I am Hollywood

Chapter 75: A Message for Jobs



[Chapter 75: A Message for Jobs]

John Lasseter explained, "Mr. Williams, the girl's movements seemed a bit rigid. Before production, I had already cautioned Mr. Hansen about this issue, but it was Mr. Hansen who insisted we create it to see how it turned out."

Eric glanced over at Jeffrey, who gave a slight nod.

"Isn't there a way to make it flow better? Mr. Lasseter, money isn't an issue. This logo might be used for many years, and of course, we want it to be perfect."

John Lasseter shook his head. "Mr. Williams, I assure you, this is currently the pinnacle of 3D animation. Pixar only began experimenting with human motion modeling last year. Compared to the baby in our previous short, Tin Toy, the little girl in red here moves much more fluidly. Other studios aren't even achieving this level."

When Eric heard the title Tin Toy, a fleeting thought crossed his mind but he couldn't quite grasp it; his focus remained on the firefly's opening sequence.

Knowing changes couldn't be made, Eric started a quiet conversation with Jeffrey.

In the thirty-second opening sequence, aside from the girl's somewhat flawed motion when she opened the bottle to release the fireflies, everything else was perfect. After editing, the opening logo usually lasted around fifteen seconds. Shorter clips, like the ones to be aired during the Super Bowl, might only include a fleeting five seconds of the firefly flashing the words "Firefly Films." Thus, thirty seconds of footage was more than enough to craft an even better logo.

With this in mind, Eric didn't press Pixar for a rework, which made things much simpler. He signed the documents and made the final payment to John Lasseter.

...

As everything wrapped up, John declined Eric's dinner invitation and was about to leave when Eric suddenly stopped him again.

"Mr. Lasseter, I believe you just mentioned Tin Toy?"

John Lasseter nodded. "Yes, Mr. Williams, we started producing that short film last February. It runs about five minutes and has been submitted for this year's Oscar for Best Short Film."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Upon hearing Oscar mentioned, Eric felt a sense of certainty.

"John, I hope you don't mind if I call you that; you can call me Eric. If you don't have anything urgent, do you mind sticking around for a bit? I'm very interested in 3D animation."

John Lasseter took a careful look at Eric's expression. He suddenly recalled that Eric was on the verge of becoming Hollywood's youngest multi-millionaire thanks to the box office success of Home Alone. Meanwhile, Pixar found itself in dire straits and could dissolve at any moment. Perhaps this young man could save Pixar.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, John's enthusiasm began to spark. "Of course, I'd be happy to," he replied.

In the firefly's conference room, John Lasseter explained, "The idea for Tin Toy came from my little nephew. Last Christmas, I saw him crawling around in a pile of toys, making a mess of everything I'd organized. That led to the concept for this animated short. Eric, if you're interested, I can call my assistant and have the tape sent over."

Eric noticed the eagerness in John Lasseter's eyes and confirmed this was the perfect opportunity to secure Pixar. If memory served correctly, it was Tin Toy's winning of the Oscar for Best Animated Short that had caught Disney's attention and ultimately resulted in a contract for three 3D animated films.

Originally, Eric had thought it would take five or six years to secure Pixar; now he realized that if Pixar signed a deal with Disney as it did in his previous life, any chance he had of acquiring Pixar would drastically change.

To show John Lasseter his genuine interest in 3D animation, Eric agreed to his suggestion. "If it's convenient, then please ask your assistant to make the trip."

..

John Lasseter made a quick phone call, and half an hour later, Eric and the others returned to the screening room.

The new toy soldier curiously took in everything in the room when a bumbling baby crawled in. The soldier was filled with anticipation for its new owner. However, the baby's rough handling of the toys forced the soldier to try and escape the baby's grasp. Yet the instruments it was carrying jingled as it moved, drawing the baby's attention. Thus began a comical chase between the mismatched sizes.

John Lasseter sat on Eric's right as the animation played, quietly explaining some of the technical challenges hidden within what seemed like simple scenes.

Eric listened intently, nodding occasionally to show his understanding. The animation finished quickly, and Eric made sure to praise the short outright.

...

After the animation ended, Eric and the others didn't leave the screening room; instead, they continued their discussion about 3D animation. While John Lasseter still had reservations about the technology, Eric spoke confidently about its future prospects and eventually couldn't help but share a little about the concept behind Toy Story.

"Eric, you must have been inspired by Tin Toy to come up with this idea. I've entertained thoughts of making a full-length 3D animated film too, but, you know, given Pixar's current state, it seems entirely unfeasible."

Finally getting to the crux of the matter, Eric shifted to a more serious demeanor and quietly asked, "John, isn't it true that Jobs is about to fold?"

This wasn't a secret in the industry; anyone who cared could uncover it. John Lasseter didn't hide the truth. "Jobs just sold Pixar's hardware department; we're only left with the software animation division now. Unless a miracle happens," he glanced expectantly at Eric before continuing, "Pixar will either dissolve or be sold, though not many are willing to take it on." "Why wouldn't anyone want to take it on? Pixar must have some of the most advanced technology in the industry, right?"

John Lasseter hesitated for a moment, looking at Eric -- the potential investor -- and wrestled with his thoughts for a few seconds. But ultimately, he was a passionate tech person, not a greedy businessman. He decided to speak candidly. "Because 3D animation is incredibly costly, and there's not much return. Unless a buyer can integrate it with other parts of their business, like a giant like Microsoft, or a film effects company, no one would be interested in taking on such a money-consuming studio."

Eric was pleased with John Lasseter's honesty. After pretending to think for a moment to build suspense, he said, "John, I'm very interested in 3D animation. After Home Alone's success, I have a substantial amount of money I need to invest, so if possible, I'm willing to buy Pixar and invest $30 million into producing a full-length animated film. That toy idea we just discussed sounds great."

John Lasseter had expected that after Eric heard his explanation, he'd lose interest. He was taken aback by Eric's words, not knowing how to respond.

They had been enjoying a pleasant conversation, and John liked this young man. Instinctively, he didn't want Eric to end up in the same predicament as Jobs, who had reached a dead end after constantly funding Pixar without corresponding economic returns.

On the other hand, John genuinely loved the 3D animation technology, which was why he had repeatedly turned down offers from his former employer Disney to stick with Pixar, a studio many viewed with skepticism.

After some thought, John Lasseter proposed a compromise: "Eric, I don't think you need to buy Pixar outright. If you're interested in 3D animation, you could invest in a single 3D animated project with us. This way, it wouldn't require too much capital, and if it... fails, you could step back gracefully."

Eric was a bit surprised that John's own perspective yielded such a sensible suggestion instead of trying to drag him into an investment.

But if he followed John's advice, it would mean playing the role of a benefactor, essentially dressing Jobs' wounds while he walked away. After Toy Story's success, Pixar's stock soared, lifting Jobs directly from the brink of bankruptcy into billionaire status.

Adopting the tone of a wealthy, carefree young man, Eric responded, "No, John. Please convey to Mr. Jobs that I'm willing to buy Pixar for $20 million. If this deal goes through, I'll invest an additional $30 million into producing an animated film."

"Eric, I'm afraid that $20 million isn't something Jobs would agree to. Over the years, he's invested no less than that amount into Pixar," John replied.

Eric retorted, "John, in business, sometimes you gain and sometimes you lose. If you've invested a certain amount, you need to recover even more -- that's no longer business. Just relay my message to Mr. Jobs; it's $20 million, not a penny more. I'm busy, and I don't have time to haggle over the price. If Mr. Jobs isn't satisfied with this offer, then there's no need for

him to contact me. I trust he'll make a wise decision."

"Very well, I'll deliver your message to Jobs exactly as you stated."

After John Lasseter left, Eric turned to Jeffrey, who had been holding back, and asked,

"Jeffrey, how come you didn't try to talk me out of it this time?"

Jeffrey shrugged. "Why say anything when I knew it wouldn't make a difference? Still, since

you asked, I have to say, buying Pixar isn't a wise choice."

Eric chuckled and teased, "I was going to make a bet with you, but it seems you don't have

anything I'd be interested in, so forget it."

*****

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