Don't Call Me Master, Call Me Director

"Not just cold," Shinji shook his head and explained to Kiritsugu, "Besides coldness, you also have naive disdain and mockery towards the King of Knights. You need to show these in your expression."

As a director, Shinji's creed had always been "act it out, don't say it."

In Shinji's opinion, a dismissive, mocking glance from Kiritsugu was absolutely worth more than countless repetitions of "King Arthur is naive" said to others.

Showing inner emotions on one's face was infinitely more effective than conveying them through dialogue.

For example, in episode 15 of the deified Zetton, the scene where Haruo shakes hands with his father in the past.

Although his father didn't express his longing, only calling out "Father" at the end, his inner thoughts were all conveyed through the actor's expression, which was far more impactful than the character saying "Dad, I miss you so much" ten thousand times.

"As for Artoria..."

He turned his head to look at Artoria, who, having finished her hamburger, was also listening very intently.

"Don't tell me that after filming a TV drama for over a month, all you've learned is how to eat without needing touch-ups."

Artoria retorted loudly, "Of course not, Master, you underestimate me too much!"

"I've told you countless times. Don't call me Master on set, call me Director!"

Shinji tapped Artoria's head with his clapperboard.

"Yes, Master! Just you watch! I'll definitely satisfy you!"

Artoria clenched her fists and promised.

"Then show me!"

Shinji didn't tell Artoria how to act, unlike Kiritsugu.

Because unlike Kiritsugu's amateurish approach, Artoria was an actor Shinji was focusing on cultivating. He wanted her to comprehend how to perform on her own.

Directly telling someone what to do would only make their performance stiff, a fact Shinji had already confirmed during the previous FSN.

"You can do it, Artoria," Shinji patted her shoulder and gestured outside the set with his chin, "You don't want your old subordinate to see you looking pathetic, do you?"

Following her Master's gaze, Artoria immediately saw Lancelot holding a DV camera and filming her.

"My King! You can do it!"

Noticing Artoria looking at him, Lancelot waved cheerfully, looking like a parent filming their child on a school field trip.

"That guy..."

The bent ahoge on Artoria's head instantly stood up, veins throbbing on her forehead.

Although Sir Tristan said I don't understand people, I really don't want to understand this guy's heart...

"Master, can't you just kick that guy out?"

Perhaps it was this strange support group that made her feel out of place with everyone else, Artoria felt a rare sense of shame.

"You need to do your best."

Shinji didn't agree, just smiled meaningfully.

"I understand," Artoria nodded helplessly, "Please give me a few minutes, Master. I need to get into character."

"OK."

Shinji waved his hand and exited the set.

Since he had said all he needed to say, Shinji decided to give Kiritsugu and Artoria some space. As scene partners, they also needed to communicate.

However, while Artoria was taking a few minutes to find her groove, Shinji didn't rest. He called Touko, who was already the head of the prop department.

"Senpai, will there be any problems with the action scene filming tomorrow?" Shinji confirmed with Touko.

"Don't worry, I've made it according to your request," Touko took something out of her bag, "I brought a sample too, take a look."

Looking at the wriggling, long object in Touko's hand, Shinji couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

What Touko held was a sample of a sea demon's tentacle. Since Marshal was being played by Little Yi Ge, the relevant props had to be made by the prop department themselves.

But having a beautiful woman like Touko holding such a suggestive object made one wonder if she was browsing adult content.

"Is this thing alive?" Shinji poked it with his finger, only for the tentacle in Touko's hand to try and stab him with its spines.

"Of course not, that would be too troublesome to feed it," Touko shook her head, "If anything, it's more like a self-aware puppet, but it can only perform the most basic stimulus-response reactions."

"That's enough," Shinji said with satisfaction, "How many can you make before filming tomorrow?"

Touko thought for a moment and gave a number: "About 12 to 15?"

"Then that should be enough for tomorrow's shots," Shinji jotted something down in his notebook, "How long will you need for the large sea demon prop?"

"Wait, kouhai," Touko asked in surprise, "Are you seriously planning to create a monster like the one in the script?"

Shinji explained, "Not all of it, that would be too wasteful. But we still need human-sized ones and props that fully recreate parts of it."

Touko tapped her head, "Give me the specific requirements. I don't know what you want like this."

"Take a look."

Without further ado, Shinji wrote down his requirements in his notebook and handed it to Touko.

"Wait a moment, I'll discuss it with the others in the studio."

Touko took the notebook and glanced at it before turning to make a phone call.

While Touko was on the phone, Shinji waved at Cú Chulainn, who tossed him a bottle of water.

"Thanks."

Shinji unscrewed the cap and took a big gulp. His mouth hadn't stopped moving on set, and he was already thirsty.

"Sometimes I really envy you Heroic Spirits," Shinji teased Cú Chulainn. "As long as you have Magic, your body is guaranteed to be in good condition."

"After all, we're dead people~"

Cú Chulainn replied with a smile, unashamed.

"Hmph hmph."

Shinji, continuing to drink water, grunted twice in response.

"But Master, you're amazing," Cú Chulainn said, looking with interest at the tentacles Touko had left behind. "I thought you were going to have someone wear a monster costume to perform."

"Impossible. A suit wouldn't achieve the effect I want."

Although he was a tokusatsu fan, Shinji didn't blindly worship it.

It wasn't that performing in a suit was impossible, but there were limits to what a suit could do. To recreate the appearance of a sea monster with multiple tentacles moving flexibly at the same time, it was impossible with a suit.

Moreover, the level of detail in a suit was also a problem. Shinji didn't want the sea monster's spikes to look too rubbery.

"Cú Chulainn, if you want to use a suit so badly, are you perhaps planning to appear in this movie as a suit actor?"

Cú Chulainn waved his hands repeatedly upon hearing this. "No way! My face is too handsome, it has to be shown! If Master doesn't mind... I can play a passerby killed by the sea monster."

[This is the real reason you came over, isn't it?]

Shinji saw through the big dog who was addicted to acting.

"Showing your face... If you really want to perform, the afternoon shoot does need an actor with good skills."

Shinji suddenly thought of something and said to Cú Chulainn.

"Originally, I was going to have Yan Qing play the role, but he already has too many characters to play. How about you give it a try?"

"Really?! I'm willing!!"

Cú Chulainn, nodding excitedly, truly had the demeanor of a dog.

However, when afternoon arrived...

"Master, the role I want is definitely not this!"

In the center of the set, Cú Chulainn, dressed in a black skin-tight suit and wearing a white skull mask on his head, looking like an Assassin, loudly complained to Shinji.

"Besides, with this white skull mask, how can it be considered showing my face!"

"Of course, there's a shot showing your face," Shinji replied with a smile, spreading his hands. "When you're killed by Gilgamesh, there will be one frame showing your face, Zaid-kun."

"Who's Zaid-kun!"

Cú Chulainn, furious, threw the white skull mask to the ground.

Chapter 51: Cú Chulainn Dies Again!

Aside from the French Marshal Gilles de Rais, Hundred-Faced Hassan was the only Heroic Spirit Shinji hadn't summoned in FZ.

The reason was simple: Shinji wasn't sure if he could accurately summon Hundred-Faced Hassan.

According to the Fuyuki City Holy Grail War system, without cheating, summoning the Assassin class would only select from the Hassans.

Aside from a certain "grandfather" of the highest order, which specific Hassan would be summoned depended entirely on luck.

But for Shinji, who was filming FZ, it was meaningless if he didn't summon Hundred-Faced Hassan.

Rather than spending time and effort summoning a Heroic Spirit, it was better to have the existing people play Hundred-Faced Hassan.

After all, Hundred-Faced Hassan didn't have a special Noble Phantasm like Assassin of the Red. All they needed was for a well-built Actor to put on a black skin-tight suit and a skull mask, and it would be perfect.

And so, this led to Cú Chulainn standing on set in Hassan's attire.

In fact, the purple-haired, single-ponytail Assassin, A-ko, another Hundred-Faced Hassan clone who appeared frequently, was also played by Medusa.

From Shinji's perspective as a filmmaker, having Doggy and Rider play Hassans was a brilliant idea that killed multiple birds with one stone.

In terms of skill and martial arts, Doggy and the others were definitely top-tier. Playing a Hassan would be no problem.

Secondly, Doggy and Rider, who had experience acting in FSN, wouldn't need further training and could start immediately.

Even the final shot of Doggy showing his face could be used as a movie easter egg for publicity.

After all, the audience knew the movie was fake, and this kind of cameo would make them feel more entertained.

Everyone was happy, except for Cú Chulainn himself.

"Tch, bullying Master."

Cú Chulainn pouted, twisting his neck, looking displeased.

"He said to let me play a role, but he just dragged me here to do grunt work."

Medusa pushed up her glasses and sneered. "It's been this long, and you still don't know him? If he can do something with one piece of material, he'll definitely not spend one and a half."

Cú Chulainn sighed helplessly, "I understand, I'll act. Nice to work with you again, Master~~"

Cú Chulainn said "Master" not to Shinji, but to Kirei Kotomine.

To show the difference between FZ and FSN over the ten years, Kirei Kotomine had intentionally cut off his long hair for a short haircut.

This indeed made Kirei look much younger, but his essence as a "gan ren" (someone who works hard) remained unchanged.

[I wonder if the Film Crew's lunch has Mapo Tofu?]

Kirei Kotomine, standing on the rock garden, completely ignored Cú Chulainn's greeting and simply looked ahead with a calm expression.

"...One by one, they're all like this."

Cú Chulainn felt that as a Servant, he was naturally at odds with his Master. In reality, he was tricked by Shinji every day, and now in the movie, he was constantly being betrayed by Kirei Kotomine.

Twice, no less.

And the one carrying it out was Gilgamesh both times.

"What kind of sin did I commit?" Cú Chulainn felt only darkness ahead.

Shinji, outside the set, confirmed that all departments were ready and that the camera track was fine before nodding to the clapper loader.

"FZ, Scene 7, Take 1..."

The clapper loader placed the clapperboard in front of the camera lens and shouted loudly, "Action!"

On the set in front of the camera, Cú Chulainn had already put on a white skull mask and entered Spiritualize. Hearing the start signal, he immediately appeared behind Kirei Kotomine.

"Master."

Cú Chulainn deliberately lowered his voice, making it hoarse to highlight the difference between the characters.

"The final Servant has been summoned, and the Holy Grail War has officially begun."

Looking at the Tohsaka estate garden built by the prop department below, Kirei Kotomine issued his command in a voice devoid of any emotion.