Venturing into Entirely New Territory

The midday sun pierced the clouds, scattering golden patches of light across the quiet forest.

A convoy of five vans slowly drove along the gravel path and into the courtyard of the villa where Frederick lived.

The soft crunch of tires over gravel broke the forest's silence, bringing with it the culmination of years of hard work by the team.

Frederick stood before the floor-to-ceiling window in his study, calmly watching the convoy pull to a stop behind the gate.

His face showed no trace of surprise, as though he had expected it all.

The advent of animated films had not surprised him. It had all been within his expectations.

The little figures people drew in the corners of book pages, then watched seemingly come to life when the pages were flipped quickly, or the birds they sketched flapping their wings and flowers blooming—these simple games were so old that their origins had been lost to time.

Frederick, too, had once been captivated by searching through his family's library for such little games to pass the time.

Later, as he fostered the publishing industry's prosperity, a more refined kind of flipbook came into being.

They typically depicted landmarks or historical scenes from the Duchy of Weissen. Though their "running time" was only a few seconds, their affordable prices made them popular souvenirs for tourists.

Several years later, more ambitious inventors appeared.

Some fixed a large number of picture cards around a giant wheel and enclosed it in a wooden box.

As the wheel spun, people could watch nearly a minute of moving images through a viewing slot.

These machines, known as "Animation Wheels," quickly became popular at marketplaces and festivals. Curious crowds always gathered around them, and they became a favorite reward for children who aced their exams.

Unfortunately, the