nashuaworldcup Chapter 349: On how to squeeze the remaining value out of the three heroes? OV Completion Project!
Chapter 349: On how to squeeze the remaining value out of the three heroes? OV Completion Project!
The interview, once broadcast, undoubtedly caused a huge uproar among fans.
This revelation has significantly lessened the withdrawal symptoms caused by the end of Gaia.
Viewers who were previously sighing and lamenting on various forums suddenly rushed towards the concept posters previously released for "Ultraman Cosmos".
"Healing Ultraman", "Compassionate Warrior", "Seamless transition next Friday".
The combination of these keywords is incredibly powerful.
However, the outside world's celebration is just that.
Gu Nan was already comfortably sitting in the office of Chasing Light Pictures, flipping through several internal financial reports in his hand.
"Director Gu, the lead generation effect of this interview is simply perfect."
Chen Bo's face was beaming with an unstoppable smile as he reported on his work.
"According to Ah B, the paid membership conversion rate increased by several percentage points last night, all in anticipation of the premiere of 'Gauss' next week. In addition, the sales of 'Gaia' merchandise have also seen another surge."
Gu Nan nodded slightly and closed the financial report.
Make money, not shabby.
But his attention wasn't on the preparations for "Goss". The "Goss" crew was already running smoothly, and the preliminary work had long been completed, so there was no need for him to keep an eye on it every day.
He's currently planning another grand strategy.
A grand scheme about "squeezing out" the last bit of remaining value from the Heisei Three.
In this parallel world, Light Chaser Animation Studios carved out a broad road for the tokusatsu industry with its trilogy of "Ultraman Tiga", "Dyna", and "Gaia".
Whether in terms of word-of-mouth, viewership ratings, or merchandise revenue, it has reached an unprecedented peak.
It can be said that Ultraman Dee and Ultraman Gai are currently the core cash cow of Light Chaser Animation, and also the eternal white moonlight in the hearts of countless viewers.
But is the story really over?
In its previous life, Tsuburaya Productions actually left behind quite a few special episodes in "OV format" after completing the TV dramas and theatrical versions.
It's the same type as the Seven OV series that was filmed before.
This refers to video works that are sold directly in the form of videotapes, DVDs, etc., without being broadcast on television or shown in theaters.
In Gu Nan's previous life, Seven OV was filmed in sixteen episodes and released in batches over many years.
Although Gu Nan's Seven Origin Project series is an OV (Online Video) story, it was not actually released in China in OV format.
Indeed, during the Showa era, the video rental market was exceptionally prosperous, and OV special episodes were a major source of revenue for Tsuburaya Productions.
Many old films have been given a second spring thanks to this trend.
However, in the Heisei era, the situation was completely different. The market for videotapes and DVDs had shrunk, and people were less interested in buying DVDs to watch at home.
This directly led to a very awkward situation in Gu Nan's previous life—the sudden decline in the popularity of the OV works of the Heisei Three.
Aside from Ultraman Tiga's "Giants from the Ancient Times" which has some recognition, Dyna's "The Return of Hajime" and Gaia's "Gaia Returns" have abysmal levels of fame.
Back then, many OV fans who only watched the TV broadcasts didn't even know these two OVs existed!
Moreover, the combined popularity of Dyna and Gaia OVs probably doesn't even match that of Ultraman Tiga OV.
The combined fame of the three OV series is nowhere near that of mainstream theatrical films like "The Final Holy War" or "Star Warriors".
There's no other reason than limited dissemination channels and insufficient publicity.
In the past, Tsuburaya's top management didn't care much about OV, and they were very tight on budgets, cutting corners on costumes and sets wherever possible, giving off an air of "poverty".
"But this is a treasure trove."
Gu Nan muttered to himself in a low voice.
In this parallel world of 2028, where is there still a videotape market?
It's the era of streaming media!
Bilibili, major video platforms, and online movies' pay-per-view model have long been mature and sophisticated.
The losses that Tsuburaya suffered due to its distribution channels in its previous life simply do not exist in this world!
Although Ultraman Tiga's OV has a stage play version as a pilot, it is not impossible to improve upon it.
As long as they use the title "Chasing the Light: Three Wonders Special Edition" to turn these OV (Online Video) videos into high-quality online movies, they can offer VIP exclusive streaming or pay-per-view options on video platforms.
With Dee Gay's massive fan base, this will definitely be a huge money-maker.
Moreover, they earn money standing up, and the audience still has to cry and shout their gratitude to Director Gu for giving them treats!
Thinking of this, Gu Nan immediately and decisively pressed the internal phone on the table.
"Notify the core members of the screenwriting team and the production department to meet in Conference Room One in ten minutes."
Inside the meeting room.
The core members of Chasing Light Pictures looked at each other, wondering what their boss was up to this time.
"Isn't 'Goss' supposed to air next week? Why is Director Gu holding a meeting at this time? Is there a problem with the publicity?" the producer asked in a low voice.
"I don't know. Judging from Director Gu's expression, it seems like he's about to pull off something big again."
The conference room door was pushed open, and Gu Nan walked in carrying several newly printed business plans, throwing the documents directly onto the center of the table.
"Everyone, take a look."
As everyone opened the document, the title they saw made them gasp in shock.
[The Heisei Three Heroes Completion Project: A Special Online Movie Compilation Pack]
The following are three sub-items listed side by side:
Ultraman Tiga Special: The Giant Who Resurrected from the Ancient Times
Ultraman Dyna Special: The Return of Hajime
Ultraman Gaia Special Episode: Gaia Reappears
One is a prequel, one is a supplement to the middle part of the story, and one is an epilogue. These little touches are quite interesting.
"Director Gu, this..." The head of the screenwriting team stared blankly, "We're going to start three projects simultaneously?"
"The ancient giants that have resurrected, the script from our previous stage play and commemorative booklet?" the executive screenwriter inquired.
"Yes, this script. To be honest, it's a level below the Ultraman Tiga TV series we filmed before."
Gu Nan nodded, "That's why we only performed a stage play before and didn't film the full movie! But now there are more and more calls online for us to make a sequel to Ultraman Tiga, so I think it's not impossible to make one."
"Director Gu, are these three dramas going to start filming simultaneously?"
"Not only will they be running simultaneously, but they'll be running non-stop. I don't plan to release these three works in theaters. What I hope for is to first sell a batch of commemorative Blu-ray collector's editions, and then have all three series sell out quickly. That way, core fans will definitely be willing to pay extra to see the sequels."
Gu Nan paused for a moment, then continued, "Then, two months later, we'll go to Bilibili and use the same paid streaming model as 'Star Warriors.' We can hand this project over to a film team to produce high-quality special episodes, each lasting between forty-five minutes and an hour."
Some have raised concerns: "Adapting the Tiga storyline is fine, but Director Gu, the TV series versions of Dyna and Gaia's stories are already quite satisfying. Wouldn't forcing a sequel risk looking like a poor addition? Besides, both series have open endings, which are difficult to continue! Especially Dyna..."
"I have a brilliant plan," Gu Nan said confidently.
"We won't talk about Tiga... This story is in the stage play and previous bonus content... Dyna's current situation is that Asuka is wandering in the universe, and his story has no end. But that doesn't mean that Dyna's past stories don't exist on Earth."
Gu Nan looked at everyone: "Do you guys remember that popular little space monster from Dyna TV, Hanaijiro?"
"Of course I remember! That little guy's merchandise sold really well."
The head of the relevant department immediately chimed in, "Bandai is preparing a reprint!"
"The Return of Hanjiro uses this as a plot device. The timeline is set in the mid-to-late Dyna TV series, before Asuka left Earth. We want to show a Super GUTS team operating independently without Dyna, and then Hanjiro brings a key item, allowing Dyna to launch a desperate counterattack."
The most criticized aspect of this OV in its previous life was its insufficient budget.
The monster costumes used in the appearance were not only rudimentary, but they even reused scenes from the main story.
But here, Gu Nan has plenty of money.
"This film should have a lighthearted and humorous tone, with a bit of a road movie feel. It should amplify Yujiro's adorable qualities."
Finally, Gu Nan's gaze fell on "Gaia." This was also the OV he valued most.
"Gaia Reappears"
Gu Nan took a deep breath, his tone becoming serious. "This is definitely the highlight of this completion plan."
He looked at everyone present: "In the finale of Gaia, Koga and Fujimiya lost their light and became ordinary people. Do you think we're truly safe now? Although the Root Destruction Bringer has been destroyed, the malice in the universe that covets Earth will never cease. What if a new crisis were to arise at this time, and humanity no longer had Ultraman?"
The meeting room fell silent, everyone captivated by this weighty assumption.
"The theme of this OV is 'Regaining Glory'," Gu Nan said emphatically.
The previous version of "Gaia Reappears" is arguably the one with the best plot depth among the three OVs.
It perfectly continues the setting of the TV series, showing that even after losing their powers, Takaga Yume and Fujimiya did not give up their responsibilities as humans.
"In this story, new monsters will emerge from the deep sea. This is the last vestige of the Root Destruction Entity on Earth."
Gu Nan quickly outlined the plot: "Gaoga dreamt he returned to university to continue his research, while Fujimiya traveled the world searching for new ways to protect the Earth. I want you to focus on developing the character of Fujimiya."
Gu Nan looked at the scriptwriting team.
"In the TV series, Fujimiya has always been a tragic hero burdened with guilt. In 'Gaia Returns,' he encounters people he had indirectly hurt in the past. For example... Dr. Inamori's old acquaintances, or people who lost their homes because of his sea monster."
"Redemption! Fujimiya must achieve complete self-redemption in this film. Only when they understand that the light is not a tool, but the purest sense of responsibility within their hearts, will the will of the Earth respond to them once more."
Gu Nan's speech quickened, as if he could already see the final result: "When Fujimiya faced a desperate situation in the deep sea, trying to protect those who once hated him, the ocean's light gathered once more. Agul, reborn!"
"And my dream!"
Gu Nan braced his hands on the table. "I want an epic doubles match. When Koga sees Fujimiya struggling, he rushes into the fray, and the earth gives him strength once more. Gaia and Agul, fight side-by-side again between the sea and sky!"
"And another thing..." A hint of fanaticism flashed in Gu Nan's eyes.
"In the final battle against the Destroyer of the Sea God, simply fighting side-by-side is not enough!"
Everyone in the conference room held their breath.
"I'm going to bring Agul's 'Supreme Form' out too!"
"Agul also has a supreme form?" The writing team was completely stunned.
In the main TV series, only Gaia unlocked the Supreme form after obtaining the Ocean Light, while Agul's highest form was only V2.
"Yes!" Gu Nan's eyes were burning.
In Gu Nan's previous life's timeline, this form was originally intended for stage plays and had never appeared in any serious drama.
Gu Nan decided to bring this form directly to the screen.
"But since we're filming a high-profile special episode, let's go all out! Super Supreme Gaia already had enough screen time when he appeared in the finale of the main series, so we don't need to bring him back again. That would just be like rehashing old material."
"But when the ocean grants Agul new power, allowing two supreme beings to share the stage, tell me, aren't you awestruck?"
"Even though it's not a theatrical release, as a spin-off, I'm going to use top-notch audiovisual performances to squeeze every last drop of emotion out of the fans!"
The breathing in the conference room became heavy.
Just by listening to this outline, they could already imagine the kind of thrilling, stimulating moments that would send chills down their spines.
Gaia's supreme form is a war god-level existence with an undefeated record since its debut. If even Agul shows an unprecedented supreme posture to fight against the Destroyer of the Sea, the scene will be absolutely explosive!
"The supporting characters are even more crucial."
Gu Nan tapped the table. "Commander Shi Shi, Captain Di Cheng, Staff Officer Ye Qian, Li Muzi, Georgie Leland... none of these roles can be missing. Especially the return of the original cast."
"The character of Jingling will play a crucial anchoring role in Fujimiya's regaining of his glory. Also, the Lightning Team and the Falcon Team, led by Tian Dayan and Wei Weike, must demonstrate the unwavering determination of all humanity to fight against a common enemy!"
"This is not just a simple monster-fighting action movie; it's more like an epilogue, telling everyone that on this planet, the light still shines upon humanity! This is a perfect farewell to the grand worldview of Gaia."
Gu Nan finished speaking in one breath, picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, and moistened his throat.
"So? How about these three notebooks? Any potential?"
"This has tremendous potential!"
The producer was so excited he slapped his thigh, "If we packaged this trilogy as a series and released it on the platform, let alone individual films, even the collector's edition Blu-ray disc would sell out!"
"I will give you the script outline this week."
Gu Nan issued the order swiftly and decisively: "The directing team should contact the actors immediately. Su Ye is one of our own, so he'll definitely be available anytime. We just finished filming recently, so his schedule should be easy to arrange. For the Tiga actors, we don't need to contact the original cast; just find a strong-willed newcomer to play his son. We can also ask the stage actors if they'd be willing to come back; that would be the best for the viewing experience!"
Gaia has just finished airing, and the actors' salaries and fees haven't skyrocketed yet, so filming earlier saves money.
"There's also a props team and a special effects team."
Gu Nan turned to the department in charge of costumes. "Hurry up and get the Tiga and Dyna costumes out of the warehouse; they need repairing! Also, the TV version of Tiga's costume might be a bit old; if it's not good enough, make a better one!"
The stiff movements caused by insufficient funding should never appear in the works of Light Chaser Animation.
"We could consider using the inflatable skeleton approach we used in 'Star Warriors' to support the monster's size. It would be incredibly effective in naval battle scenes," suggested the head of the props department. The special effects action director immediately nodded and noted it down.
"Boss," the CFO pushed up his glasses, "how do we approve the budget for these three films shooting back-to-back? After all, they're not going to be released in theaters, so perhaps we should cut corners a bit..."
"No need to skimp, the total budget can be based on that of a theatrical film!" Gu Nan waved his hand without hesitation.
"Wouldn't that be several times the original price?!" The CFO was stunned.
Although Light Chaser Animation is now very wealthy, money doesn't come easily!
Gu Nan took a sip of water to moisten his throat and continued, "Since it's the 'Completion Project,' we have to deliver quality worthy of the audience's expectations. The sets, special effects, suits, and explosions will all be on par with theatrical productions. Produced by Light Chaser Animation, it's guaranteed to be high-quality. Even a web movie can have an epic feel. Okay? Do you understand?"
"Understood!" came a unified reply from the conference room.
In the following days, the massive war machine that was Chasing Light Pictures was running at high speed again.
While the outside world was still celebrating the upcoming premiere of "Goss", they had no idea that new sets had already been quietly set up in several studios inside Light Chaser Animation Studios.
The actors who had just finished filming "Gaia" and were preparing to take a long vacation suddenly received an urgent call from the production team.
When Su Ye received the script for "Gaia Reappears," she was completely stunned.
"Did my dream bring the light back?"
He sat on the sofa in Gu Nan's office, flipping through the thick script, his eyes gleaming with barely concealed excitement.
"Yes, not only did they find it, they're even stronger now."
Gu Nan smiled and said, "The action scenes this time will be even tougher than the TV series because there will be underwater battles and mud pit battles. You'll have to go back to the action team and suffer."
Su Ye closed the script without hesitation: "No problem! As long as we can act again, I'll practice however I want!"
Meanwhile, the actor who plays Fujimiya also rushed back to the company overnight.
When he saw the scene in the script where Fujimiya roars in despair in the abyss, finally receives a response from the ocean and is reborn, and then unleashes his "Supreme Form" in the final battle, he was stunned.
"It's like stepping on your own foot to reach the heavens..."
However, on the other hand, this is more in line with Fujimiya's true fate.
He clutched the script tightly and quickly agreed to filming.
The crew's preparations were like cooking oil over a raging fire.
Gu Nan moved between different film sets, overseeing every detail.
For "The Giants Who Resurrected," he meticulously crafted the costumes, props, and sets of the ancient village, striving to showcase humanity's helplessness and the greatness of faith in the face of darkness without the aid of high technology.
For "The Return of Yujiro", he required the props team to refine Yujiro's micro-expressions, accurately capture the comedic rhythm of this light-hearted work, and also bring back the original cast to hone their acting skills.
In a sense, this also represents the "return" of the birds.
Although it's in the form of a "memoir of a deceased husband"...
As for "Gaia Reappears," which involved the most investment and had the highest expectations, Gu Nan was almost personally involved on set.
Sometimes, he really felt like a capitalist who exploited his employees.
But he knew better than anyone that the masterpieces that had been buried in his previous life due to funding issues and short-sightedness of higher-ups must not be repeated here.
He wanted to make these three OV films by Dida Guy a perfect ending that truly deserved the honor of being one of the "Three Heisei Heroes".
Several months later.
As "Ultraman Cosmos" was about to end, it repeatedly moved audiences with its gentle and healing tone.
The official account of Light Chaser Animation quietly released a suspenseful poster in the dead of night, featuring a mix of black, red, and blue colors.
The poster contained no extra text, only three transformation devices that shimmered faintly:
Ancient bronze spark prism.
A gleaming sword stained with stardust.
And the sapphire cone and sapphire bracelet that have been relit between the deep sea and the land.
In the very center of the poster, there was only one sentence that instantly broke the hearts of all the longtime fans:
"The light has never been extinguished."