Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 472, Question 470: Open and Honest

Time marches on, and before we knew it, it was March 23, 2003.

Los Angeles, Kodak Theatre (now Dolby Theatre).

This place should be the most dazzling and bustling place of the year, where media and fans from all over the world would crowd around it, just to capture the stunning moments of celebrities walking the red carpet.

However, the 75th Academy Awards ceremony that year was shrouded in an unusual atmosphere.

Just days before the awards ceremony, the Iraq War officially broke out.

The shadow of war, though separated by oceans, still looms over the heart of this "dream factory."

Out of respect for the international situation and in consideration of potential anti-war protests, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, after careful discussion, made a historic decision—to cancel the red carpet event on the Hollywood Walk of Fame outside of this year's Oscars ceremony.

When the news was announced, Wang Sheng, who was already in Los Angeles, was not surprised. His most vivid memory of that year's Oscars was not the list of winners, but the fact that the ceremony was unusually low-key and even somewhat dull due to the war.

A grand and solemn celebration seemed out of place in the context of war, and the Academy's choice was a politically prudent one, as well as a compromise with reality.

So when Wang Sheng led the representatives of the "Night at the Museum" crew to the Kodak Theatre, they were greeted by a completely different scene.

There was no red carpet stretching for hundreds of meters, no roaring fans on both sides and a barrage of flashing lights, and no lengthy on-site interviews by the host.

Guests entered the theater directly through a designated passageway, following a relatively simplified process and with security guidance.

Wang Sheng was dressed in a tailor-made black Tom Ford tuxedo, with a tall and composed figure.

His female companion was Li Bingbing, who played Chen Dabao's (Jackie Chan's) wife in "Night at the Museum" (her role was small, but she was listed as one of the main female characters in the cast).

Li Bingbing chose a royal blue floor-length dress, elegant and graceful, with exquisite makeup, and her brows showing a hint of nervousness and barely suppressed excitement from attending the Oscars for the first time.

Despite the lack of a red carpet appearance, the outfit was still quite eye-catching under the theater's interior lights.

Also accompanying them were Huo Jianqi and Chen Guoxing, core members of the directing team.

Jackie Chan is currently filming "Around the World in 80 Days" in Thailand and couldn't come.

At this moment, these two directors, both highly experienced in the Chinese film industry, are in the hall of the world's highest film honor, and their expressions inevitably carry a sense of novelty and solemnity.

"I never imagined the Oscars would be this quiet." Li Bingbing, arm in arm with Wang Sheng, sighed softly, her gaze curiously surveying the magnificent yet slightly oppressive atmosphere inside the theater.

"In these extraordinary times, everything should be kept simple." Wang Sheng said calmly, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

He could feel many gazes on him—curious, scrutinizing, friendly, complicated… and so on.

With four technical award nominations and a global box office exceeding $400 million, Night at the Museum, especially as a film led by a Chinese director and achieving huge commercial success in Hollywood, it is a force to be reckoned with at this year's Oscars.

Despite missing out on major awards such as Best Picture and Best Director, his fame and influence in mainstream Hollywood are now vastly different from what they used to be.

"king!"

A warm voice came from inside.

Wang Sheng turned his head and saw Kevin Brown of New Line Cinema walking towards him with several executives, smiling: "How was your evening? Although there was no red carpet, inside, the show must go on."

The Lord of the Rings also received multiple nominations, which is why they came here.

“Mr. Brown,” Wang Sheng shook hands with him, “the atmosphere was very special, but it was an honor to be a part of it.”

"Haha, relax. Your 'Museum' is our pride, and we have a good chance tonight." Brown patted Wang Sheng on the shoulder, his tone warm.

Several senior executives beside him also shook hands and greeted Wang Sheng in a friendly manner.

Wang Sheng's collaboration with New Line Cinema on "Spy Kids" is about to begin filming, and with the success of "The Museum" and "Saw," his position in Hollywood is already secure.

He is a director who can make a lot of money, and in another country, he has power equivalent to a Hollywood mogul.

In the United States, a capitalist country, the standard for measuring a person's value is whether that person can generate more money, or in other words, produce more gold coins.

Wang Sheng didn't care about this at all; he was just copying Hollywood movies anyway, so he was going to make money either way.

Not far away, the crew of the film "Hero" also arrived.

Director Zhang Yimou was dressed in a Chinese-style stand-up collar suit, his expression as calm as ever, but a hint of solemnity could be seen deep in his eyes.

Beside him were lead actor Li Lianjie, producer Jiang Zhiqiang, and others.

Zhang Yi also saw Wang Sheng. Their eyes met briefly in the air, and they nodded slightly to each other as a greeting.

Whether it's competition or past friction, maintaining superficial courtesy is the basic rule of the game in such situations.

Hero is nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, but it faces strong competition from films such as the German film Nowhere to Go. In addition, its North American distribution strategy (limited screenings in order to compete for the Oscars, with a large-scale theatrical release after the nomination deadline) is indeed controversial. Furthermore, Miramax has shifted its public relations focus to Chicago and Gangs of New York. Therefore, its prospects for winning the award are not optimistic in the industry.

Zhang Yimou's team was fully aware of this; their visit was primarily for participation and experience.

Once inside the theater and seated, the unique atmosphere brought about by the war became even more pronounced.

The usual noise and small talk had subsided, and the guests were speaking in hushed tones. The stage setup was also simpler than in previous years, lacking some of the glitz and glamour.

Wang Sheng was seated in a nice area, surrounded by crew members and several Hollywood faces.

People would come over to greet him from time to time.

"Mr. Wang, congratulations on the success of 'Saw,' it's a truly amazing box office miracle." A manager from an independent production company approached him, his tone clearly aimed at making friends. A low-budget horror film grossing over 20 million in its opening weekend—such a return on investment would make any production company envious.

"Thank you, it was just luck," Wang Sheng replied politely.

"Director Wang, this is Mike's agency. We are very interested in your future projects, especially 'Spy Kids'..." Another man, clearly an agent, handed over his business card. Li Bingbing watched as Wang Sheng effortlessly handled the advances of various people, secretly marveling at his skill.

She clearly sensed that the Hollywood people around her treated Wang Sheng with far more than just politeness towards a "nominated foreign director." Rather, it was with a sense of equality, even respect and enthusiasm for a powerful figure and a potential collaborator.

This influence comes from genuine business success.

Huo Jianqi and Chen Guoxing also communicated in hushed tones in Chinese.

The ceremony began promptly at 11 p.m.

Host Steve Martin took to the stage, and his opening remarks were as humorous as ever, but cleverly incorporated the current tense international situation, combining banter with reflection, attempting to find a place for film and humor in these difficult times.

The laughter and applause from the audience were quite restrained.

The awards ceremony proceeded as scheduled.

Technical awards are usually given in the early to mid-stages of the ceremony.

When the award for Best Sound Effects was presented, the name of "Night at the Museum" appeared on the nomination list, and at the same time, footage of Wang Sheng and the crew members behind him appeared on the big screen in the theater.

Wang Sheng smiled and calmly watched the stage.

Although the award was ultimately given to "Chicago," the nominees were still given a polite round of applause.

Next up was Best Sound Editing, which once again missed out on "The Museum," instead going to "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers."

Li Bingbing glanced at Wang Sheng with slight disappointment, but saw that he looked perfectly normal.

Next came the Best Makeup award. The presenter read out the nominees: "...Gangs of New York, Frida Kahlo...and, Night at the Museum!"

The camera focused on Wang Sheng again. He maintained his polite smile.

"The winner is..." The presenter opened the envelope, paused, and read out the name: "Frida!"

Applause erupted in the arena.

Wang Sheng clapped lightly, his expression completely calm.

Of the four nominations, three have already been lost.

Only one item remains—optimal visual effects.

Li Bingbing, Huo Jianqi, and the others couldn't help but feel nervous.

Although Wang Sheng seemed indifferent, deep down they still hoped to achieve something, even if it was just a technical award, it would be a great honor and recognition.

Finally, it was time to present the award for Best Visual Effects.

The award presenters were two well-known action movie stars.

After a few lighthearted jokes, they began reading out the nominees:
"The nominees for Best Visual Effects are: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Spider-Man…" Each name announced was met with cheers from the audience.

These are all benchmark works of visual effects in 2002.

"And..." the guest's voice rose slightly, "Night at the Museum!"

On the big screen, exciting clips from the movie "The Museum" appeared, showing dinosaur skeletons and Yellow River elephant skeletons chasing each other in the exhibition hall, and the Terracotta Army coming to life.

A round of applause broke out at the scene, especially for this imaginative film that has been a global success.

The guest opened the envelope that would decide their fate.

The whole place fell silent instantly.

"The winner is..." He glanced at the name, then read it out clearly:
"Night at the Museum!"

"Whoosh—!" Applause suddenly erupted, even more enthusiastic than before!
Wang Sheng calmly stood up, gently hugged Li Bingbing who was so excited he almost jumped up, and then shook hands with Huo Jianqi, Chen Guoxing, and others.

He straightened his clothes and walked calmly towards the stage.

After receiving the heavy little golden statuette from the award presenter, Wang Sheng stood in front of the microphone.

All eyes in the theater were on the Chinese director who had created a box office miracle and had now won an Oscar.

His acceptance speech was concise and appropriate, beginning fluently in English:
"Thank you to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and thank you to all the team members who worked hard on Night at the Museum, whether they were from China or the United States."

This award belongs to each and every one of you. Thank you to New Line Cinema for their support, thank you to my family and friends, and thank you to all the viewers who enjoyed this film.

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the audience, spotting Zhang Yimou, the "Hero" film crew, and Brown and others from New Line Cinema. He continued speaking in Chinese, with simultaneous interpretation provided:

"Film is a dream, and also a force that transcends cultures and borders. At this special moment, we hope that the laughter and wonder this film brings can dispel some of the gloom in our hearts. Thank you."

He didn't launch into a long speech, nor did he shed tears of emotion; his tone was calm, and his demeanor composed. But this composure and well-timed remarks, combined with his current achievements, carried even greater weight.

Applause erupted again from the audience.

Many people were deeply impressed by the young Chinese director's composure and vision.

Holding the Oscar trophy, Wang Sheng calmly walked off the stage under the spotlight and gazes.

He spent $1.5 million on public relations (two to three times the market price), so he accepted it openly and honestly.

As for the purpose of this award... it's nothing more than raising the valuation of Shengying Media and telling some carefully packaged stories.

(End of this chapter)