mesbooks Chapter 214 : Filming Set (1)
Chapter 214 : Filming Set (1)
Filming Set (1)
With the confident expression of the branch manager, Lee Gyeongbok gave an awkward laugh.
'What is Roderi?'
Although he had heard of GAT, this game was completely unfamiliar to him.
'I feel a bit bad just to say I don't know.'
But what could he do?
Pretending to know what you don't is even more off-putting.
At that moment, just as he was about to speak up—
"Roderi, one of Rock'n'Roll Games' flagship series, isn't it?"
"Oh? You know about it?"
The branch manager's smile grew even wider.
It was Park Juho who responded. He lightly adjusted his glasses, nodding.
"During the PC and console era, it was well-received for its realistic AI and detailed world-building. But despite that, the characters and story weren't lacking either, making it a very popular series as far as I know."
While researching Rock'n'Roll Games as a potential business partner, Park Juho had made sure to take note of this. At his effortless description, not only the branch manager but also the others opened their eyes wide in surprise.
Unbothered by their attention, Park Juho continued speaking calmly.
"I guess the reason a GAT sequel hasn't come out in a long time is because of Roderi's development?"
"I'm not directly involved with the development department at headquarters, but that's probably the case."
The branch manager broke out in a beaming laugh.
It was thanks to Park Juho's unexpected knowledge.
"But if it's a title with this level of popularity, why bother with promotion?"
When Lee Gyeongbok asked in puzzlement, the branch manager's gaze changed.
"Hm, Purple, you really are on another level."
Had he just made a mistake?
But the divine energy sensed from the branch manager still felt positive.
"It's not about money. I get that feeling strongly. Usually, people just care about getting the ad, not the reason behind it."
Thinking about it, it made sense.
In situations like this, usually only the fee and conditions are negotiated; rarely does anyone discuss the necessity or purpose of the advertising.
"As was explained earlier by GGG, let me also clarify to avoid any misunderstanding."
He lightly cleared his throat, then spoke in a serious tone.
"As you just mentioned, after Rock'n'Roll Games entered the virtual reality market, we've only focused on GAT services. There may still be fans who remember Roderi, but we can't ignore the time that's passed."
The branch manager paused briefly, then smiled at Lee Gyeongbok.
"And the proof is right in front of us. Purple, you weren't familiar with it at all, were you?"
"Ah, was it that obvious?"
Lee Gyeongbok smiled.
Jo Daehan, sitting in the corner, was flustered by his unabashed attitude, but instead the branch manager seemed even more pleased.
"I was actually hoping you wouldn't know. That gives us a reason to proceed with the advertising."
"It's better not to know?"
"Yes. The Western genre is easily accepted in the Anglosphere. It's tied to their past, their history, their roots. But in Asia, it's different."
The branch manager returned to a serious expression and continued.
"Other media—movies, dramas, comics—are imported to Asia, but unfortunately, games dealing with the Western genre are rare. And it's hard for them to succeed, too."
"So you mean it's a maniac genre."
"Yes, I can't deny that. That's why, if we want to target the Asian market, customers first need to become familiar with the genre. We need to raise its intuitiveness and popularity. That's why we asked GGG for a collaboration."
"After all, firearms are inseparable from the Western genre. Showdown had a matching concept, so the timing was just right. And in terms of public appeal, who better than Purple?"
The marketing manager, who had been quietly listening, chimed in.
"Thank you for such a positive evaluation. But with a genre this deep, shouldn't an expert handle it?"
"No, not at all. You know what Amanbo is, right? People who already love it can point out the details, but then it just comes off as even more niche. From a potential customer's standpoint, they'd be lost."
"Ah... so you actually prefer I don't know much."
"That's right. You don't need to study anything specially for the ad. It's better if you approach it with the same perspective as your viewers—starting from nothing."
At those words, Lee Gyeongbok rolled his eyes thoughtfully.
Recently, hadn't he been focusing on streams where he taught viewers and acquaintances?
'That could work.'
That was fun too, but what really drew Lee Gyeongbok to streaming was interaction with his viewers.
Discovering things together, being surprised together, enjoying things together. That was the appeal of personal broadcasting.
"Oh, and we won't place any restrictions on how you play."
"Huh?"
"I mean it. The reason our games are loved in the first place is that sense of freedom."
A smile appeared on Lee Gyeongbok's lips at that.
'No unease here.'
Unfamiliarity meant newness.
With a new challenge, guaranteed freedom, and the studio's great reputation, the offer was more than enough to spark his expectation.
Not to mention, he wasn't the one paying for the experience—he'd be paid for it.
Lee Gyeongbok glanced to the side. Park Juho was already wearing a faint smile as if he'd predicted the answer, and Jo Daehan was gazing on nervously.
"Sounds fun."
That was Lee Gyeongbok's answer.
At that, both the manager and branch manager exclaimed at once.
"Ah!"
"Does that mean—?"
"Yes, I'll look forward to working together."
Both broke into relieved smiles. While Lee Gyeongbok signed the contract, the manager spoke up.
"You can play Roderi after we finish filming the ad. Please livestream it along with displaying the ad."
"Yes, that will make the collaboration really stand out. I think this will have great results."
"Oh, really... I worried what we'd do if Purple turned us down. You're the key to this collaboration."
After signing, Lee Gyeongbok's eyes went wide.
"Me?"
"Absolutely. Roderi is definitely a game with depth. Once you begin playing, your viewers will gain interest in the Western genre. And when even the casual viewers want to 'just try a taste'... where will they turn?"
"Haha, they'll want a taste of 1 vs 1 dueling with Gunner Ground Showdown. The accessibility is perfect for mobile, right? Once they get used to the Western concept, they'll settle into Roderi itself."
It was the ideal virtuous cycle for the Western genre. That was the goal for both companies.
And Lee Gyeongbok's streams would serve as the catalyst to accelerate that cycle.
"If it succeeds, 80 million won won't be a waste."
"80 million?"
Lee Gyeongbok's eyes widened. Wasn't the fee 40 million won?
At that moment, Park Juho lightly nudged his arm.
"There's one more contract."
"Oh."
The contracts from GGG and Rock'n'Roll Games were separate. Each company paid 40 million won for the advertisement.
Lee Gyeongbok let out a wry laugh as he signed another contract.
'This is insane...!'
Jo Daehan did his best to keep a straight face as he watched the scene.
Watching such large sums change hands didn't feel real.
'He's basically a semi-celebrity at this point, isn't he?'
Of course, maybe not comparable to the top stars earning hundreds of millions, but it was on par with many celebrity event fees.
Jo Daehan looked at Lee Gyeongbok with renewed admiration.
* * *
On the day of filming.
GGG's marketing manager threw himself into preparations ahead of schedule.
"Director, we're hoping for your best once again for this shoot."
The advertisement director was an external hire, not from GGG, and was well-respected in the industry.
As the manager spoke warmly, the director replied in a businesslike manner.
"Sure. It's not like this is my first rodeo. Just make sure your staff know the routine."
With that, the director entered the capsule. While the manager caught his breath, the development manager, a colleague, came by.
"Hey, using that director again?"
"Hey! Keep your voice down!"
"What do you mean, keep it down? Do you know how much our model costs? Of course there's soundproofing."
The development manager didn't think highly of the ad director.
"You remember last time, our people suffered trying to follow what that guy said, right?"
The director led the shoot, but all the other staff were from the development team.
Since filming used capsules and a developer client, they couldn't bring in outside staff.
The director gave orders; the team implemented them.
"Yeah, yeah, but that director's pretty picky, even if he's talented. And you liked the last commercial, right?"
"If so, why don't you talk to upper management and get us a bonus? Your team took our guys, but marketing gets all the credit."
"You're talking as if we hogged all the credit! Didn't we have a company dinner to celebrate last time?"
The marketing manager flared up, then waved his hand.
"Anyway, don't worry. This time I'll handle the coordination for sure."
"Yeah, as if you're standing up for us because our people are precious. You think I don't know you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're only managing it yourself because Purple is the model. You know management told you to be careful? Hey, I'm a manager, too."
The marketing manager looked caught, but soon laughed.
"Hey, does it even matter? What matters is making the company succeed! If Showdown does well, it's good for development too, right?"
"Ugh... You're such a snake. Don't overwork the team, got it?"
"Yeah, yeah. Got it."
He sent the development manager away and checked the time. Gyeongbok would arrive soon.
Five minutes before the scheduled time—
"Purple is here!"
At that booming call, he rushed out at once.
"Oh! Hello! There weren't any inconveniences getting here, were there?"
"No, it was fine."
Lee Gyeongbok replied and looked around. He'd been to GGG's HQ plenty, but it was his first time in the development department.
'If you didn't know better, you'd think it was a capsule café.'
There were computers, too, but capsules dominated. Lee Gyeongbok soon looked away.
"That's good. Let me give you a quick briefing again. First, we'll shoot the main image for the ad banner—as a sheriff and as an outlaw. Then we'll move to filming the video."
The manager explained and cautiously gauged Lee Gyeongbok's reaction.
"Just to check... are you really okay not using a custom model?"
"Yes, it's fine."
Lee Gyeongbok replied right away.
Just filming an ad wouldn't overload the system anyway.
"There's no other way since we have to use the developer client, isn't that right?"
"Yes, that's true."
The marketing manager gave an awkward laugh and led the way.
"Then let's get started. This way, please."
* * *
The ad director gazed indifferently at the endless white expanse.
'Another day of capsule filming.'
In the age of advanced virtual reality, this was the norm.
They could adjust the location, light, shadow, even weather and temperature at will.
Because of that, if shoots ran long, there was no need to wait a whole extra day or worry about bad weather ruining everything.
Not just game ads, but most filming was now done this way.
'Still, it's not the same as reality...'
The director swallowed his bitterness.
He wasn't just a machine working for pay—he had his own sense and artistic philosophy.
And at the core was 'naturalness.'
'As if capsule filming wasn't artificial enough, now the model is using privacy features...'
He sighed.
With everything already so artificial, even the model's face and expressions would be digital products?
'They should've just used a celebrity like last time.'
Celebrities' faces were already public, so they didn't use privacy features. At least with them you got a bit of real 'naturalness.'
For a director uninterested in personal streams, streamer Purple was no different from any random passerby.
'Got to put up with it for now; there's no choice.'
Eventually, after building up his career, he'd get to guarantee the beauty he sought.
"Director! The model has arrived!"
His thoughts were interrupted by the call. He slowly got up and turned.
"Hello, I'm streamer Purple. I look forward to working with you today."
A tall man, greeting him with a smile and offering a handshake. The director instinctively scanned his physique quickly.
"Yes, let's work well. You're in good shape."
He spoke with indifference, but his assessment was honest. The face couldn't be seen, but the body was scanned from reality and well-proportioned.
"Let's get right to it."
The director moved toward the staff. Following his cue, the staff quickly went to work.
"Oh..."
With that, the white space began to transform.
A blazing sun in a cloudless sky, sand-strewn barren land, and several wooden buildings rising. In an instant, a town straight out of a Western was assembled.
"Let's start with the sheriff concept."
At the director's words, Lee Gyeongbok nodded and changed costume.
A brown hat and vest, white shirt sleeves rolled up. On his chest was a star-shaped badge, the symbol of a sheriff.
'Not bad.'
With a good physique, even just changing clothes looked impressive. But the director didn't expect much.
'He's not a professional model, so this will take a while.'
A great body was a basic requirement in this industry. The important thing was still 'naturalness.'
'Rookies always get too stiff at photo shoots.'
The director lowered his expectations and gave direction.
"Okay, lean against the wall by the door. Relax, and look at the drone camera here."
"Yes."
Lee Gyeongbok followed the instructions.
The director frowned slightly.
"Now, imagine an unwanted visitor barges into the sheriff's office. Out West, you never know when you'll be shot. Of course you'd be on guard. Plus, it's hot, so you're annoyed as well. In that situation, seeing the intruder—"
The director paused as he looked at the monitor. Lee Gyeongbok's expression looked awkward as expected.
"I don't mean just frown. Hm, this isn't working..."
Clicking his tongue, he glanced at the marketing manager who now looked uncomfortable. Was it time to step in?
"Alright. Let's add a dummy. It'll be easier with an actual target."
At his command, a staff member quickly spawned a dummy character. Suddenly, in front of Lee Gyeongbok stood a shabbily dressed outlaw.
"Okay, that's better. Much better."
He said so, but the director's frown didn't ease. After observing for a moment, Lee Gyeongbok raised his hand.
"Director?"
"Yes?"
"Can you set up this character to move with AI?"
That question made everyone at the scene look startled, including the director and the manager.
The marketing manager signaled the staff who answered,
"Oh, yes, it's possible."
"Then can you have it approach me, set as if it's targeting me for an attack?"
"Yes, one moment."
The director glared.
Wasn't it his job to direct the commercial? It was rare for a model to take the lead like this.
'Rookies...'
Still, he didn't stop Lee Gyeongbok right away. Arguing would only create friction. It was better to let the results speak for themselves.
'Not that it'll change much...'
He couldn't finish the thought.
Once set, the outlaw dummy advanced toward Lee Gyeongbok as described.
'What the...?'
On the surface, nothing seemed to change. But the director sensed subtle differences in Lee Gyeongbok's eyes and manner.
'His hand—it's in a different position!'
Unlike before, Lee Gyeongbok placed one hand near the holster at his hip.
Suddenly, he exuded the vibe of an experienced sheriff prepared to act at a moment's notice.
"Whoa!"
"Uwah?!"
The director, watching like he was in a trance, jumped in shock. With a bang, the outlaw fell to the ground.
Luckily, he wasn't the only one startled; the staff and the marketing manager were all patting their chests in surprise.
"Ah, there was no 'cut' sign, so..."
Lee Gyeongbok said with an embarrassed smile, spinning his smoking revolver on his finger before holstering it again.
"Director? Shall we reshoot?"
The question snapped the director back to his senses.
"N-no! That's fine! We got the footage, right?"
"Sorry? Oh, yes, yes!"
"Cut the video frame by frame. We can use one perfectly."
The director issued the order energetically.
'He was the sheriff himself just now...!'
He wasn't some rookie, but a veteran sheriff who'd seen it all and mastered the art of the pistol.
"Whoa..."
The director couldn't help but express his amazement out loud.
The single frame just before Lee Gyeongbok drew—his relaxed posture, his guarded face—there was nothing to criticize.
'How can someone change so much?'
He could hardly believe this was the same awkward model from moments ago.
'It wasn't that virtual reality filming couldn't be natural.'
This one cut changed his mind.
'It was the other models who weren't natural, thinking it was "just" virtual reality. But this guy instantly immersed himself!'
In an age where virtual reality filming was the norm—
'He's a complete genius.'
This model had a natural talent for commercials.