[150] "Steins;Gate" Filming Begins!
Chapter 150: "Steins;Gate" Filming Begins!
The idea of filming "Steins;Gate" didn't come to Durin suddenly.
As mentioned before, Durin intentionally opened the Edward Tavern opposite the Norsrick Cinema to hear audience feedback and discussions about the movies firsthand.
During this period, he also made an effort to learn about "KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!", "Goblin Slayer", and "Fate/Zero" from various sources, asking different groups of people for their opinions on these films.
In the end, he reached a rather awkward conclusion: people with different levels of education have different thresholds for enjoying movies.
The lowest level of the empire's uneducated civilians showed great affection for watching comedy films like "KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!".
Adventure films like "Goblin Slayer," which have a bit more depth, are still generally well-received by the audience. As long as they can automatically filter out the deeper elements, these films remain enjoyable.
However, "Fate/Zero" received polarizing reviews among the public, mainly due to its extensive explanations of the 'magic world' setting.
Some viewers found these settings overly complicated and meaningless, lacking the ability to appreciate them. They felt it would be better to remove those explanations entirely and dive straight into the action.
Another group of viewers acknowledged the importance of the setting but still found it too lengthy. They believed that the film should reduce the time spent on explanations and focus more on the battles between the heroic spirits.
Only a small minority, those who had received formal education and were more accepting of lengthy setups, rated "Fate/Zero" highly, appreciating the design of every element as perfectly fitting, considering it an outstanding film.
This small group included the mages from the Imperial Mage Academy, highlighting the low overall educational level in this world.
In such a context, even if Durin had ideas for films he wanted to make, he often doubted whether they would be accepted by the masses.
He couldn't just go and suggest implementing compulsory education to the emperor. After all, in a feudal Empire like this, the question of where the funds for compulsory education would come from is an incredibly 'dangerous' topic. There's a chance that Durin would be assassinated by some unknown figure the day after making such a proposal.
So, Durin's only option was to incorporate some 'educational' content into his films that the public could accept, indirectly raising the audience's ability to appreciate films with higher thresholds.
At the very least, he couldn't allow ordinary citizens to cheer only for flashy battles and comedic scenes.
After much deliberation, he finally settled on a project—Steins;Gate.
Although Steins;Gate is not about magic at all, being an anime that garnered high praise for its relatively rigorous scientific theories and intricately woven plot, Durin realized that with some modifications, it could be transformed into a widespread educational film promoting magical theories.
Moreover, Steins;Gate's greatest strength lies in its ability to present complex theories in an accessible manner through a series of events.
Moreover, the gradually developing yet ultimately satisfying pace of the film might subtly increase the audience's tolerance for slow-paced movies.
Changing the world isn't something that can be achieved overnight.
Although Durin constantly talks about wanting to change the world and create a better one, in reality, all he can do is guide, and only guide.
Perhaps his actions could ripple through this world, but what these ripples will ultimately change is something he himself isn't certain of.
Thus, Durin is very clear about his own role: he is a director and will always only be a director.
He can only change the world and the perceptions of most people through films, and he will never personally undertake reforms or revolutions.
Only by understanding this premise can Durin ensure that he influences people and things in this world safely and conveys his intended messages without being targeted.
Otherwise, even if he were the most talented archmage in this world, he would still be a foolish mantis trying to stop a chariot against the tide of the times.
...
After learning about Durin's new film project, several archmages immediately began clamoring to know more details about the film.
In response, Durin decisively refused all the spoiler requests.
However, just as the archmages were preparing to leave disappointedly, Durin suddenly spoke up:
"Since this new film involves specific magical research, it will require a large number of students from the academy to act in it. Will I be able to recruit actors from the entire Imperial Mage Academy?"
Upon hearing Durin's words, the archmages immediately became interested. The hot-tempered fire elemental archmages, Wharton, next to Archmage Rosa, even spoke up on the spot:
"Can I also be an actor? I've been wanting to do that for a while!"
"Ah…"
Durin hadn't expected such an archmy to have an acting dream. After thinking for a moment, he still declined:
"I'm sorry, but for this film, most of the roles will be played by students, and at most, a few lecturers will be involved. If there's another opportunity in the future, I'll be sure to invite you, Master Wharton."
"Ha, don't you forget!"
With that, the fiery archmage left enthusiastically.
On the other hand, Dean Hohenheim casually remarked:
"Handle the recruitment of actors yourself, as long as it doesn't interfere with regular classes."
Clearly, the Dean of the Imperial Mage Academy had fully embraced Durin's film project, showing no pretense of resistance.
With the dean's approval, Durin immediately began recruiting actors from the Imperial Mage Academy and started drafting the magical version of the script for Steins;Gate.
For the time being, he anticipated being extremely busy. After all, filming for the second chapter of Fate/Zero was imminent, The Garden of Sinners was set for monthly updates, and the TV adaptation of KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! was pressing.
On top of that, with the new project Steins;Gate, Durin felt as if he might be overwhelmed.
Yet despite the exhaustion, Durin felt immensely fulfilled.
After all, this was exactly what he had wanted. Compared to the days when he first arrived in this world, with no entertainment in sight from morning to night, his current life was gradually, and tangibly, moving towards his envisioned goal!
This was the wonderful world he aimed to create!
...
The Garden of Sinners quickly began airing repeatedly in taverns across the Southern Region. With the concept of cinemas having almost fully permeated the Southern Region, the introduction of televisions was swiftly embraced by the public.
As a result, every afternoon in the major cities of the Southern Region, the streets would become deserted, with crowds flocking into taverns, some even spilling out onto the streets due to the overflow.
Despite this, the people's enthusiasm for watching The Garden of Sinners was undeterred. The daily overcrowding in the taverns was almost giving Baron Banil a headache, making him consider asking Durin for a few thousand more televisions to expand capacity.
Unfortunately, the production efficiency of televisions was still low, and with Durin's focus primarily on shooting the new films, this new viewing method could only be temporarily implemented in such an unconventional way.
The Southern Region's populace didn't complain much, though. After all, the biggest advantage of tavern televisions over cinemas was that they were completely free.
As long as one could secure a good spot, they could enjoy an excellent film, which for ordinary people was like a windfall.
Of course, this did not mean that The Garden of Sinners brought Durin no economic benefits. In fact, a portion of the revenue from the tavern televisions was shared with him.
The massive influx of customers brought about by the televisions led to nearly terrifying consumption rates at every tavern. Each evening, after closing time, taverns would find their beverage stocks depleted.
While the profits from these sales weren't as swift as those from movie tickets, they provided a more stable, long-term income, resulting in substantial wealth for the Edward Film Studio.
Moreover, many sharp-eyed Southern Region merchants had recognized the commercial potential of televisions. Numerous advertisers, eager to place ads, approached Baron Banil with their cash.
Unfortunately, Durin had no immediate plans to launch an advertising campaign. He was determined to fully develop the television industry before engaging in such potentially exploitative practices.
In a sense, this commitment stemmed from Durin's initial intention to bring joy to everyone. If he lost sight of this original goal and focused solely on profit, everything would lose its essence, becoming fundamentally misguided.
...
After leaving the Alchemy Tower, and having secured the dean's permission, Durin spent the night writing the script for Steins;Gate.
The next day, he confidently walked into the student office at the Imperial Mage Academy.
Upon his arrival, the student council members were visibly surprised to see this famous figure in their midst.
"Senior Durin, what brings you to the student council? By the way, could I ask when the sequels to Fate/Zero and The Garden of Sinners will be released? I'm a huge fan of yours!" asked the current student council president, a blonde youth, eagerly standing up.
Next to him, the vice-president, a black-haired girl, quickly added:
"President, your behavior is rather embarrassing. As student council members, we should maintain some decorum! So, Senior Durin, could you give us a hint about the upcoming content of The Garden of Sinners? I was so curious last night that I couldn't sleep a wink."
Seeing their reactions, Durin smiled and promptly shared his plans for the new film project with them.
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