It was not impossible; nothing was impossible. It was one of those things that always happened, time and time again. An iconic project was beginning to take shape, the waters were beginning to stir, the foundations of filmmaking were at their highest point, and with two major series becoming part of the culture of the coming years, there was no doubt that The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter would have an impact completely beyond the norm. Even with all of Billy's innovations from every angle, the first achievement was already there: a total of twenty-four sets were almost ready for the first four Harry Potter films. They only needed to complete them with an excellent green-screen system and special effects, which they were developing with their four visual effects companies: Digital Domain, Ambil, Pixar, and Weta Digital.
The Lord of the Rings, on the other hand, would arrive alongside a television series about Tom Bombadil, another television series about the Mines of Tirith and their final days, together with Gimli's storyline, and the three The Lord of the Rings films, followed by a third series explaining the rise of the Balrog. It was a long and constant undertaking, one that always filled with life those who drew near.
—It's a good time to begin. —Peter Jackson commented to the entire cast. Billy did not cut corners on money, and with William Dommer's help, what should have been a budget of $250 million for the three films became a doubled budget of $500 million. With that money, he bought vast amounts of land and built the Lord of the Rings Studios, in the same spirit as Harry Potter and Star Wars. It covered twelve fanegadas of land, nearly 100,000 square meters, a massive construction on industrial land, with enormous earthworks, sweeping scenic locations, and a full-scale recreation of the Shire in an open grassy landscape.
—It's astonishing. —Fran Walsh commented as she looked around. It was a vast, open complex, along with smaller stages that recreated the principal locations and even added others he had not originally considered, such as Gondor, Rivendell, Minas Tirith, Mordor, Helm's Deep, Edoras, Lothlórien, Moria, Mirkwood, the Shire, Erebor (the land of the Fellowship of the Ring), Rohan, and a coastal village.
—But we have to keep everything organized, Peter. —Fran whispered to him. Much of the credit rested in Billy's hands, who bought, invested, and continued investing through an agreement with the New Zealand government. The ease with which he made things happen was almost ridiculous. Opportunities opened up for everyone, from thirty to forty actors, many of them with substantial roles, while others remained focused on preparing for and stepping into their parts.
—Then let's begin. —Peter commented.
The script reading on May 24, 1999, carried the feeling that everyone was fully awake, and the words themselves grew solemn at Peter Jackson's request. He recorded the music first, together with Billy and some assistance. They already had about 80% of the score, at least in its essential form, for what they envisioned.
—The world has changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was has been lost, for there are none now who remember it.
—It all began with the forging of the Great Rings: three were given to the Elves, seven to the Dwarf Lords, great lords of the mountains; nine rings were given to Men, who above all else desire power, for within them lies that desire. But they were all deceived. The Dark Lord forged a Master Ring, into which he poured his will to dominate every living being—One Ring to rule them all.
Cate Blanchett's words, accompanied by the music, inside that hall, surrounded by a setting that displayed everything Peter Jackson and Billy Carrson had built with Lux Animation, projected a sense of power that could not be compared with any other production. None of it, none of it was complicated, yet in everyone's eyes it was perhaps the event that left them speechless. Claire Forlani was there as well, looking like an angel. She had now accepted the opportunity to become part of the series, and three more installments would be filmed over the next two years, bringing complete closure to her character, at least for the next thirty years.
Fran, the producer, danced as a man with a cane, and a butler approached. He would oversee the complete growth of the special effects company; the merger of many companies into one had become an overwhelming force.
—I'm afraid we have very little time, Fran Walsh. —William Dommer commented.
***
Billy was relaxed after a satisfying meal, having closed several deals with Canadian production companies, all built around his work. All built around his clean, almost pure approach, in which nothing would remain subject to the idea that only one person would win; he would win, everyone would win. It was an upheaval that produced thousands of deals; opportunities were opportunities.
—I'm afraid we'll have a great deal to do over the coming months. —Mary Harron commented. The woman did not remain silent; she was filming and was far from dissatisfied. She closely watched Billy's ideas begin to take shape, and filming paused for a week. Although Billy followed a strict diet, none of that made him perfect; he had a good physique, but he still lacked something, and he began exercising while following a water diet. At the same time, the poor script reading began, while everything unfolded beneath an allegorical feeling of bitter memories.
Then, without lingering, he moved through the forms, through how everyone remained beneath the same roof.
Now, Billy arrived, and in the middle of his work,k he had to make occasional trips to London while showing Natalie the Harry Potter franchise and the role he wanted her to play: an Eastern Death Eater, granddaughter of one of Grindelwald's followers.
With only a few words, the idea of portraying an American psychopath gave him memories and new ways of approaching the work.
—We'll shoot the scenes when you arrive. —Mary commented,
already planning everything to stage the first days of filming, heading toward a story that was insane, with superb touches and shots that fit together in a cold, precise way.