America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 343 Luxury Car Giveaway

At the Los Angeles Country Club, a black Cadillac SLS smoothly drove past the clubhouse's white gate and parked on the flower-lined side of the road.

The camera followed the slider to the driver's seat, where Martin opened the door and got out, dressed in a formal suit. Against the backdrop of the luxury car and the clubhouse, he exuded an air of success.

Director Joseph spoke from behind the monitor: "Cut, that's a good take."

A driver went over and drove the car to the entrance of the club.

The film crew moved to the entrance, where preparations for filming were underway.

Martin went to the tow truck to change his clothes and came back to continue filming.

Not just videos, but also still photos.

Although Cadillac is a luxury car brand among American cars, it doesn't focus on the high-end like Brioni. They requested that the GG be filmed as soon as possible in order to catch the Super Bowl GG in early February.

A GoG movie featuring Martin and cars will be shown on the American Spring Festival Gala.

This is also excellent publicity for Martin himself.

Having received a $1000 million annual endorsement fee from Cadillac, Martin fully cooperated, posing in various ways as requested by the photographer.

After we finished shooting here, we touched up our makeup.

The Cadillac SLS was parked in front of the clubhouse.

Martin took a key and entered the clubhouse lobby.

Director Joseph reminded the blockers: "Pay attention to the camera and the key."

Martin held up the key.

With the crew ready, Joseph gave the order, and filming began again.

Martin came out of the club, took out his keys, pressed them against the car, and the car lights flashed.

The cameraman following the camera captured close-up shots.

Joseph shouted, "That's it! Get back to your positions and let's try again!"

Working for money is the most basic professional ethic, and Martin was not bothered by it; this scene was filmed eight times in a row.

Around 4:30 PM, after GG finished shooting all the photos and still images, Martin removed his makeup, changed his clothes, got into a Cadillac SLS, and headed straight for Burbank.

This is one of several new cars delivered by Cadillac.

Besides being used by Martin in public, it can also be given as a gift to relatives and friends.

Agent Thomas was waiting in the car.

Martin took out a car key and handed it to Thomas: "The car is at the Cadillac dealership. Go get it yourself."

Thomas asked, "Did you give me the car?"

Martin said, "You fought for the endorsement contract, so you deserve a car too."

This extra income beyond the agent's commission warmed Thomas's heart. Compared to those celebrities who need to be coaxed and tricked after they become famous, Martin was a rare and good client.

Thomas put away the car keys.

Bruce also has a car that belongs to him.

In addition, Martin left a car for Menez, but Menez is currently filming out of town and will not be returning to Los Angeles for the time being.

Thomas glanced at his watch and said, "The screening is over."

Today is the theater manager and media screening of "Limitless," but because he has to film a Cadillac GG, Martin can only attend the evening's reception party.

As the car entered Burbank, Bruce turned onto the road leading to the Burbank Hotel.

Martin opened the car's cooler, took out a box of pizza, opened the armrest in the middle of the back seat, picked up a slice, and said, "There's no time for dinner. There's bound to be drinking at the party, so eat something first. Don't drink on an empty stomach."

"You've really thought of everything." Thomas picked up the pizza and started eating it.

Martin ate pizza, rinsed his mouth with mineral water, sprayed on some breath freshener, and then tidied his clothes slightly in front of the mirror.

When dealing with nitpicky critics, you have to pay attention to every detail.

Many critics are narrow-minded; if they feel disrespected, they can use their pens to smear someone for life.

Martin may not care about them in the future, but right now he needs these guys to use their commentary articles to get more attention.

The car stopped in front of the hotel, and Martin and Thomas got out. As soon as they entered the hotel lobby, they saw Louise.

She was wearing a women's suit and black-rimmed glasses. When she saw Martin come in, she waved gently.

Martin went over there and asked, "How was the test screening?"

Louise wouldn't joke about something so serious, saying, "The response has been very good."

She took Martin's arm: "Let's go to the banquet hall and talk as we walk."

Martin walked leisurely to the elevator.

Louise said, "The 38 journalists who attended the screening gave it an average score of 84. The theater managers gave it an even better commercial score, averaging 94."

The latter rating is not based solely on film quality, but rather on market considerations. The rating directly affects the level of support from theaters during negotiations between the distribution company and the theater chain.

Over the past decade, there have been numerous examples of good films performing poorly at the box office while bad films have become huge hits.

Martin then asked, "What about the fans?"

This question surprisingly put Louise in a good mood, and she replied, "A+!"

"That's great news," Martin said with a smile.

As for the critics, he didn't ask, and Louise didn't say anything either.

Upon entering the hotel banquet hall, Martin immediately adjusted his mindset, mingling with media reporters and commentators, occasionally raising a glass with them.

As always, he showed great respect to the critics who participated in the screenings, always listened to their opinions, and discussed high-level artistic topics with them.

Before the new year, the Oscar nomination ballots had already been distributed, and Martin needed these people to continue to cheer him on.

Martin took the initiative to contact Kenneth Turan, the chief film critic for the Los Angeles Times.

"I just saw the preview screening, and your acting was as superb as ever." Turan was more concerned about Martin and his character than the film: "You portrayed the transformation from destitution to success exceptionally well."

Martin said, "Thank you for your praise. Perhaps it is my own experience that allows me to more deeply understand the mental journey of this transformation."

He never hesitates to praise himself: "This shift in mindset was a big challenge, but I think I handled it quite well."

Turan just watched the film and was deeply impressed by Martin's role: "It's no worse than your role in The Departed. If this film didn't have the sci-fi elements and had fewer commercial elements, it could have easily made it to the next awards season."

"Living in such a commercial society, it's too difficult to avoid business." Martin looked helpless: "I have to consider and balance the talent agency, investment company, and my partners around me. I can't decide the final product of a film, but I'm always trying to use my performance to achieve a better balance between commerce and art."

Critics are also a group of business writers. To put it bluntly, all these industries related to film are business. Turan doesn't think there's anything wrong with Martin's words, as if a teacher is instructing students: "Don't get lost in business, and never forget to hone your acting skills."

Martin nodded emphatically and said, "Once The Reader is finished, I hope you can attend the preview screening as soon as possible. Your comments have given me a lot of guidance, and the results I have honed under your guidance also need your continued guidance."

These words made Kenneth Turan feel genuinely comfortable, and he said, "Remember to call me."

Martin knows what these guys like, and right now he needs them to shout "666" (a Chinese internet slang for "awesome").

He ordered a drink from the waiter and had one with Kenneth Turan.

Meanwhile, Aniston finished her conversation with a newspaper's deputy editor-in-chief, waited a while, and when she saw that Martin was alone, she went over to him.

She was in high spirits: "The film has been very well received."

Martin is also confident: "Recouping costs at the box office is not a problem."

Aniston moved closer and whispered, "Have you seen the recent news?"

Martin was confused: "What news?"

“Griffith Observatory,” Aniston said. “Many couples like to go there at night to stargaze and have romantic rendezvous.”

Martin had been to this place when he was dating Anne Hathaway.

Aniston continued, "Last night, fireworks were used to attack the observatory near the planetarium, and many couples were terrified and ran for their lives."

She took out her phone: "Someone took photos of the scene."

Martin glanced at it and immediately recognized the fireworks as Gatling gun firework: "Those two bastards, Leo and Jack!"

"Luckily, there are no trees at the observatory," Aniston said.

Martin, however, knew the two bastards' style: "They were definitely carefully chosen."

After the party, Martin called Leonardo.

Sure enough, it was those two bastards who raided Griffith Observatory at night.

They proposed a night raid on Venice Beach on Valentine's Day, which is said to be another famous battlefield in Los Angeles.

For the next week, Martin threw himself into work, promoting his new film while also continuing his efforts to garner support for the Oscars.

As awards season progresses and various association and pre-award results are announced, Martin Scorsese has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor/Actress in most of his works.

But the award most likely went to Alan Arkin.

During that time, he attended the Golden Globe Awards ceremony.

The entire "The Departed" crew suffered a major defeat. Not only did Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, who were nominated for acting awards, fail to win, but "Babel" also snatched the awards for Best Feature Film and Best Director.

But nobody cared, because the Golden Globe judges and the Oscar judges have virtually no overlap.

At the subsequent Directors Guild Awards, Martin Scorsese won the Best Director award.

At the Producers Guild Awards, "The Departed" took the top spot!

The awards from Hollywood industry associations are the real indicators of trends.

Martin was nominated for both awards, but the Best Supporting Actor award went to Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine.

Robert De Niro, who played a supporting role in "Limitless," has been working in Hollywood for decades and has a wide network of connections. He leaked some information to Martin Scorsese.

Last year's critically acclaimed "Little Miss Sunshine" saw its primary award, according to Fox, the production and distribution company, be Alan Arkin's Best Supporting Actor award, which was considered the most likely outcome.

Alan Arkin, whose seniority is no less than De Niro's, not only mobilized his decades-long network of connections but also sold two Manhattan properties he had invested in years ago for public relations purposes.

This old man has played significant supporting roles in hundreds of films and television dramas, is Jewish, and is over 70 years old.

The advantage is too great for Best Supporting Actor.

The Oscars are known for their respect for the elderly and their nostalgia.

Martin, on the other hand, took it easy, since his goal was an Oscar nomination.

The 70-year-old Jewish man has a wider network of connections than him, while the 25-year-old non-Jew has over 40 years of professional experience versus only 3 years of seniority.

Most importantly, Alan Arkin spent just as much on public relations as he did.

Even De Niro, that old man, reserved the first nomination vote for Allen Arkin.

The majority of the judges at the academy were men over 60 years old.

In mid-January, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the most important indicator of the Oscars' acting awards, announced its results.

Leonardo DiCaprio, who was aiming for the Oscar for Best Actor, did not win the Best Actor award, losing to African-American actor Forest Whitaker.

As expected, Alan Arkin won the Best Supporting Actor award.

However, both Martin and Leonardo were shortlisted for their respective awards.

With his Oscar nomination virtually guaranteed, Martin shifted his focus to promoting "Limitless".

In the last two weeks before the release, he changed cities every day, repeating the pattern of airplanes, hotels, and announcements, traveling from the West Coast to the East Coast, and even went to the UK and Germany, which were opening at the same time as North America, to do promotion.

The publicity efforts have been maximized, both online and through other media.

Thanks to positive word-of-mouth from test screenings, Warner Bros. secured the film for release in nearly 3300 theaters.

(End of this chapter)