Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 1297: Awards Season Preliminary Battle
"If it's two weeks, I need to make arrangements..."

After the time was set, Ronald and Bob Reiner talked about the filming arrangements again. He completely abandoned Ovitz's package arrangement. Although CAA still occupied most of the actors, he had more freedom to choose after all. And Jack Nicholson was also more powerful than James Wood, and working with him was a very exciting choice for the director.

"Nicholson is a drama fanatic. You don't have to worry at all. I convinced him because he read the script and you are the one directing. Just proceed with the rehearsal and script reading as normal..."

The most admired quality of a producer is to let the project run smoothly without interfering too much with the director. Ronald himself began to run for some film critics awards and union awards, hoping to build momentum for the two Oscar-nominated films together with the upcoming Golden Globe Awards.

A series of film critic awards, starting with the Boston Society of Film Critics Awards. The film critics here are the fifth most influential in the United States, after Chicago, New York, Dallas, and Los Angeles. It can be seen that the media's influence on film critics is the most important.

Chicago became the premiere film critic center mainly because of Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel's weekly film review shows. The nationally syndicated television film reviews are the first guide for many viewers when choosing a film.

The New York Film Critics Circle Awards rely on four nationally distributed newspapers and two newspapers in the Washington area, and their reputation is mainly spread through newspapers. Many old-school people still keep the habit of reading newspaper film review columns to choose movies, but this has been eroded by television media.

Just like Dallas and the neighboring Fort Worth, the two cities are not top in the film exhibition industry and traditional media industry, but they have Bobbi Wygant's star interview show. Every movie that has the ambition to achieve success at the box office cannot avoid appearing on her interview show.

As for Los Angeles, commercial films may be the most popular media attention, gossip news ranks second, and serious film reviews are not very popular with the media. People here prefer to wander to the commercial center and decide what movie to watch by looking at the star posters.

Boston was second-rate both on television and in newspapers, and just barely qualified for the National Society of Film Critics Award.

……

"Los Angeles is still Ovitz's territory, his domain..."

While waiting on a plane to Boston to attend the Film Critics Awards, Ronald received the list of winners for this year's Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards.

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards was the first to do so. They fully realized that these awards were of little importance to big stars. It was the kind of thing where if I won an award, it would be nice to go to the event, but don't expect me to add to your topic by not winning an award.

In order to avoid embarrassment for everyone and to allow award-winning stars to attend, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association will announce the list of winners one month before the award ceremony.

The biggest winner of this year's Los Angeles Film Critics Awards was "The Matrix." Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay were all awarded to this gangster movie.

Best Actor and Best Actress didn't win, but both got runner-up finishes (which they usually announce), so Warren Beatty and Annette Bening could have come to present the awards.

For "The Silence of the Lambs", only Jodie Foster won the second place for Best Actress, plus the second place for Best Original Score.

Since Ovitz and Warren Beatty wanted to get a head start at the Los Angeles Film Critics Awards and kick off the awards season, Ronald and the "Silence of the Lambs" crew would not go to the awards ceremony. They boarded Ronald's plane and went to the East Coast to seek support.

This time in Boston, The Silence of the Lambs won four awards: Best Film, Best Cinematography, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor.

Yes, Anthony Hopkins did not win the Best Actor award, but the Best Supporting Actor award. This is easy to understand, as he played Hannibal for less than half an hour, which is completely justified as a Best Supporting Actor award.

Of course, Ronald still applied for the Oscar and Golden Globe awards. However, the Film Critics Awards and the Guild Awards are not based on application, but are selected by members, so it is inevitable that there will be such a situation of drawing a line in time.

The Best Actress award went to Geena Davis from "Thelma & Louise" for no other reason than that Geena Davis is from Massachusetts and is a student at Boston University. Jodie Foster came in second.

Several people from the crew were there, and Ronald brought them to appear together. The Boston Film Critics Awards gave awards to their crew so intensively that it naturally became the best starting point for the awards season.

"Thank you to the Boston Film Critics Association and the audiences in Boston. This is my blessed place. I love it very much..."

After being interviewed by the local media, Ronald and his team took a day off and prepared to go to New York tomorrow, where they would receive two awards. After this period, everyone would go home for vacation and continue the award ceremony after the vacation.

This was also the time when Anthony Hopkins parted ways with them. He then returned to London to accept the nomination for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Because it coincided with the Golden Globe Awards, he accepted various small British awards on behalf of The Silence of the Lambs.

"I'll treat you to a movie, hahaha. Thanks to Ronald's help, my Efficiency Expert is now showing in America..."

Anthony Hopkins no longer has much of the energy of Hannibal when he smiles. Jodie Foster is afraid of him on the set. She may have said more words in the past few days than she did on the set combined.

"Ronald... you are really..." Foster looked at Ronald and smiled. Her directorial debut was not smooth and failed at the box office. However, her new film with Woody Allen saved her reputation after it was released. If her Egg Pictures wanted to continue to receive investment, producers like Ronald who had distribution capabilities had to seize the opportunity.

"Oh, I didn't pay attention to this movie. I didn't expect it to be released already."

Although he was unhappy with the director, the movie itself had nothing to do with his attitude. Ronald went to see "The Efficiency Expert" with everyone else.

"Oh, this actor is pretty good..." Jodie Foster commented after watching the film. Anyway, the scenes are boring, so you can only watch the actors themselves.

"Huh?" Ronald was also puzzled. Why did several people tell him that this actor was good and impressive?
This Australian actor has a very masculine look, but it is completely different from the charm of Stallone and Schwarzenegger. It is a different kind of charm.

When I watched "Thelma & Louise" before, there was an actor who played a supporting role. It was Brad Pitt who had angered Ronald. His masculine charm was also overwhelming. But none of the women around Ronald said they were impressed. Instead, they felt disgusted with the role of the gangster he played.

Maybe it’s because of the cheeks?

Ronald smiled and affirmed his taste. He felt uncomfortable when he saw Brad Pitt. The oversized cheeks must have been a preconceived proof that this person was not a good person.

Male No. 3 in this "Efficiency Expert" has small cheeks, so even though he has muscles, women are still attracted by his charm.

"What's his name?" Ronald became interested.

"Russell Crowe..."

"He's good, suitable for Hollywood. Better than the one in Thelma and Louise..."

"That little rascal, right? I hate him the moment I see him."

"Yes, more suitable for Hollywood than him..."

Ronald once again felt the change of the times. In the 1980s, tough guys with big cheeks were popular. Now, perhaps after the rise of President Mikhail, the Cold War has eased. So, aggressive cheeks with overflowing male hormones are no longer popular.

Small cheeks and soft facial lines are becoming more and more popular among female audiences. Both Stallone and Schwarzenegger are seeking transformation. Lundgren and Jean-Claude Van Damme can only make it in action movies. If they switch to a genre with more female audiences, they will have no box office appeal.

……

Then, they went straight to New York, where they were waiting to receive the Edgar Allen Poe Award.

This is a film award voted for by American suspense writers. It is presented annually in New York.

Suspense novels have always been the most popular genre for Hollywood to adapt. So the relationship between the two is much closer than you might think. Producers choose suspense novels to adapt, and writers also choose the production companies that adapt them.

This award, named after the most famous American suspense novelist, is a good opportunity for both parties to network. Of course, many suspense novel writers are also members of the Writers Guild, and some even have the right to vote for the Oscars, so attending the awards ceremony here is also a good opportunity for public relations.

Of course, there are relatively few awards related to Ronald and his team, including Best Movie, Best TV Series, and Best Miniseries. Other radio dramas and stage plays are far away from Hollywood.

The Silence of the Lambs is one of the best suspense novel adaptations into movies, and each of these novelists hopes that their novels can be adapted to this level.

After winning the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Picture without any suspense, the main creators were surrounded by many writers, who asked for autographs and some even recommended their own novels.

Writers who don’t understand go to the lead actress Jodie Foster, writers who understand go to the director Jonathan Demme, and only a few successful writers who understand the most, whose novels have been acquired by Hollywood for adaptation rights, know how to talk to Ronald, the producer…

"My name is Jack Engelhard..." A writer dressed in a French style came over to chat with Ronald.

"I've heard of you. Paramount bought the rights to your novel." Ronald smiled and shook his hand. The recent sales of script adaptation rights have fallen again. From the price of "The Silence of the Lambs" at that time, it has fallen to less than $100,000.

Every three or four years, the price of a script will fluctuate greatly. Since the stock market crash, hot money has withdrawn from Hollywood, and the price of scripts has fluctuated greatly.

In this "bear market" for scripts, this author's novel "Immoral Deal" still sold nearly 200,000 copies, which is considered a very good novel.

"Now they are in trouble again..."

Paramount had been having difficulties recently, with its production business losing money and top management turmoil, and his novel had been shelved again.

"I'll see what I can do..." Ronald did not promise anything and asked for a signed copy of his novel, intending to use it as a reading material to pass the time during the journey.

Another film award in New York has also announced its nominations soon. This award doesn't overlap much with the Oscars.

But Ronald was also willing to participate, for no other reason than that this award was strongly related to box office and audience popularity. It was the American Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Film and Television Awards, commonly known as the Saturn Awards.

Among the films nominated this time, in addition to The Silence of the Lambs occupying the horror film category, Cameron's Terminator 2 occupies the science fiction film award.

After attending the nomination ceremony, Ronald flew to Dallas to participate in the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Awards, the last small award before the Golden Globe Awards.

The name of this award suggests that the local film critic market is so small that only Dallas and nearby Fort Worth can co-host it. This year it is Dallas' turn.

"Barbie, nice to see you here."

This award is all supported by Barbie Wygant. Most of her celebrity interviews are recorded in Los Angeles, but this award ceremony will be held in Dallas, where she works. Channel 5 is the TV station where she works and is responsible for broadcasting the award.

"Ha, I'm glad too. Thank you for your care when I went to your house to interview Diane last time..."

Barbie was also very grateful for Ronald's special treatment to her last time. Diane happened to be nominated for the Best Supporting Actress in the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Awards, so she came to Dallas to meet Ronald and his team.

"I hope Diane can win the award this time..." Barbie Wygant hinted to Ronald and his wife.

"Will I win the prize?" Diane looked expectant.

"It's quite possible. Have you prepared your acceptance speech?"

"Hey, it's not the Oscars..." Diane glanced at him, but still pressed her pocket. She had to prepare for the acceptance speech.

"Best Supporting Actress, Diane Lane, other people's money..."

Sure enough, the advertising money Ronald invested in the Barbie Wygant show earned Diane an Oscar precursor award.

Because Barbie Wygant is a mainstay of Dallas Channel 5 with her interviews with Hollywood stars, she has a great influence on this award. But because her show is a celebrity interview, she cannot be too partial and can only give one point to the popular movies of each year, just like apples.

The Best Actor went to Anthony Hopkins, and the Best Actress went to Jodie Foster. I have to say that Wygant has a sharp eye. However, the Best Film went to JFK, and the Best Director went to Oliver Stone.

The Best Screenplay went to Thelma & Louise, the Best Supporting Actress went to Diane, and the Best Supporting Actor went to Tommy Lee Jones.

And the "Pride of the World", "For the Boys" and "Prince of Waves", which were all focused on the PR of the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles, all failed to win any prizes. Barbie Wygant has a clear sense of gratitude and resentment of the Texans, and she only gives money to advertise to...

"Thank you Gregory Peck, thank you Tom Hanks, and finally thank you to my husband and my children..." Diane said her acceptance speech while holding the trophy.

"Your speech was very good..." Ronald moved a chair for Diane and asked her to sit back down.

"I also have the Golden Globe Awards here, and..." Diane pressed her pocket.

"Uh..." Ronald felt uncomfortable again when he thought of the "problem" about the Golden Globe Awards.

(End of this chapter)