Daniel Adler and the 12 Angry Men pt.1

The production of 12 Angry Men was about to begin, as today marked the finalization of the pre-production phase. They had already had a table read, which I had missed due to being busy with my new book and registering the new company with John.

Today, the actors were going to do a rehearsal of sorts, performing scenes on the set to familiarize themselves and get into character. Filming was set to start next week.

This was also my first time meeting the rest of the cast. I had only briefly met Bob Odenkirk and J.K. Simmons had met Pedro Pascal at his casting.

I drove into the studio and got out of the car at my assigned spot, where Julie was waiting for me. She quickly led me to the set. Dave was there to greet me as I entered.

"Right on time," Dave said.

"I did promise," I replied with a smile.

I looked around and saw the set, meticulously designed to resemble the jury room I described in the script. I spotted Ron Howard talking with Chris and Tom Hanks near the set. I could also see the other actors lounging around, chatting and getting ready.

I walked over to Ron with Dave.

"Look who's here," Dave said, getting their attention.

"Daniel," Ron said, shaking my hand warmly.

"Very early, Danny. Glad that PA is working out for you," Chris teased.

"Well kid, let's get started, shall we?" Tom said, patting me on the back.

Ron called the cast over, and Tom introduced me to the rest of the cast with great praise. "Everyone, this is Daniel Adler, the genius behind our script," he said, his hand resting on my shoulder.

The cast returned the greeting warmly, each in their own way.

Gary Oldman stepped forward, shaking my hand firmly. "I must admit, I didn't believe at first that a 17-year-old wrote this script," he said with a hint of a smile. "But after looking at your other work, I was convinced. You truly are a genius."

"Got Gary to watch Toy Story," Tom said.

"I was pleasantly surprised… and moved by the story," Gary said, to everyone's laughter.

Michael Stuhlbarg, standing nearby, nodded appreciatively. "Your work speaks for itself, Mr. Adler."

"Brilliant script, Daniel. Can't wait to dive into it," said Stanley Tucci, shaking my hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Stuhlbarg. Mr. Tucci," I replied.

Pedro Pascal greeted me with a friendly smile and a warm handshake. "Good to see you again, Daniel."

"Likewise, Pedro," I replied.

Bob Odenkirk, with his usual laid-back demeanor, gave me a thumbs-up. "Great to see you, Daniel. Looking forward to working together."

"Same here, Mr. Odenkirk," I replied.

J.K. Simmons, ever the professional, nodded firmly.

Jim Broadbent shook my hand softly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Daniel. Your story is wonderful."

Mackenzie Astin gave me a friendly slap on the shoulder. "You've got some serious talent, Mr. Adler. Glad to be part of this."

Mark Ruffalo, always full of energy, gave me a big smile and a hearty handshake. "Amazing work, Mr. Adler. I heard you recommended me."

"Huge fan, Mr. Ruffalo," I replied.

Christoph Waltz, with his distinctive charm, nodded approvingly. "Quite impressive, Mr. Adler. It's a pleasure."

Jon Hamm, the last to greet me, gave me a firm handshake and a nod. "Looking forward to this, Mr. Adler. Great script."

Ron then addressed the cast. "I know you have all worked on your characters, and I saw it at the table read. Today, we are going to do some scenes so you can get comfortable before we begin the shoot."

"We will be doing the opening scene, yes?" Christoph Waltz asked.

"Yes," Ron confirmed.

Ron then directed everyone into position on the set. The set was meticulously designed to resemble a jury room from the 1950s. It had a long, rectangular wooden table at the center, surrounded by twelve chairs.

Above the set, numerous lights were rigged to provide the necessary illumination, while carefully positioned spotlights created the effect of sunlight streaming through the windows. The room had a timeless feel, filled with a palpable sense of tension and importance, enhanced by the controlled lighting and atmospheric effects.

Behind the windows of the jury room set, a green screen was installed, ready to be filled in later with CGI backgrounds. This would allow for the addition of realistic cityscapes and changing weather conditions. The green screen provided flexibility in post-production, ensuring that every detail of the external environment could be meticulously crafted to match the mood and tone of each scene.

The actors took their positions around the table, each settling into their roles. Mark Ruffalo, as Juror 1, sat at the head of the table. The others arranged themselves according to their assigned spots, ready to dive into their parts.

The rest of us gathered behind the camera, observing the scene. Ron then turned to me and said, "Pay close attention to everything."

I had mentioned to him about wanting to learn how to direct, so Ron decided to have me shadow him when the production begins next week.

"Why don't we introduce our characters first?" Tom Hanks suggested.

Ron Howard nodded. "Go ahead."

Tom stood up from his chair. "I'll start," he said. "I'm playing Juror 8. He's quiet but has a lot of opinions. He considers others' views, believes in justice, and seeks the truth. He'll fight to get what's right."

Mark Ruffalo, as the Foreman, followed. "I'm Juror 1. A short, serious, and well-dressed man. I'm not particularly intelligent, but I make good decisions and like being in charge."

Mackenzie Astin stood next. "I'm Juror 2. I'm shy and a bit of a follower. I easily change my mind based on the last person I spoke to, and I don't really have an opinion of my own."

J.K. Simmons, with his characteristic intensity, introduced himself. "I'm Juror 3. Strong, forceful, humorless, and strict. I force others to agree with me and am convinced my opinion is always right. I'm full of myself."

Michael Stuhlbarg stepped up. "I'm Juror 4. Wealthy and always well-presented. I'm serious and only want the facts. I think I'm above the other jurors and don't like their behaviors."

Stanley Tucci took his turn. "I'm Juror 5. I'm scared but take my obligations seriously. I'm afraid to speak up, especially to those older than me. I'm young and naïve, often oblivious to the facts."

Pedro Pascal, with his charismatic demeanor, introduced his character. "I'm Juror 6. Nice and honest, but not too smart. I make decisions carefully and accept opinions I like. It's difficult for me to create positive opinions."

Bob Odenkirk, with a mischievous glint, introduced himself. "I'm Juror 7. Loud, wealthy, with a quick temper. I'm very opinionated and a bit of a bully, but also a coward. I have quick opinions on things I know nothing about and think being on the jury is a waste of my time."

Jim Broadbent, with a kind smile, stepped forward. "I'm Juror 9. A nice old man who lives his life strong. I don't hide my age or hold back on my decisions. I wish I had been more courageous when I was younger. I've been defeated by life and am now just waiting to die."

Gary Oldman, with a fierce look, introduced his character. "I'm Juror 10. Angry, miserable, and racist. I hate everyone but myself and know my life is going nowhere."

Christoph Waltz, with a thoughtful expression, stepped up. "I'm Juror 11. A bit of a pushover. I do what others want or say. I'm ashamed because I'm a refugee from Europe and speak with an accent. I want justice because I've been treated unfairly, and I'm compassionate."

Finally, Jon Hamm introduced himself. "I'm Juror 12. I'm full of myself, egocentric, and a snob. I'm bright but don't understand people. I try to be a good person but often fall short."

I was in awe of how they got into their characters' skin. This movie was going to be amazing.

"I think we did well with the cast," Chris whispered.

"Yeah, I think we did," I replied.

"Alright, let's do it," Ron said, focusing back on the cast. "Mark, you can begin. From 'Is everybody here?'"

.

.

.

Mark Ruffalo, playing Juror 1, the Foreman, started the scene.

"Is everybody here?" he asked, looking around the table.

Jon Hamm, playing Juror 12, replied, "The old man's inside."

The foreman turned to the washroom just as the door opened. Jim Broadbent, playing Juror 9, came out, looking a bit embarrassed.

"We'd like to get started," Mark said.

"Forgive me, gentlemen. I didn't mean to keep you waiting," Jim responded, finding a seat.

"It's all right. Find a seat," Mark continued. The room settled as everyone found their places and looked at the foreman expectantly.

"Alright. Now, you gentlemen can handle this any way you want to. I mean, I'm not going to make any rules. If we want to discuss it first and then vote, that's one way. Or we can vote right now to see how we stand."

Bob Odenkirk, playing Juror 7, interjected, "Let's vote now. Who knows, maybe we can all go home."

Gary Oldman, as Juror 10, agreed, "Yeah. Let's see who's where."

J.K. Simmons, portraying Juror 3, added, "Right. Let's vote now."

Ron paused the scene. "Bob, try to show a bit more impatience. You want to get this over with quickly. Gary, emphasize your agreement, show you're eager to get this done."

They follow Ron's instructions and then the scene continues.

Mark looked around the table. "Anybody doesn't want to vote?" He scanned the room. There was no answer. "Okay, all those voting guilty raise your hands."

Seven or eight hands went up immediately. Several others followed more slowly. Everyone looked around the table. Only Jim Broadbent and Tom Hanks, playing Juror 8, did not raise their hands initially. Jim's hand slowly joined the others as the foreman counted.

"Nine... ten... eleven... That's eleven for guilty. Okay. Not guilty?" Mark counted the single hand raised by Tom. "One. Right. Okay. Eleven to one, guilty. Now we know where we are."

J.K. Simmons leaned forward, sarcasm evident in his voice. "Somebody's in left field. You think he's not guilty?"

Tom Hanks, with a quiet determination, responded, "I don't know."

Ron interrupted again. "J.K., let the sarcasm drip from your words. Tom, be resolute but calm. You're the voice of reason here."

They repeat the lines following Ron's instructions. 

"I never saw a guiltier man in my life," J.K. Simmons said. "You sat right in court and heard the same thing I did. The man's a dangerous killer. You could see it."

"He's nineteen years old," Tom replied softly.

"That's old enough. He knifed his own father, four inches into the chest. An innocent little nineteen-year-old kid. They proved it a dozen different ways. Do you want me to list them?" J.K. Simmons retorted.

"No," Tom said.

Gary Oldman turned to Tom, "Well, do you believe his story?"

"I don't know whether I believe it or not. Maybe I don't," Tom answered.

Bob Odenkirk chimed in, "So what'd you vote not guilty for?"

"There were eleven votes for guilty. It's not so easy for me to raise my hand and send a boy off to die without talking about it first," Tom explained.

Ron stepped in. "Bob, be more incredulous. You're trying to wrap your head around this. Tom, maintain that calm, persuasive tone."

"Alright Ron," Bob said and he repeated the line following Ron's instruction.

Bob looked skeptical. "Who says it's easy for me?"

"No one," Tom replied.

"What, just because I voted fast? I think the guy's guilty. You couldn't change my mind if you talked for a hundred years," Bob stated firmly.

Tom remained calm. "I don't want to change your mind. I just want to talk for a while. Look, this boy's been kicked around all his life. You know, living in a slum, his mother dead since he was nine. That's not a very good head start. He's a tough, angry kid. You know why slum kids get that way? Because we knock 'em on the head once a day, every day. I think maybe we owe him a few words. That's all."

He looked around the table. Some of them looked back coldly. Some couldn't meet his gaze. Only Jim Broadbent nodded slowly. Jon Hamm doodled steadily, while Michael Stuhlbarg began to comb his hair.

Gary Oldman snorted, "I don't mind telling you this, mister. We don't owe him a thing. He got a fair trial, didn't he? You know what that trial cost? He's lucky he got it. Look, we're all grownups here. You're not going to tell us that we're supposed to believe him, knowing what he is. I've lived among 'em all my life. You can't believe a word they say. You know that."

Jim Broadbent spoke slowly, "I don't know that. What a terrible thing for a man to believe! Since when is dishonesty a group characteristic? You have no monopoly on the truth."

J.K. Simmons interrupted, "Alright. It's not Sunday. We don't need a sermon."

Jim Broadbent's words were calm, but firm, "What this man says is very dangerous."

Tom Hanks put a hand on Jim's arm, his gentle expression calming the older man. Jim drew a deep breath and relaxed.

Michael Stuhlbarg interjected, "I don't see any need for arguing like this. I think we ought to be able to behave like gentlemen."

"Right!" Bob Odenkirk agreed.

"If we're going to discuss this case, let's discuss the facts," Michael continued.

Mark Ruffalo nodded, "I think that's a good point. We have a job to do. Let's do it."

Christoph Waltz stood up, "If you gentlemen don't mind, I'm going to close the window." He closed it apologetically. "It was blowing on my neck."

Gary Oldman blew his nose fiercely as Jon Hamm proposed, "I may have an idea here. I'm just thinking out loud now but it seems to me that it's up to us to convince this gentleman," he indicated Tom Hanks, "that we're right and he's wrong. Maybe if we each took a minute or two, you know, if we sort of try it on for size."

Mark Ruffalo nodded. "That sounds fair enough. Supposing we go once around the table."

Ron clapped his hands. "Great job, everyone. Keep that energy. Let's take a short break and then move on to the next part."

They continued with more scenes, moving deeper into the story and exploring the complex dynamics between the characters. Ron Howard meticulously checked and decided on lighting setups, camera angles, and shot lists. He explained the technical aspects to me, sharing his insights and experience.

While he was explaining the camera angles to me, I remembered the scenes from the original movie and suggested having close-up shots of the jurors' faces during the more tense segments. "It could really highlight the intensity and emotions," I said.

Ron was intrigued by the suggestion. "That's a great idea, Daniel. We can try that out next week."

By the end of the day, the cast left and would be back tomorrow for costume fittings. The cast and crew were in high spirits, and it seemed the project was off to a great start.

I was excited for next week as I was learning so much from this experience. After today, I knew we had another hit on our hands.

And if everything goes right, a lot of Oscars.