Extracting skills from movies

Du Sheng made a mental calculation.

In this way, not only are expenses greatly reduced, but if another international award is won, net worth will also skyrocket.

The bonuses from these brands alone add up to at least several million dollars.

Of course, the more opportunities there are to gain both honor and money!
Haders continued:

"Most importantly, when discussing new projects in the future, your $1500 million salary will just be the starting price."

It's not impossible to get 1800 million.

I think the most suitable model is still 1000 million plus a share of the box office revenue.

Du Sheng had no objection, and then asked another question:
How far am I from becoming a superstar in the "20 million club"?

Haders shrugged:

“There are only a handful of actors worldwide who can command a $2000 million salary, and they can’t guarantee that for every role.”

He certainly wished Du Sheng were a superstar, so his share of the profits would be much higher, but he also knew that one must take things one step at a time.

"You have a chance. As long as you can achieve something at this year's Oscars, the road ahead will be much easier."

Du Sheng said thoughtfully:

"If it weren't for a foreign language film, I would have really wanted to compete for Best Actor this time."

Hades laughed and said:
"Winning two of the following: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Production Design would be a victory."

He then reminded him:
"I heard that Russell Malcahi's new film 'Prayers for Bobby' received particularly good reviews during its test screenings, and his goal is to make foreign language films."

You know he's the type of guy that all the older white guys in the college adore.

"What subject matter?"

Haders explained:
"LGBTQ+ marginalized themes, adapted from true events."

It tells the story of a mother who, due to religious prejudice, could not accept her son's homosexuality, resulting in his suicide. Afterward, she became an LGBTQ+ rights activist.

Du Sheng understood immediately upon hearing this.

If it weren't for the gunfight at the Fonda Theater, my film wouldn't even be qualified to go head-to-head with this kind of subject matter.

Haders asked tentatively:
"If you want to compete for Best Actor, why don't you consider taking on some scripts with a similar theme of same-sex relationships?"

Du Sheng didn't speak, but just glanced at him quietly.

Seeing this, Haders immediately changed the subject, looking embarrassed:
"Haha, just kidding!"
From now on, I will refuse any scripts of this kind submitted to me.

Du Sheng then nodded:
"Next, you will focus on two things: the sequel to The Man from Nowhere and the Oscar race."

Miracle Pictures has already hired a professional public relations team; all you need to do is fully cooperate.

Haders responded:
"Understood, the agency will fully cooperate."

I've also spoken with Sony; they'll help you garner votes."

The two looked at each other, understanding each other tacitly.

.........

This period coincides with the global awards season.

For example, China's Golden Rooster Awards, Hundred Flowers Awards, and Changchun Film Festival.

Other well-known film festivals in Asia include the Busan International Film Festival and the Asian Film Festival.

In addition, the Venice Film Festival, one of the world's three major film festivals, is also held around this time.

If you include film festivals in North America and Europe, there are even more.

Riding the wave of public attention sparked by the attack, "The Man from Nowhere," which had just finished its theatrical run, practically swept all the awards season awards, big and small.

From the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Asian Film Festival to the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and then to the Golden Hugo Award...

The more important awards, such as Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actor, almost all went to Du Sheng.

At the Vancouver International Film Festival held at the end of the month, although Du Sheng was unable to attend, the Dragon and Tiger Award was still won by Hudders, who accepted the award on his behalf.

Even the two leading ladies have both achieved success.

Liu Yifei won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actress, fulfilling her long-cherished dream and completely shedding the label of "pretty face".

Moreover, thanks to her portrayal of the heroine's sorrow and pitifulness, she has been hailed by many as a 'tragic goddess'.

As for Chia Ching-wen, she also won the Best Supporting Actress award at the Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan.

But that’s a story for later, let’s not talk about it for now.

To express his gratitude, Du Sheng recorded a video message to thank everyone for their concern during this time.

In the video, he is doing rehabilitation exercises while smiling and saying to the camera:

"I'm recovering well recently, and I estimate I'll be able to be discharged soon. Thank you..."

Besides expressing gratitude, it's naturally to maintain the buzz.

"The Man from Nowhere" has a chance to win an award at Venice, and a Best Actor nomination is already under discussion.

Riding the wave of popularity surrounding this "real-life hero," DVD sales have skyrocketed.

It has already surpassed the $1 million mark in the North American market!
The film is still showing in overseas markets.

The global box office has already surpassed 12 billion RMB, just one step away from 13 billion.

If we also take into account revenue from merchandise, copyrights, streaming revenue, and other sources, this film would definitely rank among the top five of all of Du Sheng's works.

"Good news!"

That day, Haders shouted as soon as he entered the door, holding a shiny trophy in his hands.

Du Sheng was sitting on his hospital bed writing the ending of the script for "Painting Rivers and Lakes" when he replied without looking up:
"Did Sony take a cut of the North American box office revenue for 'The Man from Nowhere' in advance?"

Haders put down the Dragon and Tiger Award trophy and smiled:

"Box office revenue sharing won't happen that quickly, at least not until the end of the year."

He put the gleaming golden trophy aside and said:
"The endorsement fees for Beneteau Yachts and McDonald's ice cream have already been deposited into the company account and will be transferred to you in the next few days."

Du Sheng nodded as he drank his water.

His endorsement fee at McDonald's is $500 million a year, but the commemorative drinks are selling so well that his sales commission alone is probably not small.

He picked up the Dragon and Tiger trophy, examined it carefully, and said with a smile:
"This is the first time I've ever won a trophy from the University of California, Berkeley."

Ma Yaowei asked curiously:
"The Vancouver International Film Festival isn't very well-known in North America, is it?"

Du Sheng took a sip of water and said:
"While it may not be as prestigious as the Oscars, it's far better than less serious awards like the Saturn Awards and the Golden Globes."

Haders added:

"That's right. Although the Dragon and Tiger Awards are low-key, they actually have a high level of influence in the mainstream media circles in North America, even more so than the Saturn Awards."

Du Sheng placed the trophy on the table and said with a smile:
"Looks like I'll have to set aside a room specifically for these honors from now on."

"There really should be a room of honor."

Haders nodded:
"Now we have the Golden Key for Honorary Citizens of Los Angeles, the Saturn Award, the Dragon and Tiger Award, and even an Oscar statuette..."

Du Sheng waved his hand and smiled:

"The Oscar nominations for this year's Oscars haven't been announced yet, so it's too early to say anything."

Haders chuckled:

"Displaying the little golden statuette we won at the beginning of this year would also be fine."

He then asked:
When do you plan to return to the film set?

Du Sheng had already planned this:
"It'll be soon. We'll generate another wave of buzz after the Venice Film Festival nominations are announced."

This weekend, the Venice International Film Festival officially announced its selections for this year's edition in Italy.

As expected, "The Man from Nowhere" won the Best Actor award in the main competition.

The competitors are also quite interesting.

For example, there's "The Sun Also Rises," produced by Jackie Chan and starring Jackie Chan, and "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," starring Brad Pitt.

Meanwhile, in response to the declining viewership of the Oscars, the organizers have come up with a new approach this year: releasing a special awards trailer to generate buzz for the entire awards season.

The day after the Oscar nominations were announced, Du Sheng was discharged from the hospital after recovering.

Two brand-new Mercedes-Benz cars were parked downstairs at the hospital early in the morning.

Ma Yaowei and Haders have already packed their things.

Du Sheng led Liu Yifei and Taylor out of the ward to say goodbye to Dr. George:
"Thank you for taking care of me during this time."

George responded with a smile:

"That's my job."

Du Sheng took the two gift boxes from Taylor and handed them to the doctor: "Just a small token of my appreciation."

George opened it and saw that it was a limited edition "The Man from Nowhere" character figurine, which is very difficult to find on the market, so he quickly declined.

"It's so precious."

Du Sheng pointed to Liu Yifei beside him:

"These are her dolls, and there are some left over. You can take them."

George accepted it with gratitude.

Du Sheng thanked the nurses again and presented them with "The Man from Nowhere" merchandise.

"He truly is my idol, I'm so touched."

"So easygoing, no wonder he's a world-renowned superstar."

"It's so much better than those places where you have to pay to take a picture!"

Even after Du Sheng had gone downstairs, a group of nurses still covered their mouths and whispered among themselves.

Some of the women even sounded delighted, after all, these dolls were easily worth tens of dollars each.

After Du Sheng and his entourage got into the car, before the car had even left the hospital, it was surrounded by a large group of reporters and fans.

There were several live streaming cameras set up on the other side, and the flashes were so bright that people couldn't open their eyes.

Many fans held up support signs and shouted excitedly:

"Du Sheng! Du Sheng!"

He hasn't made a public appearance for a while, and everyone wants to see for themselves how he's doing.

Outside the main gate, a large group of female fans had completely surrounded the area, leaving no gap at all.

Du Sheng knew in his heart that if he didn't show his face, he probably wouldn't be able to leave today.

But if they go down to give interviews, the situation will probably be even harder to control.

Fortunately, there was a contingency plan in place.

He gave Ma Yaowei an instruction:
"There are bodyguards outside, can you open the window?"

As soon as the roof opened, screams from outside rushed in like waves, making my ears ring.

Du Sheng leaned out and waved to people in all directions.

Then he picked up the megaphone he had prepared beforehand and shouted loudly:

"Hello everyone, this is Du Sheng! I'm sorry to have worried you all!"

After saying that, he even stretched his arms and struck a pose:

"I have recovered, thank you all for your continued concern..."

The scene instantly erupted in chaos.

The shouts of "Du Sheng! Du Sheng!" rose and fell.

Several particularly loud fans shouted at the top of their lungs:
"Du Sheng, you will always be a god in our 'Bajiquan Association'!"

Du Sheng responded with a smile:

"Thank you all for praising me so much! But..."

I really need to get back to the set right now, otherwise if things stay on hold, the director will probably be chasing me with a knife tomorrow!

Upon hearing this, a burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

A few enthusiastic fans took the lead in making way to both sides, and the crowd gradually parted to make way for the car.

The reporters were also persuaded to leave a few places by security personnel.

One reporter, unwilling to give up, pressed on with another question:
"Du Sheng, are you available for an interview today?"

Du Sheng raised the megaphone:
"Don't worry, the press conference is about to start! We'll have plenty of time to talk then!"

Police from the Los Angeles Police Department also arrived at the scene to help maintain order.

Ma Yaowei stepped on the gas and drove the Mercedes slowly forward, moving slower than a tortoise.

Just as they were about to leave the crowd, eight girls in wedding dresses suddenly rushed out.

They held up pink support items with the words "I love Du Sheng" written in large letters.

Leading the way were Kalia and Mara, who jumped and shouted:

"Du Sheng, I love you!!"

Du Sheng had no choice but to continue smiling and working:
"Hello, I remember you were at the last autograph session, right?"

"That's right! Du remembers us."

The girls cheered and blew him kisses, then actively widened the path through the crowd.

Du Sheng breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the vehicle finally emerge.

Watching this scene from the side, Taylor couldn't help but sigh:

"Now I understand that being a big star is really not easy."

Du Sheng smiled and said calmly:

"It's alright, much easier than the low-level jobs I used to do."

Back then, not only did you have to endure wind and sun, but stuntmen also had to risk their lives, and they didn't earn as much as they do for a single event now.

The two cars slowly drove away and gradually disappeared at the end of the street.

Meanwhile, the group of women outside the hospital were still chattering away.

Kalia said with a dreamy look on her face:
"He remembers us!"
He even gave me a special look. Does that mean he likes me a little?

Mara sighed:

"The postcard was sent, but I didn't receive a call."

Kalia turned to look at the others:

"Have you answered Du Sheng's call?"
We sisters must speak the truth to each other!

"no!"

"I haven't received it either."

Everyone chimed in, saying that no one had received any messages from Du Sheng.

Kalia frowned:
"We can't just wait; we have to create opportunities."

She turned to look at Mara:
"I remember your second brother was interning on the set of 'Inception,' right? Could you help us sneak in?"

Mara shook her head:

"Unlikely. I heard that the filming at MIT is almost finished, and the crew is moving back to Los Angeles."

After her sisters had all left, she finally told Kalia the truth:
"Moreover, the crew has very strict security, making it unlikely for outsiders to get close to the core area."

Kalia seemed thoughtful:
"Now that we're back in Los Angeles, how about we apply for jobs?"

Every film crew hires many temporary workers or interns, and Inception is no exception.

Mara paused for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up:

“That’s a great idea! I’ll ask my second brother if he’s hiring; he knows the hiring manager.”

Kalia gave him a word of advice:
"Don't tell anyone about this beforehand."

Mara nodded:

"clear."

And so, the two core members of the sisterhood quietly reached an agreement and were the first to betray the alliance.

That evening, news of Du Sheng's discharge from the hospital immediately topped the headlines of major entertainment news outlets.

He firmly occupies a top position on LME and Google's trending searches.

The United Press International's live broadcast van even followed them all the way home before being stopped by community security guards.

The next morning, the media broke another bombshell:
The Los Angeles County Board of Governors will be holding a major press conference with Du Sheng!

Brad Pitt and others who were nominated for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival were so angry upon hearing the news that they cursed loudly at home.

They're not unfamiliar with public relations tactics; Harvey Weinstein's Oscar maneuvering back then was enough to leave people speechless.

But I've never seen anyone like Du Sheng.
They can package real-life controversies into promotional material and still make a fortune!

This isn't just trying to win a prize; this is blatant cheating!
The other party is using an unprecedented method to gradually lock in the big stage.

…(End of this chapter)