June 1978
At Newgate Mansion
Edward Newgate MC POV
After spending the whole May with drawing the Pakkins Land Volume three and participating in the GALAXY Games, the finally awaited June has come.
The game 'Pac-Man' has been released. It garnered much attention from the Universities. It has also provoked the era with the application of A.I. in the games. This concept has truly brought the attention from the professors and their respected Universities.
The game sales also been boosted because of the attention it gained. The controversy by the media has hyped the attention and increased its exposure to the audience.
This made the people to come and try the game to satisfy their curiosity, which made them hooked to the game play.
The arcade owners are happy, Uncle was happy and the GALAXY team was happy.
Me, I was also happy that this game has brought fame and fortune to the company.
I will make sure to keep this going on, but I will some content and creative talents who will lead the team to success.
The games like 'Street Fighter 2', 'Pokémon', 'Warcraft', 'Diablo', 'PUBG' etc… have many behind the scenes artists and programmers who worked hard.
So, I have to keep an eye for the talent. After all, I can't have the company to always follow my ideas and destroy their creativity and ideas.
Not only that, the film 'Halloween' completed the shooting was in the post-production. After the final cut, Uncle Robert was happy with the film screening.
It was decided to be on screens in mid-June. Uncle decided to release it in small-scale with a total of 400 screens.
He decided to reduce the screens if the film performed poorly or increase the screens if it performed good enough.
The theatre chains of the Newgate family now have popular arcade machines which helped in recovering the costs if the film doesn't meet the expectations.
'Grease' film was co-released with the Paramount on large scale of more than 900 screens.
In its opening weekend, it grossed over $9.5 million in 900 theatres in United States and Canada.
It was ranking at number 2 behind 'Jaws 2' of $9.8 million at the box office weekend.
It was another success for the Newgate Productions.
Not only that 'Halloween' film also met the expectation and grossed over $4 million against $1.2 million production cost.
Uncle decided to increase another 200 screens for 'Halloween' film because of its audience reception.
John Carpenter has also gained the attention because of the film success.
I think for sure that Paramount will the same pain like Fox. The fame and fortune of 'Grease' film is like 'Star Wars' because when I watched the film with uncle, I had a hunch that it will be a hit for sure.
The 'Star Wars' film was still on screens in Newgate family theatres along with 'Tron' film.
'Star Wars' film seems to enough stamina to run in theatres even now.
At the beginning of the year 'Star Wars' film, once again began to bring more money and was again screened in major theatres because of the craze.
Not only that, my summer holidays came. Uncle Robert true to his word has arranged a good swimmer to teach me swimming.
Because of the holidays, I had more time and learning how to swim felt good and productive.
How productive it seems? Because I met the King of Pop, Michael Jackson on the way.
Michael Jackson, the one who shook the world with his performance, he donated his earnings to many organisations and helped those in need unlike others who only give lip services.
I was a great fan of him. I enquired about his current situation and it seems he is currently with his family of Jackson 5. He is shooting the album and also got a role in the film 'The Wiz' as a scarecrow.
I didn't go to him directly, now he is with his family and also got a chance to act in film, preparing to release his album. He is doing well.
I didn't want to disturb him nor I don't want to involve get involve him with me.
After all, I can't say that, I am his great fan and he will get back stabbed by his trusted people because of his naïve and good personality.
His problem stemmed from his share of ATV records which holds more than 4000 popular songs. it is gold mine for the future.
After seeing him, I wanted to get involved in the music industry. I want to buy the songs copyrights and publishing rights.
I want to start this before him and will get to know him if he also started to but the rights for those songs.
Until then, I will just let him be.
A real gold mine in music industry was discovered now and I was getting itched to but those songs.
With this thought, I noted down this idea and prepared a draft about this project to present it to Uncle Robert.
After I enquire and learn about the music market, I will give the project draft to uncle.
I was also looking for the comic companies that are going to bankrupt.
I wanted to get those artists, inkers and many talented people.
Not only them, I also started to look for the animatronics, a mechatronic puppet controlled by machine. They are a modern variant of automaton. They are a multidisciplinary field integrating puppetry, anatomy and mechatronics.
The IL&M studio's main focus was digital effects and their focus on the animatronics is not much. I want a separate department in IL&M to focus on animatronics, because this will help in achieving detailed effects.
Before the CGI (computer-generated imagery);
The practical effects include Miniatures, Matte paintings, Animatronics, Physical props, Makeup, Pyrotechnics and Explosions;
Stop-Motion Animation;
Optical Effects like Rear Projection, Front Projection and Matte work.
IL&M main core will still be digital effects but there should be some separate teams that should take on other roles.
Not only that, I also need sound designers, mixers, editing and recording for digital audio workstation.
In 'Star Wars' film, these digital audio engineers helped a lot. I want to form that team before George Lucas forms his.
So many things to do, but let's take one step at a time.
One: After Uncle Robert gets the comics, anime and novel rating system approved, I will have the titles for the comics ready… 'Pakkins Land' for now… next should be 'Ninja Turtles', 'Dragon Ball', 'Transformers', 'Robo Cop' and sports comics like 'Slam Dunk', 'Prince of Tennis', 'Hajime no Ippo' etc… so many titles to plunder.
Two: For the titles I plunder, I need a team of artists and talented people to continue them. After all, I can't keep drawing them all. For that, I will find out if there are any artists or other comic companies are in bankrupt and purchase them.
Three: Not only the comic artists but also anime artists, which will be helpful in adapting the works as anime. If the anime artist also joins in the creation of the comics, they will be helpful in adding the extra details making the work detail-oriented and eye catching.
Four: I also need to see, if there are people selling the popular songs copyrights and publishing rights. And also need to start the Music company to manage them.
Five: IL&M need the animatronics and audio department.
So many agendas and so many money-making ideas.
With these ideas and agendas written, I went to have lunch.
After lunch, I went to Newgate Bookstore to see if I will get any new ideas for the next plundering session.
After browsing the book shelves for a while, I came across action-thriller book 'Rambo: First Blood' in one of the shelves. I took the book and went home.
I read the book and confirmed that it was 'Rambo', the action-thriller franchise that was so popular which made the American Soldiers look strong and cool.
Those action and Sylvester Stallone's performance won the audience.
I am sure, that it was released around early 80s. It seems like Newgate Productions will have another popular franchise.
Sigh! I will have to write another proposal for the 'Rambo' film.
With that I started writing the proposal for starting music company and 'Rambo' film.
I wrote, what I heard about music industry and how publishing the songs albums brings money and all…
After that, I wrote about the 'Rambo' film plan. How it has thriller and commercial elements which is enough for the box office.
I wrote the budget plan, after I enquired Uncle Robert's secretary. This will make them see that I had a film proposal and wait for me to finish it before seeing them.
Then I went to sleep.
-----Next day----
This June, I spent learning swimming; drawing comic; enquiring about music companies, their songs copyrights, publishing rights; also, about the film locations, props and total production costs; about comic companies, anime companies, the artists, inkers, etc.
During this time, the film 'Tron' released overseas. It grossed over a total of $179 million. It was a huge success.
'Halloween' film also grossed over $13 million in two weeks. And Uncle Roberts along with other Theatre Owners also released it over 800 screens. Then it grossed another $29 million box office in the next two weeks, a total of $42 million box office.
With this craze, it was estimated to gross over $80 million.
The 'Grease' film, which Newgate and Paramount co-produced also grossed over $40 million in 19 days. It is estimated to gross over $100-120 million.
After seeing the box office reports, I was happy.
The three films released by Newgate productions are success. The industry is now looking at the company to see if they can replicate the success.
After all, Newgate productions hasn't lost yet, which made the other production studios unease and unhappy.
Because, Uncle Robert has co-produced and shared, the other studios have put up with him.
If he ever goes around without sharing, it will definitely bring their ire. These studios will come together and attack. They will tear it apart like sharks that smell blood.
The next films of Newgate Productions are observed by them. Uncle has decided to have another sequel of 'Star Wars' to be co-produced with 20th Century Fox.
The negotiations were taking place.
Thinking about the difficulties Uncle Robert has been facing by the big studios and forced to co-produced to make the studio not be attacked by them, I decided to give the 'Rambo: First Blood' film proposal.
When I went to the Uncle Robert's office, I see him negotiating with the 20th Century Fox representatives about the 'Star Wars' sequel.
I also see the Universal and Paramount representatives outside waiting for the chance to invest in the film.
Me, seeing this, gave the 'Rambo: First Blood' film proposal to Uncle Robert's Secretary and went to have a nap.
After an hour, I woke up by the secretary and went to the office.
There I learned the negotiations were completed, Newgate Productions decided to continue to cooperate with 20th Century Fox on co-producing the sequel with an initial budget of $18 million. Of which, Newgate will share 50% and Fox will share other 50% production cost.
With Fox only having the 40% North America Box office and overseas distribution contract.
The Paramount Pictures also having reached an initial agreement on co-producing the 'Indiana Jones'. This agreement with Paramount needed further discussions.
Uncle Robert is going through the proposal. After skimming through it, he said that he would take care of it.
After a little break, a man named Steve Gordon came with an appointment to meet Uncle Robert about investing in his project.
Then Uncle Robert skimmed through the project and handed it to me.
Uncle Robert then asked the man to give him a simple synopsis.
Then Steve Gordon explains the project.
In the meantime, I looked into it. After reading, I came to conclusion that it is feasible.
This is a classic rich man fell in love with poor girl and it has incorporated a simple plot line with romance, comedy and real-life elements. This project considered all things including the budget. Though it has risk because of these real-life elements, it also has a chance for obtaining Oscar.
I decided to give a green signal because it has modest budget of $7 million and Newgate production can bear it. Also having a chance for Oscar is good enough.
Steve Gordon was happy that his proposal was considered and was sent to come again next to have further discussions.
Me and Uncle too went home after the work.
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