I am the Entertainment Tycoon

Theo, Ryoko, and Sam observed the candidates as they started being called and guided to the rooms where the interviewers would ask them questions.

The Umbrella's employees would ask each candidate 12 questions.

They were the following questions:

What makes you different from other animators were interviewing?

How long have you worked in the animation industry?

What is your favorite part of working in the animation industry? The least?

Walk me through your process of creating storyboards.

How do you keep up with the latest trends in the industry?

What are your favorite software programs for animating?

Tell me about a project that you are most proud of.

What are your favorite animation methods to work with?

What was your favorite animator class in school? Why?

Tell me about a time when attention to detail was crucial in your position.

What do you believe is the most important tool in creating efficient storyboards?

What are your long-term career goals in animation?

Each one of these questions would tackle an important issue in the animation industry and process.

Depending on their answer, Theo could see which direction he could guide the talented candidates.

Theo also would be able to know their knowledge about the animation production process.

Obviously, Theo wouldn't be able to watch all interviews of the now 912 candidates.

(The candidates who lied would be eliminated after the interviews)

But with the help of Sylph, he would be able to filter the candidates.

In the meantime, in the waiting room, the candidates saw 50 people being called and entering a room by the side.

The five friends from Sakura City were not called and could only wait for their turn.

"What do you guys think they will ask?" Kato asked.

"Maybe about our experience in the animation industry." Bruno said with a thoughtful face.

"It's better if we are honest. I don't wanna be eliminated because we lied in one of the answers." Mark said with an anxious face.

"I think we must pass at least the second phase to be hired as in-between animators." Jiro commented.

"Yeah, it makes sense." Joben agreed with his twin brother.

"We have to give our all! I want to get at least a position as a keyframe animator!" Bruno said with a hopeful voice.

Keyframe Animators!

In this position, they would be to display their skill and maybe get promoted.

Even if they weren't promoted, working as keyframe animators was much more rewarding and acknowledged than working as in-between animators.

They talked about the test with hopeful voices until a man walked to the front of the crowd and started calling another 50 names.

"Kuro Susumu!"

"Bruno Takahiro!"

The five friends heard Bruno's name being called.

Bruno suddenly felt his heart beating wildly in his chest.

The four who weren't called looked at Bruno and started patting his back.

"You can do it!"

"Don't be nervous!"

"Wait for us in the next phase!"

Bruno calmed a little after his friends' words.

He nodded at them and stood up from his seat.

He walked to the front where he was guided to the room by side by an employee.

When entered the room, he saw 50 tables organized neatly.

He was guided to a table where a woman was seated while looking at a paper.

She lifted her head when she heard Bruno arriving.

"Mr. Bruno Takahiro?" She asked.

"Yes!" Bruno replied readily.

"My name is Kianna Myla and I will be your interviewer for today." She said with a serious voice.

"Nice to meet you, Myla-san!" Bruno said respectfully as he bowed his head.

He had Yamato heritage, so he was used to doing this.

Kianna was a little surprised, but she brushed it off.

She started asking the standard questions that Theo gave to each interviewer.

Bruno answered the first two questions without issues.

But when Kianna asked the third question, he hesitated a little.

"What is your favorite part of working in the animation industry? The least?" She asked.

Bruno was in doubt if he should say what he didn't like to work.

This was a job interview!

If he was seen as picky by the bosses, he could be eliminated.

Suddenly, he made a decision.

He decided to be honest!

"When I was in college I did some layout works and background design. And I enjoyed working with it. So, I would say that working on the background art is my favorite part of the animation process."

"And the least would be the character design." Bruno said with an apprehensive face.

Kianna just nodded and kept asking questions.

She was instructed by her boss to only ask questions, she didn't have to worry about the candidate's answers.

She would only have to worry if the candidate said something too absurd.

The following questions Bruno answered without difficulty.

For example.

"I keep up with new trends in the industry by accessing daily animation forums for animators. I also watch the new animes when I have free time." 

"The project that I am most proud of was a short animation I did as a graduation project. Even though it was just a graduation project, I could work with what I liked without having to worry about rejection. I was able to put all my skills into that project."

"I think the attention to detail is important when making the in-between drawings, as these frames will affect directly the fluidity of the animation."

"My goal is to become the Art Director of a successful anime!" 

Bruno replied to the last question with hopeful eyes.

"Thank you, if you may go through that door you will arrive in another waiting room. The results of the first phase will be announced after everyone is interviewed." Kianna said as she pointed at a door by the back of the room.

"Thank you!" Bruno said respectfully as he bowed his head again.

The interviews lasted for 2 hours.

Everyone answered in their own way.

And Sylph took note of everything and showed the interviews she deemed important to Theo, Ryoko, and Sam.

For example, Sylph discovered that 25 people were once classmates of Ryoko.

"Oh, she was my classmate in college!" Ryoko exclaimed when she saw a short girl with blonde hair appearing on the screen.

"Yeah, what's her name?" Theo said as searched the filtered resumes Sylph sent him.

"Briana Shiori" Ryoko replied.

Theo found Briana's resume and looked at it.

"It doesn't seem that she was able to do much after college. She barely worked after college." Theo commented as he looked at the resume.

"Yeah, to be hired as a studio animator it is needed to know someone inside. I was only able to get an internship because I was on top of my class. But to the other students, it is much more difficult." Ryoko said as she sighed.

"But Briana is an amazing animator! I did some projects with her and she did an amazing job as a color designer!" Ryoko said excitedly as she remembered her friend's skill.

"Really? If she passes the third phase we can put her in the color designer test on the fourth phase." Theo commented as he smiled.

He would become happier with more talented people entering his studio.

He wanted a studio full of talents and capable people so that he would be able to launch his animes!

"Yeah, I think she will pass!" Ryoko said as they looked at Briana being interviewed.

"Theo, can you see if any other classmates of mine are here today?" Ryoko asked.

"Sure, give me a minute." Theo replied as he repeated the order to Sylph.

A while later, Theo was with on a list of 25 people on his iPad.

"Here." Theo said projected the list on the screen.

"Wow!" Ryoko exclaimed as she saw how many of her classmates were there for an interview.

"Boss, we managed to get some really talented people here today!" Ryoko said as she saw some of her classmates that were really talented in some areas.

"Really? That's great!" Theo smiled.

A while later the interviews finished and Theo and Ryoko went through some of them.

Afterward, the three of them went toward the candidates.

It was time to announce the end of the first phase.