In a move that has stunned the entertainment industry in July 1548, the Promland Parliament passed the Silence Act, which will prohibit all musical playback in public venues beginning next January.
The decision comes at a critical juncture for the Film Guild, which is currently preparing “The Laaber Bugle”—a highly anticipated sound picture adapted from the popular comic serial Super Laabor Warriors. The film's main attraction lies in its use of the revolutionary "sound-on-film" technology recently developed by Glosarn Media.
With the Act now in effect, all public screenings will require the Sound Regulation and Control Agency, though the criteria for approval remain undefined. Industry insiders fear the new regulation will disrupt release schedules and promotional campaigns, particularly for pictures reliant on synchronized audio.
The bill has ignited fervent debate across social circles, with many viewing it as a reflection of the state's growing emphasis on public order and moral atmosphere.
"We're finished! Absolutely finished! 'All public music requires a permit'—how are we supposed to screen the march when the Laabor charges? What about the bugle loop for the theater lobby? …Wait, Mrs. Morissot, Mr. Lando, why are you both so calm? This is our magnum opus!"
"My dear, between you and me… when I wrote the scene where the hero routs an entire fleet by blowing a bugle, I rather hoped something like this might come along."
"Ahem. While I hold every role in the highest professional regard, I must admit… the realization that this picture may never reach an audience has considerably eased my recent… apprehensions."
"…Pardon?"
