Chapter 8

June 22, 2010

At two o'clock in the afternoon, somewhere in the corner of an internet cafe, Edward found himself engrossed in editing the videos he had recorded.

It had been more than a week since he embarked on shooting his third song cover—eight days to be precise. However, he couldn't help but regret his decision to attempt a split-screen-style song cover.

Originally, he had anticipated encountering various challenges during the recording process, but it appeared he had underestimated the sheer difficulty of it all. Sound quality, harmony, and timing were just a few of the factors he needed to consider.

In reality, the entire recording process proved to be more arduous than his previous two songs combined.

But it was the split-screen technique that truly tested his mettle. As the split-screen video played on, Edward's mind wandered back to the hours of meticulous planning, countless failed attempts, and the frustration that had accompanied every step.

The initial hurdle was setting up the shot. Ensuring that both halves of the screen looked balanced was a painstaking process. Any slight difference in lighting, angle, or positioning could disrupt the visual harmony he aimed to achieve.

Then, there was the matter of synchronization. The vocals and instrumentals had to align perfectly across the split. Edward recalled the hours spent recording and re-recording each section, striving for that elusive synchronization that would make or break the video.

Sound quality presented yet another obstacle. As a one-man crew, Edward lacked the means to capture pristine audio for each split. He had to grapple with fluctuations in sound quality as he switched between different segments, making editing an even more intricate task.

And editing itself was a formidable challenge. His current video editing software lacked the features he needed for seamless split-screen transitions. So, he had painstakingly cut, trimmed, and arranged segments manually, all while maintaining perfect timing and visual flow

"Phew, it's done," Edward sighed in relief.

After saving the final edited video, he replayed it multiple times, meticulously ensuring that nothing was amiss. Satisfied with the result, he finally let his tense muscles relax.

Next, Edward logged into his YouTube account and began the process of uploading the video. He meticulously filled in the title, description, keywords, and other relevant details.

With the upload complete, he logged out of his account and hastily left the cafe. His body yearned for rest, and the confines of the cafe only seemed to exacerbate his stress.

...

Meanwhile, across town in Tondo, Manila, within a certain recording studio, Alex Santos, the owner of the establishment, couldn't shake off his melancholic mood.

Since the beginning of the year, the recording studio had been plagued by a series of unfortunate events. First, a talent he had nurtured for years had been poached by a larger studio. Then, a single they released three months ago had failed to recoup its production costs. On top of that, the general manager had resigned for an absurd reason.

As if that weren't enough, just a week ago, they had to sell the copyright to their unsuccessful single at a fraction of its value due to a stubborn buyer who refused to compromise.

Sighing, Alex decided to browse Facebook in an attempt to relieve his stress. Boredom soon led him to switch to his YouTube account.

Half an hour later, as he prepared to log out of YouTube, a captivating thumbnail caught his eye.

Despite only being uploaded for a little over an hour, the video had already garnered thousands of views and hundreds of comments—a commendable feat for a Filipino YouTuber at this time.

The title read: "Stars - Callalily | Split Screen (Multi Screen) Cover Song Video by Edward Morales."

The mention of "split screen" piqued Alex's interest. As a practitioner in the entertainment industry, albeit not extensively in film, he knew that split-screen was a popular technique in the film industry.

"Wait, did this guy use split-screen for a cover video?" Alex pondered, utterly intrigued by the idea.

Without hesitation, he clicked on the video and began watching. The first three seconds were standard—a simple introduction on a black screen with the song's title and descriptions in bold font.

Then, the screen transitioned, revealing a teenager strumming a guitar. Before Alex could grasp the background, the image shifted again. This time, two video clips played side by side, both featuring the same young man.

The difference? One played the strumming, and the other featured ad libs.

"The heck?" Alex's eyes widened as he realized the essence of "split screen."

Although it didn't resemble the film split screen at first, it was undoubtedly a split screen technique executed differently.

Soon, the first verse commenced, and the adlib split screen disappeared, leaving only one split screen showcasing rhythm and vocals.

Occasionally, an additional split screen with bass and adlibs would pop up, and surprisingly, the transitions were seamless, and the vocals and instrumentals remained perfectly synchronized.

"How did he manage this?" Alex wondered aloud, struck by a bold idea.

"Could it be that this entire video is a one-man show? Vocals, adlibs, bass, and more?" Alex guessed, gasping in astonishment.

"How old is he? Such talent at such a young age! It's not something you see every day!" Alex exclaimed, albeit unheard by Edward.

Otherwise, he would laugh loudly.

The song was the result of countless trials and errors, with repeated recordings of vocals and instrumentals. Despite its flaws, such as the absence of drums and other instruments, Otherwise, the final result could be better.

Was he talented? Edward didn't think so.

As someone who glimpsed the future, he knew that countless talents would emerge in the coming years, scattered across the internet.

People would soon realize that the gap between individuals could be as vast as that between humans and pigs.

Even seasoned professionals would acknowledge, "Times had changed."

In comparison, he was fake.

Four minutes later, the song cover concluded, but Alex still wore an astonished expression.

The vocals and instruments were remarkable, and the editing style was unlike anything he had seen before.

"Could this be a self-created editing style?" Alex pondered, his suspicions not entirely unfounded.

In the timeline he knew, split-screen editing became famous five or six years later, making Edward an innovator this time around.

"This talent, with nurturing, could become a star in a few years," Alex thought, his ambitions surging.

Unfortunately for him, Edward's was bigger than him.

Being a signed artist of a small recording studio?

What a joke.

End.