Chapter 279: Former Executive Producer

For the 78th Academy Awards, the people in the country were full of expectations at first.

The Golden Globes can become a "feast" for Chinese people, why can't the Oscars?

Until the Oscar nominations were announced, everyone looked carefully and looked again, and found with disappointment that not only was Zhang Ziyi not nominated for Best Actress, but even for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, there was no Chinese film.

Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu" was not shortlisted, and even "The Promise," which won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, did not receive a nomination.

For this result, most people expressed great disappointment.

Then, it was the mockery mode for Chen Kaige—who let him, after winning the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, angrily scold the audience and media for not understanding art on the media, and also said he was preparing to sue the creator of "The Blood Case Caused by a Steamed Bun."

He even boasted that his film can only be understood by people who truly "understand" film, and those who don't understand "The Promise" now won't understand it in ten years.

Fine, Chen is still that lofty Chen after all, still that Chen who started to be "arrogant" after winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and after his status and rank went up, he "couldn't come down."

After his words were amplified and interpreted by the media, he offended too many people.

The media said his implication was that you don't understand because your literary accomplishment is not enough, and you don't understand what I want to express.

Regardless of whether Chen meant this or not, after his words were interpreted by the media, that was the meaning.

If "The Promise" could break through from the many foreign films shortlisted for the Oscars and be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, it would be fine to say, and perhaps many people would re-interpret "The Promise."

But the key is, "The Promise" was not nominated for the Oscars.

Therefore, after the Oscar nominations came out, Cao Yang and Ang Lee hadn't had time to get on the hot topics, but Chen instead came from behind and was scolded by everyone to the headlines.

You have to know that the day the Oscar nominations came out was the third day of the New Year. Everyone was gathering at Old Situ's house, Cao Yang, Chen, Old Tian, Xie Xiaojing, Li Shaohong, Zhang Jianya, Wu Ziniu, Hu Mei...

A moment ago, everyone was congratulating little junior brother Cao Yang for the film "Zhu Nuo," which he controlled, receiving five nominations for Oscar Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Editing.

The next moment, learning that Chen's "The Promise" "missed" the Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, one by one they hurriedly shut their mouths and began to change the subject, so as not to make Chen embarrassed.

Then not long after, the news that Chen was scolded by the whole internet came, and everyone didn't speak, just ate the dishes blindly.

Who among those present doesn't understand Chen? After so many years, they have long known each other's temperament clearly.

Chen is sensitive.

At this time, whether it is persuading him or helping him scold people, with Chen's sensitive and fragile nerves, he would feel that they are watching his joke.

So, what else can everyone say?

After Cao Yang arrived in the United States, he unexpectedly received a call from Zhang Ziyi.

Before the New Year, Cao Yang ignored the room card Zhang Ziyi gave him, thinking she would be embarrassed or hold a grudge because of this.

Where did he think that she seemed to have forgotten this matter, and didn't mention it when she called.

Not only that, this call was also to ask Cao Yang for help.

At first, she said she wanted to invite Cao Yang to dinner. Cao Yang didn't dare to go, only saying that he had no time recently, was busy promoting "Zhu Nuo," and was also producing the post-production of "Inception," so he really couldn't spare any time.

Then, Zhang Ziyi opened her mouth and said she wanted to ask Cao Yang for a small favor.

This made Cao Yang couldn't help but sigh. Sure enough, successful actresses are not simple, even those who are introverted or light as a chrysanthemum in marketing are just deceiving simple fans or playing dumb fans.

Those who mix in the entertainment industry, if they are really introverted or don't fight or grab, they would have long been unable to mix and retired.

Those who can succeed, how many are introverted or don't fight or grab?

Still the same sentence, there are many beautiful women in the entertainment industry, why should directors or capital choose you?

There must be a reason to choose you.

But this reason is definitely not because you are introverted or light as a chrysanthemum.

Just like Zhang Ziyi, the room card was sent out, but the person didn't come. If it were someone with a slightly thinner face, they would definitely hide from now on to avoid embarrassment.

But Zhang Ziyi is like nothing happened, and she can still open her mouth to ask Cao Yang for help.

This psychological quality, sure enough, there is a reason for success.

"Ziyi, let's talk about what it is first. I'm not shirking. Everyone is Chinese, and it's not easy to be out and about. If I can do it, and have time, I will definitely help."

Hmm, Cao Yang gave a few limiting conditions in one sentence.

This way he can advance and retreat freely.

It is actually equivalent to saying nothing and promising nothing.

"Cao Dao, it's not a big deal. The Oscar official originally wanted to invite me to be a presenter to present this year's Best Editing. I don't know what happened, but it seems that news came again, saying that I am not very suitable and they want to change people."

"I asked someone to inquire, but didn't get any useful information. Cao Dao, you are also a big shot in Hollywood, and your face is much bigger than mine. I just want to ask you to help me ask what is going on."

This is indeed not a big deal. For Cao Yang, wanting to inquire about news is very simple, just a phone call.

"Okay, Ziyi, I'll help you ask, but I don't guarantee that I can find out. Don't blame me for not doing things well then."

After hanging up the phone, Cao Yang thought for a while and called Sid Ganis directly.

Sid Ganis, the current president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, was just elected president on August 23 last year.

Perhaps some people don't understand the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In 1929, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences established the Academy Awards, and this award has another name, called the Oscars.

Last year, not only did the Golden Globes change presidents, but the Oscars also changed to a new president.

Cao Yang is very familiar with Sid Ganis.

Before Sid Ganis was elected Academy president, he had successively held senior executive positions in film companies such as Lucasfilm, Paramount, and Columbia.

When Cao Yang was filming "District 9," he hadn't resigned from Columbia yet and was still the deputy director of Columbia's production department.

There were three producers for "District 9": Cao Yang, Han Zong, and the promoter of this film, Columbia's executive director Tang Mu Rothman.

Tang Mu Rothman, as Columbia's executive director, although he was listed as a producer for "District 9," certainly couldn't stay in the crew. At that time, Sid Ganis was the executive producer sent over.

Just like Cheng Jianye was sent by Cao Yang to the "Zhu Nuo" crew to serve as executive producer.

(Sid Ganis was elected president in August 2005, and it is true that he was an executive at Lucasfilm, Paramount, and Columbia. I wrote it out here just to avoid people spraying me for writing it too deliberately...)

Cao Yang cooperated with Sid Ganis quite happily at the time, so the relationship between the two has been maintained well.

Last year, when preparing for "Inception," Sid Ganis participated as an executive producer.

It was just that in June, Sid Ganis resigned from Columbia, and "Inception" changed to another executive producer.

Cao Yang called Sid Ganis at the time, and the other party just smiled and said he had a good place to go.

It wasn't until the end of August that Cao Yang knew that this old guy had actually become the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Then not long after, Cao Yang became a lifetime member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Furthermore, Sid Ganis called and asked Cao Yang jokingly if he wanted to come to the Academy to take on some special duties, which was rejected by Cao Yang.

The president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is almost always held by people who have held senior executive positions in the Hollywood Seven.

Through communication with Sid Ganis, Sid Ganis didn't say it clearly, just said some unrelated things.

To sum up, it is normal for white people in Hollywood to present awards to white people, but if it is a very small number of people presenting awards to a very small number of people, it is easy to make people think of internal determination.

Cao Yang thought a little, and understood Sid Ganis's meaning.

The director and actors of "Zhu Nuo" are all small fries, only Cao Yang, who serves as producer, executive producer, and screenwriter, is a big name in name and reality.

And this film was edited completely according to his meaning under Cao Yang's supervision.

But Cao Yang is not the director. Since he participated in the editing, in order to expand the influence of "Zhu Nuo," Cao Yang and the editor became the editors of "Zhu Nuo."

So when applying for the Oscars, Cao Yang was also one of the editors of "Zhu Nuo."

One of the five nominations for "Zhu Nuo" was Best Editing.

That is to say, if "Zhu Nuo" wins Best Editing, and Zhang Ziyi presents the award, it is indeed easy to be criticized, and one will involuntarily think of "internal determination." After all, there are only a few Chinese people in Hollywood.

Some people will think, how can there be such a coincidence?

Uh, it seems that he implicated Zhang Ziyi?

Fine, Cao Yang is not a procrastinating person. Since Zhang Ziyi might have lost the qualification as a presenter because of him, let's see if there is any way to solve it.

For Cao Yang, the Oscar presenter is dispensable, and it's no big deal.

But for an actress like Zhang Ziyi, this is an extremely important major event.

It can also be understood this way: Zhang Ziyi becoming an Oscar presenter, others only think it is Zhang Ziyi's honor. If Cao Yang is a presenter, it might be the honor of the person who wins the award.

"Sid, is there any way to solve it?" Cao Yang asked.

For Sid Ganis, this is a very small matter.

"Haha, Cao, since you opened your mouth, I certainly have to give you face. This is a small matter. I will find a way to let her swap with someone else."

Subsequently, as if remembering something interesting, he laughed for a while before saying:

"Just like you and Eastwood at the Golden Globes."

Cao Yang also laughed along, suddenly had inspiration, and asked: "Sid, is there any way to add another person, the actress Pang Bing from 'Inception,' how about letting her present the same award with Zhang Ziyi?"

"Haha, Cao, I understand what you mean. I said, this is a small matter."

Just adding a person, it's not letting her present the award alone, it's a very simple matter.

Cao Yang hung up the phone with a smile. Zhang Ziyi was about to fail to become a presenter, and he pulled her back again.

It's just that I don't know, if Zhang Ziyi knew she would present the award with Pang Bing, should she be happy or depressed?

Pang Bing presenting the award with Zhang Ziyi, the feeling to the outside world is that her current status is already about the same as Zhang Ziyi's.

Of course, this is not considered "stepping on" Zhang Ziyi. After "Inception" is released, Pang Bing's status will definitely not be worse than Zhang Ziyi's.

It's just that this step was just slightly advanced.

Cao Yang formulated a route for Pang Bing. For the time being, he didn't plan to make her an international Best Actress, but positioned her to be about the same as Zhang Ziyi, making her an international big star.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 280 =====