….
Currently, his [Editing] skill is at [Novice], and the best he will be able to afford to upgrade is to [Intermediate] level, if he collects the rewards.
Anything beyond that would be a waste of EP he could better allocate for future purchases rather than wasting it only on basic skills.
And, yes, Regal did call the [Intermediate] level basic.
Ever since his recent jump in [Writing] from [Novice] to [Expert], he had had a chance to observe firsthand how much of a leap it truly was.
The direct boost he got in [Direction] skill, as the sign-in bonus from the system, hadn't given him the time to properly adapt before.
But now? He could definitely feel it - the huge gap of skills between [Intermediate] and [Expert] in terms of practical ability.
It wasn't just a matter of two levels - the difference in practical capability was immense.
And based on his growing experience, Regal had come to a conclusion: for any skill to meet industry standards, it had to be at least [Advanced].
Luckily, Simon, the most experienced person he currently knew in the film industry, had come through with a promising lead.
Yesterday, during the dinner party, he had casually mentioned to Regal that he knew someone who could get the job done affordably.
Apparently, the editor was one of his friends from his early days making short films and currently owned a wedding studio.
Regal had felt a pang of skepticism at the mention of a wedding studio.
However, in the end, he had decided to give it a shot.
Sure, the dude's current job wasn't a glowing affirmation, but Simon's confident assurance in his friend wasn't easy to ignore.
Now, all he could do was hope that this editor is skillful and luck might have his side if he could also handle the sound mixing.
That would be a godsend.
However, editing wasn't the only thing hanging over Regal's head.
There was still the matter of the film's score.
Regal knew the importance of music, how the right notes could heighten a moment, turn tension into release, or add layers to an already emotional scene.
Thankfully, unlike other tasks that had to wait until the film's completion, the score was something Regal could begin early in the pre-production itself.
A few preliminary clips were enough to convey the film's theme, mood, and setting.
A skilled composer could craft the soundtrack even before the movie was fully compiled or, in some cases, even before filming began.
And guess what? That's exactly what happened, and Regal was almost done.
From the start, he had been searching for talented freelance composers - and thanks to platforms like MeTube, the process was surprisingly accessible.
After reviewing numerous samples from many private artists, he stumbled upon a small comedic clip of a TV show he had binged before the 'fusion' of his past life.
Just as he tried to remember the show, Regal felt there was something about it that immediately caught his attention.
It had an uncanny resemblance to a TV show from his past life called [Community].
Guess what? According to what he remembered.
The music composer of that TV show was - Ludwig Göransson.
Regal double-checked, and sure enough, it was the same person.
He had hit the jackpot.
He is the same composer who had scored for [Black Panther] and [Tenet], two of the most noted films - and also, he had even won an Academy Award for [Black Panther].
Regal wasted no time reaching out.
Initially, Ludwig was taken aback when Regal contacted him out of the blue with the proposal to score a feature film. However, any doubts he had quickly dissolved once Regal shared the script and outlined his vision.
Ludwig found himself genuinely impressed by the script, and his only concern became whether he would be dropped midway.
Unknown to him Regal had already decided and was more than happy to collaborate to work with this 26-year-old prodigy from the moment he heard the show's score.
In fact, unlike with others, Regal didn't even need to rely on his [Insight] skill to recognize Ludwig's potential - it was evident in his work, and as a director, he could see it.
That said, the collaboration wasn't all smooth from the beginning.
The process was full of back-and-forth exchanges.
They both sat through many sessions working on it, and when meeting in person wasn't possible, Ludwig would email compositions to Regal for feedback.
Regal would then review, suggest revisions, and they would refine the pieces further.
Over time, Ludwig adapted, gained a deeper understanding of Regal's thought process, and contributed his own creative touches to elevate the music.
This collaborative process became a routine throughout the film's production, with evening sessions dedicated to the score.
Their combined effort paid off, with most of the film's music now complete.
The only task left was to compose the theme music for Keanu's character, Cobb.
It was an essential piece, one that would encapsulate the character's journey. But given the progress they'd made so far, Regal was confident this final piece would fall into place.
Then, there were the VFX shots.
The good news was that Regal wasn't dealing with an explosion-filled blockbuster or a space-faring sci-fi epic.
There were only eighteen VFX shots scattered across the film: a close-up of the protagonist's eyes, mirror reflection shots, a few pages flipping in a diary, and some ambient crowd effects.
Small. Simple. But not cheap.
Regal exhaled sharply as he thought about it.
Sure, eighteen effects might sound small compared to the hundreds thrown into big-budget productions, but they still carried a hefty price tag.
If he wanted professional work, it was going to cost him.
He had to choose carefully.
Going with a smaller, newer company seemed like the smartest option - one that wouldn't charge the sky-high fees of the bigger, established firms but could still produce the quality he needed.
But for now? He was on his way to meet with this 'wedding' shoot editor.
Simon, of course, was tagging along.
…but truthfully, Regal was feeling drained.
The shoot had only wrapped up yesterday, and after dinner, he hadn't gotten home until late only to have a discussion with Ludwig.
So, he hadn't managed to get any sleep afterward either.
Instead, he spent the remaining night reviewing the raw footage.
He jotted down notes for where he wanted to make cuts, not for the entire project, just the parts he felt absolutely certain about.
….
.
Zack Barg.
He thought he had his life figured out.
At forty, he ran a small photography studio.
Weddings and the occasional commercial shoot - it wasn't glamorous, but it paid the bills and offered stability for him and his family.
He was content, with a supportive wife and two kids.
It was stable.
Predictable even.
But being predictable wasn't always fulfilling.
What Zack truly loved, what fired him up, was editing.
Not the routine adjustments for wedding albums or promotional slideshows.
He longed for editing that told stories, the kind of work that could take raw, unpolished footage and transform it into something meaningful.
That had always been his dream.
Since he was a kid, he had wanted to work in films, shaping narratives with his own hands.
But life had other plans.
Dreams didn't pay the mortgage.
Ambition didn't cover the hospital bills when his first child was born.
So, before things could get too complicated, Zack did the sensible thing.
He put his dreams on hold and focused on building a stable life.
Even then, he didn't let the dream die completely - whenever he could, he squeezed in editing gigs for indie filmmakers and short films.
He had spent late nights finessing transitions or crafting sequences for people who couldn't afford to pay much.
It wasn't much, but it scratched the itch.
Then life, as it often does, got busier.
His wife had two back-to-back pregnancies, and suddenly their home was in a constant state of chaos.
Zack's nights were consumed by rocking restless babies to sleep, and his days were spent juggling the demands of the studio and trying to stay on top of bills.
For three years, he barely touched an 'editing' project, the real kind, at least.
Opportunities came and went, having no choice but to turn them down.
It wasn't until his youngest started kindergarten that Zack finally had a moment to breathe.
And with that breath came clarity: it was time to go back to what he truly cared about.
The truth was, he had always wanted to come back to it.
Late at night, while the rest of the house slept, Zack kept his skills sharp.
He read through books on editing, broke down his favorite films shot by shot, and analyzed every detail of the craft.
He even shifted one of his PCs from his studio to his house and taught himself the latest software.
Now, five years later, he felt ready to dive back in.
Or so he thought.
The problem?
His old network of small-time filmmakers had vanished.
Not physically - they had just given up.
Three years of rejections and false starts had drained their hopes.
Zack couldn't blame them.
Life moved forward, and the world didn't pause for anyone.
But their departure left him stranded.
That's when he got an idea - MeTube.
The platform, launched in 2005, had exploded during the years he had been busy with family life.
Now, five years later, it has become a behemoth, serving over two billion videos daily, with a relentless flow of new creators uploading content around the clock.
Tutorials, vlogs, pranks, sketches, and short films, an endless stream of content, fuelled an insatiable audience.
For Zack, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. An ecosystem teeming with creators meant one thing: a constant need for editors.
He dove in headfirst.
Emails were drafted and sent.
Forums were scoured and joined.
He spent hours searching the platform for creators who might need help, carefully pitching his skills to anyone who seemed like a good match.
Weeks rolled by.
Nothing.
Zack found himself sitting at his desk, staring at his inbox.
Zero replies.
Not even a courteous rejection.
The doubt crept in, cold and relentless.
Had he wasted all this time?
Was it time to let go, just as so many others had?
His fingers rested over the mouse, hesitating as he stared at yet another email draft, unsure if it was worth sending.
His thoughts spiralled. He wasn't ready to throw in the towel, not after everything he had worked toward, but starting over was harder than he had imagined.
Creak–!
That's when a sharp clang of the studio door swinging open broke through his haze.
?He looked up, already guessing who it might be.
Through the glass of his cabin, he spotted a familiar figure.
Simon Lombardozzi.
Zack allowed himself a small smile. It had been years.
They had met on a short film ages ago - Zack behind the editing desk, Simon in front of the camera.
The chaotic shoot and even more chaotic director had forged a quick bond between them, turning late-night grumbling into a lasting camaraderie.
But life had a way of pulling people apart.
Simon's call yesterday had caught Zack completely unexpectedly.
Despite that he couldn't deny the flicker of curiosity, and maybe a little excitement.
Now here Simon was, standing just inside the studio, still exuding that larger-than-life energy Zack remembered so well.
However, he wasn't alone.
….
.
[To be continued…]
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★
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