Just Smile, Just Slay - Coming 2023

1: Breaking Ground

The sun bore down hard. The palm trees on the lawn provided little shade, and the cool breeze that usually came in off the ocean was barely rustling the fronds.

Both Finn and Nova angled themselves to stand in the shade of adjacent palm trunks, their arms naturally relaxed and their hands clasped in front of their hips in a posed but casual style.

They looked at each other briefly in acknowledgement. In front of them was a crowd of journalists and photographers, also sweating in the stifling midday heat.

Michael strode out, wearing his characteristic pink hair, pink suit and gray vest.

"Welcome, everyone," spoke Michael into the microphone. "We meet again! From the bottom of my heart to yours, thank you for attending our special event. I hope it won't disappoint."

Finn and Nova stand on either side of Michael now, one as the leading director of Love2x films, the name of Michael's film studio, and Nova, as a top billing star of three blockbuster films that the studio had produced.

"I am pleased to announce that Love2X productions and key industry partners are in the process of building a new movie studio right here on the very ground you are standing on," continued Michael. "This has been a dream of ours for many years, and we are thrilled to finally be able to make it a reality." A murmur of appreciation rose from the audience.

"Our new studio will provide a state-of-the-art space for filmmakers to create and bring their visions to life. It will include animation suites, sound stages, post-production facilities, star and cast accommodation, and all the necessary equipment and technology to support the production of feature films, television shows, and other media." The journalists seated in the audience started making a flurry of notes.

"We are committed to being a positive force in the local community, and we will be working closely with city leaders to ensure that our studio has a positive impact on the area. We will also be hiring locally and providing job training and development opportunities for members of the community. We are excited to be embarking on this journey together and can't wait to see what the future holds. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to bringing you even more great entertainment in the years to come," Michael finished and the crowd clapped.

"We have time for some questions," said Michael. Hands rose in the audience, Michael pointed, and an assistant carried over a portable mic.

"When will building commence?" asked a journalist.

"We are in the final stages of securing funding and obtaining the necessary permits," said Michael. "We hope that with broad community support, city leaders will appreciate the huge benefits of building our studio here," he added. Michael pointed to another raised hand.

"What's the budget for building a studio? And how is that broken down?"

"Good questions," said Michael. "We're very proud to be developing what will be a first for this country. The budget will be over one billion dollars. That might seem expensive, but the size and scope of the studio plays a major role in determining the cost and this studio will be the biggest in the country and one of the leading studios in the world."

"A larger studio with more stages and facilities will naturally cost more to build than a smaller one. Additionally, the location of the studio can also impact the budget. And we are on prime ocean view land here."

"Another factor to consider is the level of technology and amenities. Technology for film making has advanced beyond our wildest dreams since the last studios in this country were built, and we want our studio to be world class. A studio with state-of-the-art sound stages, post-production facilities, and on-site housing for cast and crew will naturally have a higher budget than a studio with more basic amenities."