Daisy's eyes lit up. "Oh! That's a good question! Cammy is definitely a technological device, but it also seems to have… well, you called it partial sentience, right?"
"That's right." Jester confirmed. "It records and operates independently. Sometimes even anticipates shots."
"Let's try it!" Daisy declared. Her spectral hummingbird darting forward. With a faint pop that only they could hear, the Cyber Ghostbird phased directly into Cammy's body.
For a brief moment, Cammy's usually steady blue lens glowed with an intensified, almost violet light. A barely perceptible hum resonated from its casing.
Daisy's eyes narrowed in concentration. A faint flush appearing on her cheeks. She was attempting to establish mental control. To bend Cammy to her will.
Then, just as quickly as it had begun, the violet light flickered. The hum died. Cyber Ghostbird reappeared. Ejected from Cammy. Hovering back nervously beside Daisy.
Cammy's lens returned to its usual steady blue. And it tilted slightly. Almost as if it were shaking its head.
Daisy let out a frustrated sigh. "It worked! For maybe two seconds. I could feel it, Jest. I could feel its internal workings. Its processing commands. But then… it was like it pushed me out. There was this… will. It just didn't want me in there."
Jester chuckled. Reaching out to pat Cammy. "Well, I guess Cammy likes its independence. But don't worry, that's still an incredible ability."
He turned serious for a moment. Looking at her with genuine awe. "Imagine, Girl. Cars, trains, planes, radio communication, eventually even the sattelite… With your Cyber Ghostbird, you could control them all. The further Sherra's technology advances, the stronger you are. That's truly amazing."
Daisy's expression shifted from slight annoyance to thoughtful consideration. She hadn't really considered the broader implications of her Soulheart Gear beyond basic devices.
Jester's words painted a vivid picture of a future. One where she could literally command the infrastructure of society.
"Okay, you guys..." Jester said. Refocusing them. "Now that we know what we're working with, let's get down to business. Project: Nightclown – The Toonworld Saga. We need to plan this out. Vale, you've got the music. Daisy, you've got the editing prowess and an eye for what makes a good spectacle. And I've got the raw material."
They pulled their chairs closer. Forming a small huddle around the computer. Vale opened his notebook of musical compositions. While Daisy pulled a blank pad and a pencil from her bag, ready to take notes.
"First, storylines." Jester began. "Right now, my adventures are pretty episodic. Fight some monsters, grab some loot, explore a bit. We need a coherent narrative. A beginning, a middle, an end. Are we going for a hero's journey? A comedic caper? A mystery?"
"I think a mix of adventure and comedy would be best." Daisy suggested. Tapping her pencil against the pad. "Your Nightclown persona is already pretty cute and silly. And the world itself is so whimsical. You could have a grand quest, but peppered with ridiculous encounters and slapstick humor."
Vale nodded slowly. "For music, comedy and adventure are very adaptable. We can have soaring orchestral pieces for epic moments, but also jaunty, bouncy tunes for humorous interludes."
"Right." Jester agreed. "So, what kind of footage do I need to take in Toonworld? Beyond just fighting monsters? We need character interactions, establishing shots of new locations, maybe some environmental storytelling. What are our main plot points going to be?"
Daisy scribbled furiously. "You need to interact with more characters. Give them recurring roles. Maybe make it like one of them sends you on a quest? Or becomes a rival?"
Jester nodded. "That should be manageable. And good story needs underlaying purpose, doesn't it? What is Nightclown trying to achieve? Is he trying to save the village? Find a lost treasure? Stop a villain?"
"A villain." Vale interjected. "Every good story needs a compelling antagonist. Someone Nightclown has to overcome. Not just random monsters. And not that silly boar you defeated."
"That's true." Jester mused. "Razor won't cut it. He was suitable for a dumb rival. Not compelling antagonist. Nightclown will have to explore more to find a suitable one."
"And this Nightclown's name..." Vale bluntly pointed out. "We should change it in the movie."
"What's wrong with it? It's cool and funny." Jester protested.
Vale looked at Jester. With a deadpan expression. "It was creepy. And not toony enough. It looked like the name of a horror antagonist."
"True." Daisy agreed.
Jester sighed. "Fine. Let's change it into Neon then in the movie. It should be fine, right?"
Vale and Daisy grinned and nodded.
Jester sighed again. "For now, let's focus on building out the world. I should leave the dungeon tonight and explore the world outside the dungeon more."
"You also need to capture more of the Toon Forest Village." Daisy added. "Every building. The unique flora and fauna. Maybe some of the other settlements if you can find them."
Vale agreed. "And while it, you might need to take close-ups of specific objects. Like the crafting stations, the anvils of the smithy, the farming land, the cashier at the general store... Things that will help establish the rules of Toonworld for the audience."
Daisy added, "And you need some dramatic moments. Cliffhangers! Moments where Neon is in genuine peril, or where he discovers something shocking. That's what keeps people watching."
She paused. Pondering for a while. And then continued. "Well, I think I can edit that later. But I'll need your avatar to use more expressive performance. A close-ups for mischievous smiles, open-mouthed shock, wide-eyed fear. Those kinds of expressions."
"Okay. So, more of the world's footage, close-ups for vital items, and close-ups for more expressive acts." Jester summarized. Making a mental note.
"Next, background music." He continued. "Vale, how is it going? Do you have specific ideas for certain moods or characters?"
Vale shuffled through his notebook. "Yes. For Neon's general theme, I have some suitable lighthearted, slightly mischievous music scores here. For combat, I have something more rhythmic and intense, growing with the challenge."
He tapped his notes. "For moments of discovery, here... a swelling, awe-inspiring arrangement. And I've sketched out a few darker, more unsettling themes for potential dungeon crawls or villain introductions."
"Well, I'll need to go to a music studio to record it later." He continued. "I might involve some of the guys in the music club. The key is to make the music an extension of the emotion on screen, guiding the audience's feelings. As for the budget..."
"Ugh... Let's do it after we received the monetary reward from the government." Jester immediately cut him. They were all still students. They didn't have much money in hand. He had already spent too much for the video camera and computer.
"Yeah, let's do it later." Vale agreed. "I'll prepare more to be recorded."
"Great!" Jester said. "We'll also need to figure out where each piece fits in the timeline. Which brings us to editing. Daisy, you said your Cyber Ghostbird would make it easy. But what about the vision for the editing? Pacing, transitions, special effects?"
Daisy leaned forward. Her eyes were gleaming. "That's where the art comes in. I might not know much about video editing. But I watched many movies. I know what we need."
She started listing the details. "We need snappy cuts for action, slow dissolves for emotional moments, maybe some quick montages to show progress or travel."
"And for impact, we can experiment with slow-motion for crucial hits." She continued. "Or rapid-fire cuts during an intense chase. Even simple things, like highlighting objects or characters with a subtle glow or a quick zoom, can draw the audience's eye and heighten the effect."
"And what about the audio?" Jester asked. A more contentious point. "Right now, Cammy records everything in Toonworld, including the ambient sounds, the growls of monsters, and my own words. Do we use that? Or do we scrap the original audio entirely and dub everything?"
Vale instantly wrinkled his nose. "The original audio is… raw. It's got charm for sure, but for a professional movie? We'd want to dub the speech."
"Exactly." Daisy continued. "We need voice actors for Neon, the other characters, and maybe a narrator to guide the story. And then dedicated sound effects. The cartoon world deserves crisp, exaggerated sound effects."
"Let's save the budget and do some of them ourselves." Vale suggested. "Clown should voice-act for Neon. We just need to edit it to sound more high pitched. Daisy can do the female part, if there is any. I'm fine doing the narration."
"Let's try that. If it didn't work..." Jester paused. "Well, we'll have to hire some voice actors then."
"And we needed some sound effects." Daisy reminded them. "The boing when something bounces, the splat when a jelly hits a wall, the whoosh of your spear, the clink-clank of metal. We should create a whole new soundscape that pops, rather than relying on the sometimes dull or inconsistent raw audio."
Vale chimed in. "Dubbing the speech and creating dedicated sound effects would also allow for better integration of my music. We wouldn't have competing audio tracks. Everything could be layered and mixed perfectly for maximum emotional impact."
Jester nodded slowly. Considering their points. It made sense. His dream was to create the most entertaining show. And professional dubbing, along with Vale's bespoke music, was a crucial component of that.
It lifted the project beyond mere documentation into true cinematic creation.
"Alright!" Jester said. A new resolve was in his voice. "So, the plan is... I get more diverse footage, focusing on story elements, character introductions, and world-building."
He turned to his friends. "Bard, you continue composing. Pay attention to the emotional beats we want to hit. And Daisy, you prepare your Cyber Ghostbird for some serious editing. I'll copy the raw files to a CD and you can edit it at home."
They nodded.
Jester continued. "We'll start discussing voice actors and sound effect later. After we had enough footage to create a coherent story. This is going to be epic."
The three friends looked at each other. A shared spark of ambition igniting in their eyes.
The world of Sherra was facing real, tangible threats from dungeons and demons. But in this small bedroom, three teenagers were forging a different kind of weapon.
A story. A dream. A show... One that would capture the imagination of a generation. One that, no one would guess, would be the spark that protect Sherra. From the greatest threat the world would face.
The challenge was immense. The technology was rudimentary. But their resolve was absolute. The project that would change the future was officially in full swing.