It wasn't too difficult to sit down with the producers from DreamWorks; each of them seemed busy, but they arrived with their partners, children, godmothers, or anyone who held some relevance. Two additional producers, long-time veterans of the film industry, were also in attendance.
—Heard you've been buying car brands. —commented Jeffrey Katzenberg.
—Actually, it's no longer a secret. The car market is just a springboard, a way for me to dive into other economies. I've got an artistic direction that helps a lot when it comes to shaping my luxury sports team. —replied Billy, who was starting to gain serious prominence in the advertising world. His growing influence in San Jose was becoming more powerful and relevant by the day —the kind of power that could buy almost anything.
Monica, graceful as ever, served a pitcher of lemonade with five glasses for the table. Her soft smile and striking presence unsettled even the moguls; it made Billy smile, realizing she truly belonged to a different realm of beauty.
The older men arrived first, taking up most of Billy's attention.
—I'm really curious to know what your actual plan is with all those sports teams across North America. —asked David Geffen, a silver-haired man beginning to go bald, now hiding it under a hat. His once-long, perfectly curled hair had made him quite the icon back in the day. He was still one of the greatest producers of his era, rightfully so, though Billy didn't seem to care. He knew much of David's history in the industry —his heavy-handed charm with young women, the kind of man Hollywood reshaped entirely, changing both his essence and his soul.
—Well, sports are entertainment, but they can also be used as a hook —a platform to win ground in other fields: donations, political presence, advertising, and all sorts of profitable ventures. —answered Billy, knowing that with a team like his, the academy training elite players, focusing on ethics and high performance, something remarkable was being built. His social capital was what could help America grow —its image would be managed carefully across social media, and through sports, public initiatives could create major working frameworks.
—I see. You've got… well, I can't really see anything above it. Maybe your vision truly goes beyond the ordinary. —Steven, please. —Geffen replied, pouring lemonade as Monica arrived with a pizza in true Italian style, sliced into six pieces. The aroma made Billy take a bite instantly.
—We've secured some great investors for the next four films, including my secret project, Saving Private Ryan, which premieres this June. The delay of Star Wars helped quite a bit. Still, I have some doubts about your strength; you've been active, but you've completely forgotten about us. —said Steven.
—There's some truth to that. I haven't been working directly —I've given Jim Gianopulos full authority. I focused on the Matrix project I've been developing these past few months. —Billy replied.
—However, I've made a solid decision —to do what you've always wanted to do: give opportunities to those artistic directors, even if we don't make money. No limits, no conditions. I'm willing to be the investor for those projects —as long as they meet my terms, the same ones as now: full rights to exploitation five years after release. —Billy added, savoring the pizza's fantastic taste.
—And what's the point of throwing money away? Art doesn't always pay. —Jeffrey remarked.
—What we need is what major studios already have —talent. With talent cultivated and guided by Steven, we'll make money. Once these directors understand the market, we'll rely on their creative power, attract the actors they want, cut costs, and dominate the industry as if we were CAA. —said Billy, finishing his thought.
—I had the same idea for some time now —projects focused on arthouse cinema. But tell me, how much investment are we talking about? —asked David directly.
Billy raised an eyebrow —so that was his goal. They were testing him like children, though it was really just a way to gauge his presence. Steven had likely decided everything months ago —perhaps since filming Star Wars— and was only waiting for the right moment to make Billy see he was part of this creative movement.
—Mmm, depends. But two projects worth twenty million each, at most —we're talking about quality art. —Billy said. —Maybe we could include some directors from other countries, like Miramax does, and let them unleash their artistic fire. —
That wasn't likely. Everyone knew Steven's nature leaned toward control —but at least they'd find capable people who'd eventually adapt to those in charge.
Each of them already had a slice of pizza in hand, eating with care. Monica had nailed it —she'd taken the time to steal the recipe for that Neapolitan pizza, learning how to make the dough, and her grandmother's sauce gave it the unforgettable flavor of true marguerite pizza.
The meat was now being served on a large metal platter, alongside four beers, soda, and a good orange juice. The kitchen buzzed with motion —a young woman helped serve and check on each guest's pizza. Billy saw Winona helping Monica in the kitchen, chopping ingredients while the two argued playfully. Harlaw was chatting with them, absorbed from so many angles that it felt like a truly special moment.
—As for the animation world, we can always follow through on ideas; the animated films Jeffrey proposed were indeed excellent. —Too excellent. —Billy noted, recalling that five years earlier, the Antz project had begun —similar to A Bug's Life, but different in tone, giving them an edge. The first film, The Prince of Egypt, was proof that Jeffrey could create animated masterpieces based on world legends.
—Thank you. We've got a fantastic stop-motion project coming. —Jeffrey replied, a bit tense but still confident around Billy, who provided him with the best software available. Always mentoring his team to minimize workloads, Jeffrey was happy to see their progress —paying fair wages and justifying his decision to leave Disney. When money flowed, it meant more than most could ever dream of.
—I'd love to join in. Films of that genre are brilliant. —said Billy.
The conversation shifted toward the projects lined up for 1998 —promotional efforts, business partnerships, and all the wonderful things they could build together.
...