8:30 pm, Winona's apartnt.
The three girls were in a frenzy, going back and forth. Each one hoped to wear sothing suitable for a high-class party. The card handed by Jas Caron made the eyes of the three won sparkle. Eager for the party, they decided to change, and despite the insistence of the three girls, Billy stayed in the living room, holding a small book borrowed from Julie to distract himself.
-You look stunning in black, - Julie said aloud.
-Lend those high heels, the ones from Prada you wore recently, - Gwyneth requested.
-Use the green ones; I left the Prada ones in Los Angeles, - Winona suggested.
The shower was running, and Billy could only sigh as he observed the New York City skyline. The view was good, but the tall building in front blocked the view of the sea and bays, occasional features of New York. But there were also beautiful skyscrapers with views that only locals could consider a luxury.
-I have makeup in the bottom drawer, - Winona ntioned.
Billy decided to take a nap. Smartphones were indeed a boon for n in waiting rooms; they could catch up on work, organize emails, and plan future etings. The allure of a cellphone was as captivating as a book, although Simone Beauvoir's "The Second Sex" wasn't exactly typical reading for a man.
He fell asleep on Winona's spacious couch while the girls rushed around, fixing their hair, taking showers, and taking their ti getting ready for the grand gala, starting at 9:00 PM and lasting past 2:00 AM.
*****************************************************************************
9:55 PM, The Bowery Hotel.
Silence hung over the table until Tom Hanks broke it. Curiosity was palpable; Rita Wilson, his spouse since 1988, was equally intrigued but maintained her silence. Tom's closeness to so mbers of the table was more evident than his closeness to Rita.
-Curiously, you ask, - Steven said, sounding knowing. -You've made a movie for his company, - he added.
Steven found it amusing how the kid had a knack for stating the obvious, making the evident in sothing simple. Tom knew it too, but the kid was austere, not very keen on common ways young people try to stand out. He didn't give many interviews and was rather reserved.
-I've made so many movies; I have no clue which one it could be, - Tom replied.
Steven had no intention of saying it out loud; he knew well that the mystery was better left for monts like these. Robert Zeckis had no idea either, but Francis Coppola did. In his long conversations with George Lucas,
-I think, Tom, we just want to see the surprise on your face. Forgive these old folks for having fun with their colleagues. Soon, you'll know, and you'll say, 'How naive was I!' - Francis Coppola said.
-But he's young! - Tom exclaid.
-Very young, and you know him, - Francis said, much to the amusent of Steven and David Geffen.
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10:00 PM, Winona's apartnt.
-He fell asleep with his suit on, and now it's all wrinkled, - Julie Delpy said, removing the cushion from Billy's head. -Co on, cowboy, we have a party to attend, and we're right on ti, - Julie added.
Billy tried to wake up, but laziness enveloped him.
-Your suit is all wrinkled, - Julie pointed out.
-We can stop by my hotel; it's just a few blocks away. Besides, it's... 10:00 PM already. We're an hour late, - Billy said, wiping his mouth, his eyes red and tired.
-I have an iron in my room. Although I'm not an expert, I can press your blazer and that shirt, - Winona offered from the hallway, wearing a tight black dress that accentuated her curves. Her short black hair revealed her white neck adorned with a silver necklace.
-You should do; you can't attend with a wrinkled suit. After all, it's an important party, - Julie said, taking Billy's suit off, which surprised him as he entered the room.
-Julie, pay attention; I can take it off myself, - Billy said, removing his wool jacket and blue shirt, revealing a white undershirt. He was skinny, but not as much as two years ago; he was starting to gain muscle mass in his arms and shoulders.
-I'll be back in a second, - Winona said, entering the room where Gwyneth was filing her nails and fixing her feet.
Billy followed Winona into the room. - I can iron the suit; I usually do it, and it's already a habit, - Billy said.
-No, this iron is tricky; I hardly use it. I co to New York very rarely, but I know well that it can burn clothes in a split second. Just wait for in the living room, and don't make any noise; we're already running late, - Winona said, ushering Billy out of the room. No one could compete with a determined woman, especially when she had already made up her mind, and more so if that person was a woman in a hurry.
Billy raised his hands and went to his chosen armchair; the pants were sowhat wrinkled, but nothing too serious. Now, the weight of the week fell upon his mind; several etings, docunts to read, and projects to attend to wore down the young man's party spirit.
Julie wore a light blue, floor-length dress made of shiny material with sandals, while Gwyneth wore a white dress, more like a spring dress than a gala one, with bear-shaped earrings that emphasized her childish features.
-Co try it on; it's a bit hot, - Winona said, handing him the shirt, which now had fewer wrinkles, although it needed a good ironing on the back.
-It fits perfectly. I think it's ti to go, - Billy said.
-I'll call a cab, - Winona said.
-No need; Jim sent us a vehicle; it's been waiting downstairs for about forty-five minutes. I'm sure he must be getting anxious, - Billy said, recalling the call he received so ti ago.
The three girls left cheerfully and ready to enjoy the party, although they didn't know exactly which party they were heading to. They all looked beautiful, from makeup to dress to accessories. The journey was short; the hotel was only a few streets away, and the night only saw a few pedestrians and young people enjoying their last sumr days.
The hotel had a long entrance, and the invitation pointed to a special lounge for etings on the top floor. What were they celebrating? Nothing in particular; it was more of a gathering of the upper class of the industry, accommodated by the festivities. Business was discussed, and so investors were consulted about certain projects. Deals were even closed in the anti, with a few glasses of whiskey.
On the 25th floor, the top floor, the three won went ahead, leaving Billy behind. He felt nervous for so reason; his heart was pounding from the mont they entered the hotel. The elevator provided a view of two large rooms and a small dance floor reserved. A piano could be heard in the distance, and so young won were dancing, but everyone was engaged in conversation.
Julie spotted Harrison Ford and Clint Eastwood chatting comfortably not far away. For the girls, it was a slightly elevated party, unlike Winona, who recognized so faces that, although unknown, were people deeply rooted in the industry, like Martin Sheen, more recognized for his politics and sociability.
A young man no more than thirty, in a buttoned suit, approached them. - You can follow this way, - the young man said monotonously, followed by an inherent seriousness befitting his position. Two necessary rules for these types of parties: don't ask questions and follow the rules. If the rules dictate to forget everything one sees or hears, he ensures that it's forgotten.
The young man's gaze went to Billy; he subtly understood the design. There were many familiar faces, thanks to a study Anne conducted about the importance of knowing who the important people in the industry are—investors, producers, directors, administrators, executives, and presidents. In his mind, there were about three hundred photos, if necessary. He knew most of the people only in passing, and so he couldn't recall their nas, but he had a feeling they were important.
-Well, let's not keep them waiting, shall we? - Billy said, taking the entrance to the elder's lounge. He could see his archenemies, giving them a quick scan, an overview, of Billy's entrance, which was already known, obvious, and expected for so ti.
Billy knew it; this wasn't a dance party or a silly gathering where people mingled; everyone here had so relevance, major or minor, in the intricacies of the industry. So were rely wealthy and only checked on their investnts, the percentages that ca to light only when the stock prices surged or plumted.
-Mr. Carson, I haven't had the pleasure of introducing myself, - Michael Eisner said from a table. -This is my friend, Ron yer, - he finished.
-Mr. yer, Mr. Eisner. Indeed, we hadn't had the fortune of eting. Our thoughts are not far apart, - Billy greeted both bosses warmly. The three girls followed the bellboy's lead to the table, expecting Billy to join them in the next few minutes.
Only Winona's doe eyes lingered on Billy, who knew Ron yer. This generated more mystery; Julie and Gwyneth shared thoughts contrary to Winona's, but they didn't pinpoint the significance of the two presidents.
-I heard you've been dabbling in acting, - Michael Eisner remarked.
-Indeed, I have, - Billy replied.
-I suppose you know Ron yer; he's the president of Universal. A very intelligent and capable person, who I've co to consider as an occasional friend in business, - Michael Eisner said.
-I knew him as the president; a pleasure, Mr. yer, Billy Carson, - Billy said.
-Who are you? - yer asked.
-Owner of Lux Animation, Id Software, and Autodesk, - Billy replied.
-Ah, how gratifying to see a young man like you; Arica is in good hands. Recently, you made several transactions, pulling strings in cable television. You acquired a distribution license for Woody Woodpecker, - Ron yer said.
-In fact, we did. We're pushing for the channel to air in October, and Woody Woodpecker is indeed part of our programming. In the future, we hope to discuss a remake; it's a series with potential, - Billy said.
-ABC owns most of the rights; we only have a few, and the license you have was granted because we didn't use it. Let's call it a concession, much better than wasting the remaining four years of the license, - Ron yer explained.
-And we'll make the most of it, - Billy affird.
Not breaking the silence, disregarding that this wasn't a regular conversation, the business undertone was always present, making it sowhat difficult for entrepreneurs to detach themselves from work once they got into it.
-Well, Billy, we recently had a passionate discussion about the new Disney era and business directions. You also convinced , of course, to leave the path clear, which I'll value in the coming years. We have competition; however, my curiosity lies in what our apparent rival would think about the future of Disney, in the hypothetical realm of comrcial strategies, - Michael Eisner asked.
-We were discussing the business future, - Billy said.
-We believe that strengthening the content and distribution of the company is the strong point of Hollywood companies. With enough space, to improve technical and entertainnt content, Universal will hold the baton as the house that generates the best movies, with a solid group working on said creation, and of course, improving the delivery of our content. The success of Universal in recent years is just that, strengthening our content and improving its distribution to broader levels, - Ron yer said.
-We follow a more 'create entertainnt content for children of all ages' idea. However, the entertainnt experience cannot only be managed through movies and must be grouped into different sectors to help achieve these goals, such as a strong content company, television programs, television parks, sports, theater, and shows. Reform must be more than just expanding content; it's about entertaining from all areas, - Michael Eisner added.
-Now it's your turn, young man, - Michael Eisner said.
-Although both companies have similar destinies, I understand you want to create a the park on the occasion of Jurassic Park, - Billy said.
Ron yer shifted uncomfortably. -You're right; since Jurassic Park, we'll improve the designs, but it's only part of our business creation and not our strategy. We want to join forces with many companies and focus on producing good television series and movies, - Ron yer said.
Billy nodded at the words. Beyond a re eting, it was a discussion. What he would say now would have obvious consequences for the future of his company. Universal was clear; they were ready to negotiate with Lux Animation in terms of creation and distribution. While Michael advocated for all entertainnt content, subtly present was the acquisition, a recurring topic. It wasn't a threat by any ans, but Disney sought to be a conglorate.
Their action plan was franchises; however, beyond a franchise, it's about generating quality content in general. Telling long and prosperous linear stories is logical, but it's also reasonable to say that Billy advocated for quality as well as proposals closer to Netflix-like streaming platforms.
Lux Animation is based on - animation for all ages, - among many other ideas, such as perfecting blockbusters and organizing grand narratives. This leads to its second purpose: - telling stories that resonate with present, past, and future generations. -
-Following both ideas, I believe both are valid. Fighting on two fronts is a daunting task in terms of investnt, money, and of course, perspective. It's not advisable to approach both with all the capital or assets of a company. Choosing one is correct while developing in other areas, such as growth, expansion, and affiliations, -- Billy said, pondering his words without committing. -- At Lux Animation, we believe that innovation is our area of work, along with established technological advancent, while maintaining the essence of my comics, - Billy added.
-So, it's technology, - Ron yer concluded.
-It is. Cinema tells stories, as do books, comics, and video gas. Technology will allow us to tell these stories from different angles, such as 3D. Imagine a hologram or projector spanning the entire Empire State Building. My company wants to narrate stories from the future, - Billy said.
-Very flattering, but sowhat imaginative. Perhaps the proposal is aid at 100 years in the future. For the next 10 years, where do you want to go? - Michael Eisner asked.
-Graphics, special effects, 3D animation, - Billy replied.
-Would you share such technology? - Michael Eisner inquired.
-Of course, progress cos only through sharing. My company can't do everything alone; however, I must make money to do so, - Billy responded.
-From a business standpoint, not a visionary one, what goals would you have? - Michael comnted.
-Well, it's more private; however, I can say that my focus is on 'animated programs for all ideas.' For a long ti, it's been about raw, dark stories, stories that attract people so much. I have a consideration: emotions are what lead people to face art, attempting to delve into those emotions, more than fleeting fear or montary laughter. What makes Shakespeare exceptional, or what makes Molière exceptional? Luck? These are abstract matters; I want to try to touch on those issues for my fans, from moral dilemmas, great tragedies, passionate romances, and fantastic stories that explore more than re human obsessions, like fate, ti, love, and the end, among so many things, - Billy said.
-Interesting, - Michael said, settling in.
A serious question was about to be asked, but it was interrupted by Winona approaching Billy, allowing for ample space and ti for the patience of a director eagerly wanting to have a business chat with Billy.
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