Extracting skills from movies

The 50th Grammy Awards ceremony is about to begin.

Du Sheng originally did not plan to go to the scene.

However, Taylor and Elizabeth both wanted to attend and walk the red carpet with him.

These two girls have promised to provide him with service beyond his wildest imagination.

Considering that the Oscars would be starting soon, Du Sheng decided to go a few days earlier.

The plane took off from Motoku Airport at exactly 10 a.m. and landed in the United States the following morning.

The time difference between the two places was perfectly separated, as if yesterday and today were just a blink of an eye.

After getting off the plane, Taylor, Elizabeth, and Li Yixin, along with several other beautiful women, came to pick him up.

"Brother Sheng, you received five Grammy nominations this time. Everyone thinks you're going to win at least two big awards!"

Seeing that Du Sheng arrived on time, Taylor was very excited and jumped around him excitedly.

Although Elizabeth was quite happy, she acted rather reserved.

She will be joining the production team soon, and it's unclear when they will be able to meet again. This visit is a timely one.

Li Yixin, with her composed demeanor, simply smiled and didn't join in when she saw the two maids flanking Du Sheng.

"You also have four nominations, right? If we're really talking about winning, your chances are probably higher than mine."

After the group got into the car, Du Sheng responded with a smile.

After the nominations were announced some time ago, he took a look and found that in addition to himself receiving 5 nominations, Taylor had also become a Grammy favorite.

She received four nominations: Best Country Song, Best Female Country Singer, Best Female Pop Singer, and Best Original Song for Film or Television.

No wonder Taylor was overjoyed during this time, reminding Du Sheng several times to come early, and even making important promises.

This is because the Grammys, along with the Oscars, Emmys, and Tonys, are known as the four major annual awards and are considered the most authoritative in the music industry.

It attracts hundreds of millions of viewers every year.

Although Taylor's career has developed rapidly in the past two years, with her popularity approaching that of a pseudo-top-tier celebrity, she is also self-aware and said with a smile:
"The competition is too fierce. I might have a chance in the country category, but I'm unlikely to win Best Pop Female Artist."

She debuted as a country singer, and there are currently few female singers in this field who can rival her.

As for the Best Pop Female Vocal Performance award, Amy Winehouse is the frontrunner.

Her album "Back To Black," released last year, topped the weekly album charts in more than a dozen European countries and sold over 1600 million copies worldwide.

Seeing that Du Sheng wasn't worried at all and was even in the mood to joke, Elizabeth asked:
"As far as I know, the nominees for Album of the Year and Best Pop Male Vocal Performance include the renowned Herbie Hancock, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, and others."

Is Brother Sheng confident he can break through?

"I think I'm out of the running for Best Album, but I do have a good chance of winning Best Male Pop Vocal Performance."

Du Sheng glanced at Li Yixin and said ambiguously.

After all, the lottery results haven't been announced yet, and anything can happen.

However, given how long Li Yixin has been working behind the scenes, and how many millions of yuan those sponsors have spent, she shouldn't be coming back empty-handed.

This is true.

Although the awards ceremony was quite noisy, it also had many highlights.

For example, Taylor Swift, although she did not win the Best Female Vocalist award, won two major awards for Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocalist with "White Horse".

In addition, Amy Winehouse, whom she mentioned, won five awards, including Best Song and Best New Artist, for her album "Back to Black" and its hit single "Rehab," making her the most awarded artist of the night.

Of course, Du Sheng was one of them.

During the nomination phase, he received the second-highest number of nominations, second only to rap superstar Kanye West.

However, in terms of awards, they surpassed their opponents.

As soon as the Grammy Awards ceremony ended, Du Sheng was surrounded by a group of reporters.

The microphone was practically shoved in his face.

Several reporters asked a jumbled bunch of questions:
"Mr. Du, congratulations!"

Your English album "Endless Joy" has sold 1200 million copies worldwide, breaking the record for Chinese singers.

"It won the Grammy Award for Best Album, and 'Moves Like Jagger' also won Best Single..."

"What's even more impressive is that you also won two major individual awards, 'Best Newcomer' and 'Best Male Pop Singer,' making you one of the biggest winners tonight!"

"Moreover, you are the first Asian to win a Grammy in the pop music field, which is unprecedented!"
How are you feeling right now?

"Why did you turn around and hand the trophy to Taylor Swift as soon as you went on stage to accept the award?"

All the cameras were focused on Du Sheng.

Millions of netizens around the world are watching this scene through portals such as Twitter, LME, and YY.

To be honest, the Grammys weren't anything particularly special to Du Sheng.

He makes music mostly for fun; he's the kind of person whose main job is making movies and who plays music as a side job.

During his visit to the lighthouse, Oscar was the subject of his interest.

Unlike Li Yixin, the Hearst sisters took this Grammy Award very seriously.

Sony Music, on the other hand, is putting in a tremendous effort, hoping that Du Sheng will achieve a grand slam.
Firstly, it will boost the company's reputation, and secondly, it will generate a lot of buzz for Du Sheng's upcoming tour.

With the joint efforts of Miracle Pictures and Sony Music, Du Sheng's album garnered six nominations and ultimately won three awards.
Among them, "Best Album" and "Best Single" are the most prestigious and authoritative Grammy Awards.

The news caused an uproar online as soon as it spread.

Chinese netizens, in particular, were extremely proud and elated.

Du Sheng remained calm in response to the reporter's questions:
First of all, I would like to express my special thanks to my fans around the world for their support.
Without you all, this album wouldn't be where it is today.

I've always felt that winning awards is just a bonus.

What truly makes me happy is the process of making music, the feeling of free expression.

So, while I'm happy to win the award, I'm not so excited that I can't sleep.

He paused, smiled, and continued:

"As for handing the trophy to Taylor... the reason is simple."

She told me she wanted to share in the good fortune and hoped to get one next year too.

I figured the trophy would just sit anywhere anyway, so having her manage it wouldn't take up much space, right?

These words stunned the reporters in the audience.
Several seconds later they realized what was happening, and someone couldn't help but burst out laughing.

It's important to understand that the cultural influence of the United States is currently at its peak.
In many people's eyes, the Grammys are the "temple" of the music industry, an award that countless musicians dream of touching their whole lives.

Many singers in China consider it a highlight of their lives, even if they are only invited to walk the red carpet or sing a song, and they will brag about it for years to come.

For example, a certain veteran writer known as "Gao Xiaosong" once publicly stated:

"The Grammys are the ultimate dream for musicians!"

But with Du Sheng, the Grammys seem to have become like small trophies sold wholesale on the street.

After taking it, they casually gave it away, claiming it was to share in the good fortune and that they didn't want it to take up space.

The atmosphere of "Versailles" at the scene was so strong that it almost overflowed the screen.

In YY's live text and image broadcast room, the chat exploded:
"Hahaha, I'm impressed!"

A Grammy Award trophy as a gift? Du Sheng, you really don't take this award seriously!

"Brothers, wake up! This is the Oscars of the music industry!"

Countless singers around the world would kneel and beg for a nomination, yet he, after winning the award, complained it was too heavy and simply gave it away?

"He's so pretentious, but I love watching him act like that!"
Others pretend because they're insecure, but he pretends because he has the ability to do so!

"I'm dying of laughter. Taylor probably never dreamed that one day she would be able to 'borrow' a Grammy trophy to use as a coin in a wishing well."

"The key is that he spoke very sincerely, without any arrogance. On the contrary, it made us, the ones making a fuss, seem a bit naive..."

"It's not that he doesn't value the Grammys; it's that in his eyes, the Grammys aren't as important as the next movie he makes."

"If the Grammy committee knew what he was thinking, they'd be green with envy!"

"You've all gone off-topic. The point isn't about giving away the trophy, it's about him saying Taylor is a 'close friend'!"
How carefully are these words used?

How ambiguous is it? Think about it carefully!

"It's just that the two of them have a close relationship, why are you making it sound like you're solving a case?"

"Oh my, there's an innocent little cutie here!"

Come in and see just how murky the entertainment industry really is!

The internet was already buzzing with excitement, with comments flying everywhere and the comment section as lively as if it were Chinese New Year.

But the reporters on the scene were professionals after all; despite their laughter, their professionalism remained intact.

After a burst of laughter, someone immediately raised their hand to ask a question, bringing the conversation back on track.

"Mr. Du, Amanda just mentioned on stage that you've finished preparing your new album and are also planning a simultaneous concert. Could you give us a hint about the specific schedule?"

Actually, this has been an open secret for a long time.

Amanda made a point of mentioning it not long ago, which was clearly a way to build momentum and create buzz for her new album, a classic example of "striking while the iron is hot."

Du Sheng didn't hide anything and responded with a smile:

"This is the plan for the new album."

The first single will be released around April, and the entire album will be officially released in May.

The exact date of the concert will depend on the situation, but the general direction is set.

The reporters were secretly delighted when they heard this.

That's such a honest answer!
No beating around the bush, no empty promises, the timeline is crystal clear.

It's much better than those official platitudes like "stay tuned" or "announcement at a later date."

Immediately afterwards, someone else asked:

NBC Entertainment has just released its latest list of the 100 Most Handsome Faces in the World.
Your outstanding performance in the "Agent" series propelled you to the top spot in the Asian region!
Do you think you deserve this rating?

Upon hearing this, Du Sheng's lips curled into a smile, and he said:

"NBC's judgment this time was quite accurate."

But my friend, you wouldn't happen to have a PE teacher teaching you math, would you?
I'm already at the top of my class, and you're still asking if I'm good enough?

Isn't this the same as asking, "Does the sun rise in the east?"

As soon as this was said, the whole audience burst into laughter.

This joke might be considered outdated in later generations, but it's the first time I've heard it in this era, and it feels incredibly fresh.

The reporters laughed so hard they almost fell over, and even the cameraman nearly lost his grip and filmed a blurry picture.

The atmosphere at the press conference instantly became incredibly relaxed.

The live text and image room on YY's portal was filled with laughter:
"Haha, 'Math was taught by the PE teacher'!"
"No wonder he's a top student from the Beijing Film Academy; his tongue is so smooth!"

"I can't wait! Du Sheng's new album is a must-see!"
His songs never disappoint; every time I listen to them, it's like I'm on a high!

"It's a pity he's holding his concert overseas this time, so I can't go to the live show!"

"It's okay, LME and TVING platforms will definitely release the live version, just wait."

"NBC usually makes some random lists, but this time they finally did something decent."

Putting Du Sheng first, I agree!

"To be honest, Brother Sheng is so handsome and confident that even if NBC wanted to smear him, they couldn't."

The reporters asked a few more questions, and the conversation gradually turned to Taylor Swift.

She is also one of the hottest winners tonight, with exceptionally high popularity.

"You and Du Sheng are so close, he even wrote several songs for you. Are you two really dating?"

"Everyone's saying you've gotten your marriage certificate, is that true?"

Taylor answered seven or eight similar questions with a smile, her answers flawless.

Neither denying nor admitting, it's all official rhetoric like "friends supporting each other" or "musicians appreciating each other."

Elizabeth was also kissed by reporters and asked several questions.

After all, photos of her and Du Sheng together have gone viral online, and she's also in the cast of Warner Bros.' new film, so it's hard for her to keep a low profile.

However, she handled the situation quite well, answering what needed to be answered and simply smiling and shaking her head when she didn't.
"Well, I'm not sure." "I haven't received any specific information yet."

His attitude was impeccable and flawless.

The press conference lasted until 9:30 p.m.

The live text and image broadcast went viral, and press releases from major media outlets were published online immediately, sparking another round of nationwide discussion.

Du Sheng paid no attention to this.

Once he's engaged in a friendly sparring session, he'll be caught in a pincer movement between Taylor and Elizabeth, leaving him no time to pay attention to outside opinions.

.........

The Grammy hype has just begun, and reports about it are everywhere.

The news of Du Sheng winning the award was like throwing a match into a haystack, instantly reigniting the popularity of "How to Train Your Dragon" in North America.

The movie had been in theaters for a while, and its box office performance was starting to decline.
As soon as Du Sheng went on stage to accept the award, NBC Entertainment gave it a big report, which rekindled the enthusiasm of North American audiences.

This weekend, the film was re-released in 1567 theaters, grossing $829 million!
The total North American box office surged to $8232 million, and it's about to break $90 million.

Although it's a foreign language animated film, it's a bit difficult for it to join the $100 million club, but this achievement is already quite impressive.

The key point is that Du Sheng only did the voice acting and was credited as a screenwriter; he didn't even show his face. Yet, he managed to make such a splash. People in the industry, though they may not say it, have to admire him.

They weren't idle in Europe either; all the odds and ends added up to about 1600 million euros.

If you add up the box office from its Asian home base, it easily surpasses $2.8 million worldwide.

Break even?

That's a given.

As for the sales of DVDs and Blu-ray discs after the movie's theatrical run, as well as the lucrative business of merchandise and game licensing, Sony has a team to handle that, so Du Sheng doesn't need to worry about it at all.

These days, besides the Oscars party, he's mostly involved in preparing for his new film.

…(End of this chapter)