Chapter 49

Days passed

Another Saturday Arrived.

Edward completed his usual morning routine. Around eight o'clock, he turned on his desktop computer, logged into his YouTube account, and uploaded his video, just like he always does.

After completing the upload, he turned to the statistics of his previous videos and sighed upon seeing a significant drop in views.

From the initial 180,000 and 170,000 views of the two split-screen song covers last month, the views have now dropped to an average of 90k to 120k views this month.

The decrease in viewership was disheartening, and while Edward had anticipated it, it still weighed heavily on his spirits. However, he also understood that such a trend was inevitable in the world of online content creation.

After all, the concept of a split-screen song cover was still new and novel at that time, leaving people feeling fresh and astounded.

However, after the continuous uploads of content with the same theme, it was natural for everyone's enthusiasm to wear off.

This is how the online video market works, and Edward understands this point.

Staying resilient in the face of fluctuating trends and audience engagement is crucial for the longevity of creative endeavors. People are constantly seeking something novel and different; quality and logic are not always prerequisites to pique their interest. As long as content is fresh and captivating, it will catch their attention and draw them in.

This was also the reason why he decided to reach out to Musika Inc, to get a new instrument sponsorship for his content.

As a person who knew the future, he understood that the true potential of a split-screen song cover involved multiple video recordings of playing different instrument parts of a song within a single display.

The main problem was that Edward wasn't proficient enough with other instruments. Thinking about this, he felt helpless and without a choice. He could only proceed step by step—mastering one instrument before moving on to the next.

Shaking his head, he logged out of his YouTube account and began preparing the things he needed for later.

At around 8:30, he left his apartment and caught a jeepney to head towards the next shooting location.

In an Abandoned Mental Hospital.

As soon as he arrived, Edward immediately greeted the group as usual and waited for others to arrive.

Some time later, as the group was fully assembled, Edward glanced around and noticed that the person who was absent during the last gathering had now joined.

However, there was a new absence this time—an person who had been there before was now missing.

"Where's M?" Edward asked curiously.

"He had a group project to attend to," Danica explained.

"What project?" Edward inquired, intrigued.

"They're going to make a video presentation? I'm not sure what exactly it is," Danica elaborated.

"I see,"

Edward took in the explanation with a nod, keeping his emotions in check.

He understood there was nothing he could do about it. Accepting the situation, he redirected his focus to the tasks at hand, knowing that dwelling on it wouldn't help.

Together with the others, Edward entered the abandoned building and spoke to the security guard outside

"I really don't know," the guard said, spreading his hands in a somewhat dismissive gesture. Upon hearing their request, his furrowed brows and a tight-lipped expression made it evident that he wanted to chase them out, displaying a clear hint of impatience and annoyance.

"Really? How about we talk somewhere else privately?" Edward said with a knowing tone, subtly touching his pocket, implying he had something important. He hoped this would pique the guard's interest and lead to a more discreet conversation.

"This..." the guard hesitated, weighing his options, but in the end, he gestured for Edward to follow him inside the guard house.

"This place isn't bad," Edward remarked with a friendly smile, subtly slipping a few hundred bucks into the guard's hand. The guard readily accepted it, returning the smile appreciatively.

"Yes, yes, it's nice and cozy, and it wasn't hot inside," the guard chuckled.

"Hahaha, yes, yes, how long do you think we can film inside?"

"Eh, you're not filming inside, just here for a visit, you know what I mean?" the guard said, shaking his head and correcting Edward with a knowing smile. Edward returned the smile.

"Yes, we're not filming, just visiting."

"HAHAHA, of course. You can visit inside until 8 in the evening; after that is my off duty. Otherwise, you wouldn't want to be locked inside, would you?"

"Of course we don't!" Edward laughed. After a few more pleasantries, they headed out of the guardhouse, and the guard unlocked the gate. They were then allowed in.

"What did you do to make him agree?" Angela asked curiously.

"Hehe, there's nothing in this world that money can't solve. If there is, then it wasn't enough."

"Oh." The group nodded in unison as realisation struck them and was amazed.

After all, at this age, other than the one they've heard and the one they saw on the internet, they don't know much about society.

'It turns out that money can still be used like this.' Each of them had the same thought.

Time passed,

After circling around the place several times, they began preparing for their filming as usual.

Those who needed to act, wore clothes according to their roles, and those behind the scenes began drafting plans on how to film the various scenes in the script they prepared.

The abandoned place basically met all kinds of settings in their draft, but there's still a lot of preparation such as cleaning, props, and planning the angle of cameras.

An hour later, the shooting began.

The plot of the first skit is about a person (A) who goes to a mental hospital to pretend to be crazy and meets another person (B) who is also pretending.

The two noticed the strangeness of the other party. Although they were suspicious of each other, they thought they wouldn't be discovered, so they kept pretending

They did things that only crazy people can do: laughing out of nowhere and dancing stupidly in front of everyone.

At one point, they met in the Comfort Room/Restroom and stared at each other. In order not to be found out by the other party, they maintained their silly act.

"Do you want to play?"

"What game?"

"Let's compete: whose pee can go farther?"

"..."

"Are you in? Or maybe you're afraid... what are you afraid of?"

"That? Of course, I'm not afraid. I'm crazy, man, I'm crazy! Rawr!"

"So, are you gonna play with me?"

"O-okay, okay! Come on! Let's play. You may not know it, but I used to be a champion of pee-games in my youth!"

The abandoned setting echoed with laughter and the sound of running footsteps as they made their way to the chosen spot for their unusual competition. With a mix of stupid laughter and crazy acting, they both got ready.

"CUTT! Ed, you made a mistake again, your expression was stiff, softened it a bit.."

"Ed, the way you deliver your line is exaggerated, tone it down a bit."

"Alfred, speak more clearly!"

Two hours later, they had finally completed the first skit. After reviewing the various clips that would piece together the 5-minute skit, a sense of relief washed over everyone involved.

The initial worries and doubts about the location and the spontaneity of their actions had been replaced by genuine smiles of satisfaction.

Filming a skit, contrary to what viewers might imagine, isn't always as fun as it appears. The behind-the-scenes process is often monotonous and at times, downright tedious.

Various complications frequently arise, ranging from challenges in acting and getting into character to dealing with props that may not cooperate or behave as intended.

As the day progressed, they moved on to the following skits, facing the expected challenges but managing to work through them.

Following the security guard's guidance, they wrapped up and left the location before eight in the evening.

Observing the fatigue on everyone's faces, Edward decided not to disband the group immediately.

Instead, he suggested they head to a nearby small restaurant, offering a chance to unwind and relax after the day's demanding shoot.

As they ate, the group was soon filled with chatter and laughter.

"By the way, how is the recruitment of NG's going?" Edward suddenly remembered and asked, shifting the conversation towards the recruitment of new members.

At that moment, everyone stopped their chatter, turning their attention to the people responsible for recruiting new members.

Their curiosity and interest were clearly visible on their faces, eager to hear updates on the recruitment process and potential additions to their group.

After all, shooting skits was undeniably challenging, and they were often short on manpower. Everyone, whether it was the cameraman or others, had to take turns acting in various scenes.

"The group page has already been created, and there are already a few hundred people who have joined. We've also posted recruitment notices in it, but..."