Hollywood Art: System of sunnys

Among the big bosses, there are many names, but some words are undeniably powerful minds that stand above the ordinary workers.

Now, some important figures are sitting at the negotiation table. Terry Semel, the vice president of Warner Bros., is one of the top administrators of the company. He works behind the scenes, managing all the company's projects and handling various issues. He negotiates with producers, handles legal matters, and is highly skilled in diplomatic relations, combined with an eagle eye for talent that is only matched by great producers, like the one sitting next to him.

Tim Burton, the master of a unique style, was invited to watch the Batman series. He asked for a place to find inspiration for his upcoming movie "Batman Returns," set to be released in the coming months.

Along with them is Ted Turner, the head of TNT, TBS, MGM, and New Line Cinema. These are important members, sitting in the meeting to discuss the new television channel. The conference room is being used as a dining area today, as privacy is much more important than elegance for these big bosses.

-I liked the new programs you made. The latest one has a novel idea. Who is the creator of this animated show? - Tim Burton asked.

-He's not from Hanna-Barbera, - said Ted Turner.

-That's not the case. A young kid started publishing a new kind of comic. Our representative and project director at Cartoon Network, Betty Cohen, reviewed numerous animated drawings, and among them, she was most impressed with this emerging company called Lux Comics. They have released a total of 9 series, all interesting and well-designed, - said Terry Semel.

-Oh, you know everything, - joked Ted Turner.

-Not at all. I've been working hard on creating the channel. These past months have been busy for me. You didn't make it easy, Ted. The acquisition of your company was costly, winding, and lengthy, - Terry said with a symbolic smile.

-Come on, I gave it to you cheap! - Ted laughed.

-I want to meet this Betty, - said Bob Daley.

Bob Daley is the Director of Entertainment for all of Warner. He oversees new TV productions, short films, feature films, and commercials. His relentless activity at Warner has earned him recognition among his bosses.

-Stop by Hanna-Barbera; it's our animation den. The budget for creating a new studio hasn't been set yet. We're waiting to see how these new series impact the market before creating our studio, -- Terry Semel murmured, not entirely convinced. They have spent a lot of money this year—millions of dollars on the acquisition of Hanna-Barbera, the production of the series, the creation of the new television channel, and payments for equipment, personnel, content acquisition, advertising, and initial distribution fees.

-Everything in due time, - said Ted Turner.

-When does your new movie premiere, Tim? - Ted Turner asked Tim Burton.

-Edward Scissorhands will premiere on December 14th. It stars Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder and is undoubtedly a cult classic, just like the movies Tim Burton is known for. It will have that unmistakable Tim Burton style, - Tim Burton replied, sipping his third glass of wine.

-December 14th, impressive. It's been a good few years for you, Tim, - said Bob Daley, who has been following Tim's career since the release of Batman in 1989.

-Well, gentlemen, I have another meeting to attend, - Terry Semel said, nodding to Bob Daley.

-I have a party to attend, - Tim Burton joked.

The simple meeting concluded, with some back-and-forth in the boardroom. The oak-paneled wood was stained in some spots, giving the room a touch of character.

Terry Semel joined Bob Daley on a journey to their next meeting. The trip was filled with a silence typical of these two individuals, who only spoke about important details or when their presence was necessary.

On the other hand, Billy had been waiting in a conference room for half an hour and could only manage to eat some snacks to fill his stomach.

-Look, young man, I ordered some food, and it seems it has arrived, - said Betty, as she saw the assistant bringing in some sandwiches.

-Thank you, Ms. Cohen. It was our mistake, but the day hasn't allowed us to enjoy a proper meal, - Anne replied.

-No problem, it's my fault for planning such a rushed meeting. You've missed your lunch hour, - said Betty Cohen.

Oh, important people, always making others wait. Billy currently just wants to leave all these meetings behind and relax. These bureaucratic procedures are not something he can deal with calmly.

Mr. Terry Semel proceeded to open the door, followed by his colleague. Everything was ready, but there was one thing Betty hadn't addressed—she had received offers to start a chain of toys and other minor details to generate more income to support the cost of the new channel, but the discussion ended up dissuading her, and Terry took charge of the negotiation.

-Good afternoon, everyone, - Terry Semel said, looking renewed with a complete 180-degree change. Negotiations are his workspace, and this is his court. He feels almost like Superman after taking off his glasses.

-Terry, what a pleasure, - Betty said effusively.

-Ah, Betty, it's great to see you so radiant, - Terry replied.

Bob Daley greeted Betty Cohen cordially and stopped to discuss some work-related matters while Terry Semel went to a desk and asked for four white sheets of paper and a pen. He sat in front of Billy and waited for everyone to take their seats.

-Alright, now we can begin our meeting, - Terry Semel said, rolling up his sleeves.

Betty Cohen cleared her throat, her posture now different from her confident demeanor during their numerous comings and goings. After all, Terry Semel is not an easy person to deal with.

-Billy, our vice president wants to inquire about the future of our partnership, as well as the marketing of "Informe Fantasma," - said Betty Cohen.

-Very true, you hit the nail on the head, Betty. First, I'd like to conduct a small interview. Everyone has been talking about your drawing skills, but seeing is believing. Can you show me your talent live? I'm eager to see your abilities, - said Terry Semel, handing Billy a few sheets of paper.

-But... a new drawing? I don't quite understand how to showcase my abilities, - said Billy.

-Whatever you like. Just show me some of your talents, - replied Terry Semel.

Billy thought and quickly drew a rendition of Batman, showcasing an improved design reminiscent of the DC films from the 2010s. The awkward silence was broken by Terry Semel humming to himself.

He considered drawing something new. The animated Batman is one of the distinctive characters of the network, and redrawing an unseen version could truly test his skills.

--Ready, -- said Billy, presenting a Batman drawing in pen, with a mix of realism and animation. It was a skill he had honed while drawing series like "Hellboy" and "Doom."

Terry Semel's eyes lit up, and a smile spread across the faces of both Betty and Bob Daily. The latter was surprised by the quality of the drawing in such a short period.

-Magnificent! You indeed possess what Betty mentioned,- said Terry Semel.

-What did Betty mention? - some in the room wondered.

-Oh, without a doubt, you have it, Terry, - Betty said.

-Your biggest advocate is Betty Cohen; you can always trust her, - Terry Semel added.

Billy could only nod, feeling grateful for the praise Terry Semel had for Betty and her support.

-Well, I'm glad not to disappoint,- Billy replied.

-Now, we have a problem. The merchandising of animated shows is a common practice for our company. Unfortunately, we only have a contract for 'Johnny Bravo,' but both of your other two comics lack those rights. As a company, we need to address this before the animated channel launches, - said Terry Semel.

-5 years sounds excellent, - said Billy.

He thought about all that he could achieve in the next five years at Lux Animation and Lux Comics, including his acting career, which was currently in the midst of all these negotiations.

The following moments were filled with back and forth on various small details, from the number of toys to be developed to specific activities related to the channel.

Anne began to draft the contract, but suddenly, three lawyers arrived, all in their fancy suits and expensive attire. They took notes on the entire negotiation and even requested a copy of the draft presented by Anne.

-We'll have it ready by tomorrow morning, - muttered the opposing lawyer.

-Send a copy to my office,- said Terry Semel.

-We'll also send a copy to your legal team in San Jose,- added Betty Cohen, nodding to both Anne and Billy.

While Terry Semel chatted with the lawyers about some matters, he sensed Billy's desire to leave and gave him a reassuring gesture that it was almost over. Billy felt a bit out of place.

-Putting business aside, -- Terry Semel began, --I have deduced that you have the idea of creating your television channel. However, I'm curious about how you plan to achieve that and why you want to make certain transactions with our company, even if they may be detrimental. The issue is how you'll manage it. -

Anne was taken aback by Terry Semel's words. Create his television channel? How come she wasn't aware of this information?

-What makes you assume I want to create my television channel? - replied Billy.

-Hahaha, - -Bob Daily laughed, --If Terry dares to say something out loud, it's because he has studied something and is 90% sure about his hunch. -

-Terry Semel continued, -Your contracts, I read them all, and I also researched diligently. The purchase of Pixar Studios from Steve Jobs is something we cannot ignore. Now you have your animation studio, and with your talent, I can tell you're going to do something big that we overlooked in the old ways.-

Pixar was the black sheep of animation, rejected by all studios. Even emerging companies dared not go against the Disney trend. 3D animation was entirely dismissed due to the lack of understanding of new technologies, the challenges of special effects, and the quality of animation that could be achieved using this method.

-A 3D film, a movie entirely created by computers, would break all the current animation standards,- said Billy.

-Very well, but you still haven't answered my question. What are your prospects for creating an animation channel?- asked Terry Semel.

-I don't know, sir. I have no idea how much it costs to create a channel or what steps I need to take. All I can say is that I want to create one to showcase the best animations out there,- replied Billy.

-I can see it! - exclaimed Terry Semel, studying the young man's face.

-It's great to be young, - Terry Semel said to himself.

-Thank you, sir. I'll make my way in the world of animation,- said Billy.

-When you have $150 million, get in touch with Warner. I'm willing to advise you a bit on all the intricacies of creating your animation channel, - Terry Semel said, adjusting his suit.

And with that, the meeting was officially over.

Billy sighed, feeling the exhaustion that Terry Semel's intensity could bring upon anyone. These powerful executives exuded confidence, intelligence, knowledge, and strong negotiation skills. They seemed to know every thought in Billy's mind. He had considered extending the negotiable rights to 10% but decided against it, feeling trapped.

-Come, Billy, I'll take you to the exit. We'll deal with all the remaining issues tomorrow, - said Betty Cohen, entrusting the responsibility to Paula Sullen.

Meanwhile, Terry Semel was discussing the meeting with Bob Daily. Several things that a young boy like Billy overlooked were red flags to Bob Daily, who had many years of experience in the field. The whole negotiation was based on merchandise, but Terry Semel cleverly directed the conversation toward toys. This meant that as long as something wasn't categorized as a toy, they could do whatever they wanted with it.

Furthermore, the 7% was negotiated based on profits, but it was never specified which profits. This meant that the difference could be millions of dollars that Billy could have earned. Terry Semel left gaps where they favored the company, while Billy ended up with just marshmallows. But...

-Why did you let the kid off the hook regarding taxes? I've seen you crush more promising entrepreneurs before, - Bob Daily asked.

-They're not more promising than the kid, and liquidating him would only lead to another company taking him under their wing. The kid joined Warner, but what if he were under Disney? -Terry Semel asked suggestively. He knew his colleague would quickly connect the dots.

-I see now. I despise you even more, - said Bob Daily.

-Hahaha! Come on, we have a lot of work to do. He started young, but practice will give him the experience he needs for his own company if he survives long enough, - said Terry Semel.

Indeed, the best practice comes from experience, from going out there and facing the challenges of the real world. Venturing into a risky endeavor like starting a company is only a part of the many mistakes one makes. The lack of education or insufficient knowledge often plays a crucial role in these mistakes, which may not be evident to some but become veiled by ignorance.

Billy, despite having a life behind him and a second life filled with legal and administrative education imparted by his father, still makes errors that he doesn't fully understand. Education is essential in minimizing mistakes and making informed decisions. Even with his talent and potential, there is always room for growth and learning from experiences.

As Billy navigates the complexities of the entertainment industry, the knowledge he gains and the lessons he learns will be instrumental in shaping his future success. The support of mentors like Betty Cohen and Anne will also play a vital role in guiding him through the challenging world of animation and television.

In the end, every misstep, every obstacle, and every success will contribute to Billy's journey toward creating his channel and leaving his mark on the world of animation.

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