Chapter 107: IMAX: HEART! LUNG! ARREST! (Bonus Chapter 3/4) / Chapter 108: The Great Director Matou Arrives at His Faithful Tsuburaya Company
Upon hearing that Shinji wanted an IMAX camera, IMAX Company immediately sent one across the Pacific Ocean to Second Master.
In addition to the equipment, IMAX also dispatched a technical team to Fuyuki City specifically to assist Shinji's film crew in familiarizing themselves with the equipment.
At this moment, Shinji, Touko, and Medea are studying how to use the IMAX camera.
However, their research methods would absolutely cause IMAX Company staff to have a heart attack.
Because Shinji and his team simply dismantled IMAX camera worth millions of dollars.
Chapter 107 IMAX Company: Cardiac Arrest! (Bonus Chapter 3/4)
IMAX camera are not cheap; a single 3D IMAX digital camera costs $1 million.
However, due to the immaturity of the technology, the price of a 2D IMAX film camera is still high.
But now this million-dollar machine has been disassembled into its individual parts and neatly arranged on the table in the Type-Moon Company research lab.
Shinji did this for a simple reason: he wanted to verify whether the technology developed by Touko and Medea could be used on IMAX camera.
When Shinji was filming UBW and HF, Touko and Medea came up with a lot of strange and unusual film projection techniques.
Some of them are very useful, some are completely useless, and some seem very useful but cannot actually be applied to movies.
For example, Medea used her Projection glass sphere as a model to create a projection device similar to AR.
This looks novel, but it can't be used in movies.
AR projection requires too much space, which can lead to significant differences in the viewing experience for audiences in different seats within the same theater.
Although some movie theaters nowadays have terms like "Emperor's Seat," since viewers are all looking at the same flat surface, the viewing experience for most seats isn't significantly different.
At least it wasn't to the point where the audience shouted "RNG, refund!"
However, once it's replaced with a three-dimensional AR Projection, the difference in viewing distance between the first and last rows of viewers when looking at distant scenes becomes very significant.
However, this technology is not entirely useless. Shinji believes that future games may use this technology to enhance the immersive experience, so he registered a patent for it.
After much deliberation among the various technologies invented by the two female Magecraft, Shinji ultimately selected two technologies: Naked-eye 3D technology and Vibration technology.
The reason for choosing these two technologies is that the vibration in both 3D and 4D movies has already been proven in Shinji's previous life, and it is indeed feasible to use them in movie projection.
Of course, the Magecraft version's 3D and Vibration technology performance is much better than the tech version.
Before Shinji's time travel, 3D technology had already achieved widespread adoption, with not only glasses-based 3D technology becoming commonplace, but also Naked-eye 3D technology being put into practice.
However, there are too many limitations to Naked-eye 3D technology, and only Nintendo's 3DS series can be considered a successful product.
In fact, even handheld games weren't particularly impressive. Apart from a few titles, I played them all with 3D turned off in Second Master previous life.
Before Shinji's time travel, there were rumors that James Cameron's Avatar 2 would use 3D without glasses effects, but until Shinji's time travel, it remained just a rumor.
In any case, based on the information Shinji finally learned, Cameron will still use glasses for 3D.
I guess so...
Despite the fact that the fifth installment of the Avatar series is scheduled for 2028, given Cameron's reputation for delaying releases, it would be quite an achievement if he could actually produce Avatar 2 in 2028.
In Shinji's opinion, his own technicians' ability to develop 3D technology that allows people to watch without glasses was already more impressive than Cameron's.
From a purely technical perspective, the Naked-eye 3D technology developed by Touko and Medea is very different from the 3D movie technology that requires glasses.
Regardless of the technology used, all 3D technology utilize the visual difference between the two eyes to achieve a sense of depth.
Therefore, when viewers do not wear 3D glasses, they see a 2D image with double images.
However, the Magecraft version of 3D technology is different; it records the magical fluctuations during filming.
During playback, different magical fluctuations are projected in a three-dimensional manner using a specially designed projector and screen.
This means that the images being played are three-dimensional, which is why viewers can see them directly with their naked eyes.
Another Vibration technology is similar, recording the Magecraft vibrations during filming and then projecting them in a special way.
In fact, the vibration of this technology is not a physical vibration, but a magical fluctuation that impacts the mind, creating the illusion of vibration.
Comparing the two completely different technologies, Shinji really didn't know which was better, the Magecraft version or the technological version.
The "tech version" involves processing the footage after shooting and editing, while the "Magecraft version" requires special processing during filming, which significantly increases the film's production cost.
Because until the final editing stage of the film, no filmmaker can guarantee that this part of the shot will be used.
Shinji has directed two films, knows this all too well; he personally cut countless scenes.
However, the Magecraft Edition isn't entirely without merit; at least it doesn't require processing the footage frame by frame like the Tech Edition.
"Never mind, at least my technology doesn't require 3D glasses. Those who already wear glasses will definitely thank me."
Shinji shrugged and said lightly.
"It's us."
Touko, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, spoke up to remind him, "Junior, you didn't contribute anything to the invention."
Second Master shrugged and replied, "Then how do we calculate the Magic Resistance filming and playback?"
Unlike technology that can be used simply by plugging it in, Magecraft requires the Mana consumption.
In this world where mystery is constantly fading, the key is to ensure that the Magecraft show remains effective for a long time.
"There shouldn't be any problem."
Medea, who was inspecting the IMAX camera parts, looked up and replied, "All we need to do is connect the projection equipment to the local Ley Lines. Even the worst Ley Lines are enough to support the magic needed to play movies."
Do you have specific data?
"Although I haven't conducted any experiments, based on my calculations..." Medea thought for a moment before answering, "Even the lowest-level Ley Lines, without damaging the Ley Lines itself, can support at least 80 Magecraft movies being shown simultaneously."
"Are there really that many?"
Shinji looked up in surprise.
"Because modern Magecraft is too inefficient at utilizing Ley Lines magic, most of the magic is consumed during the conversion process," Medea said dismissively. "I don't know if ancient Magecraft has been lost, or if modern Magecraft itself is just too poorly developed."
To put it another way, Medea meant, "I'm not targeting anyone in particular, but all of you (modern Magecraft) are trash."
"What about filming?" Shinji asked another question. "Since we need to record magical fluctuations, the camera also needs magical energy, right?"
"That's even less."
Medea picked up a part of the IMAX camera with one hand and opened her folding fan with the other. "Even this IMAX camera only needs the three Artificial gem you made, Master, that store magical energy."
After finishing his cigarette, Touko continued, "There are actually two major problems limiting the widespread adoption of this technology. One is that the installation of the projection equipment requires a professional Magecraft. The other is that the actors being filmed need to possess magical powers; only then can the fluctuations of magical power be recorded."
"Do actors have to be Heroic Spirit?"
Shinji asked curiously.
"He has to be at least Magecraft." Touko lit a second cigarette.
[Well, it seems the Mage world is heading further and further down the path of entertainment.]
Shinji had a feeling that once his technology was widely adopted, the older men in the industry would hate him even more.
However, those old fogies didn't care about Shinji Shen'er; he was more concerned about something else.
"Isn't there a way to make this technology available to ordinary actors as well? This is not conducive to the promotion of the technology within the industry."
After thinking for a moment, Medea offered a suggestion. "Actually, Master, it might be feasible to improve the slime you developed. However, its magical energy fluctuations are singular, so when projected, it just appears as a protruding piece, which looks very abrupt."
"Let's leave it at that for now. You two should focus on studying slime and see if there's a way to make it usable for filming."
Shinji slapped the table and gave his summary.
"Oh, right, there's one more thing."
"What?"
Shinji pointed to a pile of parts spread out on the table and said, "We need to assemble this thing now."
Touko suddenly yawned. "... I've been working overtime for several days, I need to go and rest."
Medea then took out a roll of parchment. "Master, I have other technical matters to attend to, I'll be leaving now."
Then, Medea and Touko left the lab one after the other, leaving Shinji staring blankly at the pile of parts.
Hey! You two! Don't go!
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The next day, Shinji, in his capacity as a company consultant, summoned the head of the technical team sent by IMAX Company and demonstrated 3D without glasses and Vibration technology to him.
Of course, Shinji wouldn't tell the truth that it was Magecraft technology.
He simply told the team leader that this was a new technology developed by Type-Moon Company, and it was very suitable for IMAX.
That's true, because True Magic circles need to be engraved on the screen, and the larger the screen, the more True Magic circles can be engraved, resulting in a better viewing experience.
From this perspective, the technology developed by Touko and Medea is naturally suited for IMAX screens.
When the Type-Moon Company had Naked-eye 3D technology, he was completely dumbfounded.
But when Shinji demonstrated the 3D without glasses effect in the temporary screening room, the other party immediately became excited.
The team leader wasn't stupid; he could naturally see the benefits of applying this technology to IMAX.
Because this is Naked-eye 3D technology!
Currently, let alone 3D without glasses, even the technology for regular 3D movies requiring glasses is far from mature.
In this situation, how could IMAX Company possibly pass up an opportunity to completely outpace all competitors and lead market development?
"Please rest assured, Director Matou, IMAX Company will fully cooperate with you. We are very much looking forward to seeing the birth of a 3D without glasses IMAX movie."
The team leader was beaming.
"Just tell me what you need, and I'll definitely fulfill it."
"A request... I actually have one."
Shinji nodded somewhat shyly.
"What are the requirements?"
"I rented two IMAX camera from you, but I disassembled one of them. Could you rent me a new one instead?"
"... I'll throw my Rem at you!"
Chapter 108 The great Director Matou arrives at his loyal Tsuburaya Productions
Shinji's demands were extremely unreasonable for IMAX Company; no one had ever dared to treat their cameras this way since the company's inception.
No carbon-based organism with a normally developed brain would do something as outrageous as Shinji.
Unfortunately, Shinji, whom IMAX Company is dealing with, is no ordinary person; there's nothing in the world that he wouldn't Second Master to do.
What worries IMAX Company even more is that they have to go along with Shinji, otherwise the Director might not include them in the project.
So IMAX urgently shipped another camera from North America, fearing it would delay Shinji's film production.
As for the camera that was dismantled, it was included in the film's production costs, and the damage expenses will be reimbursed after the film makes money.
Fortunately, the sacrifice of the camera was not in vain. Medea had a clear understanding of the structure of the IMAX camera, and once the new camera arrived, only minor modifications were needed, without having to disassemble the machine again.
Now that the technology and equipment were all in place, Shinji prepared to have Tsuburaya Productions hold a press conference to directly announce the Tsuburaya Productions's rebirth to the outside world.
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The Johnny & Associates's Building in Shibuya, Tokyo.
Johnny Kitagawa looked at the financial statements in his hand and let out a long sigh of helplessness.
"Sigh~~"
As the president of one of Japan's four major talent agencies and a heavyweight figure in the Japan entertainment industry whose word is law, Johnny & Associates Kitagawa is now deeply troubled.
Recently, Johnny & Associates' performance in various aspects has been far from ideal.
Not only have sales of merchandise featuring idol stars plummeted, but dramas starring their artists have also been plagued by poor ratings.
The most damaging issue was that the premiere episode of Johnny & Associates's star idol Takuya Kimura's new drama <Engine>, which aired in April, only garnered a 25.3% viewership rating.
Even worse, according to viewer feedback, <Engine> has a worryingly low approval rating, and its viewership is expected to continue to drop.
Although Johnny Kitagawa believed that Takuya Kimura's popularity among female viewers could not possibly fall below 20%, this was nothing to be proud of.