July 11

  Armand Millester embarked on a jourhroughout California, preferring car trips over anything else. His title as distribution director is not in vain, but it still stands as a great show of suppiven his current age. Now, he's doing what's called fieldwork—cheg theaters, people entering, and noting other empirical matters.

  Every day, he monitors the ges and advas in "The Lion King" statistics, ensuring that the advertising hasn't been removed. Now, in San Diego, he's fog entirely on different emas, with the cardboard poster on one side, smaller than the grand poster of "The Last King," a Disney produ. It trasts in profiles, but money could only secure a certain number of posters of a particur size.

  He saw two children running with "The Lion King" masks and sighed, "How will the weekend turn out for us?" Armand murmured.

  He adjusted a press badge, a recorder, along with a small microphone—an ensemble that allowed him to carry out certain activities. He had given 10 to the young man at the entrance before arriving, who offered him a cap from the establishment, and now, he was just another employee, dug interviews.

  "Good m," Armand Millester said as he exited the theater, to a family of four, ied in both the parents' and children's opinions.

  "I'm surveying the movie 'The Lion King.' Would you like to participate in a Lion King-themed pencil?" Armand Millester asked.

  "Of course, sir," said the dy, perhaps in her forties.

  The husband simply nodded.

  "First question: What rating would you give the movie you just watched? The minimum rating is 1, and the maximum rating is 5," Armand said, pointing the recorder at the dy.

  "4," the dy said quickly.

  "You, sir, and young ones," Armand said.

  "5," the little boy said.

  Armand passed the microphoo the other, slightly younger child, who raised his hands in a five. The older adult responded with a 3.

  "3 and 5," Armand said into the microphone.

  "Would you watch the movie again?" Armand asked.

  He received two affirmations from both children, who ehe movie, and two denials from both adults, who only saw "The Lion King" with passing eyes. The mother added that she would take the kids to the ema if asked, but she preferred buying the DVD.

  "What's your favorite character in the movie you just watched?" Armand asked.

  "Simba," the older child said.

  Iingly, the mother responded, "Pumbaa," for the character's charm, and emphasized that the musid the movie were perfect for children.

  "Thank you very much for your responses. As promised, two Lion King-themed pencils for these young ones," Armand said, lifting two pencils with Lion King designs. The little boy smiled and grabbed the pencil with his hands.

  The following interviews proceeded in the same manner. He received good reviews; the children ehe movie, and the parents approved of its child-friendly scope, with some even uanding the hidden messages ah not captured by children who cried at some toug ses.

  *******************************************************************************

  July 12.

  Jeffrey Katzenberg just wao say "I told you so" to Michael Eisner. He knew very well that when animated movies are well-made, they are beloved by the public. Even his younger son ehe movie iers. He couldn't deny that the kid could make great animated films. The third one in two years—a great skill, sidered Jeffrey Katzenberg.

  The financial reports brought to his office were satisfactory. On one hand, his movie reached 113 million at the domestic box office, and its iional premiere was held a week ago. Ticket sales only keep rising. And everything earned from here on is mohat will ehe pany.

  -Fatefully, the alliaween Lux Animation and Sony-bia has beed them. They recorded 49 million, adding up to a total of 72 million at the box office. A very good profit, sidering they're peting against us, - said Jeffrey Katzenberg.

  -I had no doubts. At most, I expected them to reach 52 million. Our paradisiacal terparts oher side of the world have give reviews about 'The Lion King,' and it may tio grow relentlessly. It's not a lost movie, - said Phil Lader, a key figure iing Disney animated movies.

  The 72 million is indeed a big appuse for Lux Animation. Their first goal is to cover losses; beyond that, it's to earn enough moo i in the movie. The Disney board is unaware that Lux Animation, being a private pany, uses cross-ating tactics. In the produ of the movie, expenses f to improve puter animatirams and iment in software are added, only parable to animation costs.

  -You usually follow the pany more closely, - Jeffrey questioned.

  Phil Lader just smiled and opened his desk drawer, where there were several volumes of ics, including Sm Dunk, Evangelion, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Hellboy.

  -I like their ics. I'm a devoted fan of all the ics the pany releases. I firmly believe they will tio provide us with wonderful stories. Part of the script overpped with an idea from Hellboy about Lovecraftian myths, - said Phil Lader.

  -How wonderful, - said Jeffrey Katzenberg, who was also a Lux ics fan.

  ********************************************************************************

  Betty hurried down the hallway. That's what some members said, but it was quite the opposite—she hastened her steps, something she only did when she was in a critical situation. People in the pany started saying that Betty was running.

  She ehe room of her former Eai Director, Bob Daily, with whom she had an outstandiionship, now shared and with what they called the unofficial triaed Turerry Semel, and Bob Daily. For now, she was just looking for Bob, who seemed the calmest of the three, as she had a better retionship with him.

  -Did you see the news? - Betty asked.

  -I'm a vice president now, Betty. I don't have much time to devote to watg the news. Is there something I should know? - Bob Daily asked, yawning at Betty's words, uo avoid succumbing to sleep. His work was heavy, and long, and had little rest for all his extracurricur activities.

  -Well, it's about our dear Billy Carson, the head of the pany I mentioned would be Hollywood's worst nightmare, a detail I don't regret, but ohat has been taken to a greater extent, - said Betty .

  -Yes, I saw it. 'The Lion King' has risen from the ashes, - said Bob Daily.

  -Well, it's more iing. I ook the time to iigate iail, but you know I usually read all the neers reted to film, television, aertai. I came across a particur and iing piece of news. It took me a while, of course, but I haven't had much time in these past few weeks, -- Betty said, picturing Billy at the "Stargate" premiere, hand in hand with a Mili Avital. -- It seems our on petitor is using the name Bill Darwin to present himself in the movies. He's very promi now, there's no doubt about that, but now he's also ag as the lead and an actor, which I sidered impossible until now, - Betty cluded.

  -An iing piece of news, - said Bob Daily, sidering the news. Attag the private life of a public figure is much easier than that of a businessman hidden behind the shadows. However, publicity have the opposite effect they io achieve.

  ....

  hello everyohis is chapter 207, interlude.

  we are on chapter 250, but I will upload 251 and 252 between today and tomorrow on Patreon, good week.