America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 288 Even Winning an Award Requires Sponsorship

In February 2006, as the weather in New York began to warm up, the crew overcame obstacles and was able to film outdoor scenes on the streets of New York, thanks to the coordination of Warner Bros. and WMA.

Our first stop was Central Park, to avoid the Wollman Ice Rink thawing.

Because of Martin and Aniston's relationship, the production team attracted a large number of media reporters who followed and filmed them.

"Limitless" has already gained enough exposure for now, so there's no need to actively create news anymore.

Filming proceeded smoothly, with only minor complaints about road closures and other issues.

Over the weekend, Martin made a special trip to Fifth Avenue.

Upon arriving at Tiffany's, after a brief look around, he waved his hand and said, "This one, and this one, I'll take them."

Men are all about speed when it comes to shopping!

Go straight to the goal, no loitering, no rambling.

Martin swiped his card and received a ruby ​​necklace and a sapphire necklace, which were then shipped to Los Angeles and Atlanta respectively via a special high-value goods shipping line.

This is for Louise and Kelly.

Then, he bought a necklace, earrings, and bracelet set, and mailed them to Elena in Atlanta.

There were still people to give gifts to, but unlike the saltwater crocodile teeth and bull horn sculptures, Martin didn't plan to give gifts from the same brand, so he went to Cartier and Chanel separately.

The necklace he bought is for Blake Lively, whom he will give to her when he visits her on set in Louisiana for Valentine's Day.

I bought a pink diamond-encrusted bracelet from Cartier as a gift for Aniston.

As for Julie, Martin has long forgotten about her.

Angelina Jolie embarked on her journey of devotion to the Virgin Mary, and after the promotional tour for the DVD release of "Wanted" concluded, she flew to Afghanistan and other places to conduct on-site investigations into refugee issues.

Martin called her; Julie's next role is also closely related to mothers and children, called "Changeling," a film directed by Clint Eastwood, a guarantee of awards during awards season.

Angelina Jolie's future development plan is very clear: she is to become a modern-day Virgin Mary.

Martin spent over $100,000 on gifts for five people.

When it's time to be generous, you should never be stingy.

This is what Leonardo told him after Martin asked him about his experience.

What others say may be unreliable, but this devoted superstar has dated dozens of girlfriends, both formal and informal, and not a single one of them has come out to criticize him; on the contrary, they have continued to speak well of him.

Playboy's ability to achieve this level is virtually unparalleled in Hollywood.

After completing the mailing procedures, Martin and Bruce, carrying several bags, got into the car together and returned to the hotel.

Bruce drove out of the parking lot and said, "You're so generous, unlike the Martin I know!"

Martin said, "It's mainly because I had an illness before that was never cured."

Bruce asked, puzzled, "How come I didn't know you were sick?"

Martin explained simply, "It's poverty! I only have two or three hundred thousand dollars on me. Who would dare to spend tens of thousands of dollars to buy a gift for a woman? I'm not love-struck."

"That makes sense," Bruce began to agree. After driving past an intersection, he realized, "Wait, something's not right!"

He cut through the fog of confusion, getting straight to the point: "Heath Ledger paid for it! He gave you $20!"

Martin retorted, "Isn't the money he gave me for emotional support my own money? Didn't I spend my own money?"

Bruce couldn't refute it.

Martin asked, "What gift did you give the Kardashian sisters?"

Bruce deliberately said, "Fang pendants and bull horn carvings, clown type."

Martin simply held up his middle finger in front of him.

Bruce told the truth: "Designer bags, one for Kim and one for Kohler." He's a jerk, with a lot of ideas: "I asked Kim if she wanted to give one to each member of her family, but Kim said it wasn't the right time."

Martin finally understood: "No wonder I sometimes seem weird; it turns out you've been unconsciously influencing me!"

Bruce scoffed, "It's clearly you who influenced me!"

The two scoundrels, discussing scoundrelly matters, returned to the hotel.

Martin entered the suite and found that Aniston, who had gone out to visit a friend, had returned.

She changed into her pajamas, came out of the bedroom, and was carrying a gift box.

Then, noticing the Cartier handbag Martin was carrying, she couldn't help but laugh: "Are we that in sync?"

Martin teased her, "It's not a gift for you."

"Yes, you have a girlfriend." Ignoring Martin's words, Aniston walked over, grabbed Martin's left hand, took off his watch from his wrist, and placed it on the sofa next to him.

Martin asked, "My Valentine's Day present?"

Jennifer Aniston unpacks the gift box: "I have a little lover who pays me hundreds of millions every day. Valentine's Day is coming soon, and I have to give my little lover something in return."

Martin tugged at his sleeve.

Aniston took out a Patek Philippe men's watch and handed it to Martin: "Take a look and see if you like it."

Martin noticed words on the back of the watch case. Turning it over, he saw a line of cursive English engraved on it: "Martin, Jennifer will always remember you."

Aniston took the watch and put it on Martin's finger, saying, "Don't be too touched. We're just lovers, not boyfriend and girlfriend, and there's no way we'll get married."

Martin sighed, "Can't you let me fantasize for a few more seconds, fantasize about marrying a billionaire woman named Aniston, and then I don't have to work hard anymore, I can just lie around every day?"

Aniston put on her watch, like the most caring older sister, and straightened Martin's sleeves: "If you lie down, the world will lose a billionaire."

"Thank you for your kind words." Martin opened the Cartier gift box, took out the bracelet inlaid with pink diamonds, and put it on Aniston's wrist.

The puppy's thoughtfulness pleased Aniston, who said, "Actually, the gift you gave me last time was very nice." She then asked curiously, "Who is Lily Carter?"

Martin replied, "I have a sister in Atlanta who is very talented in sculpting and is preparing to apply to the California Institute of the Arts this year."

"The sculpture department there is quite good." When a woman in her thirties gets thoughtful, she can consider every aspect of a man's life. Aniston, who was getting along very well with Martin, offered, "Do you need me to write you a letter of recommendation? I'm on good terms with Dalena, the vice president of the California Institute of the Arts."

Martin quickly replied, "Of course! Jane, you are the best lover in the world."

Although Mr. Jones, our neighbor, will provide a letter of recommendation, it's never a bad thing to have a few more letters of recommendation from celebrities and famous people.

Aniston, however, said, "The main thing is that Lily Carter's carvings are excellent and very easy to use."

Martin had seen how Louise and Kelly used his statue, and he understood immediately.

"Want to see?" Aniston opened a suitcase and took out a clown sculpture.

Without saying a word, Martin pulled her into the bedroom.

Anyone who knows a little about Hollywood would want to see a movie starring Jennifer Aniston.

On the eve of Valentine's Day, the film crew took a day off, and dozens of people dispersed.

Even Robert De Niro, a good coach, has to rush home to create his seventh money-devouring beast.

Martin first went to Atlanta, then flew from Atlanta to Louisiana, spending three consecutive days traveling and exploring. When he returned to New York, he slept for more than ten hours before he was fully recovered.

While giving the gift, Martin also received four designer watches.

He couldn't understand why women liked to give watches as gifts.

Martin specifically labeled the watch box to indicate who gave it to him, so as to avoid the trouble of wearing the wrong one later.

We can't let this little thing ruin everything.

A few days after filming resumed, Aniston finished shooting all her scenes and returned to Los Angeles to deal with the termination of her contract with CAA.

Thomas returned to New York, bringing with him plans for the WMA and Warner Bros. to release the film.

Ali Emmanuel, through connections, saw some footage of Martin Scorsese's character in "The Departed" and determined that the role far exceeded the normal standards for awards season. He immediately instructed his team to begin preparing an awards season campaign.

"In the early 12s, the North American awards season still started in December."

Inside the suite, Thomas explained the details: "But since the mid-5s, the traditional approach has stopped working. The current awards season, to be precise, starts with the Toronto International Film Festival, and some films even start competing for awards from the Cannes Film Festival in May. However, the European Film Festivals have little impact on the Oscars, so we can ignore them."

Martin had heard Louise analyze the awards season before.

Thomas continued, "Warner Bros. and Scorsese agreed that the Toronto International Film Festival was the perfect place for the world premiere of The Departed. From the start of the Toronto International Film Festival, WMA will invest resources and leverage its network to promote you."

"Be more specific," Martin asked, offering a concrete answer.

Thomas said, "After Ali finishes handling Aniston's contract, he will personally discuss with Warner Bros. and the production team to ensure that a portion of the production team's publicity and marketing budget is allocated to you."

He was well aware that if Aniston didn't sign with the company, the company wouldn't make any real investment; it was essentially an exchange of interests: "In addition, besides media and networking resources, the company will also allocate $100 million for lobbying and public relations."

Martin knew that funding was crucial to Oscar's success, and said, "Do I need to raise some funds?"

Thomas frankly stated, "Parties, lobbying, dating, and gift-giving all cost money. You won't gain anything from the Oscars without investing money. The Oscars have little to do with art; they're more of a game of fame and fortune."

Martin was prepared and had a plan: "I talked to Coca-Cola about the Oscars, and they said they could sponsor me to win an award if the endorsement was effective."

Thomas wasn't surprised, because when other celebrities are vying for awards, the brands they endorse also put in a lot of effort.

His agent took the initiative: "I'll communicate with Coca-Cola."

Martin nodded: "Then it's up to you."

Thomas added, "Warner Bros. has set a release date for 'Limitless' early next year."

He then brought up a crucial point: "I'm not sure what Leonardo thinks about the next awards season. You'd better talk to him. It's not easy to build a good relationship with him, so don't let this cause a conflict."

Martin said, "The filming is almost finished, and I'll go see Leo when I get back to Los Angeles."

Sigh, he passed away last night, less than four days after falling ill.

(End of this chapter)