Chapter 29: Preview Screening (1)
Although the filming had concluded, Durin had no plans to disband the crew. With the possibility of continuing with the TV version, it would be a shame to dissolve the team that had been established.
Therefore, after wrapping up the filming, Durin gathered everyone together and announced a celebratory banquet for completing the movie "KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!!"
Before the excitement of the announcement fully settled in, Durin surprised everyone by revealing that the banquet would also double as a preview screening for the movie.
In this world, it was customary to hold a celebratory banquet after filming, followed by a preview or premiere once the film was ready. Since post-production capabilities were lacking, once filming was done, the film was essentially ready for screening. Hence, Durin decided to merge the two events.
Considering the light-hearted and joyful storyline of "KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!", it was perfect for screening during the banquet to uplift the atmosphere.
Upon hearing the news, apart from the actors' embarrassed yet subtle expressions, everyone else showed great excitement and expressed anticipation for the movie. Lawrence even requested permission from Durin to bring his orc daughter to the celebration, which was readily granted.
As everyone happily dispersed to pack up, Durin was left alone at the filming location, holding a long list of personnel containing the names of the actors, producers, Lawrence's monster shop that provided creatures, and Wiz, who composed the music.
Due to the lack of post-production, the only way to include the personnel list in the film seemed to be by directly filming it. Although not as expressive as rolling credits in another world, it would suffice.
As Durin glanced at the names of Beldia and Wiz on the list, he couldn't help but feel conflicted. After all, these two individuals were wanted elsewhere, and if something were to go wrong in the South Province...
"It seems I'll have to speak to Duke Victor later. If the Duke of the South Province intervenes, even the Church and the Knights Order won't be able to do much," Durin muttered to himself as he continued to peruse the personnel list. Soon after, he burst into laughter upon realizing that a long string of names on the list was his own.
However, considering the immense effort Durin had put into every aspect of the production—be it directing, planning, writing the script, designing scenes, framing shots, editing, or the filming itself—he wasn't reluctant to include his own name.
After completing some simple post-production work, the production of the live-action movie "KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!!" was officially declared complete.
...
At night, in the adventurer's guild of Norsrick.
Facing the numerous eyes in the audience, Durin walked up to a specially cleared white wall with a crystal of noticeably different material in hand.
After infusing it with magic, the images stored within the crystal appeared in mid-air. As Durin moved the crystal, the projected images shifted onto the relatively clean wall of the adventurer's guild.
Then, as the surrounding lights dimmed according to Durin's instructions, the cinematic scenes, which were usually only seen in movie theaters on Earth, appeared in the adventurer's guild of this otherworldly realm.
Amidst the anticipation of the crowd, Durin adjusted the position of the imaging crystal and slowly secured it in place before making his way to the makeshift audience seats in the adventurer's guild hall.
At this moment, all the adventurers who had participated in the performance, even the extras, had gathered for the screening. After all, they had all played a part in the production, and Durin hadn't paid them salaries. Therefore, he decided to let them all attend this precious screening, which would also provide an opportunity for him to explain what the filming had been about.
Inside the guild, numerous tables were arranged along the walls, forming a dedicated seating area for the audience. Undoubtedly, this seating arrangement was devised by Durin himself. After all, this was a screening event, and allowing the adventurers to sit wherever they pleased could easily lead to disturbances. Durin didn't want to see a bunch of rough-looking guys crowding near the screen, resembling a cult gathering, although he had often witnessed such scenes during his childhood when watching movies in the square.
At the same time, the main reason why these adventurers were maintaining discipline was that they already knew about Durin's identity as a Grand Magician. While ordinary adventurers might not care much about nobility or prestigious families, they still held the utmost respect for true powerhouses. Hence, even though they might not understand what a "screening" was, they tried to maintain discipline as much as possible, whispering to each other about what might happen next while keeping their eyes on the gradually forming images on the wall.
In the "audience seats," sitting in the front row were naturally Durin, Wiz, and the many main actors, as well as Lawrence and the orc girl he had adopted.
The Headless Knight, due to his towering stature, was not provided with a seat. However, he didn't need one anyway. He simply lay down on the ground like a corpse, with his head positioned appropriately by Wiz, allowing him to watch the perfect view in the most comfortable position possible.
His carefree demeanor made those around him who knew his situation envy him for quite a while.
After Durin took his seat, Winryy beside him spoke up, "Lord Edward, why did you choose the adventurer's guild? I originally thought the celebration banquet would be held at a tavern or something..."
To Winry's question, Durin simply smiled faintly and replied, "I originally planned to book a tavern, but then the guild's manager suddenly approached me and discussed matters regarding the broadcasting rights. After we reached an agreement, they generously offered us the guild's venue."
"Broadcasting rights? What does that mean?"
To Helena's confusion, Durin just gave a mysterious smile and then shook his head. "Let's talk about that later. By the way, Helen, do you have any plans for the future? You're not going back to the Mage Tower for now, right?"
"Well, since I can't earn enough credits even if I go back, and I'd rather delay being expelled by staying with you for a while longer. By the way, why did you just call me Helen? Zat and the others also mistakenly called me that before, even though my full name does sound quite similar..."
Seeing that the movie was about to start, Durin casually replied, "It's just something I said without much thought. Helen sounds nice, doesn't it? Anyway, let's get ready to watch the movie."
"Yeah, Helen, your name isn't that different, and look at me, my name is just one letter off!"
Meanwhile, Aya in the distance was enjoying the snacks provided by the adventurer's guild for free. Due to some kind of deal she had made privately with Durin, the guild generously decided to offer free drinks today. So, at this moment, not only Aya but also most of the adventurers were happily indulging themselves.
Similarly, they didn't ignore the movie playing over there. Faced with this entirely new cinematic experience, these adventurers were displaying an unprecedented curiosity and anticipation, to the point where they were almost forgetting about their own tasks.