Chapter 860 Sometimes
In late November, several awards in North America announced their nominations and winners.
The performance of "Dingfeng No. 1" can be described as "appearing and disappearing intermittently".
Unstable, but it has certainly remained in the spotlight during awards season.
The same applies to Wen Shengming's Best Supporting Actor award.
He receives a nomination from time to time.
In this light, regardless of whether Wen Shengming receives one or two important nominations or an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, he has certainly gained some recognition in Hollywood this year.
Just like an Asian actress named Zhou Hong, who entered the awards season spotlight with the movie "Downsizing". Even though she didn't win an Oscar, she finally gained recognition in Hollywood through her performance during the awards season, which opened the door to mainstream movies for her.
Lu Yanhe's performance in the Best Actor category was also "sometimes visible, sometimes not."
Not in the top tier, but not fallen behind either.
Unlike Chen Pinhe in "The Pianist," who was all set to make a big splash but whose career ended as soon as it began.
As the month draws to a close, the Golden Globe Awards, the most important of the awards season's prelude awards, will soon announce its nominations.
The movie "Men in Black" released a movie poster at this time.
There were no actors, only a conceptual poster with art direction.
Nevertheless, it was a highly anticipated project in itself, and the moment the new poster was released, attention was drawn, especially regarding discussions about Lu Yanhe.
In fact, Soren has already begun casting for this film.
The casting director has already started auditioning actors in Hollywood. Generally, there are several rounds of auditions and screen tests before the casting process is considered complete, at which point the application materials are sent to Lu Yanhe. Therefore, Lu Yanhe currently has no idea what the situation is.
This was simply a gift from Soren, who was in the "honeymoon period" of their collaboration, to Lu Yanhe, who was vying for an award during this awards season.
Attention and public attention are power in themselves.
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Lu Yanhe is currently filming "Friends" at a rapid pace.
He's focusing all his attention on filming this drama for now. Only by finishing filming it as soon as possible can he feel at ease to attend the subsequent public relations and promotional events for "Dingfeng No. 1".
The plot of this season of Friends is actually a bit melodramatic.
However, as I said before.
At this stage, as long as the characters aren't distorted, even the most melodramatic plot won't stop people from enjoying watching it.
This was originally a drama with a somewhat melodramatic plot. The plot was never the main point.
The crew was completely at ease with the filming on set. Each person was so familiar with their character that it was practically ingrained in their very being.
Even when Lu Yanhe entered the film set, he habitually put on the mask that was based on Joey, the real-life inspiration for his character.
Whether it's his speech or his actions, it's all Joey.
Yan Liang said, "I've been playing this role for almost ten years now, and I feel like this role has become a part of me."
Lu Yanhe asked, "Won't it get boring?"
Yan Liang shook his head.
“I don’t feel tired of it at all. Acting is as natural as eating and drinking. I hardly need to evoke any emotions,” he said. “Acting in Friends now feels different from acting in other shows.”
Lu Yanhe understood Yan Liang's feelings.
"It's good that they don't get tired of it. Actually, at this point in the filming, I was a little worried that everyone might get tired of playing the same role every year. Once the actors lose their creative and performance feeling and it becomes just routine, the role becomes boring."
He had a very clear plan for Friends, and he knew very well the whole picture of the Friends story. Therefore, because he was in God's-eye view, he didn't get tired of acting, because he knew where the story would ultimately lead.
However, it's different for others.
For actors, sitcoms have a very negative impact—the characters have far less depth and development compared to other genres. The fact that melodramatic plots don't affect the quality of the show reveals that the core of sitcoms lies in the combination of stereotypical character traits and diverse comedic elements.
Actors can become "desensitized" if they act in too many roles.
This is why many comedians, especially sketch comedy actors, are more prone to creative burnout and a lack of staying power than other actors. Staying in the same circle all the time, even more dangerous than easily losing passion, is losing sensitivity to rhythm.
Objectively speaking, others might think you acted very well, and your voice had that same quality from the first note. But as an actor, you can't find that initial passion for acting or that creative certainty. It's like walking on cotton, feeling ungrounded and weak.
Lu Yanhe said to Yan Liang, "They definitely won't tell me, but if anyone encounters this situation and they mention it to you, you must tell me. I don't want anyone to feel pressured."
"Yan He, do you have a clear plan for 'Friends'? Where will the show end, or will it continue to be filmed season after season?"
“In my plan, this show will last for about five or six more seasons,” Lu Yanhe said. “It will probably continue until we are in our early thirties, just like the characters in the show, ending at the stage of moving from youth to middle age.”
“I understand,” Yan Liang said. “Then I suggest you talk to everyone and let them know so they can be prepared in advance. This will put their minds at ease and allow them to make some arrangements ahead of time.”
Lu Yanhe: "Okay."
Yan Liang added, "Actually, from my own perspective, I would be quite willing to let this show continue season after season, as long as the audience is still willing to watch it. It would be fine if it continued until I was thirty or forty years old. For me, the significance of this show to my own life has long surpassed that of other shows."
"Then it would really become a long, smelly, and tedious rag," Lu Yanhe said.
It's like a novel called "Choose a Day to Become Famous".
Yan Liang: "I really feel that way. In fact, it's the same for the audience of this series. Everyone has integrated this drama and these characters into their own lives and made them friends in the spiritual world. I sincerely feel this."
Lu Yanhe: "Yan Liang, believe me, if you really never end this, all the good impressions of this drama will be greatly diminished."
Although he believed that if he continued filming, many people would definitely keep watching.
However, Grey's Anatomy did not become more popular with audiences despite its still high viewership ratings.
A show like "Friends" and a show like "The Big Bang Theory" taught Lu Yanhe that knowing when to quit while you're ahead is the right thing to do.
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In North America.
Liu Bige and Wen Shengming met up and, under Green Valley's arrangement, went on a crazy spree to increase exposure.
Even though they don't have much public recognition or star power, it doesn't matter.
Awards season means—
The entire industry and social circles, during this period, from small private parties to large-scale public events, have basically revolved around this theme.
If Liu Bige and Wen Shengming want to increase their exposure, they don't need Green Valley to create various platforms for them out of thin air.
Midoriya only needs to get the invitations for them; the rest is up to them.
For Midoriya, obtaining the invitation was not exactly easy, but it was certainly a matter of course.
The competition for Best Foreign Language Film this year was quite fierce. In fact, the competition for this award is fierce every year. The United States has its own "big year" and "small year" for films, but on a global scale, there is almost no such distinction. The number of good films emerging from major film festivals always far exceeds five.
"Calm Wind No. 1" faces stiff competition this year from South Korea, Japan, and Thailand, each with a film that has won awards at the four major international film festivals and has been selected by their respective countries for this year's Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Their public relations budgets are arguably no less than "Calm Wind No. 1's," and in some ways, their national film bureaus place far greater emphasis on this award than China's.
In recent years, the Chinese film industry has become much more "culturally confident" regarding overseas awards. It's no longer the kind of dream-like pursuit it had decades ago. Therefore, the public relations expenses for "Ding Feng No. 1" in North America were primarily covered by Longyan and Green Valley companies, with Shi Huo and Ling He also contributing a portion. This contrasts with South Korea, where the film department directly allocates a dedicated fund for public relations.
The reason why "Calm Wind No. 1" is said to be the biggest competitors of Japanese, Korean and Thai films is because when it comes to awards, the logic of "dividing the spoils" is inevitable everywhere in the world. This may not be a so-called behind-the-scenes manipulation, but most people subconsciously have this kind of thinking.
Based on the long-standing practice, Asian films may not receive any of the five nominations, but it is very difficult for them to receive more than two nominations at the same time.
The biggest advantages that "Calm Wind No. 1" has over these films are twofold: first, it stars Lu Yanhe, a big name who has established himself in Hollywood, making it impossible for Academy members to ignore; second, its box office performance far surpasses that of its competitors, both in North America and overseas, making "Calm Wind No. 1" stand out in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
Liu Bige is asked in every situation whether he will come to Hollywood to make movies in the future.
Following Midoriya's instructions, even if Liu Bige didn't have this idea, he had to say things like "Yes," or "Actually, I'm also looking into projects to see if there are any suitable ones." This was a posture that needed to be displayed.
And Wen Shengming—
Wen Shengming, don't ask anymore.
Through Shi Huo's connections, he has already made a guest appearance in a very popular American TV series, starring in one episode.
It will be broadcast soon.
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"We've tried our best, and whether we get a nomination or not is up to us." Kim Won-bin, director of South Korea's nominee "Hummingbird," said in an interview with a media outlet, "After all, we don't have a lead actor like Lu Yanhe, who has connections and influence in Hollywood, like 'Windbreaker No. 1.' The publicity resources he could bring to 'Windbreaker No. 1' are something I envy but can't have."
This interview report came out of nowhere.
Darren Wilson didn't even receive any advance notice—in Hollywood, almost everything is part of the industry and network of connections, and for reports that mention names like this, the relevant parties usually receive advance notice.
This infuriated Darren Wilson.
Not receiving prior notice was, to him, a "great disgrace."
Kim Won-bin's statement in a media interview, seemingly mocking his own incompetence, actually points to Lu Yanhe's influence in Hollywood, which helped "The Wind Rises" obtain better public relations resources, and is unfair to foreign films like "Hummingbird" that did not have Lu Yanhe's support behind the scenes.
Of course, this has nothing to do with fairness or unfairness.
Therefore, Kim Won-bin didn't say it explicitly in the interview, but rather implied it.
Once the interview content is released, public opinion will naturally develop in this direction.
This is why Darren Wilson was so angry.
Of all Darren Wilson's current clients, Lu Yanhe is definitely his top priority.
If problems arise here in North America, doesn't that make him seem incompetent?
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At the party, Darren Wilson indeed heard many people discussing Kim Won-bin's interview.
However, the discussion took Darren Wilson by surprise. The topic wasn't fairness, but rather the extent of Lu Yanhe's power in Hollywood.
Especially those who spend a lot of time in Hollywood.
As soon as Darren Wilson appeared, people came over to inquire, "Why hasn't Lu Yanhe been participating in any public relations activities for the movie 'Windbreaker' lately?"
“He’s filming a movie,” Darren said with a helpless expression. “He’s filming Friends every year around this time.”
"That South Korean director has openly and indirectly said that Lu Yanhe provided a lot of help to 'The Wind Rises', and some media outlets are discussing this now. Doesn't Lu Yanhe plan to respond?"
"What's the point of responding?" Darren said. "Every year, there are big-name films vying for awards season, and every year there are dark horses. Ryu Eom-ha starred in 'Windbreaker,' so of course he would use his influence to promote the film. Any filmmaker would do that. Didn't Kim Won-bin also use his influence to sway the judges? He's just saying this because Ryu Eom-ha is more famous and influential in Hollywood, so he's jealous. Why doesn't he mention how much attention and opportunities he's taken from those Korean directors who haven't even made it internationally yet?"
Seeing Darren's temper, the others just laughed awkwardly.
Someone immediately changed the subject, saying, "By the way, when will filming for 'Men in Black' begin? The casting process for that movie has been quite lively lately."
"The first half of next year." Darren knew when to stop. He had already said those words, and someone would definitely spread them around for him. "Before filming this movie, Lu Yanhe will have to film a new movie with Huang Tianlin first."
"Lu Yanhe takes on so many movies. Other actors usually only make one movie a year, but he seems to make several every year."
Darren said, "Otherwise, how could he have reached such a position at such a young age? In China, there is no actor who is more commercially successful than him."
"It seems like that's the case among the younger generation in Hollywood; they're really impressive."
“Kim Won-bin said that ‘Calm Wind’ received more attention during awards season because of Lu Yanhe’s presence. Why doesn’t he mention that ‘Calm Wind’ grossed $200 million worldwide, while his ‘Hummingbird’ has not even grossed $20 million worldwide so far? Are they the same thing?” Darren Wilson said. “Not to mention the Best Foreign Language Film category, even among all the films in this year’s awards season, ‘Calm Wind’ has a very high box office.”
“Every time Lu Yanhe’s films are vying for awards season, they do quite well at the box office.” Someone said, “Look at last year’s ‘Get Out,’ its box office was also amazing.”
"Which of Lu Yanhe's movies didn't do well at the box office? Do you think Soren signed a cooperation agreement with Lu Yanhe for three movies in one go because he thought Lu Yanhe's movies could win awards?"
Darren smiled and said, "That's why Lu Yanhe has achieved his current status in Hollywood."
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“The New York Times, The Washington Post, Variety… many media outlets want to contact you. Are you going to respond to Kim Won-bin’s statement?” Darren Wilson said. “They want an exclusive.”
“I’m not responding.” Lu Yanhe said on the phone, “You’ve already handled this very well for me. If I respond again, it might just escalate the issue further, which is unnecessary.”
“But the current trend is favorable to the movie ‘Windbreaker’,” Darren said. “Although Kim Won-bin’s words have caused some controversy, they have also shifted the focus of the controversy surrounding ‘Windbreaker’ to you personally. I have recently noticed that the focus of everyone’s discussion has become how much power you have in Hollywood, and people have started to take stock of your influence in Hollywood.”
Lu Yanhe: "So boring."
“This is not boring at all. You know, the more interesting it is, the more Hollywood loves it,” Darren said. “Your story of early fame and huge success is a classic subject that Hollywood loves.”
Lu Yanhe: "So what was their attitude towards me after they took stock?"
“I like you and admire you even more now.” Darren laughed. “Kim Won-bin thought that by saying that, he would gain the approval of some people who would think that your power in Hollywood affected the so-called fairness. But he’s wrong about one thing. Hollywood has never been a place where absolute fairness is the norm. Otherwise, public relations wouldn’t be allowed.”
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Remark:
1. Why didn't I update last night? Because I caught a cold, a heat-related cold. I was dizzy, drowsy, and slept a lot. When I tried to write, I had no feeling for it, and it felt tedious. So, I thought I'd write a little more, and once I was satisfied, I'd update it all at once. But after a whole day, this is all I've written.
2. Some comments have asked why I always include real-life examples in the text. This is because before, when I didn't use this approach, there was a lot of skepticism, with many arguing that some of the logic in the text wouldn't work in reality. While I'm not an expert on awards season, I've consulted a lot of materials. Generally, I try to provide some real-world basis for both public relations tactics and methods, avoiding "fabrication." For example, in the example of Zhou Hong, without mentioning her, some readers might question how Wen Shengming could gain recognition in Hollywood based solely on a few Best Supporting Actor nominations during awards season. The film industry is different; without examples, it's difficult to convince people in just a few words that such a thing could happen.
(End of this chapter)
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