Director Edward

Chapter 230: The End of the Paradox Spiral Screening! (4)

Faced with the sudden inquiry from the Duke of the Southern Region, Durin was momentarily stunned. After taking a moment to organize his thoughts, he responded:

"Currently, our studio is working on the sixth installment of Kara no Kyoukai, the third chapter of Fate/Zero, and the second half of Steins;Gate. Among these, only Kara no Kyoukai has a fixed monthly release schedule, while Fate/Zero's third chapter and Steins;Gate's second half are slated for release next spring."

The Duke then followed up with another question:

"In that case, what films are you planning to use to open up the markets in other parts of the Empire? Are you planning to re-screen your previous films?"

Durin couldn't help but fall into deep thought at the Duke's remark.

This was an issue he had considered before.

After taking into account the regional differences across the Empire, he had concluded that creating new films tailored to each market would be the best approach.

However, the current production schedule was already extremely tight.

Not only did he need to prepare next month's installment of Kara no Kyoukai in advance, but he also had to simultaneously work on Fate/Zero and Steins;Gate.

With such a grueling schedule, Durin would likely end up exhausting himself again, just as he had during the last production cycle.

Therefore, at this point, there was no way to free up the time or resources to produce entirely new films.

After much deliberation, Durin realized that if he had to rely on films to quickly establish a presence in the other regions of the Empire, he would have no choice but to temporarily use his existing films to hold the line.

Although such an approach seemed rather perfunctory, and Durin himself disliked the idea of going so long without releasing new works, he had no choice but to make this decision given the current unmanageable production schedule.

On the other side of the conversation, the Duke of the Southern Region couldn't help but show a hint of disappointment.

As a dedicated film enthusiast, he had been eagerly hoping to see a new movie or television project in the near future.

Moreover, with November already here and the nation's New Year fast approaching, the Duke believed that releasing films to the rest of the Empire during the festive season would be an excellent way to establish new markets.

Of course, the Duke recognized Durin's predicament.

Knowing that film production couldn't possibly be expedited so quickly, he refrained from pressuring Durin to create a new movie, instead quietly burying his regret.

As their discussion was drawing to a close and the banquet of the Southern Nobles' Annual Gathering neared its end, a group of nobles suddenly approached from a distance.

One of them, addressing the Duke, said:

"Your Grace, I am Viscount Rainier of the Southern Region."

"Viscount Rainier, what brings you here?"

Seeing the Duke's demeanor transform back into one of quiet authority, Viscount Rainier couldn't help but tremble slightly before hastily replying:

"Your Grace, my colleagues and I have long been fascinated by the art of filmmaking. After some discussions amongst ourselves and with the head of the renowned Southern Theater Troupe, we believe that creating a film might not be beyond our capabilities. Therefore, we've decided to embark on producing a new movie of our own!"

"Oh? So you intend to make a film as well?" The Duke's interest was piqued.

Hearing these words, not only the Duke of the Southern Region but also Durin looked at the confident group of young nobles with surprise.

Though Durin had sensed earlier that they were plotting something, he never expected their plan would involve making a film. This revelation truly caught him off guard.

While Durin was still processing his surprise, the Duke spoke first:

"Creating a film requires approval under the Empire's Copyright Act, which has been rigorously defined by the Imperial Legal Association. If you intend to produce a film, you must first submit an application to the Empire's Film Review Committee."

As he said this, the Duke glanced subtly in Durin's direction, clearly aware that Durin was the head of this newly established committee.

Of course, despite the Film Review Committee's impressive title, it was practically an empty shell given its recent establishment.

However, the Duke knew very well that the true founder of this organization was none other than the Emperor himself.

With the Emperor's endorsement, even the most inconspicuous organization wielded incredible influence behind the scenes.

Upon hearing the Duke's statement, Viscount Rainier froze for a moment, evidently unaware of the existence of the Film Review Committee.

However, he quickly regained his composure and responded confidently:

"I will submit an application to the Film Review Committee in due time. Moreover, I believe that as long as the reviewers are impartial, our new film will surely pass the review and gain widespread recognition upon release!"

"Oh?"

Surprised by the Viscount's confidence, the Duke's interest was piqued, and he proceeded to ask him several follow-up questions.

The Duke's questions covered a wide range of topics, including the production schedule, release timing, screening venues, and even the general content and framework of the film.

Prepared for this moment, Viscount Rainier responded with composed confidence, embodying the natural elegance of a noble as he answered each question.

Standing nearby, Durin listened intently and quickly grasped the situation.

It became clear that these nobles had pooled their resources to collaborate with several struggling theater troupes in the Southern Region.

Together, they had adapted a script from one of these troupes into a film.

The filming equipment was acquired through patented technology purchased from the Imperial Academy of Magic, and the project was already halfway complete.

The nobles had even finalized their release plan, aiming to debut the film during the Empire's New Year celebrations.

Their strategy was to take advantage of the newly opened markets in the Eastern and Western Region, positioning themselves as the first to capitalize on this lucrative opportunity.

Although Durin outwardly appeared indifferent to their ambitious plans, internally, he felt a ripple of unease.

He hadn't expected competition in the film industry to arise so quickly.

While he didn't mind the emergence of competitors—in fact, he welcomed the idea of fostering a thriving cultural industry—he could easily imagine what kind of film these nobles would produce.

He didn't need to see it to know it would likely be subpar, lacking in creativity and artistry.

For the sake of the bright future he envisioned for the industry, Durin knew he couldn't allow this to go unchecked.

Of course, Durin understood the delicate nature of his position.

Although the power to approve or reject films had been granted to him by Emperor Hubbard himself, it wasn't something he could wield recklessly.

His role was far too sensitive, and any action he took could easily be misinterpreted or twisted into rumors by others.

This forced him to uphold an image of fairness and impartiality, a responsibility that was undoubtedly the reason the Emperor had entrusted him with this authority.

The political acumen and foresight of the Emperor left Durin in awe and, at times, feeling helpless.

Having grasped the full scope of the nobles' plans, Durin realized there was only one path left for him to take:

He would crush these nobles' foolish fantasies with the sheer quality of his films, shattering their illusions in a fair and open competition.

If they wanted to play this game, Durin would show them what real filmmaking was all about!

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