looked at the laptop on the bar. The trailer had been officially released that morning. Because Horizon was an established studio, their reach was massive. Combined with the "Miller Studios" channel—which was quickly gaining subscribers—the buzz was reaching a fever pitch.
The trailer was a work of art. Tom and the Horizon editors had polished it until it gleamed. It opened with the judge's instructions and then became a rhythmic, fast-paced montage of the jurors' faces, ending with the tagline: 12 Men. 1 Room. No Way Out. The release date was set for May 3rd—exactly two weeks away.
"Everyone! Quiet down for a second!" Daniel called out, tapping a glass with a spoon.
The room went silent. The crew—the people who had worked for sandwiches and promises—looked at him with a level of trust that was almost humbling.
"I have some things to say," Daniel began. "First, the prepayment from Horizon is in. Every one of you has already received the fee we agreed upon. But... I know what you went through. I know about the thirteen days of heat and the broken equipment and the fact that most of you took a chance on a guy who was supposed to be 'finished' after his school days."
Daniel pulled out a stack of envelopes.
"There are fifteen of you here who formed the core of this production. The twelve jurors, Sarah, Sam, and Benny. Inside each of these is a $10,000 bonus."
The room went dead silent.
"Whoa, Dan," Caleb said, stepping forward. "You already paid us our day rates. That's more than enough. You need that money for your next movie."
"Yeah," Sam added, though his eyes were wide. "We did this for the film, man. Not for a payday."
"Shut up and take it," Daniel said, his voice firm but filled with affection. "I'm not a director who doesn't know when to provide bonuses. We made $750,000 before a single ticket was sold. This is your share of the victory. Take it. Save it. Spend it on a new lens or a better car. You earned it."
One by one, they took the envelopes. There were tears, there were hugs, and there was a renewed sense of purpose. Daniel wasn't just their boss anymore; he was their leader.
As the party wound down, the "core" group—Daniel, Tom, Leo, Sarah and Elias—sat on the balcony looking out at the sprawling lights of Los Angeles.
"So," Tom said, taking a sip of his drink. He looked at Daniel, his expression curious. "The trailer is out. The money is in the bank. The movie is two weeks from hitting five hundred screens. What's next, Dan?"
The question hung in the air. Everyone on the balcony—and even a few people inside who had overheard—turned to look at Daniel. They realized that their lives had changed because of his judgment. They weren't just waiting for a job; they were waiting for his vision.
Daniel looked out at the city. He thought about the "Reputation System" in his mind, the "Talent Hunt" ability, and the library of masterpieces still waiting to be born.
"First," Daniel said, "we stop working out of Tom's apartment and a rented dance studio. Tom, tomorrow we start looking for a proper office. A place for 'Miller Studios.' I want a space with an editing suite and a conference room where we don't have to worry about the neighbors complaining."
"And a house?" Tom asked. "It's about time you settle in LA, not just live with me."
"A house too," Daniel agreed. "I'll rent one for now, try to save as much money as I can, just in case the box office numbers don't do well."
"And the next project?" Sarah asked, her eyes glittering. "Are we going bigger? More rooms this time?"
Daniel smiled. He thought about the movies in his head—the epics, the thrillers, the dramas of Earth-199.
"We're going to save as much as we can from the box office," Daniel said. "Because with the next one, we are going to make the industry realize that 12 Angry Men wasn't a fluke. It was a warning shot."
He looked at his team.
"We're going to build something that Julian Vane, Vanguard or anyone else can't buy, can't steal, and can't ignore. We're going to build a new Hollywood."
Elias raised his glass. "To Miller Studios."
"To Miller Studios," the others echoed.
Daniel looked up at the stars, raising a toast to his grandmother.
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