Hollywood Art: System of sunnys

Yuyu hakushu/ghost report.

November 22.

The movements in the toy industry and the comic book purchases have reinforced the sentiment behind the creation of the new store, "Toys and Comics." Mr. Murphy has redoubled his efforts, waking up every day at 4:00 in the morning. He takes one of the first buses departing in the early morning hours and greets the bus driver, as they have become familiar with each other's schedules.

He prepares the accounts, organizes the cash register, takes inventory notes, sorts out missing and lost toys, inspects machines, and calibrates anything that seems damaged. He has his breakfast while observing the arrival of his two employees.

Anne has sent over a worker from the factory to help share the workload, as their work is highly valued during this season at the toy store.

-It's a pleasure, Mr. Murphy. Here are the orders you placed, - said a delivery person, carrying a pallet of boxes containing various types of candies.

-Thank you, young man. Come over and help this old man organize these boxes, - Murphy said, calling one of the store employees.

Customers began to arrive around noon in large numbers. Despite the store's size, it was bustling, but thanks to the organized work at the cash register set up early on, they managed to avoid any problems.

-Could it be that their children would also like these new dolls, especially with the models from the company that worked with Lux Comics on the new series 'Yu Yu Hakusho/Ghost Report',- Mr. Murphy thought.

According to the inventories, Billy had placed orders for nearly 110,000 units of each toy. It was a bold move for a small toy store. Interestingly, the strategy seemed to work as the store gathered buyers who found that their preferred collectibles were unavailable in other shops. With some social connections of Anne's, word spread that the toy store had items that were sold out in many other places.

November 29th

Thanksgiving

Today a small meeting was being held at Lux Comics. Sales up until November 29th are remarkable. In a moment of contemplation, Billy decided to arrange with a cold-cuts company to send turkeys to all of his employees. The turkeys were delivered yesterday and this morning; he wants his employees to be happy.

-You've learned a thing or two, Billy. But it wouldn't hurt to have a music group for next time, - Raimon said, pleased to have a young boss who listens to his pleas.

-Well, for now, we're a young company. We still don't have all the resources, but we'll do what we can, - Billy replied.

-Stop corrupting the boy's mind, Raimon. Nice to see you, Billy! - Anne chimed in.

-Anne, - Raimon said as he quickly fled to talk to Rayan, the company's technician.

-How do you manage to scare him off so easily? - Billy asked.

-It's a woman's secret. I just finished going over the accounts, and it's been a success. The toy store is in high demand, Lux Comics products have sold well, but the kids are clamoring for the Yu Yu Hakusho/Ghost Files toys. They're our favorites, - Anne said.

-Do you think we'll get good credits for the commercial licenses we arranged with Warner for the toy store? - Billy inquired.

-It's to be expected, although companies tend to deliver invoices late. As soon as the season is over, I'll request our payment, - Anne replied.

-That's fantastic, - Billy said, leaving the meeting room.

Heading to his studio, he has to keep drawing. He can't let these free days go to waste. The reduced deliveries of Slam Dunk and Yu Yu Hakusho have caused some discontent. From three monthly releases, they've now been reduced to two, with the addition of Neon Genesis Evangelion, which took some time, and the upcoming release of Rurouni Kenshin for the spring deliveries. Only sufficient effort can provide Billy the space to keep releasing so many works simultaneously.

In another part of California.

In the geographical location of Los Angeles, California, at Warner Consumer Products, a more reliable statistic has caught their attention. The sales generated by the Cartoon Network lineup are surprisingly significant.

-Are you sure? - the director of Consumer Products asked.

-More than sure. The data reveals a preference for the Batman and Yu Yu Hakusho/Ghost Files series,- the financial advisor said.

-Well, let's prepare a report for the months leading up to the end of the year. Everything should reach the management, - the man concluded.

December 14.

Toy sales continue to soar, but this time it's not the toys causing a sensation of disbelief among executives, journalists, and the masses. The holiday season is in full swing. The release of "Home Alone" on November 16th is an unequivocal success. The new movie "Edward Scissorhands" has made a positive impact on cinema fans. Tim Burton, a growing sensation, has formed a pleasant relationship with Warner, reaping the rewards. The upcoming release of "The Godfather Part III" on December 25th is undoubtedly a delight for all viewers and devoted fans of the series.

However, it's a science fiction movie that has shaken everyone in the entertainment world. "Terminator" is dominating the global box office, with over a month on the big screen. The $247 million in the North American sector is a wake-up call for many companies, followed by an international box office of $299 million. The pockets of Carlaco Films and Tristan Stars are surely among the entries on their lists of anticipated successes that the companies hope to achieve.

-Hahaha, Linda, I told you this movie would triumph above the others, - James Cameron said.

-Well, James, I'm glad to be the star of such a huge success. Arnold must be pulling his hair out. After all, you offered him not just a good salary, but an opportunity for success, - Linda Hamilton said, showing her dedication to James Cameron.

-Come on, Linda, join me in Hawaii. We'll have fantastic times, - Cameron suggested.

-I've told you before! I won't tarnish my reputation. If you want an affair, you need to get divorced, - Linda Hamilton replied.

-I'll consider it after we go to Hawaii, - Cameron said as he leaned in to kiss Linda Hamilton.

December 23.

Betty Cohen still remembers everything her top executives mentioned to her:  - Go and hire another successful series before Saban beats us to it. If the boy asks about merchandise profits, give him some excuse about the end of the period and unfamiliarity with business procedures. -She knows this is a dominant behavior of companies. Do they want to buy Lux Comics? She can't deny that the boy's drawings are fantastic. Perhaps, they're just pressuring.

-Tell the owner that Betty Cohen from Warner Media is here to negotiate some contracts, - Betty Cohen said.

She was in a bad mood. It's December 23rd, just a day before Christmas. Her children only come on special occasions, and for most of the year, she sees them on rare occasions.

-Mrs. Cohen, Billy, and Anne are waiting for you in the negotiation room, - the gentleman said.

-Ah, that's good. My trip didn't waste my time, - Betty Cohen remarked. - Well, please follow me this way, - the Lux Comics employee guided her.

-Without a doubt, the company has improved greatly. Everything looks especially renewed. Even the entrance is not what it was a year ago, - Betty commented.

-Thank you very much. The management has invested in a business development plan. Downstairs, there's the comic industry, the cafeteria, and some warehouses. The second floor has corporate offices, a drawing studio, and a game room. The third and fourth floors are still empty, but renovations are underway for appropriate use. We've even installed earthquake-resistant equipment for added safety, - the employee explained, clearly proud of working there.

-I see, - Betty Cohen nodded.

Arriving at the glass-walled negotiation room, even the room has been tastefully and beautifully arranged.

-Billy, what a pleasure to see you. You've grown so much, such a handsome young man. Miss Anne, - Betty greeted.

-Betty, you've caught the company by surprise. A day later, you'd find everything closed. We give our employees the holidays of December 24-25 and 31-January 1 to spend time with their families, - Anne explained.

-Well, I'm glad I came a day early, then! - Betty Cohen exclaimed.  - I tried to call, but the trip was scheduled this morning. -

-No problem. It must be something important, - Billy said.

-It is. The company is eager to start collaborating. We want you to have free rein to design a new original series, - Betty said.

-Of course, I'm delighted to work with you and Hanna-Barbera, - Billy responded.

-It won't be with Hanna-Barbera; we're creating Cartoon Network Studios next year, scheduled for July 1991. If we could sign a rights agreement for the series you mentioned earlier, it could be beneficial for us, - Betty Cohen explained.

-We can approach that in June and see, - Billy replied.

Betty knows that the studios are sensitive. Billy sought out Saban Haim to discuss a new series, and Warner jumped at the announcement. They want to protect their golden goose before someone else starts reaping its benefits.

-The Pinky and the Brain series, - Billy said. - That's the one you want to start negotiating. -

-Yes! It's that one. We believe it's a Warner product, - Betty Cohen confirmed.

-Well, we could work on it. Production would begin next year in July, and it would premiere by the end of 1991 or the beginning of 1992, - Billy proposed.

-That's the idea from the board, - Betty Cohen confirmed.

-Alright, let's do it, same terms as the previous contract,- Billy agreed.

-Reversion in ten years, - Betty mentioned.

-Yes, a reversion in ten years, along with a 7% marketing fee. The price will be set by you, knowing that it's a purchase at half the acquisition cost, - Billy specified.

-$30,000 for a 10-year licensing agreement for both cinematic and broadcast rights, starting from the moment the contract is signed,- Betty stated.

-Of course, - Billy said, handing over a massive folder with storyboards for the first 40 episodes, complete with scripts, character expressions, samples, and even a basic intro sequence.

Betty left in her car, engaging in discussions with the executives on her phone. The atmosphere between Lux Comics and Warner had been tense. The licensing agreement was almost finalized with similar terms: $30,000 for a 10-year license, with a reversion clause.

-Why did you offer such an affordable price? - Anne asked.

-This is our final series, and they should hold onto it. There might be some complications if I produce it independently or with another company. Warner will capitalize on the series and buy it all in 10 years, - Billy explained, getting back to drawing. Fortunately, he had a product nearly ready, having been in the works for almost half a year.

January 4

-Do we have them? - asked Bob Daily, the director of entertainment.

-Yes, sir. The toy sales have been a resounding success, with $243 million in reported Warner brand profits for the winter season, - said Randy.

-Marvelous. Accounting for expenses, what's the value of our total earnings? - inquired Bob Daily.

-$174 million, sir, distributed throughout the season. After taxes, various expenses, and deductions, it amounts to $128 million. That figure is then reduced to 45%, which is $57.6 million, the base price for calculating the licensing fee with Lux Comics, - explained Randy.

-So much? I thought Terry had limited it as much as possible, - remarked Bob Daily.

-He did, sir. We subtracted taxes, intermediaries, labor costs, and even deducted the same licensing fee payment of $500,000, - Randy clarified.

Out of $243 million, the contract negotiated by Warner left them with $5,760,000 plus an additional $350,000.

At Warner, the tremendous success of the "Informe Fantasma" series led to a shift in programming focus. The schedule was adjusted to run from 6:00 PM to 1:00 PM as the prime programming hours. Orders were given to go full steam ahead with the next 30 episodes of the series and attempt a broader international release.

At Hasbro, they are laughing with joy, calling it the $200 million series due to the sales they registered in just two months.