Chapter 221: The Oscar ceremony begins

Dong Xuan came to attend the Oscar ceremony, nominally as an actor in *District 9*.

But as an actor who didn't receive a nomination, her seat would be arranged quite far back, the kind that the camera almost couldn't sweep.

This kind of thing is actually easy to solve.

When reporting attendees to the Oscars, Cao Yang directly reported Dong Xuan as a family member, so Dong Xuan could sit beside him.

With Cao Yang's current reputation and influence, even if there was no Oscar nomination, if he participated, they would arrange a very good seat for him.

Not to mention *District 9* as one of the big favorites, nominated for major awards such as Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor; Cao Yang's seat was definitely one of the best.

On the first floor inside the theater auditorium, two rows of aisles divided the guest seats into "three piles."

Cao Yang's seat was in the third row of the middle pile; the left side was an aisle, the second row in front was Depp, who received a Best Actor nomination, and in front of Depp was Duan Yihong, who received a Best Supporting Actor nomination.

Behind was Han Zong, who was one of the producers; Gu Changwei's seat was in the fifth row.

After sitting down, Cao Yang was a bit dazed; this seat was a bit familiar.

When participating in the Oscars by virtue of *The Milk of Sorrow* last year, it seemed like he was sitting in this seat.

At that time, in front was also Depp, and in front of Depp was Mark Ruffalo, who received a Best Supporting Actor nomination.

Except for Mark Ruffalo being replaced by Duan Yihong, everything else seemed unchanged.

At that time, *The Milk of Sorrow* won major awards such as Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor; I hope the unchanged seat can bring good omens.

Subsequently, Cao Yang couldn't help but shake his head with a smile; when did he also become so superstitious?

Because Cao Yang was arranged to walk the red carpet almost last, when he came in, most of the guests had arrived.

Before he sat down, he glanced casually and saw that in the seat next to the aisle on the right of this row sat Martin Scorsese, the director of *The Aviator*.

In front of Scorsese was Li Zi, the lead actor of *The Aviator*; he, like Depp, was sitting in the second row, just one on the far left and one on the far right.

This seat arrangement was a bit interesting.

"What are you laughing at?"

After Cao Yang sat down, Dong Xuan, who was sitting next to Cao Yang as a "family member" on the right, asked in a low voice.

"Thought of some interesting things..."

Just after Cao Yang finished speaking, Depp, who might have heard the movement, turned his head, and a exaggerated smile squeezed out on his somewhat shy face, matched with the specially kept two small mustaches, looking a bit funny.

"Director, I hope you can win Best Director tonight; you have Best Picture and Best Screenplay, now you just lack this one."

Cao Yang thought Depp was being polite and blessing him, so he also followed up and said: "Depp, you too; I hope you can win Best Actor at the Oscars again."

"No, no, if I can only choose one, I would rather it be Best Director."

Depp said very seriously and solemnly.

Uh, what is this for? Why suddenly say this?

Cao Yang was a bit confused by Depp, so he had to pat Depp's arm and say: "I hope we can both get our wish."

After entering the auditorium and sitting down, because of the broadcast, the camera would sweep over at any time, so Depp turned his head away after saying these words, sitting upright, looking both cautious and serious.

"Why did he suddenly say this?"

Dong Xuan asked in a low voice.

"Don't know; he is such a person. Sometimes someone else's joke, he will take it seriously, and will treat some small things seriously... Otherwise, he wouldn't be a famous difficult weirdo in Hollywood."

"A weirdo? But I see he respects you quite a bit, seems to listen to you very much, and haven't seen anything too out of line?"

Dong Xuan said in a low voice, paused, and then asked curiously: "Is his chance of winning Best Actor again today big?"

Cao Yang thought for a moment, and while the camera hadn't swept over, said in a low voice:

"A few days ago, Depp mentioned to me that for this Best Actor, he threw in all his salary for *District 9*, and his agency UTA also spent about the same amount of money."

Dong Xuan didn't know Depp's salary, but still couldn't help but be surprised. Do you have to spend money to win an Oscar? Do you have to spend so much?

"How much did you spend?" She still couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Adding up, it's about 15 million; it's US dollars." Cao Yang said lightly.

"Cough..."

Dong Xuan could no longer control her expression and could only pretend to organize her dress, lowering her head.

Damn it, 15 million US dollars!

According to the current exchange rate, this converts to more than 120 million; I might not be able to earn so much in my whole life. For an Oscar Best Actor, spending more than 100 million at once, is it worth it?

Cao Yang glanced at Dong Xuan, who was "organizing" her dress with her head down; this matter should have some impact on her values, right? The "sanctity" of the Oscars should also be greatly discounted, right?

There was one more thing Cao Yang didn't tell her: not only did Depp and his agency UTA spend more than 10 million US dollars, but according to Han Zong, Columbia and China Film also spent about the same amount of money for their Best Director.

At that time, Han Zong also said a bit embarrassedly that China Film symbolically took out 2 million US dollars, and the others were all paid by Columbia; he also wanted to pay more, but this money was too much to be recorded...

Do you have to spend money to operate the Oscars?

George Lucas, the director of *Star Wars*, once bombarded the Oscars in an interview with CBS:

"This is a political campaign, and it has nothing to do with artistic achievement... The US election needs to spend money, and the Oscars also need to spend money to capture the hearts of the 6,000 'voters' of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences."

Famous producer Stephen Follows once published in a blog that the four films he focused on that received Oscar nominations for Best Picture had publicity expenses ranging from 5.3 million to 8.3 million US dollars.

These monies did not include the publicity expenses for the film's public release, but came from the extra "award-winning budget." Follows estimated that a successful "Best Picture" lobbying campaign required spending about 10 million US dollars.

Hollywood reporter Gayle Murphy once said that these expensive PR companies know who the Academy Award members are, know how to approach them, and even know their preferences, so they prepare some "small gifts" in a targeted manner.

According to CNN, the funds that film studios invest in Oscar PR activities every year are about 100 million US dollars.

In order to let some films receive nominations for key awards, the basic expenses for almost all award nominations are above 2 million US dollars, including nominations for some "junk" awards.

In the entire process of the Oscar competition, the activity expenses for slightly larger awards are roughly between 5 million and 10 million US dollars, which they use in two parts.

The first part is before the nominations, spending more than half of the expenses, and the second part is after the nominations, making a final sprint to win the award.

The expenses in the first stage are mainly concentrated on media advertising, making DVDs for more than 6,000 voting members, inviting main creators to participate in various activities, etc.

The Oscar publicity period is concentrated in November and December. At that time, the cost of publishing a page of advertising in *The Hollywood Reporter* is about 70,000 to 80,000 US dollars. To maintain exposure in the media continuously, all industry publications, roadside billboards, and social media must be covered, and the overall advertising cost must reach about 1-2 million US dollars.

Printing DVDs plus preparing special "small gifts" and mailing them to the homes of voting members would cost about more than 1 million US dollars.

Adding the screening meetings mentioned earlier, all hotel airfare, food, and accommodation must be solved, which is another large sum of money.

If you say that the first stage is to vigorously do media publicity, and the film quality is indeed hard enough, and finally you are lucky enough to be nominated, then you must start the second stage of activities.

The expenses in this stage, besides continuing to advertise on various platforms, are spent more on various media activities that the main creators participate in personally.

For example, various talk shows, interviews, and various interactions with industry insiders on TV stations, including incomparably luxurious banquets and star-studded parties.

Various film studios in Hollywood will spend a lot of money at this time, using money to pile up the film's popularity and pile up the voting members' favor for the film and the main creators.

So when Depp came to see Cao Yang before, he said he had no time; during that period before the award, he was really busy with various social engagements and participating in various publicity programs.

In order to be able to win Best Actor again and enter the "20-million-dollar club" smoothly, this time Depp and the agency UTA even spent nearly a third more money.

All for the sake of maximizing the possibility.

"Having spent so much money, Depp's Best Actor should be no problem, right?" Dong Xuan raised her head and asked in a low voice.

!

No matter how much money Depp spent, in the eyes of the outside world, without Cao Yang's *District 9*, there would absolutely be no Depp's Best Actor.

Dong Xuan could only comfort herself like this; she didn't know what her mood was now. How could such a "high-end" Oscar change its quality?

"Not necessarily."

Cao Yang saw the camera sweep over, so he stopped speaking for the time being. After the camera moved away, he continued:

"Oscar awards, spending money doesn't necessarily mean you can buy them, but if you don't spend money, there is absolutely no play."

The host of this Oscar is Black film star Chris Rock.

Maybe many people don't have an impression of the name, but in the Oscar ceremony in the later 22 years, he, as a presenter, spoke to tease Will Shi Misi's wife's hair loss defect, and even emphasized it twice in a row.

Thereby causing Will Shi Misi's dissatisfaction; out of maintenance for his wife, Will Shi Misi immediately went on stage and slapped Chris Rock in front of everyone.

And angrily said: "Don't use your fucking mouth to say my wife's name."

Yes, that's the guy who got beaten.

Many small Black actors in the US debuted as talk show or rap singers, and when they speak, they have no boundaries, so they are very relaxed and dare to say anything.

Perhaps, this might be called personality and relaxation by people who like small Blacks.

As soon as host Chris Rock opened his mouth, Cao Yang felt that this Oscar seemed a bit different.

"... Tonight is great; four Black actors received five nominations, it's incredible, it's simply a Black Oscar!"

Following Chris Rock's words, the camera first gave to Black actor Jamie Foxx, who received a Best Actor nomination; this guy also received a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the same time.

Then it gave to another Black actor who received a Best Actor nomination, Don Cheadle.

Subsequently, it gave to Black veteran actor Morgan Freeman, who received a Best Supporting Actor nomination.

Finally, it gave to Black actor Sophie Okonedo, who received a Best Supporting Actress nomination.

Four Black actors with five nominations, including two Best Actor nominations; for Black actors, it was indeed a major "victory."

"The Oscars tell the world with practical actions that there is no racial discrimination here, and they treat excellent actors equally, just like Director Cao Yang's *District 9*, which cleverly uses aliens, from a very surprising angle, to oppose racial discrimination and racial segregation..."

The camera swept over, and Cao Yang appeared on the big screen on the stage with a smile; subsequently, the camera gave to Depp in front of Cao Yang, and Depp showed a shy smile and applauded lightly.

Host Chris Rock said these topics about racial discrimination at the beginning; it couldn't be his impromptu performance. Is this setting the tone for this Oscar?

If this is the Oscar's instruction, then it is absolutely good news for *District 9*.

It seemed to be to confirm Cao Yang's idea; the first presenter to come out was Black female actor Halle Berry, who had won Berlin Best Actress and Oscar Best Actress.

She was also the first Black female actor in history to win the Oscar for Best Actress.

Halle Berry presented the first award of the Oscar tonight, Best Art Direction; this award was won by *The Aviator*, which seemed to have a good start for Martin Scorsese and Li Zi.

Next, Renée Zellweger went on stage; as the winner of the previous Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, she was responsible for presenting the Best Supporting Actor award.

"Does Duan Yihong have a chance?"

Dong Xuan asked in a low voice.

Cao Yang didn't even hesitate and directly replied: "Impossible."

Still the same sentence, Oscar awards, spending money doesn't necessarily mean you can buy them, but if you don't spend money, there is absolutely no play.

Columbia and China Film being able to operate a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Duan Yihong was already very difficult. Wanting to win the award, even if spending money to operate it, was almost impossible.

Not to mention that after receiving the nomination, they didn't do any follow-up PR at all.

Duan Yihong's situation was different from Cao Yang's. As an actor, how much profit could Duan Yihong bring to Hollywood film companies?

Cao Yang used actual box office and the ability to promote people to let Hollywood automatically ignore his pure Chinese identity.

As long as the interest is great enough, and you don't dump them to do it alone, what exclusion, what discrimination, what are those things?

If Cao Yang really thought he was the destiny protagonist and wanted to dump big film studios in Hollywood to do it alone, exclusion and discrimination would absolutely make him doubt life.

The final result was also as Cao Yang expected; Duan Yihong didn't win Best Supporting Actor.

The winner of Best Supporting Actor was Black veteran actor Morgan Freeman.

Before this, he had received one Oscar Best Supporting Actor nomination and two Oscar Best Actor nominations; unfortunately, they were all destined to be companions.

This time, he finally won the first Oscar major award in his life at the advanced age of 68.

Morgan Freeman went on stage, looking very calm, and didn't look as excited as most winners; probably because he had reached this age, experienced countless big storms, and had seen through many things.

As one of the big favorites of this Oscar, Clint Eastwood's *Million Dollar Baby* also won one, and only Cao Yang's *District 9* had yet to have any gains.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 222 =====