Don't Call Me Master, Call Me Director

Since Shinji was preparing to make this movie the first major commercial production in this parallel world, he was definitely aiming for the masterpieces he saw in his previous life, not crude garbage.

The quality of a movie is directly proportional to the care taken during its production; cutting corners and saving time and effort will never result in a good film.

Shinji threw himself into Tsuburaya's studio, completely absorbed and oblivious to everything else. He even spent the New Year of 2003 in the studio.

Even when Waver from England contacted Master Shinji to discuss North American business partners, he actively blocked it out.

"The movie isn't even finished yet! You're rushing to get eggs before the hen is even hatched? This kind of thing is a minor issue before the movie is complete."

Shinji, having made such a declaration, had no idea what "surprises" awaited him from Waver's side in the future.

During the post-production of FSN, the post-production staff at Tsuburaya Productions provided Shinji with considerable help.

Although their filmmaking philosophy was somewhat outdated, these individuals were very experienced and offered Shinji much assistance and advice.

Finally, through the efforts of Shinji and the other post-production staff, after a full two months, by early March 2003, the post-production of FSN was preliminarily completed.

This meant that the crucial preview screening for FSN's distribution was fast approaching.

Chapter 16: At the End of One's Rope, Another Village Appears Conglomerate B

The preview screening of Fate/Stay Night was held at a movie theater not far from Tsuburaya Productions.

This cinema, located on a street corner, was a bit old, and the screening room equipment was relatively dated, meaning the conditions were far from ideal.

However, Shinji wasn't too concerned about this, as movie projection equipment in this world was pretty much the same everywhere.

Even though Dolby sound, 3D, 4D, IMAX... and other special movie projection modes had been invented, they were either still in labs or only suitable for museums, with commercialization a distant prospect.

Every time he thought of this, Shinji couldn't help but feel a sense of historical mission, believing he had an obligation to let the audience of this world experience these ultimate viewing experiences.

However, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Shinji was more concerned with FSN's distribution in Japan right now. Only if this movie achieved sufficiently brilliant results could it drive the development of commercial blockbusters in this world.

On the morning of the preview screening, Shinji, along with his uncle Matou Kariya, arrived at the cinema entrance to welcome the participants from Toho Film Company.

But at this time, Shinji was still an unknown figure in the Japanese film industry, not enough to attract the attention of these Toho employees. Even when shaking hands with Shinji, the Toho staff were merely going through the motions.

No one paid him much attention, but Shinji wasn't foolish enough to say anything. After all, without his uncle's introduction, these people probably wouldn't have attended the preview screening at all.

Although the Fuyuki City Holy Grail War ended without incident, and the Matou Family underwent significant changes, Matou Kariya still left Fuyuki City due to heartbreak.

However, Matou Kariya in this world was living a much more comfortable life than his counterparts in other parallel worlds. With the help of Matou Zouken, he debuted in the entertainment industry as a tokusatsu actor.

After starring in Tsuburaya's tokusatsu drama Ultraman Dyna, Matou Kariya's acting career soared, and he is now a recognized figure in the industry.

Incidentally, Shinji would never forget the shock he felt as a child when he turned on the TV and saw his uncle playing Asuka Shin. He spat out a mouthful of water directly onto Sakura's face.

For this, Shinji had to use three months of his allowance to earn Sakura's forgiveness.

"Long time no see, Kariya."

The leader of the Toho Company team stepped forward and shook Matou Kariya's hand. From his conversation with his uncle, Shinji learned that the man was Hata Kengo, the group leader of Toho's distribution department's second team, and the highest-ranking person in the Toho team.

Standing next to Hata Kengo was a man in his fifties named Kouichi Ippei, a well-known film critic in the industry.

The opinions of these two would determine Toho's treatment of FSN.

From the size of the viewing team, it was evident that Toho Company did not attach much importance to FSN.

Shinji was not surprised by this. His uncle's status in the industry was, at best, mid-to-upper tier, not enough to warrant excessive attention from Toho's higher-ups.

After a brief greeting with the Toho members, everyone took their seats in the small screening room, awaiting the movie's screening.

Shinji deliberately sat in a back corner seat to observe the reactions of the Toho employees during the movie, aiming to gain an advantage in negotiations after the screening.

Hata Kengo, sitting in the front row with Matou Kariya, engaged in desultory conversation with him. Regarding the upcoming movie, Hata Kengo felt a degree of disdain.

A few days prior, when this film, strongly recommended by Matou Kariya Eigyo, was brought up, Hata Kengo had sensed something unusual.

Then, Hata Kengo had someone investigate a little and discovered that the film's director was Matou Kariya's nephew.

It all became clear then: this young man named Matou Shinji wanted to climb the ladder through connections, using his uncle's influence to enter the entertainment industry.

Such things were not uncommon in the film and television industry, especially in Japan where family businesses were prevalent, but Hata Kengo felt that Matou Shinji had little value.

The reason was simple: Matou Shinji wanted to be a director, not an actor like his uncle.

Directors were a very special position within the industry; without the immersive influence of a family environment or rigorous professional training, one could not succeed.

In fact, Hata Kengo thought that Matou Shinji, with his handsome appearance, should first become an actor like his uncle, gain popularity and status, and then switch to directing.

[Pity, this young man doesn't know his own limitations. Fortunately, he was born into a good family with an actor for an uncle.]

Hata Kengo thought this way. Although his eyes were on the big screen, most of his attention was still focused on Matou Kariya.

At this moment, Hata Kengo was contemplating whether to offer a video release of this lousy film in exchange for Matou Kariya starring in a Toho movie.

However, when the film's opening credits rolled, this situation changed immediately.

In less than ten minutes, Hata Kengo's expression transformed from disdain to surprise, then to shock, and finally to complete absorption.

"This... this..."

Hata Kengo's mouth hung open, staring blankly at the big screen before him.

As the head of the distribution department, Hata Kengo had watched countless films, yet he had never seen a movie with such a fast pace and intense sense of urgency.

From the moment Red A and the great dog began their battle on the school field, he felt as if his heart was being clenched.

The film's exciting fight scenes and rapid plot progression brought a rare sense of novelty to this veteran distribution department manager!

Especially the subsequent chase scene where Lancer pursued the protagonist Shirou Emiya, the camera quickly switching between Shirou, Lancer, and Rin, placing their emotions and expressions continuously on screen.

Although Hata Kengo could guess that the protagonist Shirou Emiya would ultimately emerge unharmed, he still worried about Shirou's fate.

And at the end of the opening sequence, the moment the Lead Actress Artoria appeared in the moonlight, it pushed the audience's emotions to a peak.

"So beautiful..."

"Which Actor is this? Do you have her information?"

"An Actor from Europe or America?"

"Never heard of her?"

Listening to the discussions of his subordinates in the back row, Hata Kengo could completely understand their feelings, because even he was stunned by the golden-haired Girl the moment he saw Artoria.

Using the light from the screen, Hata Kengo looked down at his watch.

Less than twenty minutes had passed since the opening, but he had completely changed his opinion of FSN; the film far exceeded his highest expectations...

"So noisy, completely lacking substance."

Amidst the praise, a discordant note rang out.

Hearing this, Hata Kengo quickly turned his head and saw that the speaker was the film critic Kouichi Ippei.

Shinji in the back row also heard Kouichi Ippei's comment, and at the same time, he saw Kouichi Ippei's furrowed brow and disgusted expression.

Damn, this is going to be a bit difficult.

In the darkness, Master Shinji's eyes flickered.

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Although Shinji had already guessed that Kouichi Ippei's negative attitude towards FSN would affect Toho's decision regarding the film, he hadn't expected Kouichi Ippei's influence to be so significant.

"Noisy without substance, a childish and boring film."

After the screening, Kouichi Ippei criticized Shinji with a serious expression.

"Teacher Kouichi..."

Shinji wanted to discuss it further with him, but was directly interrupted.

"From start to finish, it's either explosions or fights. The dramatic scenes are brief, and the Actors have no Acting Skills. It's simply a farce. Director Matou, didn't your teacher tell you the basic techniques for making a film?!"

Listening to the film critic in front of him completely dismiss the movie, Shinji felt his fake smile about to crack.

"Well... Mr. Hata, what are your thoughts?"

With his extensive experience interacting with those stubborn Mages, Master Shinji knew that such people were impossible to reason with, so he directly shifted his focus.

Hata Kengo, who was asked, was clearly swayed. Having just had a perfect viewing experience, he had a good impression of FSN.

"Director Matou, regarding this film..."

Kouichi Ippei grabbed Hata Kengo's arm: "What, are you still planning to sign this film? Let me tell you, I won't sign off on it! Having my name associated with such a film would be an insult to my reputation!"

These words left Hata Kengo speechless.

He was just a minor department manager, while Kouichi Ippei was a renowned film critic in the industry. With their differing opinions, the company would undoubtedly lean towards the latter.

Moreover, Hata Kengo couldn't be sure if FSN would be a successful film.

Although he personally thought highly of the movie, Kouichi Ippei, an experienced film critic, had a much more accurate grasp of the market. What if he stubbornly insisted on distributing this film, and the box office results were disappointing?

He would definitely be the one to take the blame.

Film distribution was like buying a lottery ticket; it was hard to say if a film would be successful until the final results were out.

Hata Kengo, who was already settled with a family, couldn't risk his entire career for a single film.

However, giving up on FSN felt too much like a waste. Hata Kengo fell into deep contemplation.

With Kouichi Ippei's strong opposition, Hata Kengo, lacking sufficient influence, couldn't refute his decision. All he could do was write down his own views on the film in a report and submit it, while also trying his best to advocate for it.

"Director Matou, I'm truly sorry. I will submit an application to the department manager to see if we can hold a second preview screening for this wonderful film."

"Thank you for your trouble, Manager Hata."

Shinji offered a polite remark.

In reality, both Hata Kengo and Shinji could see that the possibility of holding another preview screening was slim. Hata Kengo was merely doing his best.

As he walked out of the cinema, Hata Kengo looked back with reluctance. He had a faint feeling that he and the company might be losing a very important opportunity.

"Shinji, what do we do now?"

Seeing little hope from Toho, Matou Kariya was pacing anxiously.

"Uncle, calm down. You're making me dizzy."

Unable to watch any longer, Shinji patted Matou Kariya's shoulder.

Matou Kariya stopped in his tracks and looked at his nephew: "Hey, Shinji. Aren't you worried at all?"

"What's the point of rushing? Are we going to drag them back here by force to sign?" Shinji sighed helplessly. "I miscalculated. I didn't expect the film critics' influence to be so much stronger than I thought."

Actually, when Kouichi Ippei threw a tantrum earlier, Shinji had considered using Suggestion Magic to forcefully change his opinion.

In the end, Second Master gave up.

Fooling one film critic wouldn't be enough. With Shinji's distribution plan for FSN, he'd probably have to use Suggestion Magic on all of Toho's executives and the relevant film critics.

If he, Shinji, really had that kind of ability, he would have been a Magus long ago.

"What do we do now?" Matou Kariya asked anxiously, "Should we go find Toei?"

Compared to Toho, Matou Kariya wasn't very familiar with Toei. Even though he came from a Tokusatsu Actor background, he hadn't acted in a Tokusatsu drama for several years.

Shinji pinched his chin, lost in thought. "Hmm... or perhaps we should just release it in Europe and America first? Waver might have already found a way."

"Excuse me. Are you the Director for FSN?"

A young man in a white shirt asked Shinji, who was deep in thought.

"Who are you?"

Shinji recognized this person. He had been sitting in the middle of Shinji's row during the preview screening.

"I'm an employee of Bandai Visual." The other party smiled shyly. "Is Director Matou planning to find other movie distributors?"

Upon hearing the other party's words, Shinji blurted out, "What... Conglomerate B?"

Chapter 17 Matou Kariya: I Feel Like Someone is Scheming Against Me

Bandai Visual is the film and television distribution division of Bandai.

Anyone who pays attention to Japanese anime and Tokusatsu would know this company.

As the largest toy manufacturer in Japan and even East Asia, Bandai's name is known by everyone.