The meeting room was thick with tension. The usual easy confidence that radiated from the Old Guard was gone, replaced by a quiet undercurrent of panic. Paulson, sitting at the head of the table, tapped his pen against his notepad, his jaw clenched as he stared down at the notes from the TRN pitch meeting. Around him, the other senior producers, Nancy Park, George Sullivan, and Carol Whitman, shifted uncomfortably in their seats. This wasn't the first time the Old Guard had faced competition from the New Bloods, but losing the TRN Prime Time show was something else entirely.
"We lost," Paulson finally said, his voice low but filled with frustration. "The TRN project—Silent Heroes—went to Ethan and Liam."
A murmur of discontent spread through the room. Nancy leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "That slot was ours to lose. Prime Time on TRN? That's a massive deal. It could have been the cornerstone of our slate for the next year."
George, who rarely showed any emotion, let out a heavy sigh. "We should've seen this coming. Breaking Point put them on the map, and Davis has been backing them more lately. They had momentum."
Carol shook her head, disbelief still coloring her features. "It's not just that. The pitch they gave was solid. They've figured out the formula—character-driven, emotional, and grounded. That's what TRN wants right now. But we should've outmaneuvered them."
Paulson's gaze flicked across the table. "And we could have, if we hadn't underestimated them."
The room fell into a sullen silence. The loss of the TRN show wasn't just a blow to their egos—it was a blow to their control over Beacon Studios. The Old Guard had long enjoyed preferential treatment, especially when it came to budgets and prime-time slots, but the success of the New Bloods was slowly eating away at their influence.
"This isn't just about Silent Heroes," Nancy said, her voice sharp. "This is about us losing ground. If Davis and TRN keep backing projects from the New Bloods, what does that mean for us? Our budgets are already being spread thinner."
"And the network money," George added. "That TRN contract was significant. We were banking on it to fund other projects."
Paulson clenched his fists, frustration gnawing at him. He had spent years building his influence at Beacon Studios, working closely with Davis and the other executives to ensure that his projects—and the Old Guard's projects—were always at the forefront. But now? Now it felt like the ground was shifting beneath him.
"TRN won't care about a few New Bloods once the show goes into production," Carol said, her voice more thoughtful. "They care about ratings. And for ratings, they need star power."
Nancy leaned forward, intrigued. "What are you getting at?"
Carol smiled, a calculating gleam in her eye. "The New Bloods might have won the pitch, but we still have the bigger assets—the actors. If we can position our top-tier actors to star in Silent Heroes, it'll force their hand. TRN wants the best talent, and the actors under our wing are rated higher than anything the New Bloods can pull in."
Paulson's eyes narrowed. "You're talking about leveraging our actors to get back into the project."
"Exactly," Carol said, her smile growing. "We pitch the biggest names we have—C-tier and above. The network won't want to pass up the chance to have established stars headlining their prime-time show. And it's not just about ratings. Higher-tier actors bring credibility, prestige. We'll push back against any outside casting. We make it clear that Beacon Studios has the talent, and TRN doesn't need to look elsewhere."
Nancy nodded slowly. "That's smart. TRN won't want to risk alienating the established stars who can draw viewers. If we can lock down the cast, we'll still have control over a significant part of the production."
George leaned forward, his voice taking on a more confident tone. "And if we get our actors on board, we can still steer this thing from behind the scenes. The New Bloods might be driving the creative, but with our stars, we'll be the ones getting the attention."
Paulson's frustration began to ease, replaced by a sense of resolve. This was it. They had been outmaneuvered once, but they still held the real power—the actors. If they could control the casting, they could still control the show.
"We need to move fast," Paulson said, his tone sharp. "We'll set up meetings with the top-tier talent on our roster—anyone with a D or C-tier rating. We make them understand that Silent Heroes is the project to be on. Then, we go to Davis and the network. We position it as a win-win for everyone—Beacon gets the prestige of a top-tier cast, TRN gets the ratings draw, and we secure our foothold back in the production."
Nancy smirked, clearly liking the plan. "And we make it clear that any talk of casting outsiders is a risk to the project's success. We've got the talent right here. No need to look anywhere else."
Paulson nodded, already strategizing. "Exactly. We'll start with Dan Lawson—he's one of the top-rated actors under our umbrella, and his status as a war hero in several previous roles will give Silent Heroes instant credibility. Then we push for Melvin Park—he's got a solid following, and his presence will give the show that additional layer of star power."
George chimed in. "And let's not forget about Sophia Trent. She's been looking for something more serious. If we frame this as a prestigious, character-driven piece, we can get her interested."
Carol leaned forward, her voice lowering. "We pitch it hard, and we make sure that Davis sees the value. If he wants this show to succeed on TRN's prime-time slot, he's going to need the biggest names possible."
Paulson felt the tension in the room begin to shift. They weren't out yet. Not by a long shot. The New Bloods might have won the creative battle, but the Old Guard was about to take control of the casting. And in the world of prime-time TV, casting was everything.
"Alright," Paulson said, standing up and glancing around the room. "We have our strategy. Let's get to work. We're going to turn this back in our favor."
As the Old Guard left the room, there was a sense of renewed determination. They had lost the first battle, but the war for control of Beacon Studios was far from over.
And with their top-tier actors in play, the Old Guard wasn't planning on losing again.