Once, Takayuki had recruited a group of composers.
They were typically people whose careers in their own circles had been stifled, and they were facing financial difficulties.
When these individuals saw Takayuki's recruitment and the promised compensation, they were eager to join and began working at Gamestar Electronic Entertainment.
However, some of them still held onto their pride as composers, unwilling to learn new knowledge or broaden their horizons.
Back in the SFC (Super Famicom) era, creating music for games required specialized equipment, and composers also had to learn some basic computer programming. Only then could they compose music for the SFC.
And programming couldn't be outsourced—it had to be done by the composers themselves.
Only the composers truly understood how to make the music. Any slight adjustments were best handled by them.
...
Other people might have made things worse rather than helping.
Some composers, unable to make progress in the music field and too proud to venture into new areas, looked down on video game music, thinking it was cheap. They even belittled video game production in front of Takayuki, which led to them being kicked out.
Later, these composers didn't achieve anything better and spent their lives mediocrally.
However, those who were willing to learn new things and showcase their composing talents in a new field, like video games, ended up benefiting from the gaming industry boom. Some of them became famous, including the composer for Final Fantasy, who gained a reputation in the music world.
Now, no one looks down on video game composers, and some video game soundtracks are even performed on tour at famous opera houses.
Just like these video game composers, Takayuki now needed video game directors, writers, and actors.
The requirements for actors and writers could be relaxed a bit. They didn't need to know complex programming, but the directors had to know at least some basic knowledge in the area.
Moreover, Takayuki needed them to be long-term employees at Gamestar Electronic Entertainment.
They could take on other film projects, but when it came to game development, their main focus had to be on that.
Soon enough, Tukairev sent an email with a list of candidates who met Takayuki's requirements.
There were three directors, three writers, and fifteen or sixteen actors.
Acting was a tough industry where many talented individuals struggled to stand out. Tukairev's team had the most of these people.
In total, there were about twenty people. Takayuki estimated this was about right. He could thoroughly evaluate the directors and writers, while he could directly extend invitations to the actors.
Takayuki casually went through the list of actors and felt that they all seemed quite suitable, with both male and female actors.
What Takayuki really cared about was their acting ability. He didn't have high expectations for their looks, as he could always swap their faces in the motion capture process.
...
Joe Hume, an actor who had been active in the 1990s, had appeared in some major films in supporting roles and even in leading roles in mid-budget films. He was somewhat successful, but like many in the industry, his luck had run out.
At the peak of his career, a car accident severely damaged his appearance.
His previously handsome face bore a deep scar, and with the technology of the 90s, it could not be perfectly repaired. His career was derailed, and he could only take on typecast roles, unable to return to leading roles.
In the world of entertainment, there was never a shortage of handsome or beautiful people, especially in the film industry. If someone had a scar on their body, it was one thing, but if it was on their face, their career was essentially over.
To repair his face, Joe spent all the money he had earned from acting, but the results were minimal.
As his savings dwindled and acting opportunities became rarer, he began to feel a sense of hopelessness.
Life, it seemed, was full of ups and downs…
Later, he gave up on hopes of fixing his face but didn't abandon his acting career. He slowly accepted his fate, settling into being a character actor.
"Joe, great job, we'll resume shooting in an hour," said someone from the filming set.
Joe finished his morning work and sat down to rest.
Someone handed him water, and he thanked them, looking toward the ongoing scene.
It was a confrontation between the protagonist and the ultimate villain, a very exciting scene.
In today's industry, even villains need charisma. Someone with a scar like Joe's could no longer be the big villain; now he was relegated to being a henchman.
He gazed at the filming with some longing.
Beep beep, beep beep.
At that moment, his phone rang. He picked it up, noticing it was an unfamiliar number.
Out of politeness, he answered the call, thinking if it was a sales call, he would hang up right away.
"Mr. Joe Hume, is this you?"
"Yes, this is Joe. Who's calling?"
"I'm an employee from Gamestar Electronic Entertainment. To cut a long story short, we have a role that might interest you. The compensation should be to your satisfaction. Are you available for this project?"
Upon hearing the mention of acting, Joe immediately became alert. This was a rare opportunity for someone to contact him for a role: "Of course, I'm available. Can you tell me where the shoot is taking place? I'm ready to go."
"I'm not sure about the shoot dates, I'm just letting you know about the opportunity. If you're interested, you can come to *** address, which is our office in the US. Someone there will meet you and discuss the details."
"Okay, okay."
Joe quickly wrote down the address.
He was a bit curious, though. This wasn't an address he recognized from any film companies.
It wasn't even in a typical area where film companies were located.
But regardless, having an acting opportunity was always good.
Even in his current situation, he wasn't ready to give up on his acting career—after all, it was still his passion and dream.