That same day, after the meeting with Larry, in the afternoon, James arrived at Owen's apartment.
He carried a slim briefcase, a coffee in hand, and that focused expression he never took off, not even on weekends.
Owen was already waiting. The laptop was open, the script for the next project was closed off to the side, and two glasses of water sat on the table.
"Ready to get prepped?" James said, walking in without preamble.
"I guess so," Owen replied, taking a seat. James sat across from him.
"Tomorrow it's Blumhouse. The day after, A24," James said, pulling out his notebook. "Both are interested in acquiring the rights to Paranormal Activity. Before we talk to them, I need to know what you want."
Owen leaned back in his chair, thoughtful.
"What I want is distribution. I want the movie in theaters," he said.
"But I want to keep a percentage of the box office. And above all, I don't want to give up the intellectual property. The franchise stays mine. If there are sequels, spin-offs, re-releases… all of that remains under my control," he added.
James looked at him, nodding slowly. "I see. So you don't want to take a fixed acquisition deal, even if they offer you far more than what you spent. Am I right?"
"Exactly. They could offer me $100,000, $150,000, even more. And yes, that's a lot more than I invested. But if I accept that, I'm giving them full control of the franchise. Paranormal Activity would be theirs, not mine," Owen replied calmly.
James took notes. He had done his homework over the weekend, even though his background was more in corporate law than entertainment.
"I ask because in most of these deals, studios try to buy the film outright. They put a number on the table and that's it, they keep the film, the rights, everything. They do it to avoid percentages, negotiations and shared decisions. And many filmmakers take the deal. Especially when the number is strong enough to multiply their initial investment several times over."
"I know. I won't," said Owen firmly.
"What if the number is very strong? Let's say… half a million. Would you consider it?" James asked, watching him closely.
If he got such an offer, he'd be recouping his investment twenty-five times over. And it would be guaranteed money, not hypothetical, unlike box office returns, where a film could perform well or flop.
"No. I'll stand firm. I want a percentage of the box office," Owen answered without hesitation.
"Alright. That'll be tougher, especially with Blumhouse," James said.
Owen nodded, he knew what James meant.
Blumhouse, though known for low-budget films, liked to have complete control. They rarely shared box office percentages with independent filmmakers. They bought cheap, sold big. Their model was built on minimal risk, total control.
"Still, it's not impossible, thanks to your position," James continued. "You're the writer, the producer, the financier, and the lead actor."
"The film's finished, debt-free, partner-free. It's been accepted into a respected festival, got a good reception, and you already have a trailer with over 400,000 views. You're offering a commercial opportunity," he added.
Owen nodded in agreement.
From an industry standpoint the revenue split generally worked like this:
Of what a movie grosses in theaters, 50% goes to the exhibitors.
The remaining 50% is divided between the distributor (in this case, potentially A24 or Blumhouse) and the film's production company.
In this case, the producer is Owen, since he financed the film independently, without studios or outside investors.
The distributor's job isn't just to get the movie into theaters, negotiating with chains and handling distribution logistics. They also take on the marketing costs, copies, campaign design, advertising, press, and all the key elements needed for the film to make a commercial impact.
That expense can range from modest figures to several hundred thousand dollars, depending on how much they decide to invest in the project.
In exchange, the distributor keeps a significant portion of the 50% that remains after theaters take their share.
If the film were produced by an established company with some bargaining power, that 50% might be split evenly: 25% and 25%.
But Owen is an independent first-time filmmaker.
Even though he has a solid product, backed by a prestigious festival and strong online traction, his negotiating power is still limited compared to a distributor that might invest 10, 15, or even 20 times more than his $20,000 budget just on advertising.
That's why demanding an equal 25% share wasn't realistic for a first deal.
The distributor would be taking on far greater financial risk than Owen.
What he could aim to negotiate was a percentage of the net revenue after theaters, that is, the money that reaches the distributor's hands after the exhibitors' cut, ideally between 10% and 20%.
"Besides securing 10 to 20 percent, we have to retain the IP. In both negotiations, we can use the interest from each studio to put pressure on the other," James said.
Retaining the IP rights was crucial, since it meant Owen could make sequels if he wanted.
No one could continue the franchise without his permission. He could renegotiate future deals for that same IP. It was his long-term asset, even if this first film didn't perform commercially as expected.
Owen nodded.
At one point, Owen pulled out his phone and tapped some numbers.
"If we get 15 percent… and the movie makes, say, twenty million, that'd be $1.5 million for me, right?"
"Yes," James nodded, without adding more.
Internally, he thought it was ambitious. He knew Paranormal Activity was solid, it had something.
But it was still a $20,000 film.
If it made it to theaters, which would already be a huge accomplishment, it would likely be in limited release. From his point of view, it could definitely turn a profit for both Owen and the distributor because of its low budget, but not so easily reach twenty million at the box office.
What James didn't know, or rather, what he couldn't know, was that in another reality, that same film had grossed over $190 million worldwide.
James and Owen talked for another hour.
Once everything was covered, James left the apartment and planned to meet Owen early the next morning to head to the Blumhouse offices in Los Angeles. Their meeting was scheduled for 9:00 a.m.
The next day, ten minutes before nine, Owen and James arrived at Blumhouse Productions' offices in Los Angeles.
The building wasn't particularly luxurious or flashy from the outside, in fact, that was part of the Blumhouse aesthetic: efficiency, low costs, focus on results.
A few posters of the studio's iconic films, like Insidious, decorated the minimalist reception area, alongside a matte black cabinet and a discreet logo on the wall.
They were greeted by an assistant who escorted them to a meeting room on the second floor: a long table, six black chairs, and a dark screen at the far end.
In the room, two Blumhouse executives were already waiting for them:
David Kramer, Vice President of Development, and Melanie Meyer, Head of Acquisitions.
Both greeted them professionally, without unnecessary formalities.
After brief introductions and a few polite remarks, everyone took their seats.
"I saw Paranormal Activity. I really liked it, especially the pacing and the gradual tension buildup. We know it already screened at Palm Springs and received a strong audience response," said Melanie, the first to get straight to the point.
"And we also watched the trailer. Over 400,000 views in less than a month. Not bad for a film with no studio and minimal marketing," added David.
"Thank you. I used a viral marketing approach," Owen said with a polite smile.
A few minutes later, Melanie and David placed their initial offer on the table, a folder, a printed sheet, and one clear number:
$300,000 for the full acquisition of the film, including all rights and intellectual property.
In silence, Owen lowered his eyes to the document, reading carefully.
James did the same.
Multiplying a $20,000 investment twelvefold was, by any financial standard, an extraordinary outcome.
For many independent filmmakers, such an offer would be a dream come true, a perfect ending for a movie made from scratch, without support, without a studio, without recognizable names.
But neither of them said a word.
David and Melanie noticed Owen's lack of enthusiasm. Knowing he owned the film outright, they expected to see at least a hint of excitement at the idea of receiving $300,000 instantly if he accepted the deal, but his reaction was flat.
They exchanged a quick glance, trying to decipher his indifference.
A few seconds of silence followed.
Finally, Owen spoke. His tone was polite yet firm, "We appreciate the offer. We've reviewed it, and we're not interested in selling the full rights."
"We'd rather explore a distribution model where Owen retains the IP. We're open to discussing revenue sharing, contract duration, and territory, but the film isn't for sale," added James.
The negotiation continued for nearly another hour. It was tense but respectful.
In the end, the best offer they received was 8% of the post-theatrical net revenue for Owen.
That meant if the film grossed $10 million, Owen would make $400,000.
And if it somehow reached the $193 million it had earned in his past life, Owen would make around $7.7 million.
Not bad, but Owen wasn't convinced, partly because of the other contract conditions.
James closed the folder slowly, "We'll think it over and get back to you in the next few days. We have a meeting with A24, so we'll see which offer is the best," he said casually.
A tactical remark, and it worked. The faces across the table shifted slightly, but just enough to notice.
Before they left, David summarized the offer terms:
-8% of post-theatrical net for Owen.
-Exclusive distribution by Blumhouse for 15 years.
-Estimated marketing investment: between $400,000 and $600,000.
-Partial IP retention: Owen would remain the legal creator, but could not make sequels without studio approval. And if he did, Blumhouse would have shared creative authority and priority as co-producers.
That didn't sit well with Owen.
He didn't like the idea of anyone else being able to interfere, or needing their permission to make his own sequels.
As they exited the building, James said, "It's not perfect. But for a first film, keeping the IP and securing distribution, it's a good start. With 8% locked in, the movie only needs to make about eight million, and you'd already earn around $320,000, which is more than what they offered to buy it outright."
Owen nodded as they walked down the exterior stairs. "Yeah. And Blumhouse films get reach. Even if the percentage isn't huge, they know how to distribute horror. Plus, the fact that they offered 8% without taking full control of the IP, that's not nothing."
They had gone in hoping to secure at least 10%, but that was optimistic, this was a studio known for wanting total control.
Still, an 8% post-theatrical cut was far from trivial. Especially for a first-time filmmaker.
They reached James's car, a sleek black BMW.
Both got in. James started the engine and pulled onto the road toward Owen's apartment.
"And if Blumhouse, who's known for being rigid with their deals, offered 8%…" Owen said, gazing out the window, "I'm almost certain A24 will make a better offer."
James nodded, hands steady on the wheel. "Yes. And you already have a relationship with A24, you sold them a script. They know you. They value the creative side."
Owen didn't reply, but he knew James was right.
About fifteen minutes later, James parked in front of his brother's building.
"Thanks for driving me, and for handling the negotiation and the contract," Owen said as he got out.
James turned just before Owen closed the door. "Don't mention it. You're doing things right. A year ago, I couldn't have imagined you'd get this far. Now you're negotiating with major studios, that's no small thing," James said sincerely.
Owen nodded and smiled.
Amazingly, he was rebuilding the strained relationship that the previous Owen had left with James, faster than he ever expected.
As the BMW drove off, Owen entered the building, checking the time on his phone. He still had a bit of time to prepare for the audition at two in the afternoon.
He had already read the script, and after the audition, he'd be meeting up with Matt and Sophie, who would no doubt be eager to hear how the Blumhouse meeting went.
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