Back at Beacon Studios, things felt different. The halls seemed busier, the air a little more charged with anticipation. Word of Breaking Point's success had spread quickly, and it wasn't just Ethan and Liam feeling the effects. The entire studio was abuzz with new energy, and the New Bloods—those who had been struggling for years to break through—were starting to see a shift in the tide.
Ethan sat in a small meeting room with Liam and Rachel, their conversation quiet but focused. Since Breaking Point had won at the Independent Awards and their rankings had risen to E-tier, the dynamics within Beacon Studios were starting to change. But as Rachel had warned them earlier, it wasn't going to be an easy transition.
"The Old Guard still has the advantage," Rachel said, leaning forward, her expression thoughtful. "They've been here longer, they've got the track record, and they're still in control of most of the bigger projects. But things are shifting. Slowly."
Ethan nodded, understanding the nuance of what she was saying. The studio had long been dominated by the Old Guard—the senior producers and directors who had been around since Beacon's early days. They were responsible for the majority of the D and even C-tier talent, and their projects always seemed to get the bigger budgets and the faster greenlights.
But the New Bloods, the younger creatives like Ethan, Liam, and Rachel, were finally starting to catch up. The success of Breaking Point had given them a foothold, and with Mr. Davis's ear now turned toward more innovative projects, they had a real shot at changing the studio's culture.
"The rankings at the studio are still heavily skewed," Rachel continued, pulling up a chart on her tablet that displayed the star rankings of Beacon's top talent. "Right now, the average ranking here is D-tier, but the majority of those higher ratings are from the Old Guard. People like Paulson, Nancy Park, and George Sullivan—they're still at the top, and they've got the power to get their projects greenlit faster and with more money."
Liam sighed, tapping his pen against the table. "So even with Breaking Point's success, we're still not on equal footing."
Rachel gave a small, knowing smile. "Not yet. But we've made a dent. And that's where things get interesting. Mr. Davis is paying more attention to us now—our ideas, our projects. He's not just dismissing the New Bloods anymore. And with Ethan and you now at E-tier, it's not just about potential anymore. You're delivering results."
Ethan leaned back in his chair, considering her words. The Old Guard's power wasn't something that could be dismantled overnight. Paulson and his crew had built careers on playing it safe, on churning out reliable, formulaic content that made money but didn't push boundaries. They had the relationships, the reputation, and the experience to back up their claims for bigger budgets.
But Breaking Point had been the first real shakeup. It wasn't just a critical success—it had been profitable too, something that was hard to ignore in an industry driven by numbers.
"So, what's the next step?" Ethan asked, glancing between Liam and Rachel.
Rachel folded her hands on the table. "The next step is continuing to build on your success. Mr. Davis has started listening more to New Blood ideas. He's approved a few more low-budget projects in the past few weeks, and some of them are starting to gain traction. But the key is showing that our way isn't just a fluke—that we can consistently deliver."
"Which means," Liam said, picking up where Rachel left off, "we need to get another project off the ground."
Ethan nodded, his mind already racing with possibilities. The pressure was on to follow up Breaking Point with something just as impactful. The Old Guard would be watching, waiting for them to stumble. And if they did, Paulson would be more than happy to remind Mr. Davis that the New Bloods were too much of a gamble.
But that wasn't going to happen. Not if Ethan had anything to say about it.
"What's Davis's temperature on the New Blood projects?" Ethan asked, leaning forward. "Is he just humoring us, or is he genuinely starting to shift his attention?"
Rachel hesitated for a moment before answering. "It's hard to say for sure, but from what I've seen, he's interested. He's still cautious—he's not going to throw huge budgets at us yet—but he's willing to give more of our ideas a chance. The fact that he's greenlighting more New Blood projects at all is a good sign. He's seeing the potential."
"But," Liam added, "he's also still playing both sides. He knows the Old Guard has the experience, and he's not ready to abandon them."
"Exactly," Rachel said. "Paulson and his crew still have the advantage when it comes to resources. Their projects get the bigger budgets, and they get priority when it comes to scheduling. We're making progress, but it's going to take time."
Ethan clenched his jaw. Time was something they didn't have in abundance. The Old Guard wouldn't just sit back and let the New Bloods take over. They'd be watching for any mistake, ready to pounce if things didn't go perfectly. It was a balancing act—pushing for innovation while making sure their projects were profitable and well-received.
"We need to make sure our next project is bulletproof," Ethan said, his voice firm. "No mistakes, no excuses. We can't afford to give Paulson any reason to say we're a risk."
Liam nodded, his expression serious. "Agreed. We need to find the right project—something that's fresh but also safe enough to get Davis's full backing. If we can pull off another win, it'll give us the momentum we need to really shift things at the studio."
Rachel smiled, her eyes gleaming with the same determination that Ethan felt. "And once we have momentum, it'll be harder for the Old Guard to push us back down."
The three of them sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the conversation hanging in the air. Beacon Studios was at a crossroads, and the New Bloods had a real shot at changing the game. But the Old Guard wasn't going to make it easy. They had the advantage of time, money, and reputation. But Ethan and his team had something even more valuable—hunger.
"We should start brainstorming," Liam said finally, breaking the silence. "We need to come up with something big."
Ethan nodded, already thinking about the possibilities. The studio's politics were shifting, but they had to move carefully. If they could keep building on the success of *Breaking Point*, they'd have a shot at not just surviving, but thriving in an industry that had always been stacked against them.
"Let's get to work," Ethan said, his voice filled with resolve. "The Old Guard might have a head start, but we're catching up."
As they left the meeting room, Ethan felt a familiar sense of excitement bubbling inside him. The future wasn't guaranteed, but for the first time, it felt like it was theirs to take.
The New Bloods were rising. And they weren't going to stop.