NOVEL NEXT Chapter 123: Chapter 125: Why Advertise When You're Not Getting Paid?
Although Archer and Shirou had been assigned the task of becoming Yokohama City's master architects, their work wouldn't begin immediately, as the time to film the Ultraman battle scenes had not yet arrived.
For now, Archer still had to endure the torment of Master Li, while Shirou would join the outdoor filming crew on a trip to Yokohama.
The crew was there to capture the scenery, which would later be seamlessly edited into the film.
Shirou, on the other hand, was there to analyze Yokohama's architecture, making it easier for him and Archer to project the buildings later.
Just like in Unlimited Blade Works (UBW), when Shirou and Archer come into contact, they can share relevant memories.
So, even if Archer couldn't go to Yokohama, he would still have access to the building information.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
In short, as each department of the production team started to operate, filming for Super 8 officially began.
Since Yokohama was the main setting for the storyline, it would naturally feature prominently in the movie.
It's worth noting that Super 8 was not only Mebius Ultraman's second theatrical release but also a commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Yokohama's port opening.
That's why Daigo's job in the film was as an employee of the Yokohama Tourism Bureau, designed to give more screen time to Yokohama's tourist spots—much like how Peter Jackson showcased New Zealand's landscapes in The Lord of the Rings.
However, Super 8 was originally set to release in 2008, but now it was 2005. Celebrating the 150th anniversary this early seemed a bit odd.
Some might even think Shinji was casting a spell to curse Yokohama Port, preventing it from reaching its 150th birthday.
Therefore, Shinji decided not to include too many shots of Yokohama landmarks, opting instead to allocate more time to the plot and action scenes.
More importantly, since Yokohama hadn't paid Shinji any advertising fees, he had no obligation to promote the city.
However, a few iconic Yokohama buildings would still appear in the movie—not for advertising, but for destruction.
Destroying iconic structures has always been a staple of commercial films, with the most famous example being the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
As a commercial director, Shinji naturally had to cater to the audience's desire for destruction, so scenes of buildings collapsing and similar destruction were indispensable.
But whatever monsters Shinji planned to use and however he intended to demolish Yokohama, those decisions were for later.
For now, the set was being used to shoot the scene where Daigo transforms into Tiga amidst the ruins.
Of course, the so-called ruins were not real city ruins but a set made of foam.
The footage shot here would not be final; it would later undergo some CGI rendering to achieve the ideal effect Shinji envisioned.
Shinji had always had high standards for post-production, which was where he spent most of his time and energy.
Unlike when he was filming Fate/stay night (FSN) and Fate/Zero (FZ), this time Shinji didn't plan to have Tsuburaya Productions handle the CGI effects for post-production.
This was partly because Tsuburaya was already busy with the post-production work for the Ultraman Mebius TV series, so they might not have the capacity to handle the special effects for a theatrical release.
Additionally, some of the special effects would involve magical elements, requiring the use of magecraft.
It wouldn't be practical to have Tsuburaya handle this part of the post-production.
Moreover, the Type-Moon post-production studio in Fuyuki City was much more convenient than Tsuburaya, which was located far away in Tokyo.
There was no need to go out of the way.
It's somewhat ironic that the Type-Moon film post-production studio in Fuyuki City had already taken on a few jobs since its opening, yet Shinji, the owner, hadn't involved it in any of his own films.
This made him question the purpose of the studio—was it just a perk for other production teams filming in Fuyuki City?
While concentrating all the film production in Fuyuki City was beneficial for Shinji, it wasn't as convenient for others.
Previously, those Tokyo-based companies that needed to contact Shinji could just wait for him to come to Tokyo to discuss matters.
Now, they had to send people to Fuyuki City to meet with him.
And so, Shinji found himself meeting a representative from TBS Television on set.
The representative brought good news, or at least what they considered good news.
However, Shinji thought it was more like stating the obvious—Unlimited Blade Works (UBW) had become a huge hit.
The series was nearing its end, and even though Episode 8 benefited from airing during a holiday, the subsequent episodes still maintained a viewership rating of over 40%.
In the Japanese drama scene, this was a phenomenal achievement.
UBW's popularity wasn't limited to Japan; in North America, the show had attracted 17 million viewers.
This even led to a small boost in HBO subscriptions since fans knew that after UBW concluded, Heaven's Feel (HF) would air exclusively on HBO, a premium cable channel.
While TBS had no control over what happened in North America, they were fully committed to UBW, elevating its importance to the highest level within the network.
It couldn't be helped; TBS had been struggling in recent years, and the last time they had a hit show like this was so long ago that even they had forgotten the glory days.
UBW allowed TBS to relive those glory days, dominating the ratings and leaving other networks in the dust.
The entire network was thrilled.
Meanwhile, Shirou and Archer, who played the lead and second lead roles, had skyrocketed to fame.
This "self-conflicting duo," who fought each other on screen, had become idols for countless fans in real life.
Although their fanbase wasn't as fanatical as Diarmuid's, those who liked Shirou and Archer did so because of the TV show's plot, giving them a broader appeal.
Shirou, in particular, had gained fans due to his contrasting portrayals in the movie and TV series, splitting the Fate fandom into two factions—one favoring the film and the other the TV series.
Naturally, these two fan groups didn't get along and frequently clashed, though their disputes hadn't escalated to a serious level.
This was mainly because there was a third group—the Shirou x Archer faction.
In any story featuring a compelling rivalry between two characters, there's always a subset of fans who ship them as a couple.
UBW was no exception.
The duel between Shirou and Archer was so captivating, and the concept of "self vs. self" so intriguing, that the Shirou x Archer pairing gained such a massive following that it split off from the main TV series fandom.
Due to the overwhelming popularity of Unlimited Blade Works (UBW), TBS staff approached Shinji, asking if he would consider extending the story into a second season.
"Matou-san," the TBS representative pleaded earnestly, "UBW is incredibly popular. Have you thought about modifying the ending and continuing the story for another season?"
It's common practice in both American and Japanese TV industries to produce sequels when a show becomes a hit, sometimes even to the point of exhaustion.
For instance, there's a certain late-night drama about a middle-aged man eating on camera that's already in its ninth season.
Unfortunately, Shinji had no intention of adhering to this tradition.
"Even if I changed the ending, it wouldn't make a difference," Shinji replied. "The Holy Grail War has reached this stage, and it's inevitable that it's nearing its conclusion. Continuing the story might not result in terrible ratings, but it would feel like stretching the story too thin."
Shinji then asked, "Wasn't our original plan to make this a single-season show?"
"That's true!" the TBS representative nodded but then hesitated, adding, "But back then, we didn't anticipate UBW becoming this popular. Ending such a successful series after just one season feels a bit..."
"That's exactly the charm of the Fate story," Shinji said with a smile. "Because it's about the Holy Grail War, there has to be a definitive conclusion. It's not like other shows that can go on indefinitely."
"I think it's better this way," Shinji continued. "A story that ends at the right moment leaves a far more lasting impression than one that drags on forever."
"You say that, but…" The TBS representative scratched his head. "Isn't there more story to tell outside of the Holy Grail War? Like how Shirou became Archer?"
"That would be an entirely different story," Shinji shrugged.
"UBW works perfectly as a single-season show. Forcing it to continue would only cause the story to fall apart, and the show's reputation would suffer."
"For me," Shinji added, "I'm more concerned about maintaining Type-Moon Studio's reputation in the television drama field. Making profitable shows can come later."
As long as the Fate brand remained strong, Shinji could produce as many related shows as he wanted.
There was no need to milk UBW any further.
If there were to be a sequel, it shouldn't continue from UBW.
Instead, they could create something like Fate/Hollow Ataraxia with a combined storyline, which would be much more appealing.
Even if they didn't go with Fate/Hollow Ataraxia, they could produce a Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya series or even an official Carnival Phantasm, which would be fantastic.
"Alright then, Director Matou, you're the series supervisor, so it's your call!" The TBS representative nodded in agreement.
He didn't have any complaints; after all, his superiors had instructed him not to push Shinji too hard and to ensure they didn't offend their "golden goose."
Still, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that UBW wouldn't have a sequel.
Ever since UBW became a hit, TBS staff had gained a lot of prestige in the industry, and he personally had benefited from it.
Many celebrities, upon hearing he was from TBS, treated him with much more respect than they would have shown to representatives from other networks.
Just last week, at a dinner with other production crew members, several actresses had eagerly poured him drinks and dropped various hints, almost suggestively inviting him to "share a drink" with them.
However, considering the strong content creation capabilities of Type-Moon Studio under Shinji's leadership, the TBS representative suddenly felt that producing another show as popular as UBW wouldn't be an issue for them...
"Probably?" the TBS representative thought, still not entirely confident.
After all, UBW's success had been so extraordinary that it was hard to believe it could be repeated.
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind paying $5 each month to read till the latest posted chapter, please go to my Patreon1
Current Chapter In Patreon: Chapter 201: Gentle Daddy Arturia... Yeah, Right!1
Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/im-not-master-im-1205303231
https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl1