September 29.
Billy was in San Jose, escaping Monica's marital grip while she had a girls' day with Winona and Sophie Marceau, a close friend of both. They had taken a vacation together. It was always interesting how the circle of women shifted with such strange and random frequency. But this time, they were the guests, spending the day in the finest venues and dining at the best restaurants.
Billy was busy in multiple ways, but reviewing new projects, ideas, and the sheer madness of the characters, each brought to life by animators who poured love into their designs and creations, was invigorating.
- So, what do we have to do? - he asked.
What was the pressing matter? Simple. He had to visit Lux Animation to see what was new—how the series was progressing, the latest publications from Lux Animation, which provided a versatile update on their activities. Many animated children's series have landed in the recently acquired Lyrick Studios and Hit Studios, both of which are integral to the animation industry. Lux Kids, in particular, has become a captivating channel in many ways.
- Now that you're here, the creative side is crucial. Review the planning and our future innovation projects, and confirm whether we're on the right track. And of course, check in with Lux Comics, which is currently working on Men in Black and Star Wars. It's a small team, but they know what they're doing… for now, they're expecting you at Lux Animation. - Anne informed him.
- I'll take care of it then. - Billy said, walking towards Anne. Two months ago, he had bought a necklace of large pearls that he had been meaning to put on her—things had to be done a certain way.
He adjusted her hair; she was so nervous she was on the verge of hyperventilating, fearing Billy would do something indecent. She pressed her back against the chair, but he simply arranged her hair and placed the necklace around her neck.
- A gift for you. - Billy said. - You'll be shopping for expensive lingerie for our meeting in five days. For now, I'll focus on Monica's birthday. I've scheduled a meeting—apparently, we've secured the rights to The Grinch from Audrey Storm, along with her stories, for $8 million, plus 1% of box office revenue and a 5% merchandise deal. But it's ours, on the condition that we build a children's amusement park near her hometown. You have a meeting with the city, which our good friend Bill helped arrange. Monica saw the paperwork this morning and complained, but no one says no to the government. We'll inject $1 million into each sector—health services, education, security, and infrastructure restoration—but we'll keep Lux Animation alive in multiple ways. We can make all the necessary adjustments to the park in the great location we secured, set up our comic store, and reinforce the image of our franchises. I also want to create space for Pokémon and some of our other characters. -
- So, you'll be using public space to boost our sales. How much will this cost us? It seems a bit questionable, but you're the boss. - Anne remarked, blushing, now slightly nervous.
- Yes. Alright, I'll prepare for the trip tomorrow morning. I'll meet with the right people to sign the agreements and review the commitments. - Anne responded.
- The family was tricky, and it gave me a few headaches. However, I played to their tastes with the right promises. After watching Toy Story 2, they agreed to every single term, like butter. - Billy sighed deeply. Now that they had the rights, the next step was negotiating with Universal to do something similar, extracting as much financial benefit as possible. But he was confident that just The Grinch alone would ensure a return on investment, becoming a permanent fixture in their library alongside other potential animated projects like The Lorax, Horton Hears a Who, Red Fish, Blue Fish, and others yet to find their place.
- We need scripts. Check with the Writers Guild to see if there are any available screenwriters. If not, talk to some of our own who can at least develop an animated feature, except for The Grinch and The Lorax. - Billy directed. He wanted to see how much could be refined in the upcoming scenes; there were many ways to improve.
- We'll organize everything. I'll see what can be done, but throw the ball to Lux Animation—they'll do the work for free. Let's wait three years and see what comes of it. You'll handle the rest, as always. - Anne stated.
Billy carefully reviewed the innovation plans, crossing out numerous ineffective ideas for now and streamlining the process. He had a clear vision for his company. For now, he would focus solely on web pages to enhance children's projects, though he was waiting on a few companies to help finalize these simpler aspects.
When he stepped onto the production floor, the place was in complete chaos. Everyone was so absorbed in their work that they seemed lost, immersed in the madness of their creations. Billy couldn't turn away—after all, he didn't know when he'd be back here.
The team immediately lit up upon seeing him. After all, he was the one who made their dreams a reality without bureaucratic hurdles. Each of them was brilliant in their way.
- I'm here for the day. If you've finished everything, bring me the complete package. If not, you can come to see me—I'll be in the meeting room. Each of you gets fifteen minutes. Take a number, go one at a time, and once everyone's had their turn, we'll do another round—though I doubt we'll need to. There are too many of you. But we'll do what we can. - Billy announced.
For now, he was only meeting with the series teams. The film teams worked separately, forming groups of ten to build teams of fifty. Two groups were enough for the current workload.
This day was dedicated to creators and those with ideas to discuss—about 25 people, with a six-hour window. One by one, they presented their projects. It was morning when they started; now it was afternoon, and Billy was growing tired. But he still had to go over the projects on the table. The anticipation in the room was palpable—every team had a role to play. The bulk of the film production was nearing completion, though they still had a virtual gap to close.
- This is a really good series. - Billy remarked, examining a new concept with a minimalist yet intricate style, reminiscent of a dramatic film or a virtual tragedy involving multiple characters.
- It's called Midday Orchids. - James Linkes introduced, presenting a deeply emotional design, filled with raw human sentiment.
- Work on the story a bit more. We don't have a solid beginning or end yet, but we need to pull out key morals or deeply moving life moments—something that truly connects with people. - Billy suggested refining some of the artwork. The script's length made it evident that this kind of story would fit well in a 12-episode series.
- Each story should focus on a specific theme. - James replied, pursing his lips.
- Twelve short films within one project. We want the animation to last for a long time—refine every pixel, and we'll have a masterpiece. - Billy said, taking in the rest of the team's feedback.
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