SWDnovel Chapter 160: The Ambition to Enter the Big Screen and the Preparation of "Star Warriors"
Chapter 160: The Ambition to Enter the Big Screen and the Preparation of "Star Warriors"
Rewind the timeline.
That was before the first season of "Ultraman Dyna" officially aired, which was during the period when "Ultraman Seven: Project Origin" was a hit on the internet and was in its middle stages.
At the headquarters of Light Chaser Animation, Gu Nan sat alone in his spacious office.
In front of him lay a thick stack of first drafts of the script, and the whiteboard on the wall was covered with densely packed character relationship diagrams and plot lines.
"I still feel like something's missing..."
Gu Nan rubbed his throbbing temples, his brows furrowed as he stared intently at the name "Xin Fei Niao" on the whiteboard.
In the world before Gu Nan's transmigration, when the TV series of "Ultraman Dyna" was in its middle stages, an extremely classic theatrical version, "Ultraman Star Warrior," was released.
This theatrical version is of extraordinary significance to the entire Heisei Ultraman universe.
It was not only the first truly life-or-death situation that Ultraman Dyna faced, but also a crucial moment for Shin Asuka to complete his psychological transformation and truly understand the "inheritance of light".
More importantly, the film perfectly handled the handover and succession between the two generations of giants of light, Tiga and Dyna, bringing tears to the eyes of countless viewers in the theater.
Without this storyline, Shin Asuka's growth in the later stages of the TV series would seem somewhat abrupt, and the audience's perception of the bond between the two generations of Ultraman would be greatly diminished.
It can be said that Star Warriors is a bridge connecting the myths of the old era with the miracles of the new era.
Gu Nan was absolutely unwilling to cut this crucial plot point.
But what should we do with it?
Should we just cram it into the TV version?
That's obviously inappropriate.
The Star Warriors series has a grand storyline and involves extremely spectacular scenes. If it were forcibly compressed into two TV episodes, it would not only disrupt the original narrative rhythm but also greatly diminish the impact of those grand scenes.
So, should we just make it into a theatrical film?
Gu Nan shook his head, immediately rejecting the tempting idea in his mind.
Although Light Chaser Animation Studios is now making a fortune and gaining fame with "Ultraman Tiga" and "Seven", they are ultimately just an emerging studio that wields considerable influence on online platforms.
They still lack experience in operating models, distribution channels, competition for screen time, and even the most crucial aspect: big-screen production.
Releasing a special effects blockbuster into theaters without proper planning is far too risky.
Without sufficient experience and resources, even the best script may become cannon fodder in the brutal Spring Festival or summer movie season.
"The TV version can't fit it, and the theatrical release is uncertain..."
Gu Nan muttered to himself, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up and a flash of inspiration struck him.
"Since neither of those options works, let's compromise! Make it into a web movie!"
With the development of streaming media, online movies have become an undeniable force.
Although early online movies were often associated with "poor production quality", with enough investment of resources and effort, online movies can also achieve theatrical quality.
Moreover, in this world, Light Chaser Animation has already proven with its strength that their "web series" can easily outperform all traditional TV dramas.
That's it!
……
It was exactly 2 PM.
Chasing Light Cinema, Conference Room 1.
All the veteran members of the entire studio have arrived.
Su Zhe, Xia Youwei, Chen Bo, Wang Kai, Zhang Zhao and others sat around the oval conference table.
Besides them, there were also representatives of the investors and shareholders—Lin Yu, head of Bilibili's film and television department, and financial and legal representatives dispatched by Gu Nan's father's company.
Everyone's expressions were somewhat serious, because Gu Nan rarely used words like "extremely important" to convene meetings.
Gu Nan strode into the conference room, without any formalities, and threw a thick stack of proposals onto the table.
"Ladies and gentlemen, to make a long story short, I've decided to insert a movie between the first and second seasons of the Ultraman Dyna TV series."
The moment these words were spoken, the conference room fell into an eerie silence.
"A movie...?"
Wang Kai's eyes widened, not even noticing the pen he dropped on the table. "Director Gu, are you kidding me? Our filming schedule for the main 'Dyna' story is already so tight we can barely breathe. Now you're adding another movie? Can our production capacity handle it?"
Xia Youwei frowned slightly and opened the proposal in front of her: "Star Warrior... approximately 90 minutes long. Gu Nan, are you going to enter the big screen?"
No, not in theaters or on the big screen.
Gu Nan shook his head, placed his hands on the table, and scanned the room. "It's an online movie."
But! It must be filmed to cinematic standards that are several levels higher than any existing web series!
Gu Nan explained his concerns and thoughts to everyone in detail. He emphasized the necessity of this plot for Asuka Shin's growth and also explained that not releasing it in theaters was to accumulate experience for a future big-budget film.
"Everyone, this is like a mock exam."
Gu Nan's tone was highly persuasive: "We not only want to use this film to complete Dyna's worldview, but also take this opportunity to fully upgrade our industrialized shooting process! Let the team get used to film-level lighting, staging, and special effects production in advance."
Zhang Zhao and the others were filled with enthusiasm, nodding vigorously: "Director Gu, we support you! The success of 'Ultraman Tiga' proves our strength, now it's time to challenge ourselves with even greater difficulty! Even if it means working at full capacity and pulling all-nighters every day, I'll do it!"
"But……"
Chen Bo, head of the special effects department, looked troubled. "Director Gu, if we want to achieve theatrical-quality production, our current computing power and special effects team probably can't handle such a large workload in a short time. Especially the space battles and the scenes of giant warships collapsing..."
"I'll handle this problem."
Gu Nan smiled confidently, "I will allocate a huge special fund to upgrade all your hardware. Not only that, in order to pursue the ultimate visual experience, I have decided that some of the most difficult CG shots in this film will no longer be handled internally by Light Chaser Animation."
"Not do it yourself?" Chen Bo was taken aback.
"Yes, outsourcing," Gu Nan uttered two words, "and it's outsourced to the industry's top team—Industrial Light & Magic!"
A collective gasp filled the conference room once again.
Industrial Light & Magic! That's Hollywood's top visual effects giant, the go-to team for Hollywood blockbusters, and they charge by the second in US dollars!
The representative sent by Gu Nan's father frowned slightly as he looked through the budget sheet: "Young Master Gu, if we hire Industrial Light & Magic, the cost will be comparable to a Hollywood B-movie."
And since it won't be released in theaters, can it recoup its costs solely through online streaming?
Gu Nan didn't answer directly, but turned to look at Lin Yu, the representative of Bilibili: "Mr. Lin, what do you think?"
Lin Yu was staring intently at the page on the business model in the proposal, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "I think it's fine! Director Gu, your idea is actually very feasible!"
"Everyone."
Lin Yu stood up and faced the crowd. "Director Gu's proposal is that this 90-minute theatrical version will have its exclusive domestic premiere on Bilibili. However, it won't be free or available for regular members; instead, it will be a '6 yuan pay-per-view' model!"
"A 6 yuan pay-per-view?"
Xia Youwei seemed to be deep in thought.
"That's right!" Lin Yu quickly did some calculations on the whiteboard. "With the current terrifying appeal of Light Chaser Animation and the Ultraman series across the entire internet, plus the extreme pre-release hype for the TV version, breaking two million views on the first day is a piece of cake, and 300-400 million is not impossible! At least 1200 million in revenue on the first day, plus the long-tail effect... This is more profitable than going to theaters and sharing revenue with theater owners and distribution channels! And there's no risk of being squeezed out of screenings!"
Gu Nan nodded and added, "Our initial consensus is that Bilibili will have exclusive rights to premiere the theatrical version in China for 6 months, with a price of 6 yuan for paid on-demand viewing."
The following month, the overseas rights were released on Netflix, generating a huge foreign exchange profit. After the six-month exclusivity period in China expired, it was released on all platforms, still priced at 6 yuan for on-demand viewing!
Lin Yu excitedly grasped Gu Nan's hand: "Bilibili fully supports us! This will not only greatly boost our revenue, but it's also a historic pioneering achievement for the paid streaming ecosystem in China!"
With the business loop fully established, the investors' representatives couldn't find any fault with it and nodded in agreement with a smile.
"Since money isn't an issue, then the equipment needs to be upgraded too!"
Gu Nan looked at the director of photography, Wang Kai, "For this theatrical film, we need to upgrade our filming equipment. We'll buy the latest RED Velociraptor cinema camera and a full set of cinema-grade Cooke lenses. Also..."
Gu Nan paused, a maniacal smile creeping onto his lips: "For the climactic giant battle, I want you to rent the absolute top-of-the-line, most luxurious IMAX 70mm film camera to shoot it!"
Holy crap!
Wang Kai blurted out a curse, trembling with excitement. An IMAX camera! That's the dream equipment of countless photographers! It's standard equipment for Nolan's blockbusters!
"The resolution is passed!" Su Zhe shouted.
"Let's do it! At worst, I'll live at the company for the next six months!" Chen Bo roared, his eyes red.
Everyone unanimously agreed that although this decision would maximize everyone's productivity and make the coming days very busy and even painful, it would be absolutely beneficial for the team's long-term industrial development and the accumulation of special effects experience.
And so, in this conference room, a web movie, "Star Warrior," which was destined to once again cause a sensation across the internet, was officially launched!
……
Several months later.
The filming location of "Star Warriors".
Although the outside temperature had dropped, the filming location was like a steamer, turning the open quarry where the crew was located into an oven.
The scene was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder and the strong smell of sweat.
"Is the camera position ready? RED camera locked, high-speed camera in position!"
"Demolition team! One last check of the explosive points! We absolutely cannot afford any mistakes today!"
The scene being filmed is an extremely impactful opening scene of the theatrical version: Asuka Shin, carrying Mai Kawakami, desperately runs through a relentless enemy bombardment.
At the edge of the film set, the young actress playing Kawamai was nervously wringing her hands, her face pale.
Although she had been with the Dyna crew for so long, this was the first time she had ever experienced a real close-up, continuous explosion scene.
"Mai, don't be afraid!"
Zhang Ye walked over, patted his chest, and beamed with confidence and optimism, as if he had truly transformed into that fearless bird. "Just follow me! With me here, I guarantee you won't lose a single hair! I'm the light!"
Asuka's confident demeanor did indeed ease Mai's tense nerves a little. She nodded: "Yeah! Asuka, if I stray off course, you have to grab me. I'm really afraid I'll get blown to bits!"
"Don't worry! I can run this route with my eyes closed!" Asuka said confidently.
"Attention all departments! Actors, take your positions! Action!"
With Gu Nan's command, the quarry instantly transformed into a living hell.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Deafening explosions rang out behind the two, and huge fireballs shot into the sky, their scorching heat instantly engulfing the entire set.
Dirt and gravel flew everywhere under the huge shock wave.
"Ahhhhh!"
Under this real sense of terrifying oppression, Asuka, who was originally full of confidence, froze on her face with a smile, and then let out a scream that was even more miserable than Mai's.
No way, how can an explosion cause tinnitus?!
The explosion was way too close!
The scorching heat seemed to set his team uniform ablaze.
Startled, Zhang Ye unleashed an unprecedented burst of energy, grabbing Ma Yi's hand tightly and practically dragging her along as they frantically ran towards the safe zone.
The figure fleeing in panic showed no trace of the composure he had displayed as the "Warrior of Light" just moments before.
"Click! Perfect!"
Gu Nan looked at the incredibly realistic, completely unfeigned expressions of terror on the monitor and shouted with satisfaction.
As soon as the filming ended, Asuka collapsed onto the mat in the safe zone, panting heavily, looking completely shaken.
"Asuka, didn't you just say you could run with your eyes closed? How come you're yelling even louder than me?"
Mai recovered and couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
The surrounding staff also burst into good-natured laughter. This is the daily life of the Light Chaser crew: tense, dangerous, yet full of joy.
After a short rest, the crew quickly moved to another location.
The next scene to be filmed is a grand spectacle of the Monera aliens controlling the Prometheus warship for aerial bombardment.
In web series, such scenes might be easily solved with CG, but this is the standard for movies.
In pursuit of a realistic sense of physical gravity and flight trajectory, Gu Nan insisted on using real-world miniature models combined with traditional special effects techniques.
A huge and exquisite warship model was transported to the site.
In fact, the various maneuvers that the warships performed in the air looked somewhat comical on site.
It was entirely completed by several workers on the worktable above, suspended by extremely strong, specially made "fishing lines".
Several people manipulated the warship like puppeteers, controlling it to move around in the air above the miniature city.
However, it must be said that with the addition of filters, smoke, and a specific camera angle, this seemingly simple operation produced an extremely realistic effect, with an overwhelming sense of oppression.
After filming the scenes where Dyna is bombed and suffers setbacks, the next character to appear is one of the highlights of the film – the computer demon Desfaza!
That cold, ruthless mechanical monster that represents the ultimate destructive power.
Upon its appearance, the plot dictates that Desfaza will shoot down Super GUTS's fighter jets.
The following footage shows the horrific scene of team members driving a Seret patrol car being hit by a massive explosion on the ground, with the car and its occupants being blown over.
"Boom!"
Another loud bang.
The specially made prop car tumbled under the blast of air.
Kibi Kosuke, Xing Xingtian, Zhongdao, Xin Guiya and others struggled to climb out of the overturned carriage, their bodies covered in dust and their faces smeared with artificial blood and mud.
Although the filming on set was extremely arduous, the smoke and dust from the explosions made people cough, and the temperature in the studio meant that everyone had to wear thick, non-breathable leather team uniforms, which made them sweat profusely, as if they had just taken a shower.
But when Gu Nan yelled "Cut!", every actor, whether lead or extra, was extremely dedicated and serious.
They wiped the sweat from their faces, helped each other to their feet, and watched the epic and tragic scene on the monitor, their faces beaming with joy.
For them, filming Ultraman and creating such exciting works is a very fulfilling job.
As time went on, filming for the theatrical version came to an end, and the most crucial and exciting climax of the entire movie was about to unfold—
Tiga and Dyna team up, the two Ultras on the same stage, to fight against the colossal ultimate boss, Queen Monera!
When the news was announced within the production team, even the staff present were all excited.
Su Zhe also put on his sacred suit once again.
To film this breathtaking battle, the props team racked their brains. First of all, the enormous Queen Monera, who almost blotted out the sky, was not actually made up of a full-body prop on set.
Due to space constraints and operational difficulties, only half of its body props were fixed in the center of the set.
Above its body, two strong workers stood on a high platform, holding the huge tentacle prop tightly in their hands and waving it wildly according to Gu Nan's instructions.
At this moment, Wang Zichen, wearing a Dyna suit, was tightly bound by a huge, specially made mesh structure, suspended in mid-air, struggling in pain.
"Lights ready! Dry ice prepared! Ultraman Tiga is here!"
With Gu Nan's roar, the clapperboard slammed down.
The spotlight instantly shone into the air.
Su Zhe, dressed in the Ultraman Tiga suit, descended from the sky with the help of the wires!
That was the unique red, purple, and silver light that belonged only to Tiga; it was the original faith in the hearts of countless people!
After Tiga appeared, he did not hesitate at all and immediately struck his classic flying kick pose in mid-air.
"Drink!"
With a powerful and precise flying kick, Tiga struck Queen Monera in the abdomen. Amidst sparks, he destroyed the mesh structure within her abdomen, successfully rescuing the trapped and dying Dyna!
The two generations of Giants of Light finally stood side by side amidst the flames and smoke!
After explaining the next coordinated combat maneuver, Tiga and Dyna exchanged a glance and simultaneously assumed their fighting stances.
At that moment, even on set, without any background music or special effects, all the staff present got goosebumps.
That is the inheritance of light, that is the continuation of miracles.
This film, "Star Warriors," which is the culmination of Light Chaser Animation's hard work, is destined to unleash an unprecedented tokusatsu frenzy on the internet in the future!