Chapter 5: Tiger Child
The Van Gogh exhibition held at the Augarten Palace concluded smoothly without any notable incidents. Being an invitation-only event for the aristocracy and those associated with them, there was no reason for the atmosphere to turn unpleasant.
Even individuals with challenging personalities would strive to maintain decorum at a prestigious exhibition attended by high-class individuals. It is, after all, the Hapsburg family's palace where art is being showcased. Who would dare to disrupt such an esteemed setting?
Cultured behavior is expected in a refined space, fostering connections among attendees and providing a platform for the reevaluation of artworks and artists.
In fact, many people lingered for a long time, indicating that Van Gogh's works had evoked something within them. With their deep connection to culture, these individuals possessed a discerning eye.
Although I personally couldn't discern the same emotions, I firmly believe in Van Gogh's unique artistic style and his profound thoughts. Even in the 21st century, there is no denying that he remains an immortal masterpiece and one of the greatest masters.
By unveiling his works a little earlier than in the original history, the exhibition received excellent evaluations, and the value of Van Gogh's enduring works undoubtedly skyrocketed.
"Karl, well done."
After the exhibition concluded, my mother stroked my head and praised me.
Although, in reality, Johanna had worked harder than me, it was I who had initiated the whole endeavor. My mother firmly believed that every experience, regardless of its scale, would prove valuable for my growth.
The enhanced image of a noble supporting an artist at a young age was indeed a welcomed bonus, not a detriment. Austria boasts an abundance of artists, yet that was not the foremost concern for me.
The Van Gogh exhibition wouldn't yield immediate financial gains; money wouldn't flow into my hands right away. My attention was directed elsewhere.
"Your Highness, it was a successful exhibition."
"Thank you very much!"
"But I didn't do anything?"
"How could Your Highness's contribution, such as lending the palace and inviting people, be considered small?"
Beside me stands Otto Tressler, a man in his mid-twenties with a handsome face, smiling brightly. He is an actor from Vienna, a friend of my mother, and also my business partner.
Describing him may seem a bit complicated, but before I go into that, let me explain our father's current situation.
Although he possesses the impressive Augarten Palace and considerable wealth, outwardly, he appears rather shabby. Even after coming to Vienna, our father hasn't changed much.
He still indulges in drinking and gambling, and there may even be another illegitimate sibling out there. As a result, rumors about our father have spread throughout the imperial capital of Vienna, eventually reaching the ears of Emperor Franz Joseph I.
The Emperor knows well how lonely it can be when one's spouse shows no interest. His own wife had abandoned all rights and responsibilities, wandering the world. It's a situation one can't help but sympathize with.
But no matter how old the Emperor is, he wouldn't dare to be reckless with his adult nephew. Moreover, considering it's the late 19th century, there's not much that can be done in such circumstances. It's not just one or two individuals involved in this situation.
Feeling sorry for my mother, the Emperor decided to send Otto Tressler, a young and handsome actor. If someone hears this, they might doubt what they heard.
No, it's true.
A late-twenties princess of the Jochberg dynasty, who is married, and a mid-twenties actor. From a distance, it is an intriguing subject that could make one snicker.
Or perhaps it's just me? Wouldn't anyone have different thoughts about this? Even the most innocent person can't help but have impure thoughts about such a pairing. Where does one draw the line between friendship and something more between a man and a woman? At least, that's how I see it.
But when I saw it firsthand, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
The difference in social status between my mother, who came from a noble lineage, and Otto Tressler, who was neither noble nor of high birth, was significant.
Our father didn't seem to mind at all; he even appeared pleased to have Otto's support. It's truly an astonishing household.
Anyway, my mother and Otto Tressler shared stories like friends. In a word, they were friends. I deeply regretted my strange imagination. However, Tressler became closer to me than my own mother. We became close friends.
"Have you seen a movie, Your Highness? It's fascinating how the pictures move."
The subject was movies. Quite an intriguing word, isn't it?
I can't claim to know everything about the world as an aristocrat. Despite moving between Augarten Palace and Theresianum, my knowledge can only reach so far.
Otto Tressler was someone who could provide intriguing information. Through him, I learned about the current activities of actors and the state of movies at that time.
Present-day films are still in their infancy, similar to newborns taking their first steps. Calling a short video, not even lasting a minute, a movie—a moving picture, nothing more and nothing less—defines the era we live in. Isn't it fascinating?
I recognize the immense impact and influence that the medium of movies will have in the future. Therefore, I wanted to leave my mark on history, even if just for a moment.
It wasn't a daunting task.
We could acquire the necessary equipment with sufficient funds, and using the palace as our filming location was a simple decision. After all, we have plenty of empty rooms in our house.
As for actors, Tressler could take on that role, and for the other miscellaneous tasks, we could assign people accordingly. It wasn't about creating an epic two-hour blockbuster.
Considering the brevity of current movies that don't even last a minute, it was a straightforward endeavor.
A movie starring Tresler set against the backdrop of Augarten Palace. It barely exceeds one minute in duration. The initial movie we made received quite a good response.
"Your Highness, it's truly ingenious."
"Is this all there is?"
"I've never seen a movie that employs such techniques."
As sweet as a delicacy may be, excessive indulgence can become unbearable. I barely flatter through close-up shots, so how could I possibly enjoy it?
Nevertheless, I take pride in leaving a mark in the film industry. Though it may already exist elsewhere, this might be one of the first movies to utilize close-up techniques. Even if not the absolute first, a movie filmed by a young aristocrat and a handsome actor in Augarten Palace won't be easily forgotten.
It should be kept well hidden. While it may not seem like much now, it will prove more valuable in the future than any ordinary treasure.
"I think I understand why Your Highness's name even reached Vienna."
While half-jokingly making a movie, Tresler began to grow attached to me.
Well, it's not so bad.
There's a certain joy in hearing cheers, which is only natural for someone in my position. After all, I'm already standing on someone's shoulders, and in the future, I'll be ruling over everyone.
"Your Highness, wouldn't you like to create more?"
I nodded in response to Tresler's proposal, seeing the eagerness in his eyes. Well, there was still plenty of time. And I didn't know if it would turn out to be more profitable than I expected.
To make more money, we need a massive industry. My interests lie more in tanks and airplanes for the grand event that will ignite the world. How much difference will a movie make?
Nevertheless, I went ahead and made one, putting in the effort to create proper childhood memories. In an era where short videos barely last one minute, I crafted a film lasting more than five minutes.
The story is simple; you can't include much depth in such a short duration. It's about a bicycle deliveryman in Vienna and a capricious noble lady living in a grand mansion (Augarten Palace). Surprisingly, it caused a sensation in the emerging film industry.
"Now, the Bible of the newly born movie industry has arrived. Filmmakers will pay homage to and learn from this movie for decades to come."
"It's a tremendous impact that movies can bring!"
"During the first screening, I was captivated. It took some effort to pull myself out during the second screening, and by the third screening, I realized how great this movie is."
Although the film industry might be embarrassingly small to be called an industry, the rumors about my movie spread within our narrow circle fast. Being hailed as a genius has become familiar to me, but being put on a pedestal made me feel rather uncomfortable.
I gave it a little extra effort, thinking it would be the last film I made. My inspiration was drawn solely from what I had seen in visual media, like movies and dramas from my previous life.
However, what felt more familiar now was the revolutionary art of this era. If I had released this film in the 21st century, I would have been criticized for wasting money in vain. The critics would have scoffed, questioning whether the film industry was that easy to conquer. It might have turned out so poorly that not even a review would have surfaced, eventually sinking into oblivion.
But this era is different.
"Your Highness, you have left a significant mark in the film industry!"
Initially, I hadn't planned to stay in the movie business for long, especially when comparing the modern film market to the present-day one. The difference is quite significant. In the 21st century, the massive market size enabled significant capital movement and the potential for making substantial profits.
However, this era is different. The amount of money one can hold in their hand is limited.
Thanks to the movie that made a significant mark in the film industry, Tressler received much attention and built a career solely based on that movie. He saw me as his savior.
Surprisingly, when we increased the number of screenings in Vienna, the movie received positive reviews and made more money than I had expected. Paying money to watch something like this in the late 19th century was truly remarkable.
On a whim, I established a company called Karl & Auto Pictures. I had many considerations for the name, but in the end, I settled on Pictures to give it a strong studio vibe.
Once the company was set up, I let all the ideas flow, and Tressler diligently gathered people to make movies.
We started with several one-minute movies as experiments, and through those trials, we combined techniques to create longer films. Eventually, we produced a movie that lasted over 15 minutes, telling a story about traveling to the moon by train.
While not entirely original, I borrowed some elements from works that my ancestors had seen in the 21st century. Now, with my accelerated pace, it didn't seem to matter, right? It became the first science fiction movie, a grand masterpiece that showcased groundbreaking techniques. We captured magnificent moving trains and scenes of lunar travel through compositing.
Even in the 21st century, if there are dreamers in the movie industry, they might not know my name, but wouldn't they study my works? These films, along with the ones I had accumulated so far, spread not only in Vienna but also reached London in the United Kingdom, Paris in France, Berlin in the German Empire, and St. Petersburg in the Russian Empire.
In this era, is there anything for people to enjoy besides alcohol? It must be a time without even crossword puzzles in the newspaper.
Movies turned out to be more profitable than I expected. Since there were no producers of high status like me with capital and connections, it was a small-scale market, but we monopolized it, leading to more significant profits than I had anticipated.
In this life of continuous success, I became pretty conceited. How many concerns could the nobles living in the palace possibly have compared to mine?
As I immersed myself in this place devoid of die-hard fans, there was no one to disturb me. However, I soon realized that the world could be scarier and more frightening than I had imagined.
"In America?" Tressler appeared troubled when he came to Augarten to sell the movie and make money.
Expanding to the American market seemed like the next logical step after conquering Europe. While Europe remained the center of the world, selling movies there was feasible, but it was a different story for places like Africa or Asia, which posed significant challenges. Those regions were like hell, where people struggled just to survive, and finding time and space to watch movies seemed impossible.
However, America presented a different opportunity. Though not as powerful as 21st-century America, it was undoubtedly an economically enticing prospect. Yet, I encountered my first obstacle in this venture.
"Our movie is already being shown in America?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Tressler confirmed.
"Isn't it just the same name?"
"No, everything, from the title to the content, is exactly the same."
"Are there still 'Bootleg' in this era?"