Capítulo 311: Oscar party.
The lively conversation among the three great future minds of DreamWorks, now four, was filled with various twists and turns. It was nearly mid-afternoon, and they continued to share their ideas, their deepest ambitions, and even the notion of absorbing emerging companies with great potential. These companies had survived over the years, such as the recent Caralco Pictures, which had caught the attention of those around them. Yet, acquiring a conventional company from the six major studios, those with over 50 years of history, remained impossible. These studios were under the watchful eye of the entire world, represented by symbols like the roaring lion, the illuminated title, the castle surrounded by fairy dust or stars, the Statue of Liberty, the mountain, and the shield amidst a tangle of clouds.
-The right investment is enough to get each industry up and running, - commented Steven Spielberg, relaxing in his chair.
-Very well, everyone is responsible for their position, though I'm interested in knowing when we'll start the investment, - remarked Billy.
-This year, I have some collaboration projects, and the investment will likely come from some individuals' pockets. For example, David plans to equip his studio. We'll use Amblin Entertainment as a starting point for many other ventures, - stated Steven Spielberg.
-That's logical. Amblin already has some credibility. We can divide the project into four areas: film, video games, music, and animation. Four companies that together form DreamWorks, - responded Billy.
-Can you start the investment from next month? - asked Steven.
-I can, starting in early June. I have two investments in different projects that have been consuming my cash. Maybe around 40 million to get into the business. From there, we'll see how necessary these new attempts at success are. But... risks should be minimal. The greater the investment, the greater the risk and there's a frequent sense that the cinema is changing. The timing is right to start making changes, followed by the creation of the video game branch, - replied Billy.
This idea might seem dubious to some, but it's not incorrect to say that the 90s were a vibrant change, with magnificent soundtracks, high concepts, fantastic exploited stories, new styles of thematic filming, eccentricity, and universality in films for all audiences.
-That could be beneficial for us. We'll provide the information about the company's creation to their offices for a quick review of what we should or shouldn't do, - commented Steven.
-You can use my distributors. I have broad distribution participation across different countries. We already have a wide reach in places like North America, Europe, and part of Oceania. Perhaps this year, there may be some impact in Asia, - replied Billy.
-With a good distributor, we'll reach different countries. Do you have relevance in the market? - asked Steven.
-North America and Europe. My distribution channel is new, and I don't have the contacts, though I made a good hiring with Jim Ginaopulus, an expert in distribution who has some knowledge of how the international business works, - said Billy.
-I'll help you a bit, but our idea is to have our distributor that covers all of North America. Though expenses can sometimes be unofficial, we need our market, - said Steven.
It doesn't matter, we're creating a mega-company, and we must be ambitious. I'll get in touch to create a video game studio that focuses on games based on movies, TV series, real-life characters, or events, - said Billy.
-That's the way to go, kid. You have ingenious ideas, though the idea of trying to acquire some music entities from scratch is great. Starting from scratch might be more costly. I'll take a deep look, - said David Geffen.
At the moment, according to the purchase ideas discussed by the three, they've invested a total of 125 million dollars, with Steven Spielberg as the principal shareholder. Jeffrey Katzenberg promised to invest the money he received as compensation from Disney, and David Geffen had just begun the creation of his own music production company and was recruiting some individuals he deemed necessary for the establishment of his record label.
All this is based on the romantic union of individuals who want to use their cinematic creations to touch people's ideas—a romance that goes beyond mere creation. It's the passion that gave birth to the film industry. Everyone had wonderful ideas about how or what the creation should be. Billy's perception changed completely. Jeffrey Katzenberg was sweeter than he thought. The story of how he joined the marketing team at ABC in 1970, rising to television with Michael Eisner, and how this person always gave wings, infused him with the spirit of bigger projects. From being creative to his constant work as an executive producer, he had nurtured numerous ideas he considered marvelous. If there was something Steven and David Geffen agreed on about Jeffrey, he could see the ideas that needed to be seen.
-Your contract says you'll have a 2% share of the profits from all the Disney movies made, - asked Billy, perplexed.
-That's right. He motivated me to leave ABC and take charge of the animation division. He promised that the contract would be paid upon the termination of our relationship. However, he doesn't want to pay what is considered fair. He argues it's only 80 million dollars, but I say it's more than 400 million dollars. I've handled projects from Roger Rabbit to The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast... oh, the one that beat you to the Last King, by the way. Your idea of The Lion King was inspiring, - commented Jeffrey, still with a bittersweet taste due to the situation. The cicadas were in the sky, along with the crickets and the sky.
For Billy, the rumor still circulates that most of the ideas are ones that Disney itself set aside, but that can't truly be accurate.
The arrival of the women was the definite point to signal the end of the conversation. Six hours of various discussions, Billy's signature, and their mutual assurance that the investment would hover around 1 billion was a revealing blow for Billy, who believed the investment to be minimal, but it made sense nonetheless. How much money have these men made? He had a party to attend.
-You could go, kid. Many members of the academy will be present. You can promote the idea of an Oscar for animation with some members, - commented Steven Spielberg.
-Many people will be there, - Steven remarked again, weighing your ideas. -We must form a united front, kid. -
-I'll go, no problem. Can you give me the address? - Billy asked.
"It's great that we've been invited. Last time, only the old folks were there, now we can surround ourselves with the upper echelons. You know, they always say you have to earn it. If we're lucky, getting roles for the next few years will be easy," Gwyneth commented, her black evening dress and wide gloves animated by the invitation's relevance. Often, invitations are not common.
-Sounds fantastic, - Billy responded, with a total sense of torture from the meetings, viewpoints, bosses always looking to intimidate him, or the whispers, political games that only paper parties play.
A large, spacious hall, almost castle-like and cinematic, could be seen in many ways. The old folks all gathered to talk, with some serving drinks, snacks, and small cups of sweet wine.
There, Billy could only sigh. Though he wasn't nominated for the Golden Globes, the special mention for The Lion King and Best Soundtrack were just splendid.
The familiar faces were just a magnificent backdrop of numerous industry bigwigs. It was evident that all the major producers from North America were there, scattered about. Any person present could be considered important; politics are more nuanced than one might think. Known names like Jack Nicholson, Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Kathleen Kennedy, Ivan Reitman, Wendy Finerman, Richard D. Zanuck, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, and Frank Marshall were all present.
"Billy, that one over there is the former president of the academy, Karl Maiden. He resigned from his position in 1992," commented Steven, very close with his partner. The attitude was clear: they should promote DreamWorks discreetly.
His first greeting was for the members of Albim, a quick meeting about the new co-foundation. The fact that he was attached to a section as a member of the video game circle and a member of the team was the new gossip of the season, spreading with the typical speed of rumors.
It bears repeating that, although Spielberg only wants money from Billy, he is not ungrateful, much less so with an industry enthusiast who has much to learn and is entirely comfortable.
There, in a much more relaxed atmosphere, Billy engaged in small talk with some members of the Disney circle, well-known animators from many eras.
Frank Marshall and Steven Spielberg had a slight conversation.
-Why did you allow the new kid into your new company? - Frank Marshall asked.
-The kid is one of the few willing to invest. He has the money, the vision, and the desire to learn. He'll be my protégé, - Steven commented.
Frank Marshall fell silent. He had a constant fear of how the situation was developing. He was one of the invitees, along with Kathleen, but they declined. Who in their right mind invests $200 million in a film company? Ambition is just one side of a coin.
-Frank, what do you want me to do? Even the most acclaimed directors believe that challenging the industry is impossible. I see that we're not offending anyone; we just want to do what we dream of the way we dream it. And that way is to do what I love most without anyone telling me otherwise, this time doing it big, - Steven commented.
-You know how it is, even if they're not the owners of the companies, the competition is fierce. Everyone wants their piece of the box office, - Marshall remarked.
-It's surprising. But the kid has been in a cold war with two companies, and he's standing firm. Have you heard about the numerous cancellations, behind-the-scenes lawsuits, publications, rejections, and enacted laws? - murmured Steven.
...
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