Lord of Entertainment

Chapter 169: HP Trailer

(3rd Person POV)

The TV networks had been playing catch up with Hellfire Channel since Hellfire Got Talent's first season ended weeks ago. With their flagship show on hiatus, other networks gradually closed the ratings gap with Hellfire.

Then Hellfire introduced live broadcast of the football game.

It wouldn't have been noteworthy if it was just another football match - but this was "Live" broadcasting, something other networks couldn't replicate.

Networks across Horn, Morningstar, and other nations tried countering with popular magic swordsmanship tournaments. While these helped them recover some ground, they still couldn't match the Horn Premiere League's football broadcasts.

The key factor was simple - TV viewers couldn't resist the novelty of watching events unfold in real-time.

At Horn Network Headquarters - ranked second in Horn Kingdom behind only Hellfire Network - an emergency meeting convened.

Benjamin Lopez, the network's chairman, called the meeting to address Hellfire Network's live broadcast capabilities.

"From Hellfire's announcement a few days ago, it became clear how they achieved live broadcasts for both football matches and news segments," Benjamin said, his tone serious. "It's all due to their new innovation - the 'Live Camera.'"

Julian, one of the executives, spoke up. "It's remarkable how Hellfire, which isn't even primarily an electronics company, has pushed camera technology so far ahead."

"That's what frustrates me," another executive interjected. "Impact, supposedly the leading camera manufacturer, has become irrelevant. Meanwhile, Hellfire revolutionized the industry twice - first with color cameras, and now with live broadcast technology."

Unknown to them, Arthur had adapted the live camera technology from the Dragon Ball world, streamlining its bulky design through magical innovation. By replacing conventional components with magical alternatives - like substituting analog lighting systems with light-capturing spells - he'd created a more compact and efficient device.

Benjamin massaged his temples. "We can only speculate about Hellfire's methods. Their announcement mentioned the live cameras will be available through Hellfire Electronics. It seems the infamous exiled prince has been quietly building a research division for cameras and television technology."

He leaned back in his chair. "Until Hellfire Electronics begins distribution, we're stuck waiting. And we have no idea when these cameras will hit the market. Once again, we're at Hellfire's mercy."

The network had no alternatives. They'd hoped copying Hellfire's telenovelas and news segments would help close the gap, but the distance between them only seemed to grow wider.

To make matters worse, Horn Network and its competitors realized that even after acquiring live cameras, they'd still need to lease transmission tower access from Hellfire Network for optimal broadcast coverage.

The Horn Premiere League's fifth match on May 13th saw Hellfire FC face off against Inferno United, driving Hellfire Network's ratings to new heights across Anatolia.

Even in regions where the live broadcast suffered from weak signals or delays, viewers remained captivated as football's popularity steadily grew.

According to the Pendragon Survey, Hellfire FC had emerged as the league's most popular team, their dominant victory over Inferno United only cementing their position at the top.

The following day's sixth match pitted the second-ranked Horns FC against Hell Knights. While Hell Knights showed marked improvement in their play, they still fell to Horns FC's superior technique and teamwork.

As the Horn Premiere League gained momentum, corporate interest followed. Companies began approaching football clubs with sponsorship offers, transforming the sport's financial landscape.

The club owners who'd initially doubted Arthur's vision now saw the full scope of his strategy unfolding. As longtime football enthusiasts, they'd dreamed of seeing their beloved sport gain widespread recognition. But the prospect of turning a profit - something they'd considered impossible - proved Arthur's business acumen extended far beyond entertainment.

The Horn Football Association, under Arthur's ownership, also began securing corporate sponsorships. Stadium advertising boards and team uniforms in the later Horn Premiere League matches would soon display sponsor logos.

By May 21st, viewers noticed prominent brands like "HOLLOW" adorning the stadium banners, while player uniforms featured various corporate emblems. But what caught the audience's attention most was the distinctive bottles the players drank from during breaks.

During a commercial break, Karnox of Hellfire FC appeared on screen, taking a long drink from a sleek bottle. "Get energized with Monster!" the announcer proclaimed. "The new sports drink from Hellfire Beverage! Just 0.3 dollars at your local store - with special discounts at Horn City Hellscape Center!"

The advertisement captured the imagination of viewers young and old alike.

Arthur watched the Monster commercial from his office with satisfaction. The sports drink was another innovation he'd acquired from the Dragon Ball world weeks ago, adapting its electrolyte formula and energy-boosting compounds for local production. The timing couldn't have been better - the drink's launch perfectly complemented football's rising popularity.

Monster's success would largely depend on football's growing popularity. Arthur knew the sports drink had potential to challenge "Red Mana's" market dominance.

While football continued its upward trajectory, another project reached a crucial stage - the Harry Potter film entered its final phase of editing.

The Hellfire Network would soon introduce movie trailers to promote the film, a marketing concept this world had yet to discover. Arthur intended to revolutionize how films were advertised.

Several major studios had already requested advance screenings, curious about Arthur's latest project. Though these were his longtime partners, he'd noticed their loyalty wavering as they gravitated toward studios with established VFX departments.

Arthur couldn't fault their skepticism - his directing hiatus had led the film industry to question his capabilities.

The Lava Brothers, a prominent demon studio from his Morningstar days, particularly exemplified this shift. Despite operating their own VFX Studio - one they'd purchased from Arthur himself - and producing several blockbusters, they saw little value in maintaining ties with Hellfire Studio.

Their only consistent contact came through inquiries about Lord of the Rings sequels.

Arthur remained unfazed by their attitude.

The Lava Brothers, like other studios, assumed he'd resigned himself to television, believing his blockbuster filmmaking days were behind him.

The television industry's rapid growth couldn't mask a fundamental reality - even at its peak, monthly TV revenue paled in comparison to what a successful blockbuster film could generate in just four weeks. Factor in the substantial costs of operating TV networks, and the financial disparity became even more stark.

This perception of television as a lesser market led major film studios to essentially abandon it to Arthur. Rival studios, Titan Pictures among them, had grown complacent. They dismissed Arthur as a serious competitor, convinced he would remain confined to television's modest profits while they maintained their grip on the more lucrative film industry.

The next day brought an unprecedented surprise to the entertainment industry when Hellfire Network launched a revolutionary film promotion.

The network, which covered most of Anatolia and Empirica - though live broadcasts hadn't reached the Empirica region yet - aired the "Harry Potter" trailer across both territories simultaneously.

Viewers sat transfixed as something entirely new unfolded on their screens: A misty train station emerged from darkness, its architecture grand and mysterious. Above it, perched on distant cliffs, loomed an ancient castle beneath a full moon.

"In a world where magic shapes reality," a deep voice resonated, "three races stand at the crossroads of destiny. Humans... Demons... Elves..."

The scenes shifted rapidly - a bustling magical metropolis, Hogwarts Castle bathed in ethereal light, students facing the Sorting Hat. Each moment revealed more of this magical world where humans, demons, and elves studied together.

"Where courage will meet intellect," the narrator intoned as Harry Potter raised his wand, lightning crackling around him, "and ambition will clash with destiny."

The trailer climaxed with dramatic flashes of magical combat, ending on a haunting question: "Where will your magic take you?"

As the title "Harry Potter" appeared on screen, homes across both kingdoms erupted with excitement.

"Mom, I want to watch it!" a child exclaimed in an Empirica household, bouncing with enthusiasm.

The parents released a breath they hadn't realized they'd been holding. Like everyone else, they'd never seen anything like this before. Film promotion had always meant simple billboards and posters - this was something entirely new.