of stars.
The restaurant they attended was filled with some of the most prestigious people from the gala. Billy noticed a few politicians taking their seats, and amidst the jungle of faces, the surprise of seeing Mariah Carey with Tommy Mottola caught his attention. The women in the room simply adored Mariah—it was always a welcome curiosity to see her. Among the guests were also some notable businessmen and basketball players, who added to the lively atmosphere of the cocktail event.
-Have you decided on any major roles for the upcoming months? - Billy asked Winona as they ate. Their table had a stunning view of Los Angeles, overlooking the tall buildings, and was accompanied by the rich sound of a piano, which provided the perfect backdrop for the evening.
-I don't have much in mind. Any recommendations? - she responded.
Billy shook his head. He knew Winona's taste for roles leaned toward projects with long speeches, romantic moments, or heartwarming stories. He understood this from the way she chose her scripts, and as a point of reference, he couldn't deny that this was what she sought for her career as an actress.
-Billy helped me get a role in the movie Anaconda. I think this will be the first time I'm doing a leading role of this kind, and I can still feel how difficult it is to prepare for a lead role, - Monica said, both amazed and happy, her heart racing not from fame but from sheer excitement.
-That sounds exactly like something Billy would do, - Winona replied, her gaze drifting as a familiar figure caught her eye. It was Johnny Depp, walking hand-in-hand with a woman who was slim and simply stunning—Vanessa Paradis. Vanessa was slender but inspiringly captivating, her eyes drawing attention like moths to a flame.
The two were the center of attention, their charisma undeniable as they greeted others and made their presence known in the room.
-I heard you've written a new book, - Winona said, trying to swallow her discomfort, clearly uneasy with Johnny's arrival, a man whose presence still unsettled her deeply.
-I have, and it's set to be published next month. I think people will find the way this new saga brings together cyberpunk and epic fantasy to be quite fascinating,- Billy explained.
Winona's eyes widened as she saw Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis approaching. The greeting was brief, but to the women's surprise, Billy exchanged a polite handshake with Johnny, keeping things cordial. Both men then returned to their respective seats.
-We haven't had the pleasure of a formal introduction, - Johnny said, his greeting short but polite.
-Unfortunately, no, but I suppose you received my production company's invitation? - Billy asked, already guessing the reason behind Johnny's presence and the offer for him to star in Donnie Brasco.
-Yes, I did, I did… Good evening, Winona, my angel. Every day I see you, you grow more beautiful, - Johnny added with gallantry. Winona blushed, her eyes flicking toward Vanessa, who remained unbothered by the exchange. After introductions were made, things returned to normal. Both women clung to each other for support, their emotions running high.
-The meal was wonderful, but I think it's time for us to leave,- Monica said.
***
George Lucas was, notoriously, one of the most obsessive figures in the entertainment industry—especially when it came to Star Wars. Though he was already planning and filming a trilogy of movies, he was also working on the idea of producing a Star Wars series for the next three films. However, today he visited Pixar to see how the team was handling the production of the new animated series. It consisted of 46 episodes for the first season, split into two parts, each with scripts written by Lucas himself. The series would explore the years before the Clone Wars, focusing on Anakin's time as a Padawan.
Not content with just the series, George had already contacted Billy back in November 1995 to enhance the production system and pave the way for a new Star Wars video game. After all, Darth Vader had already been featured in Super Smash Lux, the multiplayer fighting game set in a virtual world.
-We're currently working on the environments, thanks to a new Pixar program developed specifically for this series. It creates characters through Massive, and this software generates movement for each character based on a set of algorithms and commands, - explained Michael Graham, the head of the animation project. He was in charge of directing the series, with guidance from both George Lucas and Billy Carson. Once the initial set-ups and finer details were completed, a director would be brought on to oversee the final product.
Watching the demonstration of how the characters moved using Pixar's technology, Lucas's eyes widened in amazement, impressed by the project's scope.
-The characters are very well done, - Lucas commented, examining the high-quality animation. Billy, who had worked with the final visual references in mind, didn't change much beyond adding intricate details and populating the universe with thousands of characters. The world-building was intense, bringing the vast Star Wars universe to life with incredible precision.
-That's just for the first season. We're still ironing out some issues with recreating the lightsabers, but we'll work through them as time goes on, - Michael added.
-Very well, now show me the environments you're working on, - Lucas said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
***
Klasky Csupo was one of the companies collaborating with Billy, receiving investments while the creative process fell squarely on their shoulders. They were working at a steady pace, though not quite at Billy's level of intensity. Having completed the first season of Hey Arnold! and continuing work on a sports-themed series, they had gained significant recognition. Nickelodeon had deepened its relationship with the animation studio, sealing a deal for five more series over the next few years and renewing licensing agreements, even hinting at the possibility of a buyout. This strengthened their connection and built a closer partnership between their productions.
Initially, the responsibility for managing this relationship shouldn't have fallen on Rachel, who already had a full workload, but her work ethic was unmatched. For this reason and others, she continued to oversee the collaboration between the different animation studios.
-We're trying to handle everything with grace, given the scope of what we've been assigned, - Terry Thoren, one of the project leads working under Lux Animation, said awkwardly. Lux Animation had emerged as Nickelodeon's strongest competitor, surpassing even Disney and Cartoon Network to become the heavyweight in children's entertainment. Lux's rating streak was soaring, with even R-rated shows like Trigun attracting young viewers aged 9 to 12 due to its exceptional quality.
-I don't know much about animation... but I like how you're delivering the episodes. I'll leave it to the experts. I'm here because I believe your work deserves recognition. The pilots you've submitted, along with the final series, are appealing—at least to me,- Rachel said, nodding internally.
The projection room was small, the screen a simple image cast onto a white wall. Yet Rachel could already tell that much of Klasky's work aligned with Anne's vision—to maintain a spirit of cooperation between the studios.
-So…, - Terry hesitated.
-We'll issue payment for the second part of the contract this week, and we truly appreciate your collaboration. You have a remarkable talent for turning these concepts into something of real substance, - Rachel said, brushing aside thoughts of potential buyouts.
-Well, I'm glad you feel that way, - Terry replied, relieved. When she mentioned leaving it to the experts, he had feared the worst. He was somewhat insecure about his work.
-Even though I find it fantastic, an expert will come to evaluate the content in more depth,- Rachel added, finishing the conversation.
-Of course, - Terry said, much more at ease now that the contract was still intact, viewing this as a step toward avoiding failure.
...