Huayu: Hard fight against Zhang Weiping at the beginning

Chapter 650 Oscar Nomination

20th Century Fox, Headquarters Conference Room.

The leather seats exuded a cold, hard luster, and the air was filled with the lingering scent of expensive cigars, yet they did nothing to dispel the anxiety permeating the space.

Fox Studios President Alan Lammer's face was grim, and his undisguised annoyance was like a real heat wave, almost scorching the box office report handed to him by the Universal executives across the table.

“3.5 million,” he suddenly raised his voice, his knuckles slamming heavily on the line of numbers for “Avatar’s production cost,” his voice filled with barely suppressed rage. “A film that James Cameron made with 3.5 million dollars, and its box office performance is the same as that of a 1.5 million dollar film like Ocean 2? Is this your distribution capability?”

Today is an internal communication meeting for "Avatar". Fox, the producer of "Avatar", has a lot of dissatisfaction with Universal, the distributor.

The executives at both ends of the conference table lowered their heads, avoiding eye contact with him.

The projector cast a blinding white light onto the wall, clearly displaying two sets of box office data to the audience, like two silent verdicts.

The $7700 million opening weekend for "Avatar" thrilled everyone, and the controlled drop of $7500 million in the second week created a miracle of blockbuster's continued success. At that time, many media outlets had already begun to predict that its North American box office would easily break the $5 million mark.

With box office earnings of 6830 million in the third week and 4850 million in the fourth week, any ordinary commercial film would be a cause for celebration. After four weeks of release, the cumulative box office of 4.3 million yuan is definitely on par with the blockbuster of the year.

But when this data is compared with that of "Pacific Rim 2", all its brilliance is instantly dimmed.

Allen's finger traced the numbers for "Ring 2" on the report, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth: "They made 500 million less than us in their opening week, and then what?"

He suddenly raised his head, his gaze sharp as a knife. "6900 million in the second week, 6700 million in the third week, and 4900 million in the fourth week! Except for the first week, which week wasn't it neck and neck with Avatar? Now it has a cumulative total of 4.5 million, and it has even surpassed it by 2000 million!"

Mark Jenkins, Universal Pictures’ distribution director, cleared his throat, trying to ease the tense atmosphere: “Alan, objectively speaking, the $4.3 million result has exceeded our initial expectations.”

It's worth noting that the ceiling for science fiction films in the North American market has always been relatively low. The fact that *Avatar* reached this level demonstrates Cameron's appeal.

"But what about Ocean Park 2?"

Allen interrupted him mercilessly, his dissatisfaction almost overflowing in his voice, "A film that cost less than half the price of Avatar, what makes you think you're on par with us? Did you think all the money we spent was fake?"

He stood up, his gaze sharp as a hawk's as he looked at everyone in the conference room, filled with resentment and anger.

Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting dappled shadows on him, but it did nothing to warm his cold emotions.

Mark paused for a moment, then took another stack of documents from his briefcase and pushed it to the center of the table: "We've analyzed the reasons. The strengths and weaknesses of Avatar are too distinct, like two sides of a coin."

The advantages are self-evident. Cameron's influence in the global film industry is unparalleled. His 3D technological innovation has almost redefined the way movies are visually presented. Cinemas worldwide urgently upgraded their equipment for this film, creating an unprecedented spectacle.

He paused, then changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious: "But the flaws are equally fatal."

The core plot is too formulaic; the narrative pattern of 'outsiders integrating into the native tribe and leading them to rebel against their own kind' has been overused for decades.

More importantly, the conflict setting is too rigid. The humans are all greedy and cruel, while the Na'vi are all embodiments of nature and justice.

The characters are all symbolic; the protagonist is the standard hero template, and the villain has no depth beyond being evil. The whole movie is overly didactic, and audiences are already tired of this kind of thing.

Allen turned around, his anger undiminished: "You're right, but aren't all Hollywood blockbusters like this? Blockbusters, do you really expect them to have profound meaning or thought-provoking significance?"

He admitted that Mark was right; after Avatar was released, the criticism from film critics did indeed focus on the plot and characters.

But that's how blockbusters are; if you want to make breakthroughs in visuals and art, then you inevitably have to weaken the plot and character settings. No movie can be perfect in every aspect.

“I know all of that.” Mark was speechless.

"I think the main reason why 'Pacific Rim 2' was able to catch up and surpass others is that of the Chinese director Zhang Chen..."

The atmosphere in the meeting room shifted subtly once again when the name "Zhang Chen" was mentioned.

Sara Cohen, the vice president of production at Universal, immediately chimed in, her tone tinged with barely concealed jealousy: "Alan, you've hit the nail on the head."

Zhang Chen is definitely a marketing genius.

Before the release of "Pacific Rim 2", he used ratings to attract everyone's attention and arouse people's curiosity about "Pacific Rim 2".

Meanwhile, the debate on Twitter essentially forced a connection between "Planet 2" and "Avatar," and theaters even offered joint screenings because of it.

Later, he used the Middle Eastern prince's movie-watching incident as a gimmick to promote the film extensively, even getting the prince to help him promote it, which greatly increased its popularity.

Zhang Chen is willing to fight on the front lines for his film, while director Cameron is not so cooperative. After the incident, we tried to get Cameron to speak out, but he was reluctant. He's too concerned about his image; he's only willing to participate in some ordinary programs, and he's unwilling to do anything even slightly outrageous for publicity.

Sara Cohen shrugged at this point, implying that it wasn't that their distribution capabilities were lacking, but rather that the enemy was too strong and their own side was too weak.

Allen sneered. He knew better than Universal how difficult Cameron was to deal with, otherwise he wouldn't have signed all sorts of agreements at the very beginning of filming. He was really scared of being ripped off during the Titanic project.

"This Zhang Chen is truly a talent; he understands both film production and publicity. It's a pity he's not on our side."

Mark's voice was low and dangerous, "Avatar was originally scheduled for a simultaneous global release, and the Chinese market was also set to release on December 18th, the same as the North American market. But because of the rating issue, it was forcibly moved to January..."

Zhang Chen is Warner Bros.’s most valued director at this stage, a fact well-known in the industry.

Naturally, major film companies would want to work with a director like Zhang Chen. Unfortunately, Universal and Fox were initially at odds with him because of Avatar, and even if that matter passes, the possibility of them working together is not high.

"As far as I know, Warner Bros. signed a priority investment agreement with him for three films..."

Allen's expression also turned serious: "I heard that Warner Bros. did this not only because Zhang Chen himself is capable enough, but also because they value the Chinese market behind him. I heard that Zhang Chen's influence in China is so great that it can affect the scheduling of a movie..."

"Indeed, Avatar is a direct victim."

"Aren't you going to protest?"

"Of course we protested, but the guy in charge told us directly that the protest was invalid. When we asked for a reason, he said there was no reason, but everyone could see that this was retaliation for the rating incident..."

"You mean Zhang Chen is an official of the Chinese government?"

"No, but Zhang Chen is known as the 'Pride of the Chinese People' in China, and his influence is indeed enormous, so enormous that the Chinese government doesn't care even if we face a WTO lawsuit..."

As we all know, due to official negligence, public boycotts, and various other factors such as piracy, the box office performance in China was very poor. We originally thought that with James Cameron's reputation, we could match "Pacific Rim 2" or at least reach the level of "2012," but…

Mark sighed at this point, and anyone could hear the helplessness in his voice.

The conference room was completely silent, except for the faint sound of the air conditioner running.

Everyone understood what Mark meant; Zhang Chen had become a threat they could not ignore.

This Chinese director, who is only in his early twenties, rose to fame with two films in the Pacific Rim series. He not only has a close relationship with Warner Bros., but is also about to collaborate with Paramount.

This very person has fallen out with both Universal and 20th Century Fox, and he wields considerable influence in China. It's easy to imagine that these two companies' films will face difficulties in China in the future.

“We can’t just sit here and wait to die.” Allen broke the silence first, a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes. “China has the potential to become the world’s second largest market, and we can’t allow such an important market to exist as a ‘time bomb’ that is not friendly to us.”

"Therefore, we must address the root cause."

A cold smile curled at the corners of Allen's lips, a calculating glint in his eyes. "His influence didn't come out of thin air, did it? We'll weaken him little by little. Without influence, even the most talented director is just a director, unable to stir up any waves."

A hint of agreement flashed in Mark's eyes: "You mean..."

"First, public opinion."

Allen held up one finger, his tone resolute, "We can find some film critics and have them objectively analyze the shortcomings of *Pacific Rim 2*, focusing on points like 'plot logic loopholes' and 'unreasonable scientific settings.' We don't need to directly criticize it; we just need to make the audience feel that 'Pacific Rim 2 isn't actually that amazing.' At the same time..."
Reiterate the technological advantages of *Avatar*, emphasizing Cameron's innovative contributions and creating a contrast.

He then held up a second finger: "Secondly, connections."

Zhang Chen's ability to forge a friendship with a Middle Eastern prince demonstrates his skill in cultivating connections. We can indirectly reach out to investors who have worked with him, subtly suggesting things like, "Zhang Chen's demands are too high, making him difficult to work with," or "Warner's resources for him affect industry fairness," thus making them wary of him.

“Finally, and most importantly,” Allen’s voice was even lower, carrying a chilling undertone.

Awards. Major awards like the Oscars and Golden Globes have a huge impact on a director's status.

What Zhang Chen lacks right now is this kind of authoritative recognition, and what we need to do is make sure he doesn't get it. No matter how popular *Pacific Rim 2* is, we must suppress him when it comes to awards.”

Mark nodded and added, "There's also the issue of screening time. We previously proposed extending the screening period of 'Avatar,' just like we did with 'Titanic,' and now it seems even more necessary."

If theaters can extend the screening of James Cameron's film once, they can definitely do it a second time.

Allen looked at Mark with satisfaction, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "Do it that way. Mark, make sure Universal communicates about extending the screening time as soon as possible. As for public opinion and connections, leave that to Fox. Regarding awards, I will personally liaise with the Academy's judges."

He stood up, his gaze sweeping firmly over the crowd. "We want everyone to know that Hollywood's rules are not for an outsider to rewrite. If Zhang Chen tries to block our way, he'll be crushed."

The executives stood up in agreement, and the previously oppressive meeting room was now filled with a cold determination.

That's how Hollywood is; free competition is just a facade, at its core it's still a game of cliques.

……

At three in the morning, Zhang Chen was sleeping when he received a call from David Heyman.

"Zhang, you'd never guess, the battle has escalated! The Oscar committee just announced this year's nominees at the Beverly Hills Hotel..."

"what are you saying?"

Hearing Zhang Chen's slightly tired voice, David finally realized, "Oh, damn it, I forgot about the time difference. Sorry, it should be the middle of the night where you are, Zhang, I'm so sorry..."

Zhang Chen had already been woken up anyway, so he walked to the window with his phone in hand, pushed the window open halfway, and let in the cool night breeze carrying the scent of grass and trees.

Feeling somewhat more awake, he finally said, "What did you just say? What do you mean the battlefield has been upgraded?"

"I wanted to inform you that the Oscar nominations just announced have all eight awards that overlap between Avatar and Pacific Rim 2."

David's voice lowered, and then the list he read out came out like a string of heavy lead balls: "Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Score—Cameron tied with us, the two films in the nomination list are right next to each other, just like the box office charts."

Zhang Chen's Adam's apple bobbed. After his brain regained its ability to think, the first question that came to mind was: "Aren't these two movies only going to be released in December? Is there still time to submit them for this year's Oscars?"

"Of course you can make it. Oscar nominations require films to have been released between January 1st and December 31st of the year they were released. *Avatar* and *Ocean's Revenge 2* both qualify."

"Oh, I see. So, what are our chances of winning?"

"Frankly speaking, not much."

David's words directly punctured the balloon of expectations: "We might still have a chance for Best Picture and Best Director, but most of the other awards are technical ones, and in that respect, Avatar completely beats us."

You know the nature of those old guys at the academy. They touted Cameron's 3D technology innovations as a "revolution in the film industry," but no matter how amazing our mecha designs are, in their eyes they're just "commercial showmanship."

Zhang Chen knew, however, that there was no hope for Best Picture either.

This year's Best Picture seems to be "Shock Wave," directed by Cameron's ex-wife, which could be the biggest dark horse at the Oscars.

Is the movie really that good? Not necessarily, mainly because of political factors.

"Shock Wave" is a movie that those who know, know!
"Also~"

David's tone suddenly changed, "We promised you before that we would get at least one nomination for Gravity, and we did. We got two nominations in total, for Best Actress and Best Director."

We've done an internal assessment, and Gravity has at least a higher chance of winning than Ring 2. Even though Gravity only had two nominations while Ring 2 had eight, the former has a much higher probability of winning.

Zhang Chen didn't know how they evaluated it, but since they were one of the six major Hollywood studios, Zhang Chen chose to trust them.

“I understand what you mean,” he said softly.

“No, you might not understand.” David’s voice suddenly turned serious. “Zhang, this is Hollywood, not a film festival. Awards are never just about the work itself—you have to follow the rules.”

"If 'Gravity' wants to win Best Director, Guo Fan will have to compete head-to-head with you and Cameron. It will be difficult, but not impossible. The Oscars like to award the Best Director award to new directors."

There's also room for maneuver in the Best Actress category.

Fan already has a certain level of fame in North America, and has a very good reputation.

If they were willing to invest a little more time, perhaps it could be done.

David didn't explain it very clearly, but Zhang Chen understood: you can do public relations for the Oscars, which means you have to build good relationships with the judges.

How to maintain good relationships?

You have to attend parties and become friends with them. Doing so doesn't guarantee you'll be elected, but at least people will be more inclined to vote for you.

However, there is a prerequisite for doing this: it will inevitably take up a lot of time, and you will definitely have to stay in North America for a long time. You can't just fly over here because there's a party there tonight. Even if you were willing, there wouldn't be enough time.

David lowered his voice, "Of course, it would be even better if you could come along; that would increase your chances of winning next time."

David was obviously doing it for Zhang Chen's own good, but he also knew it was impossible. Zhang Chen was busy with Mission: Impossible 4 and Inception, so he didn't have time to chat with those old men.

"Okay, I understand. I'll have them cooperate as much as possible with 'Gravity.' As for the nomination for 'Universe 2,' we can't give up. We should fight for what we can..."

Zhang Chen doesn't really care about awards. Even if Guo Fan won the Oscar for Best Director before him, he wouldn't be upset about it.

All he ever cared about was business performance.

(End of this chapter)