Building a Conglomerate in Another World

Chapter 209: Introducing Cinema

It was an unusually quiet evening at the White House. For once, President Matthew Hesh had finished his duties ahead of schedule. He sat in his private study, staring at the radio, which had been playing a rerun of an old drama. The television in the corner was on, but it was broadcasting a familiar stage play—one he had already seen multiple times.

Matthew sighed, leaning back in his chair. Entertainment felt stagnant. The radio had its limits, and while television was still a marvel of technology, it lacked the immersive experience he craved. Live theater performances were enjoyable, but they were nothing new.

He needed something fresh. Something different.

Amber walked in, carrying Maverick in her arms. She noticed the restless expression on his face and smirked. "Something on your mind?"

Matthew exhaled. "I want something new in entertainment. I enjoy the radio, television, and theater, but it feels like I’ve exhausted all my options. I want something immersive, something bigger."

Amber raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking?"

Matthew’s gaze sharpened as an idea took form. "Cinema."

Amber adjusted Maverick in her arms, her curiosity piqued. "Cinema?" she repeated. "What is cinema?"

Matthew leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with an idea still forming. "Moving pictures, but more than just short silent clips. A full-length film with sound, music, and acting. A story told not on stage, but on a screen."

Amber considered this for a moment. "So... a play, but recorded?"

"More than that," Matthew said, standing and pacing the room. "It wouldn’t be limited to a single performance. We could craft large-scale productions, use different locations, create effects that aren’t possible on a stage. It would be a completely new way of storytelling."

Amber shifted Maverick to her other arm. "I see the appeal, but is this even possible? We have television and radio, but moving pictures with synchronized sound? That sounds... ambitious."

Matthew smirked. "We’ve accomplished everything we’ve set our minds to before. This will be no different."

Amber sighed but smiled. "Then I suppose you already have a plan."

Matthew smiled slightly. This was the part that would really change everything.

"We use a process called optical sound recording. The idea is simple: we convert sound waves into light patterns and store them on the edge of the film strip itself. When the film is played back, the projector reads these patterns and converts them back into audio. That way, the sound is always synchronized perfectly with the images."

A murmur spread through the executives. Some were nodding, others scribbling notes.

"And how do we make that happen?" Sinclair asked.

"We need to develop cameras and projectors that support this system. The current film cameras are too loud and bulky—if we record sound while filming, the camera noise will ruin everything. We need new cameras that are quieter, more compact, and capable of recording alongside our optical sound system."

Matthew let that sink in before moving to the next challenge.

"Another thing—we start in black and white, but I want us to develop color film as well."

Calloway’s brow furrowed. "Color? Isn’t that decades away?"

Matthew shook his head. "Not if we start working on it now. We can begin with hand-tinted scenes or colored frames, then transition to a true color film process. It’s early, but the technology is within reach."

Sinclair folded his arms. "This is ambitious, sir. We’d need an entire industry—film studios, production teams, new theaters built to handle large screens and sound systems."

Matthew nodded. "Then we start building. Hesh Corporation will be the first to produce, distribute, and exhibit motion pictures worldwide. We control every part of the process, just like we did with radio and television."

A long pause filled the room. Then, Calloway leaned back in his chair, a small smirk on his face.

"This is crazy," he said. "But so was television. And we made that work."

Matthew’s smirk mirrored his. "Then let’s make cinema a reality."