Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 11:40:41 -0600 From: Julie Randolph Subject: An end, A Beginning ** Well, this is the last one, and in accordance with the SOS Campagin, I thought I would shine a bright star into your lives before I left. I will be out of here at 11pmCST and off the list just as soon as I see this drop. I'll check my mail for the last time at 10:30...in case I get bombarded. Note: the narrator is not necessairly the author (standard disclamiers about the actors on FK...you can't flam eme so....hehe) But first, I need a glass of water... ** An end, A Beginning Julie Randolph Here--truthfully, are all the things that I am First and Foremost a Cousin Nick&Nat Packer Knightie Vaquero Immortal Beloved FFFROGie and believe it or not Perkulator "I know you're all confused as to why I brought you here, and that is to be expected, since you have no idea who I am. I appreciate you coming." A young woman in jeans and a light colored t-shit hanging down over her knees stood pasing in her living room in front of the cast and crew of Forever Knight. The room was congested and everyone was fidgiting, everyone that is, except the young woman, who although dressed casually had an air about her that commanded respect...and silence. "I usually do not get involved in these matters, I let the executives handle it, but this time, it is personal to me and so, that is why you are here." She looked from person to person, noting a lot of sweat, a bit of nervousness as to what she wanted and curiousity as to whom she was. She smiled, trying to relieve some of their tension. It had never been her policy to get involved with company decision making, but under the circumstances...she paused, wondering if perhaps, this were not a mistake. No, she chided herself, I can't stand by and watch the show dissentegrate, not when I know how dedicated the fan following is...from personal experience. She cleared her throat, and began a story that left everyone in the room completely flabbergasted. "Four years ago, my father died. It was his wish that I take over his company, but at 20 years-old, I didn't feel I had the knowledge or ability to control his empire and so I left it alone and in the hands of our executive president. He has done a good job. Three weeks ago, I recieved a call from Jim Parriot, you probably all know him, he is your executive producer. he told me that Forever Knight had been cancelled and that TriStar/Colombia couldn't do anything to save it. I made several phone calls. To USA, your syndicator and major networks, everyone was saying the same thing. I figured I had to emerge into the spotlight sometime, I guess now is as good a time as any." Ben Bass was staring, openly, wondering what on God's earth was happening, but held his tongue. She certainly weilded a lot of power somewhere, he just hoped it was in the right places. "I brought you here, to my home, because I don't want this conversation to leave the room, are we agreed on that point?" Everyone nodded. "Fine. Let's continue. You are wondering who my father was, well he was the owner of Universal. In other words, he owned all of it, television, MGM, pictures, Hollywood, Florida, you name it, that was ours. He passed away and left that to me. I now own Universal, and I have bought the rights, and by that I mean all the rights, from Tri/Star, Paragon, USA and everyone else associated with that show. I now own it and I am not going to sit by and watch it die because, frankly, I like the show." Everyone stared in awe. This was the owner of Universal Pictures...this...this CHILD? "What does that have to do with us?" Lisa Ryder looked skeptical, almost as if she couldnt believe she had come this far to have a trick played on her, the young woman smiled. "You are the cast, I can't make the show without you." Now it was Nigel Bennett's turn to be disbelieving, "You mean to tell me you are going to use Universal to keep Forever Knight on television?" She paused, and looked at him, "Not exactly." Everyone sighed, this was a waste of time. "Universal, that is me or I, have had a conference and decided that Forever Knight would be much better as a movie than a television show. I don't have to tell you how "in vogue" vampires are right now, and it is my opinion that Forever Knight will make a wonderful movie, that is, if this cast can agree." "What do you mean?" Catherine Disher had moved from her place against the wall to sit down on a soft burgandy couch next to Nigel, she too, was thiking this couldn't possibly be true. The young woman sighed, "Look, this is how it is, you are an ensemble cast. Each one of you contributes something unique to the show, I cannot replace you. In which case each one of you must be willing to do this film, or I cannot make it. Nigel cannot stand without Geriant who cannot stand without Catherine who cannot stand without Geriant who has to have a partner and since tracy is so involved with the vampire phenomena, Ben cannot stand without Lisa, everyone must have a captain so none of you stand without Blu, is this clear enough for you? Like Star Trek:Generations, people, I have to have everyone or we have nothing." "So where is Geriant?" Ben was looking around, seeing many familiar faces he had left in despair months ago, but now Ger's. "He's working in California, but I talked to him and he's willing...but he can't hold the show up alone." Nigel stood, stretching his back and pinning his light blue eyes on this mysterious woman who seemed to have come out of no where like an angel from heaven to save Forever Knight, "Fine, I'm in." That was really all the rest of them needed, a leader, and one by one the concedded to her wishes. "Okay, now that I have a cast and crew, let me explain a few things for you. Some of you have done movies before, most of you have not." She walked over and sat down in a large chair, obviously tired of being the preverbial bitch of this conversation, "Movies are different. This is not a low-budget, independent film, you have a major company, major distributor and several other small companies backing you up." Blu sighed, having been one of the only ones to do pictures before, "What about sales?" The woman smiled, "Trust me on this one point, you have millions of fans out there, and more once this movie hits the theater's. Here's the deal. You will be dealing now with a budget of just over one hundred million dollars." Jaws dropped, Nigels almost had cardiac arrest and the door opened. "It's about time you got here." "I was going as fast as I could...where are we?" The tall good-looking blond Geriant Wyn Davies wandered into the house, nodding happily at his serogate family. "I've already explained pretty much everything." "Did you tell them about the closer?" She sighed, "I haden't gotten that far yet, Ger, but thanks." Everyone looked up, tensing all over again, what closer? "The movie contract you sign will stipulate that you wil do a 4 hour mini- series "closer" show. It will air natiowide, on CBS, in Primetime slots and during that show the movie will be promoted. The latter half of the series will be performed live, on a soundstage, with an audience in Hollywood. I have already taken the liberty of inviting the guests." "Who are the guests?" "Half a year ago, before I decided to do any of this, there was a campagin called SOS, or Save Our Show. those peopel contributed time, money, and every ounce of power they had in the industry to keep you afloat, and were a great deal, in part, responsible for the airing of the last half of the third season. You own them a great debt of gratitude, don't forget it. These people are your lifeblood, they feed you and put houses over your heads, so respect them and understand just how important they really are...no matter who they are, or what they do, they are important to you. When you are all famous and you have fans knocking down your doors...GER" She looked at him pointedly and then at Nigel, "Just remember who it was who got you there." Nigel smiled, and so did everyone else, "We will remember." The young woman laughed, "I know you will, I'll make sure of it. I don't deal with pompus, asshole actors and I don't intend to begin now." "I'm sorry to interrupt, I think this is great, but why am I here?" Greg Kramer pushed his way to the front with the rest of the cast and the woman smiled at him. "The truth or a convenient lie?" "Turth first, "he grinned, "and if I don't like that, then the convenient lie." "I like you." "Good truth, but I'm dead." She shrugged, "You're a vampire...vampires don't die. We'll work it out in the script." She looked around and clapped her ands together, "Okay, so, everyone ready to go to work?" There was general laughter, several people hugged her, not really knowing what else to do and nodded. "Great, if you'll go see that man sitting right over there at my table, he will give you a lot pass, come by tomorrow to Universay Studios Hollywood and we'll get this ball rolling with contracts and things." Everyone clapped one another on the back, old reunions took place and the woman smiled. It had been work it, but now, it was time to return to the shadows where she belonged. Nigel turned to thank her one last time...and she was gone. ***************************************************************** ************ Ahhh--isn't fantasy great? Bye everyone, cheerios and all that. take care of yourselves and don't forget me, okay? I'd be shattered if I came back and people were going...Julie WHO? ***************************************************************** ************