740. One Oscar, one call.
March 21.
The 1998 Oscars were a shark graveyard where only one creature managed to survive, and that was the giant Titanic, sailing past everything else. With so many films fighting for the prize, and one that seemed ready to sweep the entire field of possibilities, there was still, for the actors, the looming presence of an old master—one who would almost certainly walk away with the award. Jack Nicholson. A bold contender: As Good as It Gets, with his performance as Melvin Udall.
Still, Peter Fonda and Dustin Hoffman could not be dismissed; they were in the race, competing with an almost strategic violence, daring and relentless. The winds were clearly shifting, with Robin Williams taking Best Supporting Actor, the climax of the race, multiple successes converging in one of the most ambitious years in cinema history.
Not far behind were Helen Hunt, another strong contender, Judi Dench once again battling through the season, and a young Helena Bonham Carter.
-I don’t want a statuette; it’s a real nuisance - Billy commented. He had been nominated, something that completely reshaped his way of thinking, and there he was, brilliantly positioned as a supporting actor—Billy, radiant. Yet it meant little to him. He wanted other roles, even as everything seemed to collapse; when Life Is Beautiful emerged two years earlier, they became competitors, fighting for Best Picture and, at the very least, Best Supporting Actor.
The buzz was burning out, drifting closer like a drink measured by time.
-This is the only way you’ll draw attention and become a driving force in independent films; you already have two Oscar nominations and three more Golden Globe nominations, and you’re also being considered for the BAFTAs - Jim Wait commented.
-I think I like it - Billy replied. - Even so, it’s still a nuisance. I won’t campaign and I won’t put up money; let’s wait for better times. -
Those words defined Billy. Even as he tried to instill discipline in himself, everything lay behind him, everything that passed. He enjoyed making films, enjoyed his life—traveling, writing, negotiating. For months now, he had felt no urge to give up; stopping was never his interest. He simply wanted to keep going, stubborn as an old mule.
-Just leave it to me - Jim Waiit said, without hesitation. What remained and what passed became a mere suspension of time, and nothing more. Without denying the elegance of the situation, Jim Waiit understood that this was now entirely his job, with Jim Gianopulos backing him, as the idea of fame slowly shifted and opened the door to a wonderful life.
-Do whatever you want - Billy said.
Sighing.
-There might be some good offers for roles; maybe Tim Burton will come knocking - Billy added.
-We’ll talk about that later. -
There was no doubt that a film was being prepared that seemed ready to break effortlessly with the golden age of the Oscars—a fully independent picture where everything else would be set aside. Shakespeare in Love. A singular story, carefully crafted so that, without the slightest flaw, everyone would be pleasantly convinced it would be the best film of the year.
-My salary could be around ten million, Jim - Billy said calmly, knowing this would interest his agent, who earned substantial sums through percentage deals.
-I’m clear on that, and I’m also clear that many roles will come your way; now the trick is whether you decide to take them - Jim replied.
-I’ll take them, and I don’t mind failing - Billy said.
The film world was hitting hard. Everyone in the industry wanted to be part of the slice called Pixar, a company that had broken box-office records with three of its films. With revenues matching what some studios earned over three years, they surpassed everyone by a wide margin.
-I’m afraid we’re going to make a lot of money together - Arthur said, the CEO of Pixar, who had just acquired a small animation company that had been working in the 2D world for some time but, after the failure of Anastasia, had fallen completely under the radar. Sullivan Blue Studio—one after another, each of them living comfortably within a life devoted to fundamental creation.
-Cinema is tougher than we think - he replied calmly, without being overshadowed by Arthur, who carried the weight of a major brand on his shoulders. That alone made him powerful and gave him a value no one else possessed, something greater than anything people might otherwise consider. A budget of 53 million, with total revenues of 140 million, was still a loss for them, because they needed ten million more to reach the break-even point agreed upon during distribution and commercialization, and Fox was one of the sharpest, most seasoned competitors on the scene.
They wanted to build something similar to what Billy had achieved. They understood they needed proof, and Blue Studios was that test. Letting a few bullets fly was not something that worried them or felt particularly relevant.
Using the best scripts and making the best decisions—that was what they wanted for a future competitor that now had two giants behind it, and, after the news broke, only black-and-white photographs taken from allegorical angles.
-So, a twenty-million-dollar contract to dedicate ourselves to producing animated series from now on - Morris Sullivan said, taking it in stride. Now part of this crusade, he was categorized as someone central to these important scenes, whether it was a matter of power or a matter of withering beneath the weight of others.
The proposal was clear: work for me; let me help you with your films in exchange for holding the power over distribution and roles. Arthur provided the money, and they had the resources to create their own ideas. It worked, and meanwhile Pixar began to reshape the continent through a deal negotiated with the Irish government to build animation and production studios, free of taxes and with arrangements that would make Hollywood studios weep—all in exchange for filming in beautiful Ireland.
-It’s a great announcement - Arthur said. - And the Pixar family has big ideas to bring life back to Ireland. -
Rather than building amusement parks in cold places, it was better to create minimalist museums that complemented the beauty of the flora with the beauty of culture and wildlife.
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