ZZ Studios
A Description of the Property and Location
II
In developing Chapter Three, "Ripple Effect", of The Circular Object, my own short story series that draws inspiration from Sabrina The Story, I did a lot of research into ZZ Studios. I researched "Sabrina, The Story", "Zig Zag, The Story", and "Sabrina Online" the strip. Later, when I got around to reading "Rava's Story", I used that as a reference source as well. I also had some interesting conversations with a video editor that gave me some perspective on what ZZ Studios looks like & how it would be laid out.
Since then, I have been getting caught up to speed on some of the other/alternative Sabrina/Zig Zag universe inspired stories out there, and they have been adding to ZZ Studios permanence with details about its confines and location. Which is exactly what I wanted. But, with each new story, with each new detail, the confines of ZZ Studios grows. I fear we are getting to Columbia Studios proportions here. So, to that effect, I am hereby limiting my original description of the property & location to the sources mentioned in Version I, (hereafter referred to as: DPL I), of this treatise. And limiting it to the media sources included therein: "Sabrina Online, the strip", "Sabrina The Story", and "Zig Zag the Story" as they are the originals. I've also included "Rava's Story's" mention of a writing department in the original treatise because it's actually a very valid point. From here on out, in DPL II, the additional rooms will be added as found out about, but will only be added to the original DPL I if the rooms and/or locations are cross-referenced in an another media source or the originals. I'm sorry, but I have to draw the line somewhere or this place is going to be bigger than Walt Disney Studios!
In no way am I discounting the works of others, or degrading their visions, I'm just limiting the amount of information in any one document. Each successive version of DPL will have a lot of the same information, just different descriptions as information is added. Please don't consider this a downgrade on your take of the Sabrina/Zig Zag universe. I don't have the authority to do that;) Here's the newest version:
In ZZ The Story, (Zig Zag The Story), we learn that "ZZ Studios was one of
the most profitable adult studios in the states." This denotes that the current location of ZZ
Studios is a fairly large facility. From
what I've gathered, the general consensus is that ZZ Studios has been at its
current location for many, many years. Possibly even since it was formed. I am under the impression that it was founded
in a more rural part of
Entering ZZ Studios is a small waiting area, I imagine it with a couch and some chairs, a few tables scattered about with trade magazines on them and the reception desk. I would expect the chairs are leather, knowing Zig's sense of style and elegance, and I think of the reception lobby as being done in smooth curves. There are probably promotional movie posters, awards, etcetera displayed demurely about the room. I envision a single, wide hallway leading into the building from there, although there could easily be another one leading off in another direction. The main hallway leads to the offices of Marvin, Zig Zag and Sabrina as well as the lunch/break room and then splits off to the various other departments in the building. Zig Zag has claimed at least two rooms for her own personal use, her office, and her massage room. I suspect her massage table is set up in a disused conference room, (Zig Zag is not the conference type, I think we can all agree), and I expect that conference/massage room is adjacent to her office. Zig, of course, has the largest office, Marvin the next largest and Sab, no doubt, the old supply closet.
Per Identity Crisis, there is a massage table set up in the break room, called the "spa" in his story. Whether this is the only massage table or if Zig has her own, personal one, is not clear. Until further information is gathered, I'm leaving Zig's personal massage table set up in a private room, next to her office, and leaving a second, general one in the spa for everyone's benefit. This is because until Identity Crisis, no one but Zig received massages. However, the spa, along with other rooms mentioned in Identity Crisis will be included below.
On a personal note, I'm glad to see that Keith Dickinson had the forethought to put at least a massage table outside of ZZ's office. I'm happy to note that I agree with him, and that the massage table, (unlike specified in Sabrina The Story), is, in fact, in a separate room from her office. As to where exactly it is, well…
There would be the following rooms within the bounds of ZZ Studios:
Computer equipment room.
Studios A, B, and C, (or 1,2, & 3).
Photography Studio.
Darkroom.
Equipment room(s).
Prop room.
Important note: There is no wardrobe room as Lillian Bartholomew handles all costuming needs for the studio. She would keep all costumes at her own design studio and would send the clothes for the current productions over when shooting was due to start. Between acting days costumes would either return to Lillian's studio, or remain on premise in the actor's dressing rooms.
Prop shop.
Green room/Actor's lounge.
Supplies closet.
Employee restrooms.
Writers Office. Per Rava's Story, ZZ Studios contains their own writing department and is staffed by two writers. This makes sense and would allow Zig to oversee the creation of new scripts first paw. It also allows revisions to scripts to be done on premise which, besides saving time, would also have the benefit of being more secure. Also per Rava's Story, there are two full time writers with two computers in this room. These machines would also be hooked up to the local intranet.
Projection/Viewing/Screening room. You don't need one. But, per Identity Crisis, one has been added. This would be a mini-theater where Zig and her staff could gather to watch the latest productions/edits in relative comfort, or show movies to prospective vendors. I can't see any reason to not have one especially, but space is limited at ZZ Studios, and every room we add makes the place bigger. Like I said, she doesn't need one, they could just as easily head down to the Editing Bays to watch a movie. Or, with the router in the Machine Core, they could patch a video source to any room in the building. It is possible that the Projection/Viewing/Screening room doubles as something else, Studio D for example. The size of the Photography Studio would be just about right, & since the projection screen rolls up into the ceiling, it wouldn't have any effect on the space requirements. But there is an issue of seating…
Library/Archive/Vault
Three video editing bays Identity Crisis touches on the topic of editing bays that, actually, fits my description pretty well. In Act I of Identity Crisis, ZZ's editing bays really aren't up to the standards I've set out in The Circular Object. But, Act I of IC was written in 1999-2000, a year or two before I wrote The Circular Object. It is perfectly reasonable that somewhere in the indeterminate timelines between our stories, & the mixed timelines of the Sabrina/Zig Zag universes, that she had an equipment upgrade. There is no conflict here. Everything is congruous and happy. See DPL I for details on her editing set up, I am buoyed by Identity Crisis' take on the matter.
Production Manager's office.
Machine Core.
Sound library.
Engineering.
Engineering office
Executive offices:
Zig Zag's office.
Adjacent conference/massage room.
Marvin's office.
Sabrina's office.
Reception/lobby.
Additional rooms:
Breakroom/kitchenette X 2.
NEW: Per the January 2002 Sabrina Online comic there are two breakrooms, one in the front, near the executive offices and one in the back, near the studios. Presumably the idea is that one would be mainly for the non-acting staff and the other for the actors and web models, but, Zig probably doesn't care much who uses what area. Because this has appeared in one of the three original media sources, (Sabrina Online, Sabrina The Story and/or Zig Zag The Story), it will be considered CANON as far as DPL I is concerned. There are two breakrooms.
Actors locker room.
Actors shower.
Actors dressing room.
Boiler/furnace room.
Electrical room.
Janator's closet.
Spa: Per Identity Crisis, there is a spa, or break room off to the side of the Actor's showers & dressing rooms. This would be open to all employees, but I expect is mostly for the actor's benefit & is usually used by them, but not exclusively. Per IC, this room contains the following: a large Jacuzzi set in the floor, some free weights, a workout station and a massage table, (see above for more details on massage tables). There are also a set of kitchen cabinets, a sink and refrigerator along one wall. It is reasonable to assume there are other furnishings in the room. Chairs, couches, tables, etc, also possibly video games, pinball machines, junkfood vendors, blah, blah, blah. This could also serve as the main break room, but, that is not congruous with the descriptions in either Sabrina The Story or ZZ The Story, although, truth be told, none but IC makes any elaborate description of the break room, so it is perfectly reasonable to state that IC's "spa" is the break room.
Apparently, there is no file room. Per ZZ The Story, the file cabinets are located in the hall, (the main hall I expect), attesting to the fact that space is at a premium. ZZ studios may have to consider relocating if their business continues to expand.
This brings up an interesting point that my video editor friend brought up. ZZ Studios was not born this large. It is likely that they set up in a corner of the building they currently occupy and, as they grew, rented additional space within the building, as it became available, until they were its sole occupant. This makes good business sense and it is exactly the kind of thing we would expect to see from Zig Zag. I would expect that ZZ Studios now owns the structure it resides in and is probably incorporated there. This is congruent with Maxx Black Rabbit's Zig Zag profile.
There is an additional note about the building. The various media sources, most significantly ZZ The Story, seems to indicate that all comings and goings to and from the building traverse through the main doors at the front of the building. ZZ The Story often mentions either Zig or Marvin locking up at night, however, it is likely that the editing department and cleaning staff work long/late hours. So if Marvin locks the front doors, how do the editors and janitors get in or out of the building? The obvious answer is the service entrance. ZZ Studios must have a service entrance as well as additional fire exits.
The more I research this and consider how large ZZ Studios is, the more I am inclined to think that Zig Zag has maxed out her resources at her current location. If ZZ wants the business to continue to grow, she will have no choice but to relocate or purchase additional space.
This is a work in progress and has no significance outside of itself. I find it fun to try to categorize just what is ZZ Studios, and hope you find this information to be helpful. In no way am I suggesting that this list is complete or accurate or in anyway represents CANON in the way ZZ Studios is structured or operates. But it does help to give us perspective on just what ZZ Studios is.
Please give me feedback on your thoughts or views. ZZ Studios is a place where we can all have fun together.
Authored by
Gregg G. Guydish
No copyright infringements were intended in any way. If you feel I did so, please advise and we will discuss it.
Nighters!
Sabrina Online, the strip, is \xA9 Eric Shwartz
Sabrina The Story is \xA9 Chris Yost
Zig Zag The Story is \xA9 James Bruner
The Circular Object is \xA9 Gregg G Guydish
Rava's Story is \xA9 Rava Purr
Identity Crisis is \xA9 Keith Dickinson
Note from the Author:
I am currently working my way through Workplace Relations by Michael Barnes and Awakenings by Grakin. Updates will be added as significance occurs. If you have a piece of Sabrina/ZZverse fiction that you feel will contribute to this list, or just want to share in general, please let me know, I’d be happy to read it and see what you have to offer.
Gregg