Hollywood Art: System of sunnys

In an unforeseen chain of events, individuals from the world of animation have closed various deals within 3 months, budgeting multiple businesses between animation companies and potential releases of live-action comedy youth programs.

Nickelodeon has been preparing various productions that will be unveiled either next year or towards the end of this year on its television channel. Geraldine Laybourne, Vice President and General Manager of Nickelodeon, aims for exceptional children's programs through her initiatives. As a result, one of the reasons the animation studio Kalky Csupo advanced the Rugrats series a few months before its premiere was because of this. Simultaneously, they embarked on the start of several potential productions with the creation of Nickelodeon Studios. They made progress but never envisioned their competition taking the lead so swiftly.

On the other hand, the children's network Fox Kids, which missed out on the Batman Animated Series, a recently established channel, strives to position itself as a fresh animation hub with innovative concepts. They lost a few series but managed to share the debut of "The Taz-Mania Family" and "Tiny Toon Adventures" with Warner. The upcoming animated series "X-Men Series Animated," based on Marvel comics, is anticipated to bring the boost they're hoping for. However, they never anticipated the original programs that Cartoon Network, now a player, had up its sleeve; Hanna-Barbera outshined itself.

Shuki Levy, one of the co-founders of Saban Entertainment, wasn't bothered by this. He believed in his work project and had remarkable ideas. Regrettably, the Batman series didn't premiere as he envisioned, but he would still profit and gain permission to air Looney Tunes cartoons during the family-friendly time slot on Saturdays and Sundays – a win-win situation.

On another note, Disney's persistence is both curious and anxious. They got to know Billy Carson through a conversation facilitated by Steve Jobs. Intriguingly, when Jobs mentioned that he was no longer the owner of Pixar, the business magnate responded, 'Who is the owner? The same one as Lux Comics.' This information was known only to Roy Disney, the current CEO of Disney. He vehemently dismissed the trivial concern of the emerging Pixar company and a minor-scale Comics enterprise.

The disparity lies in Disney's greater reliance on its live-action and live comedy programs, along with the variety show 'Club Mickey Mouse,' launched last semester. The legacy left behind by Walt Disney will endure for a long time.

The advantage of each company pales in comparison to that of the great magical mouse. Even though Mr. Walt Disney may not be the most talented animator, he is a skilled entrepreneur who saw the future many years ahead.

This isn't a cutthroat competition like the summer movie releases where they employ every means to actively undermine other films on the billboard. It's more about a struggle to capture the attention of children. So, why this intense rivalry without boundaries? Children rarely pay heed to the news, and these television channels are solely concerned with making sure the viewer's current favorite show remains their favorite next year.

The TV frenzy that kids curate for their programming revolves around a single question: 'Is it worth watching?' If it is, then they'll watch. That's why the competition focuses on producing series that captivate their audience using all sorts of attention-grabbing techniques. It's not just about their channel's ratings; it's about toy sales, songs, costumes, and all the things parents buy for their kids. This pursuit generates a substantial amount of money.

This brings us to an unusual pause: How much will such aggressive competition impact the landscape? Americans are patriotic, and that same nationalism can propel certain series into the depths of stardom. Series like Power Rangers, SpongeBob SquarePants, Dexter's Laboratory, and Ben 10 are distinctly American, lacking the same narrative traits as the marvelous Japanese creations, yet they are beloved by many.

Consequently, it leads us to the second question: How to compete against these television networks? By strategically carving out a niche in the established market that guarantees a foothold.

In his attempt to evade taxes and increase earnings, Billy has birthed another subsidiary of Lux Animation – the new comics and toy store called Lux Comics. It's dedicated to selling toys for ages 2 to 18.

At the moment, the parent company is Lux Animation, which has three proposed branches. The first is Lux Comics, the second is Pixar (3D animation), and the third is Toys and Comics.

There's a small toy store located in San Jose near the cinema street. The new store is in the process of being established, seeking exclusivity over products – from Slam Dunk trading cards to all the series available at Lux Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and an array of toy lines including Star Wars, Alien, Predator, Terminator, The Mask, and select special Slam Dunk merchandise.

-We're all set, the first exclusive Lux Comics store, thanks to the merchandise orders from Kenner, Hasbro, and Mattel, - stated Mr. Cloud, in charge of financial reports assessing the viability of the new toys and comics sales company. He had been hired as an analyst at Lux Animation, the parent company of Lux Comics.

-We'll need to do a bit of remodeling, I want special shelves for the books. My son will be here in fifteen days, and I'll be drawing on the walls, - said Mr. Carson, overseeing the regulations of the toy company.

Toys are just a part of the store's focus, aiming to specialize in selling toys from renowned franchises, to establish a store certified to deal with collectibles. They've avoided delving into the Marvel and DC toy market but might consider striking deals with Warner (DC Comics) to display franchise products.

-What's the plan for the store launch? - Mr. Carson inquired.

-We'll be introducing coupons with redeemable discounts next month. The store's appeal lies in its limited competition in the vicinity. Buying the location was quite costly, but it's a boon for our Toys and Comics store, - Mr. Cloud explained.

-We'll need to plan some events! - Mr. Carson exclaimed.

-We intend to wait until the series are aired on the Cartoon Network channel, - Mr. Cloud mentioned.

October will mark a significant step for the toy store. The advertising they'll feature in comics will be complemented by the efforts of the media giant, pulling strings as much as they can. Even the unexpected partnership with Capcom seems favorable, as the release of the Samurai Jack game next year is of paramount importance to the comic company's profits.

-Who's been overseeing the local development? - Thomas Carson asked.

Mr. Cloud is quite meticulous, and as usual, he had all the details this endeavor could involve. Their decision-making ability, work flexibility, and eager pursuit of new markets made his days at work satisfying.

-For now, Lucas has finalized some additional details. We're aiming to hire a general manager who will handle the accounts and store development. We'll also need two employees to manage the store, - Cloud explained.

Mr. Carson exited the luxurious store, taking in the grand glass window showcasing the entire shop, the futuristic lavish door, the wall adorned with Lux Comics characters, the white-painted lounge area, and the intriguing store reliefs.

Everyone is awaiting the television channel boom. Now, with a toy store focused on Billy's programs, it feels like all the eggs are in one basket.

1. Company acquisitions can be somewhat confusing due to the significant divisions between parent companies, groups, and foundations.  In this case, MTV Networks was purchased as a private company by Viacom,  which has operated alongside Paramount, CBS (channels), and Viacom in various capacities, both large and small. Following the purchase of MTV, of which Nickelodeon was a part, it was acquired by the current owner, National Amusements, an operator of cinemas.

2.  On the other hand, Saban Entertainment is the entity behind FOX  Kids, later purchased by Worldwide and subsequently closed in 2002. It was then acquired by Disney, which would establish the Jetix brand.

...