Reels and deals at Sundance

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Actress Elisabeth Moss, with the film “The One I Love.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Melissa Benoist, from the film “Whiplash.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Michael Winterbottom, left, and actors Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, with the film “The Trip to Italy.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Steve Coogan, with the film “The Trip to Italy.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actors and co-directors Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, from the film “What We Do in the Shadows.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Musician Nick Cave, subject of the film “20,000 Days on Earth.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Sara Colangelo, with the film “Little Accidents.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Elizabeth Banks, Jacob Lofland and Boyd Holbrook, with the film “Little Accidents.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Boyd Holbrook, with the film “Little Accidents.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Elizabeth Banks, with the film “Little Accidents.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Jacob Lofland, with the film “Little Accidents.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Amy Carlson, from left, Matt Walsh, Meredith Hagner, Jason Ritter (front, arms open) director David Cross (hiding behind), Erinn Hayes, Jake Cherry and James Adomian, with the film “Hits.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Meredith Hagner, with the film “Hits.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Jason Ritter, with the film “Hits.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Erinn Hayes, with the film “Hits.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Amy Carlson, with the film “Hits.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor James Adomian, with the film “Hits.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Kate Barker-Froyland, actresses Mary Steenburgen and Anne Hathaway and composers Jonathan Price and Jenny Lewis, with the film, “Song One.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Matt Walsh, with the film “Hits.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Mary Steenburgen, with the film “Song One.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor and producer Mark Duplass, with the film “The One I Love.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Kurt Russell, with the documentary “The Battered Bastards of Baseball,” about his father, Neil Oliver “Bing” Russell. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Thomas Balmés, of the documentary “Happiness.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Brit Marling from the film “I Origins.,” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Chaz Ebert, left, and director Steve James with the documentary. “Life Itself,” about the late film critic Roger Ebert. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Astrid Berges-Frisbey from the film “I Origins.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Lea Thompson with the film “Ping Pong Summer.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Michael Pitt with the film “I Origins.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Bill Hader with the film “Skeleton Twins.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Mike Cahill, director of the film “I Origins.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Imogene Wolodarksy, left, director Maya Forbes, actress Ashley Aufderheide and actor Mark Ruffalo with the film “Infinitely Polar Bear.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Zeresenay Berhane Mehari and actress Meron Getnet with the film “Difret.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Imogene Wolodarksy from the film “Infinitely Polar Bear.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Stephanie Ellis with the film “The Sleepwalker.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Pasquale Rotella of the documentary “Under the Electric Sky.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Catherine Keener with the film “War Story.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Desiree Akavan, left, and actress Rebecca Henderson with the film “Appropriate Behavior.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Steven Yueng with the film “I Origins.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Astrid Berges-Frisbey from the film “I Origins.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actors David Henry Gerson, left, and Kris Park with the short film “Chapel Perilous.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Halley Feiffer from the film “Appropriate Behavior.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Jenny Slate with the film “Obvious Child.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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John Shook, owner and chef of Los Angeles restaurant “Animal,” who created a pop-up “Animal” in Park City for Sundance. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Christopher Abbott with the film “The Sleepwalker.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Gillian Robespierre, left, and actress Jenny Slate with the film “Obvious Child.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Pasquale Rotella of the documentary “Under the Electric Sky.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Gitte Witt with the film “The Sleepwalker.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Arian Moayed with the film “Appropriate Behavior.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Directors Dan Cutforth and Jane Liptsitz of the documentary “Under the Electric Sky.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Erick Chavarria with the film “I’m A Mitzvah.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Mona Fastvold with the film “The Sleepwalker.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Aaron Paul, left, director Kat Candler and Josh Wiggins from the movie “Hellion.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Aaron Paul from the movie “Hellion.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Josh Wiggins from the movie “Hellion.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Jason Schwartzman, left, director Alex Ross Perry and Elizabeth Moss from the movie “Listen Up Phillip.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Jason Schwartzman from the movie “Listen Up Phillip.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Elizabeth Moss from the movie “Listen Up Phillip.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Josephine de La Baume from the movie “Listen Up Phillip.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Alex Ross Perry with the movie “Listen Up Phillip.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Jonathan Pryce from the movie “Listen Up Philip.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Malik Vitthal, left, John Boyega, Anika Noni Rose and Rotimi Akinosho from the movie “Imperial Dreams.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Jeff Preiss, left, Glenn Close, Elle Fanning, Flea and Amy-Jo Albany from the movie “Low Down.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Noah Silver from the movie “Jamie Marks Is Dead.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Glenn Close from the movie “Low Down.”

(Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Flea from the movie “Low Down.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Elle Fanning from the movie “Low Down.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Tim Daly from the movie “Low Down.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Greg Barker, left, Maryam Alkhawaja and John Battsek from the movie “We Are Giant.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Noah Silver, left, Madisen Beaty, director Carter Smith and Morgan Saylor from the movie “Jamie Marks is Dead.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Morgan Saylor from the movie “Jamie Marks is Dead.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Madisen Beaty from the movie “Jamie Marks is Dead.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Molly Shannon from the movie “Life After Beth.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Paul Reiser from the movie “Life After Beth.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Matthew Gray Gobler from the movie “Life After Beth.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Cheryl Hines from the movie “Life After Beth.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Dane DeHaan from the movie “Life After Beth.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Aubrey Plaza from the movie “Life After Beth.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Chris O’Dowd and Kelly Reilly from the movie “Calvary.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Chris O’Dowd from the movie “Calvary.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Kelly Reilly from the movie “Calvary.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Pierre Boulanger, left, Emily Browning, Hannah Murray and Olly Alexander from the movie “God Help the Girl.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Olly Alexander from the movie “God Help the Girl.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Emily Browning from the movie “God Help the Girl.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Pierre Boulanger from the movie “God Help the Girl.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Hannah Murray from the movie “God Help the Girl.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Paul Eenhoorn, left, Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens and Earl Lynn Nelson from the movie “Land Ho!” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Earl Lynn Nelson from the movie “Land Ho!” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Paul Eenhoorn from the movie “Land Ho!” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Rory Kennedy from the movie “Last Days in Vietnam.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Laurie David, left, Katie Couric and Stephanie Soechtig from the movie “Fed Up.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Brad Takei, left, and George Takei from the movie “To Be Takei.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Bill Hader, with “The Skeleton Twins.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Craig Johnson, director of “The Skeleton Twins.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Cast members and the director of “A Most Wanted Man” include, from left, Philip Seymour Hoffman, director Anton Corbijn, Rachel McAdams and Willem Dafoe. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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From left, Jeremiah Bitsui, Sydney Freeland, Morningstar Angeline, and Carmen Moore with “Drunktown’s Finest.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Zeresenay Bermane Mehari and Meron Getnet, with the film “Difret.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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From left: Fred Abahams, Ole Solvang holding baby Ari Anna Neistat-Solvang, Anna Neistat and directors Ross Dauffman and Katy Chevigny with “E-Team.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Marcello Conte, with “Ping Pong Summer.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Emmi Shockley, with “Ping Pong Summer.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Michael Tully, director of “Ping Pong Summer.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Andrew Rossi, director of “Ivory Tower.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Cast members and the director of “Love is Strange” include, from left, director Ira Sachs, John Lithgow, Marisa Tomei, Alfred Molina and Darren Burrows. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Mike Cahill, director of “I Origins.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Brit Marling, with “I Origins.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Luis Moreno Ocampo, director Edet Belzberg and Amelia Green-Dove, with “Watchers of the Sky.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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From left, Kris Perry, Sandy Stier, Jeff Zarrillo and Paul Katami, with “The Case Against 8.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Maika Monroe, with the film “The Guest.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Joey King, with the film “Wish I Was Here.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Pierce Gagnon, with the film “Wish I Was Here.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Josh Gad, with the film “Wish I Was Here.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Directors Maxim Pozdorovkin, left, and Tony Gerber, with the documentary “The Notorious Mr. Bout.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Cast members of the film “Wish I Was Here”, including, from left, Joey King, Zach Braff, Pierce Gagnon, Kate Hudson and Josh Gad. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Zach Braff and Kate Hudson, with the film “Wish I Was Here.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Eddy Moretti, chief creative officer of Vice and executive producer of “Fishing Without Nets” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Cast members of the film “Cold in July,” including from left, Don Johnson, Wyatt Russell, director Jim Mickle, Vinessa Shaw, Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard and Nick Damici. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Chloe Grace Moretz, from the film “Laggies.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Kaitlyn Dever, with the film “Laggies.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Sam Rockwell, with the film “Laggies.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Alex Gibney, director of the documentary “Finding Fela.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Lynn Shelton, director of the film “Laggies.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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From the film “Laggies” are, from left, cast members Sam Rockwell, Kaitlyn Dever amd Chloe Grace Moretz and director Lynn Shelton. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Dan Stevens, with the film “The Guest.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Chase Williamson, with the film “The Guest.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Adam Wingard, with the film “The Guest.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Lance Reddick, with the film “The Guest.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Sheila Kelley, of the film “The Guest.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Lenny Abrahamson and actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, from the film “Frank.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Writer Simon Barrett, of the film “The Guest.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Brendan Meyer, with the film “The Guest.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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From the film “The Guest” are, from left, Lance Reddick, Dan Stevens, Sheila Kelley, director Adam Wingard, Maika Monroe, Chase Williamson, Brendan Meyer and writer Simon Barrett. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Maika Monroe, with the film “The Guest.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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From the film “Frank” are, from left, actor Scoot McNairy, director Lenny Abrahamson and actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Cutter Hodierne, center, with actors Abdikani Muktar, left, in white and Abubakr Mire, of the film “Fishing Without Nets.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Ashley Greene, with the film “Wish I Was Here.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, with the film “Frank.”

(Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Scoot McNairy with the film “Frank.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Abdikani Muktar, from the film “Fishing Without Nets.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Vinessa Shaw of “Cold in July.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Sam Shepard and Vinessa Shaw appear in the thriller “Cold in July.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Don Johnson, part of the “Cold in July” cast. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Nick Damici, an actor in the thriller “Cold in July.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Greg Whiteley, director of “Mitt,” documenting Mitt Romney’s run for the presidency. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Michael C. Hall, a lead actor in “Cold in July.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Wyatt Russell, an actor in “Cold in July.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Jim Mickle, director of “Cold in July.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Cast of the movie “Camp X-Ray,” from left, Peter Sattler, Payman Maadi, Kristen Stewart and Lane Garrison. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Kristen Stewart from “Camp X-Ray.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Payman Maadi from the movie “Camp X-Ray.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Lane Garrison from the movie “Camp X-Ray.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Peter Sattler from the movie “Camp X-Ray.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Tom Bernard, left, and Michael Barker, co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Rose McGowan, with the film “Dawn.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actors Richard Ayoade, left, and Jesse Eisenberg, from the film “The Double.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Jesse Eisenberg, from the film “The Double.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Richard Ayoade, from the film “The Double.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actors Miles Teller, left, and Damien Chazelle, from the film “Whiplash.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Austin Stowell, from the film “Whiplash.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Cast of the film “Blue Ruin,” including Devin Ratray, left, Amy Hargreaves, Macon Blair and Eve Plumb. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Devin Ratray, from the film “Blue Ruin.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Amy Hargreaves, from the film “Blue Ruin.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Macon Blair, from the film “Blue Ruin.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Hong Khao, left, and actress Pei Pei Cheng, from the movie “Lilting.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Eve Plumb, from the film “Blue Ruin.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Writer-director Jeremy Saulnier, from the film “Blue Ruin.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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The cast of “Whiplash,” including Miles Teller, left, Melissa Benoist, Austin Stowell and Damien Chazelle. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Kate Flannery, from the film “Cooties.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Todd Miller, left, and sales agent Josh Braun, with the film “Dinosaur 13.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

By Daniel Miller

Jan. 22, 2014 5:30 AM PT

PARK CITY, Utah — Director Todd Miller was more nervous than he had expected to be.

The 37-year-old filmmaker’s self-financed documentary “Dinosaur 13” had scored one of the Sundance Film Festival’s coveted four opening-night slots. Now, facing a packed house at Park City’s 1,270-seat Eccles Theater for the film’s premiere, Miller felt his stomach churn.

“Wow, this is a lot of people,” Miller said, peering out at the crowd as he introduced his movie to its first audience last week. He then sat next to his wife, Laura Kirby Miller, in the front of the theater.

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Two hours later, as the credits began to roll, the crowd erupted in lusty applause. Josh Braun, the sales agent representing the film, felt confident.

“It was the kind of applause that will lead to closing a deal in the middle of the night,” he recalled later.

At the Sundance Film Festival, the drama off screen can sometimes trump the cinema offerings. Nearly 50,000 people make the trek here each year to binge on art house movies and documentaries. But for filmmakers, agents, producers and distributors, it’s 10 days of deal making.

Buyers flock to the festival in search of critical and commercial hits, hunting for the next “Winter’s Bone” or “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” The documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” broke out two years ago and went on to win an Oscar. “20 Feet From Stardom,” which premiered at last year’s festival, was among the five highest-grossing documentaries in the U.S. and Canada last year, and is a contender at this year’s Academy Awards.

“Dinosaur 13,” which Miller paid for in part by making short films for corporations, is the story of the 1990 discovery of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton near Faith, S.D. The fossils, which constituted the most complete T-rex specimen ever found, were discovered by Pete Larson and his ragtag group of colleagues from the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research.

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The dinosaur was the 13th T-rex skeleton ever unearthed, hence the film’s title. It’s better known as “Sue,” named after Sue Hendrickson, one of the paleontologists who found it.

The dinosaur is now on display at the Field Museum in Chicago, but it took a circuitous path. The federal government confiscated the T-rex in 1992 on grounds that Larson and his crew didn’t have the right to possess the massive 66.5-million-year-old skeleton.

The seizure set off a byzantine legal fight that involved the FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs and National Park Service. The property owner on whose land Sue was discovered eventually won the rights to the bones, and in 1997 he sold the skeleton at auction to the Field Museum for $8.36 million.

As soon as the 9:30 p.m. screening of “Dinosaur 13” ended Thursday night, Braun got a text message from a representative of CNN Films, a division of the news organization, saying that it was interested in acquiring the rights to the movie.

Braun, 52, tried to find Miller outside the theater. But the filmmaker was swamped by well-wishers, and Braun, co-founder of New York-based film sales company Submarine Entertainment, was buttonholed by distributors who praised “Dinosaur 13.”

While waiting in the lobby, Braun received an email from CNN Films making an offer for the movie in partnership with Lionsgate, the studio best known for its “Hunger Games” film series.

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Lionsgate doesn’t buy many documentaries, but its president of acquisitions and co-productions, Jason Constantine, said Miller’s movie was a David versus Goliath story with “everything you want in a documentary.”

Braun, unable to locate Miller, returned to his condominium, which would serve as a war room for the negotiations to come.

When the agent finally made contact with Miller, they scheduled a meeting with representatives from CNN Films and Lionsgate at the nearby Yarrow Hotel. Shortly after midnight last Friday, the filmmaker met with his prospective partners.

Miller, who studied film at Eastern Michigan University and now lives in Brooklyn, said he was impressed by the executives’ questions, including queries on how he had gotten certain shots.

“They got into the technical stuff that no one else asked us,” he said.

The distributors were impressed by Miller, too, and upped their offer. They wanted to enter into an exclusive negotiation, but there was a caveat. They needed a response by 1:30 a.m. Friday.

By now, according to sources with knowledge of the situation, other interested parties had emerged, including IFC, HBO, Netflix and Magnolia Pictures. Braun called representatives of several companies and told them there was a “ticking clock.”

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At the last minute, another potential buyer — Braun wouldn’t say who — came in with what he called a substantially higher offer than Lionsgate and CNN.

Braun quickly telephoned the Lionsgate-CNN representatives to tell them about the new offer. They agreed to give him a chance to talk things over with Miller, but refused to counter with a higher bid.

“They said, ‘If you don’t call us back in five minutes, we are turning off our phones, going to sleep, and the deal is dead,’” Braun said.

Miller talked by phone with his attorney, Evan Krauss, and Braun. In the end, the filmmaker decided to go with CNN and Lionsgate. The partnership would give Miller the best of both worlds — a prestigious theatrical release by Lionsgate, followed by expected repeated airings on CNN and its promise of a much larger audience. One of last year’s Sundance hits, “Blackfish,” was acquired by Magnolia and CNN and shown by the cable news company 17 times, and seen by about 21 million people.

“Doing this film, you learn very quickly to go with your gut,” Miller said. “I felt very comfortable with these guys.”

As soon as Miller said yes, Braun hung up and dialed the Lionsgate-CNN group two minutes past the deadline. If the call went to voice mail, the deal was dead.

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But the prospective buyers hadn’t gone to bed. They picked up. Braun told them, “I hope you have hundreds of thousands of dollars of love for Todd, because that is what he is giving up to go with you.”

The roughly $1-million deal for all North American rights to “Dinosaur 13” was the first sale on the ground in Park City. The price was in the ballpark of recent high-profile documentary sales. Last year, Submarine made $1-million-plus deals for “20 Feet From Stardom” and “Blackfish.”

Vinnie Malhotra, CNN’s senior vice president for development and acquisitions, said it meant a lot to him that Miller went with his group’s offer even though another potential buyer had made a higher one.

“With a film like ‘Dinosaur 13,’ we really want to make it part of the national conversation,” Malhotra said.

Braun went to sleep around 4 a.m. Friday, sneaking in three hours of rest before a busy day of screenings and deal making. Miller, coursing with excitement and nervous energy, turned in three hours after him and slept for only 30 minutes.

On Friday morning, they went to a 9 a.m. showing of “Dinosaur 13” and embraced at the theater. At 9:16 a.m., a press release went out announcing the deal.

While the film was screening, Miller was inundated with congratulatory text messages. He stepped out of the theater and, having not eaten a meal in almost 24 hours, celebrated with a piece of banana bread and a Gatorade from the concessions stand. He was so ravenous that he scarfed it down before paying.

After the movie ended, Miller walked onstage and announced the deal.

The audience roared.

daniel.miller@latimes.com