I'm Not A Master, I'm A Director (Type-Moon Fanfiction) - Chapter 50: Fate/Zero Begins

Since the set on the land of the Einzbern family was not yet completed, Shinji decided to start filming with the indoor scenes in the studio. However, unlike the previous Fate/Stay Night production, Shinji’s demands for this filming were significantly more rigorous.

“Cut! Arturia, your expression is not on point.”

“Kiritsugu, your expression isn’t detached enough, let’s do it again!”

“The camera shook a bit just now! Cinematographer!! If you have Parkinson’s syndrome, then get out of the production team!”

…

From the start of filming Fate/Zero, the crew members felt a completely different atmosphere compared to the previous production. Unlike Fate/Stay Night, where anything passable would suffice, Shinji on the Fate/Zero set had become almost a perfectionist. Any imperfect shots were vetoed and had to be reshot.

For example, a scene featuring dialogue between Arturia and Kiritsugu had been filmed ten times already, but Shinji was still unsatisfied. Kiritsugu didn’t mind since this scene only involved Arturia venting her complaints, and he just needed to be a cold, emotionless listener.

Although he and Arturia had the heaviest roles among the male and female leads in this ensemble piece, he had only said three lines to Arturia throughout the production.

Arturia, on the other hand, was having a tougher time. While it was true that Heroic Spirits didn’t get hoarse throats from speaking continuously, repeating the same lines without making progress was making her impatient.

This scene was supposed to be a simple discussion between Arturia and Kiritsugu about their strategy. It wasn’t a complex action scene or an emotionally intense dramatic moment, so it shouldn’t have been this challenging to shoot.

To gauge the quality of the film, these scenes were already acceptable. However, Shinji repeatedly called for retakes, partly to achieve the perfect shot and partly to establish his authority over the experienced crew members, letting them know that his attitude toward Fate/Zero would be stricter than it was for Fate/Stay Night.

As a result, Shinji used the excuse of the first scene of the shoot to bring all the crew members who were already in Fuyuki City to the set, calling it the opening scene and involving everyone.

“Cut!”

Once again, Shinji stopped filming and stood up from the director’s chair, holding a megaphone as he entered the set.

“Kiritsugu, Arturia, both of you have issues with your expressions,” Shinji said to the two actors.

Kiritsugu rubbed his chin and showed a hint of helplessness on his face.

Arturia took a hamburger from her assistant and began eating it without affecting her makeup.

“What’s wrong with me?” Kiritsugu asked in confusion. “Aren’t I supposed to be cold towards her?”

Arturia, with a mouthful of food, replied, “Where did I go wrong? I thought I should be complaining to him.”

“Not just coldness,” Shinji shook his head and explained to Kiritsugu, “In addition to being cold, you also have to show contempt and sarcasm towards King Arthur’s innocence in your expression. You need to convey that.”

As a director, Shinji’s motto had always been “show it through acting, not just words.”

In Shinji’s view, a scornful and mocking look from Kiritsugu would be much more effective than him saying “King Arthur is naive” countless times to others.

Showing inner emotions on one’s face was far more effective than expressing them through dialogue.

For example, in Episode 15 of “Zeta,” when Haruki shook hands with his father in the past, even though his father didn’t express his longing, the actor’s expressions conveyed everything he needed to say. This was much more effective than having the character say “Dad, I miss you” a thousand times.

“As for Arturia…”

He turned to look at Arturia, who had finished her hamburger, and the attentive King of Knights was also listening carefully.

“Don’t tell me you’ve been shooting TV dramas for over a month, and all you’ve learned is how to eat without ruining your makeup.”

Arturia loudly retorted, “Of course not, Master, you underestimate me!”

“I’ve told you countless times. Don’t call me ‘Master’ on set, call me ‘Director’!”

Shinji tapped Arturia’s head with the director’s baton.

“Yes, Director! You just watch! I’ll definitely make you satisfied!”

Arturia clenched her fists with determination.

“Then show me!”

Unlike with Kiritsugu, Shinji didn’t directly tell Arturia how to perform. Unlike the playful nature of his interaction with Kiritsugu, Shinji had been focused on training Arturia as an actor. He hoped she would grasp how to perform on her own.

Telling an actor exactly what to do would only make their performance feel forced, and Shinji had confirmed this from his previous experience with Fate/Stay Night.

“Go for it, Arturia,” Shinji patted Arturia’s shoulder and nodded towards the set outside. “Don’t you want to show your former subordinates that you’re not inferior?”

Following her master’s gaze, Arturia immediately spotted Lancelot holding a handheld DV camera and filming her.

“My King! Go for it!”

Upon noticing that Arturia was looking at him, Lancelot waved enthusiastically, his face flushed with excitement. He looked like a parent filming their child during a school event.

“That guy…”

Arturia’s curved ahoge on her head suddenly stood on end, and the veins on her forehead pulsated.

[Although Cu Chulainn told me that I don’t understand human hearts, I really don’t want to understand this guy’s heart…]

“Master, can’t you kick that guy out?”

Perhaps it was this strange support team that made her feel out of place among the others. Arturia rarely felt such embarrassment.

“You need to do your best.”

Shinji didn’t agree, he just smiled meaningfully.

“I understand,” Arturia nodded reluctantly. “Please give me a few minutes to find the right feeling.”

“Okay.”

Shinji waved his hand and left the set.

Now that he had said everything he wanted to, Shinji decided to give space to Kiritsugu and Arturia. As partners in the scene, they needed to communicate as well.

During the few minutes that Arturia needed to find her rhythm, Shinji didn’t rest. He called over Touko, who had become the head of the props department.

“Senpai, will there be any problems with the action scenes tomorrow?” Shinji confirmed with Touko.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already made everything according to your requirements,” Touko replied, taking out something from her bag. “I also brought a sample, take a look.”

Seeing the long, wriggling object in Touko’s hand, Shinji couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat.

What Touko was holding was a sample of the Sea Demon tentacle. Since Lancelot was cast as the Field Marshal, the related props had to be created by the props department.

However, having Touko, a beautiful woman, holding such a thing that could easily be misunderstood, one might think they were browsing a hardcore section.

“Is this thing alive?” Shinji poked it with his hand, and the tentacle in Touko’s hand tried to prick him with its barbs.

“Of course not, that would be too troublesome to take care of,” Touko shook her head. “If you must know, it’s more like an autonomous puppet, but it can only perform basic reactive movements.”

“That’s enough,” Shinji said with satisfaction. “How many of these can you make before the shoot tomorrow?”

Touko thought for a moment and gave a number, “Around 12 to 15?”

“That should be enough for tomorrow’s shots,” Shinji noted down the information in his notebook. “As for the larger Sea Demon props, how much time do you need?”

“Wait a minute,” Touko asked in surprise, “You’re not planning to actually create a monster like in the script, are you?”

Shinji explained, “Not all of it, that would be too wasteful. But we’ll still need props that are human-sized and some that completely replicate specific parts.”

Touko tapped her head thoughtfully, “Give me the specific requirements, I can’t help if I don’t know.”

“Take a look.”

Shinji didn’t waste any time and wrote down his requirements in his notebook before handing it over to Touko.

“Give me a moment, I’ll discuss this with the rest of the studio.”

Taking the notebook, Touko glanced at the requirements and then turned to make a phone call.

While Touko was on the phone, Shinji beckoned to Cu Chulainn, and the latter tossed a water bottle to him.

“Thanks.”

Shinji unscrewed the cap and took a big sip. His mouth hadn’t stopped running on set, and he had been thirsty for a while.

“Sometimes I really envy you Heroic Spirits,” Shinji teased Cu Chulainn. “Being able to maintain your physical condition just with magical energy.”

“After all, we’re already dead~”

Cu Chulainn replied without hesitation.

“Heh heh.”

Continuing to drink his water, Shinji chuckled a couple of times in response.

“But Master, you’re really something.”

Cu Chulainn looked at the tentacle that Touko had left behind and said, “I thought you were planning to have someone wear a Sea Demon costume for the performance.”

“That’s not possible; the costume can’t achieve the effect I want.”

Although he was a tokusatsu enthusiast, Shinji didn’t hold the genre in such high regard that he would insist on using costumes. While costumes could be used for performances, they had their limits. Trying to replicate the movements of multiple Sea Demon tentacles simultaneously and make them flexible with a costume was impossible. Moreover, the level of detail in the costume was also a problem. Shinji didn’t want the Sea Demon’s spikes to look too fake.

“Are you thinking of using a costume, Cu Chulainn? Do you want to appear in the movie as an actor?” Shinji asked with a sly smile.

Cu Chulainn, who had been listening intently, waved his hands in protest. “No way! With this handsome face, it has to be shown! But if you don’t mind, Master, I could play the role of a bystander who gets killed by the Sea Demon.”

[Is that the real reason you came over here?] Shinji seemed to have figured out the true motive of this acting enthusiast.

“Show your face… You really want to perform, don’t you? Well, for the afternoon shoot, we might need an actor with good physical skills.”

Shinji suddenly had an idea and suggested to Cu Chulainn, “I originally planned to have Lancelot play the role, but he already has too many roles. How about you give it a try?”

“Really?! I’d love to!” Cu Chulainn exclaimed excitedly.

Excited and nodding continuously, Cu Chulainn certainly had the enthusiasm of a dog. However, when the afternoon came…

“Master, this is definitely not the role I wanted!”

In the center of the set, wearing a black bodysuit and a white skull mask on his head, Cu Chulainn, looking like Assassin (Hassan of the Hundred Face), loudly complained to Shinji.

“Besides, with this white skull mask on my face, how can I be considered ‘showing my face’?”

“Of course, there will be a scene where your face is visible,” Shinji replied with a smile, spreading his hands. “When you are killed by Gilgamesh, there will be a frame with your face showing, Zayed-kun.”

“Who in god name is Zayed?!”

Cu Chulainn was so angry that he threw the white skull mask to the ground.