The lively versation among the three great future minds of DreamWorks, now four, was filled with various twists and turns. It was nearly mid-afternoon, and they tio share their ideas, their deepest ambitions, and eveion of abs emerging panies with great potential. These panies had survived over the years, such as the ret Caralco Pictures, which had caught the attention of those around them. Yet, acquiring a ventional pany from the six major studios, those with over 50 years of history, remained impossible. These studios were uhe watchful eye of the entire world, represented by symbols like the r lion, the illumiitle, the castle surrounded by fairy dust or stars, the Statue of Liberty, the mountain, and the shield amidst a tangle of clouds.

  -The right iment is enough to get eadustry up and running, - eeven Spielberg, rexing in his chair.

  -Very well, everyone is responsible for their position, though I'm ied in knowing when we'll start the iment, - remarked Billy.

  -This year, I have some colboration projects, and the iment will likely e from some individuals' pockets. For example, David pns to equip his studio. We'll use Ambliertai as a starting point for many other ventures, - stated Steven Spielberg.

  -That's logical. Amblin already has some credibility. We divide the projeto four areas: film, video games, musid animation. Four pahat together form DreamWorks, - responded Billy.

  - you start the iment from month? - asked Steven.

  -I , starting in early June. I have two iments in different projects that have been ing my cash. Maybe around 40 million to get into the business. From there, we'll see how necessary these tempts at success are. But... risks should be minimal. The greater the iment, the greater the risk and there's a frequent sehat the ema is ging. The timing is right to start making ges, followed by the creation of the video game branch, - replied Billy.

  This idea might seem dubious to some, but it's not incorrect to say that the 90s were a vibrant ge, with magnifit soundtracks, high cepts, fantastic exploited stories, yles of thematic filming, etricity, and universality in films for all audiences.

  -That could be beneficial for us. We'll provide the information about the pany's creation to their offices for a quick review of what we should or shouldn't do, - eeven.

  -You use my distributors. I have broad distribution participation across different tries. We already have a wide rea pces like North America, Europe, and part of Oia. Perhaps this year, there may be some impa Asia, - replied Billy.

  -With a good distributor, we'll reach different tries. Do you have relevan the market? - asked Steven.

  -North Amerid Europe. My distribution el is new, and I don't have the tacts, though I made a good hiring with Jim Ginaopulus, an expert in distribution who has some knowledge of how the iional business works, - said Billy.

  -I'll help you a bit, but our idea is to have our distributor that covers all of North America. Though expenses sometimes be unofficial, we need our market, - said Steven.

  It doesn't matter, we're creating a mega-pany, and we must be ambitious. I'll get in touch to create a video game studio that focuses on games based on movies, TV series, real-life characters, or events, - said Billy.

  -That's the way to go, kid. You have ingenious ideas, though the idea to acquire some musitities from scratch is great. Starting from scratch might be more costly. I'll take a deep look, - said David Geffen.

  At the moment, acc to the purchase ideas discussed by the three, they've ied a total of 125 million dolrs, with Steven Spielberg as the principal shareholder. Jeffrey Katzenberg promised to ihe money he received as pensation from Disney, and David Geffen had just begun the creation of his own music produ pany and was recruiting some individuals he deemed necessary for the establishment of his record bel.

  All this is based on the romantiion of individuals who want to use their ematic creations to touch people's ideas—a romahat goes beyond mere creation. It's the passion that gave birth to the film industry. Everyone had wonderful ideas about how or what the creation should be. Billy's perception ged pletely. Jeffrey Katzenberg was sweeter thahought. The story of how he joihe marketing team at AB 1970, rising to television with Michael Eisner, and how this person always gave wings, infused him with the spirit of bigger projects. From being creative to his stant work as aive producer, he had nurtured numerous ideas he sidered marvelous. If there was something Steven and David Geffen agreed on about Jeffrey, he could see the ideas that o be seen.

  -Your tract says you'll have a 2% share of the profits from all the Disney movies made, - asked Billy, perplexed.

  -That's right. He motivated me to leave ABd take charge of the animation division. He promised that the tract would be paid upoermination of our retionship. However, he doesn't want to pay what is sidered fair. He argues it's only 80 million dolrs, but I say it's more than 400 million dolrs. I've handled projects frer Rabbit to The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast... oh, the ohat beat you to the Last King, by the way. Your idea of The Lion King was inspiring, - ented Jeffrey, still with a bittersweet taste due to the situation. The cicadas were in the sky, along with the crickets and the sky.

  For Billy, the rumor still circutes that most of the ideas are ohat Disself set aside, but that 't truly be accurate.

  The arrival of the women was the definite point to signal the end of the versation. Six hours of various discussions, Billy's signature, and their mutual assurahat the iment would hover around 1 billion was a revealing blow for Billy, who believed the iment to be minimal, but it made sense heless. How much money have these men made? He had a party to attend.

  -You could go, kid. Many members of the academy will be present. You promote the idea of an Oscar for animation with some members, - eeven Spielberg.

  -Many people will be there, - Steven remarked again, weighing your ideas. -We must form a united front, kid. -

  -I'll go, no problem. you give me the address? - Billy asked.

  "It's great that we've been invited. Last time, only the old folks were there, now we surround ourselves with the upper echelons. You know, they always say you have to earn it. If we're lucky, getting roles for the few years will be easy," Gwyh ented, her bck evening dress and wide gloves animated by the invitation's relevance. Often, invitations are not on.

  -Sounds fantastic, - Billy responded, with a total sense of torture from the meetings, viewpoints, bosses always looking to intimidate him, or the whispers, political games that only paper parties py.

  A rge, spacious hall, almost castle-like and ematic, could be seen in many ways. The old folks all gathered to talk, with some serving drinks, snacks, and small cups of sweet wine.

  There, Billy could only sigh. Though he wasn't nominated for the Golden Globes, the special mention for The Lion King a Soundtrack were just splendid.

  The familiar faces were just a magnifit backdrop of numerous industry bigwigs. It was evident that all the major producers from North America were there, scattered about. Any perso could be sidered important; politics are more nuahan one might think. Known names like Jaicholson, t Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Kathleen Kennedy, Ivaman, Wendy Finerman, Richard D. Zanuck, Lorenzo di Boura, and Frank Marshall were all present.

  "Billy, that one over there is the former president of the academy, Karl Maiden. He resigned from his position in 1992," eeven, very close with his parthe attitude was clear: they should promote DreamWorks discreetly.

  His first greeting was for the members of Albim, a quick meeting about the new co-foundation. The fact that he was attached to a se as a member of the video game circle and a member of the team was the new gossip of the season, spreading with the typical speed of rumors.

  It bears repeating that, although Spielberg only wants money from Billy, he is not ungrateful, much less so with an industry enthusiast who has much to learn and is entirely fortable.

  There, in a much more rexed atmosphere, Billy engaged in small talk with some members of the Disney circle, well-known animators from many eras.

  Frank Marshall and Steven Spielberg had a slight versation.

  -Why did you allow the new kid into your new pany? - Frank Marshall asked.

  -The kid is one of the few willing to i. He has the mohe vision, and the desire to learn. He'll be my protégé, - Steven ented.

  Frank Marshall fell silent. He had a stant fear of how the situation was developing. He was one of the invitees, along with Kathleen, but they deed. Who in their right mind is 200 million in a film pany? Ambition is just one side of a .

  -Frank, what do you wao do? Even the most accimed directors believe that challenging the industry is impossible. I see that we're not offending anyone; we just want to do what we dream of the way we dream it. And that way is to do what I love most without aelliherwise, this time doing it big, - Steven ented.

  -You know how it is, even if they're not the owners of the pahe petition is fierce. Everyone wants their piece of the box office, - Marshall remarked.

  -It's surprising. But the kid has been in a cold war with two panies, and he's standing firm. Have you heard about the numerous celtions, behind-the-ses wsuits, publications, rejes, aed ws? - murmured Steven.

  ...