A few days after Eric rushed to New York, the 65th Academy Awards were held at the Los Angeles Music Center. "Schindler's List" became the undisputed biggest winner, winning a total of ten awards. Two nominations, won eight statuettes, and Steven Spielberg finally got his wish and won the honor of Oscar for Best Director.
Steven Spielberg has been in the industry for 25 years since he entered the studio in Burbank pretending to be a Universal Pictures employee. Movies such as "The Raiders" have created a series of box office results. It can be said that he is the most successful commercial film director in Hollywood. He enjoys a very high status in Hollywood, but now he is recognized by the Film Academy, and he is still excited to fall on that small podium. tears.
Although it was close to midnight Eastern Time, the two women accompanied Eric through the entire awards ceremony. When they noticed Spielberg wiping his tears, Virginia asked Eric in a low voice, what would he win in the future? Director Oscar, will it be the same.
Eric remembered how he felt when he won the Best Adapted Screenplay Award for "Scent of a Woman" two years ago. At that time, he thought that as a person who lived a new life, he would be very indifferent to the award, but when the award was presented Surrounded by the adrenaline-pumping atmosphere at the ceremony, it was almost impossible to keep calm. However, Eric can be sure that if he really wins the Oscar for Best Director in the future, he will definitely be excited, but it is unlikely that he will cry like Spielberg, because Spielberg is middle-aged But he still maintains a childlike innocence, but Eric has long since lost any childishness.
Last year's "Tornado" won the best visual effects award without any surprise. Stan Winston received the award in person. Because of the absence of the director Eric and the heroine Joanna. Coupled with the lack of important nominations, except for the best sound technicians and Stan Winston, the main members of the "Tornado" crew did not attend this Oscar. "Tornado" won a technical award, which is not bad. All the other shortlisted films of Firefly Pictures returned empty-handed.
Therefore, intentionally or unintentionally, after the Oscars ceremony, in addition to congratulating Spielberg, who finally completed his merits after more than 20 years, many media have turned their finger on Firefly. Criticize that Firefly Pictures' films are too commercialized, and even Disney has become mercenary. It only knows how to make profitable commercial films to make profits, and forgets to pursue the artistry and social factors of the film itself.
Eric basically glanced over these sour articles. In the final analysis, it was due to the strong performance of Firefly Pictures last year. Its 27% of the total annual box office share in North America was higher than that of the second largest box office. The number one and the third place add up to be a bit more. It is not surprising that other film companies feel that they are sitting on pins and needles. Thinking of the few films that have already been promoted for the summer, Eric thought to himself after this year. The other Big Six are expected to get even more angry, but they will definitely get used to this situation sooner or later.
after April. Both Virginia and Joanna have entered the due date, and everyone in the small manor, including Eric, has become cautious because the two women are pregnant at the same time, although the possibility of the child being born at the same time is very low However, Eric still prepared two identical delivery rooms in the villa, and even the doctor team prepared two teams.
This lasted until April 9th, which should have been an ordinary Friday. After lunch, Eric went to the study to process some documents from Los Angeles as usual. And Joanna sat near Eric like a shadow, holding a book in her hand, reading quietly.
In the face of the media's criticism of Firefly Pictures' over-commercialization, although Firefly has been very indifferent from top to bottom, no matter what the outside world says, it has not made a public response, but within Firefly, after several meetings and discussions, the management All layers agreed that the Oscars are an important part of Hollywood after all, even if it is to maintain the public image, Firefly should not be overly ignored. After several days of discussions, management negotiated two alternatives.
One is that Firefly sets up a special art film department, and invests or purchases several art films for the Olympics every year. Another solution is to acquire a second- and third-tier film company that specializes in art films. Moreover, Michael Lynn and others even have a target, Miramax.
Eric was not surprised to see this name at all. In the past few years, Miramax only managed some peripheral awards such as the best foreign language film, but in recent years, with the Weinstein brothers' promotion of award public relations The experience is getting richer and richer, trying to get involved in the core Oscar awards such as best picture, best director and best actor and actress almost every year. And this year, although Miramax faced losses in terms of performance due to the aggressive expansion of its production and distribution business, and had to choose the path of sale, the "Crying Game" it operated still brought Miramax the best film. , Best Director and Best Actor nominations for three heavyweight Oscars, if not for "Schindler's List", it would not be impossible for "The Crying Game" to win one or two of these awards.
However, seeing the documents in his hand, Eric no longer has much interest in acquiring Miramax. Perhaps because of the remarks in the media during this period, the Weinstein brothers thought that Firefly's intention to acquire Miramax It is more 'urgent' than several other competitors, so it offered a price of 100 million US dollars, and also hoped to retain a certain share and maintain Miramax's independent operation.
A few years ago, Eric chose two film companies, New Line and Miramax, as acquisition targets for the expansion of Firefly, mainly because the two film companies already had relatively mature distribution channels. As long as there are good movies, the expansion will be very rapid. In the end, the new line was chosen mainly because the scale of the new line is larger.
But now, Eric has no original thoughts on Miramax, and after seeing the conditions proposed by the Weinstein brothers, he is even less interested. If after the acquisition of Miramax. Let the Weinstein brothers run the film company alone. With the two brothers not reconciled to only making Olympic-winning films, they focused on expanding Miramax's mind. In the future, Firefly and Miramax will definitely repeat the mistakes of Disney and Miramax in the original time and space, and parting ways is almost certain.
Eric didn't intend to drag the two brothers who had their own small thoughts into the Disney system to make things difficult for him.
After much deliberation, Eric decided to use the first plan.
Having made up his mind, Eric turned on the computer and began to type his opinion on a blank document.
Just typing a few lines of text, the door of the study room was knocked abruptly. Eric frowned, but before he could respond, a maid pushed open the door and poked his head in. He said eagerly, "Mr. Williams, Ma'am's water has broken."
Eric stood up suddenly: "Did you call the doctor?"
"Madam just felt a little uncomfortable in her stomach. Ms. Paquin just came to check her up. Now Madam has been sent to the delivery room."
Eric turned around the desk and was about to go out. He took a few steps before turning to look at Joanna: "Joan, have you..."
Joanna closed the book, stood up with a smile, and said, "What a coincidence, don't worry about me, go and have a look."
"Then you can take a good rest here, so you don't have to go there." Eric said, walking out with the maid.
Go through the long hallway. Going all the way to a south-facing room at the other end of the villa, Eric heard Virginia's cry of pain from outside, and just about to open the door to go in, a nurse dragging a tray came out of another room , Seeing Eric's actions, he quickly stopped him: "Mr. Williams, you can't go in like this, you have to put on a sterile suit first, Mary, help Mr. Williams get the clothes."
Eric agreed, changed his clothes in a hurry, and finally entered the delivery room.
This remodeled delivery room is absolutely no less than any high-end ward in any hospital. All the equipment is brand new. Eric promised that the personal doctor in charge of the two women would donate all the equipment in the delivery room to the other party after using it. When the other party was so excited that he almost lost his composure.
Virginia, who was lying on the hospital bed, saw Eric appear, and immediately stretched out her little hand: "Eric."
"I'm here," Eric stepped forward to hold the woman's little hand, comforted him, and then looked at the middle-aged woman wearing a mask beside him: "Ms. Paquin, how is the situation?"
"Don't worry, Mr. Williams, with me here, there will be no problem, and Eliza will come over later."
The Elisa that the middle-aged woman said was a doctor from another team. Eric nodded, watching the doctors and nurses busy, and stopped disturbing, quietly guarding Virginia.
It takes a long time for a woman to give birth to her first child. Eric was prepared for this event. However, Virginia began to toss from the amniotic fluid rupture in the afternoon until the early morning, and the little guy just didn't want to come out. .
Virginia, whose face was a little pale, heard Eric discuss with the doctor in a low voice. Once twelve hours had passed and the little guy didn't move, she immediately yelled in a low voice: "Eric, I don't want a caesarean section." , I heard that children will become stupid like that.”
"Stop talking nonsense, how could you become stupid, you lie down," Eric sat down next to the woman again, took her hand and comforted her softly.
"Yes, yes, anyway, I don't want a caesarean section."
Eric said helplessly, "Then you should work hard and let the little guy out."
"It hurts..."
"Then a caesarean section."
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."
"Yes, yes, blame me, don't cry, relax, relax."
"I'm hungry."
"There's porridge in the kitchen, I'll get it for you," Eric said, and hurried out of the delivery room.
The hostess was in labor, and no one was resting. The whole villa was brightly lit. Eric passed by the living room. Joanna, accompanied by a maid, was still sitting on the sofa and said this in a low voice. Seeing Eric come out, Joanna quickly asked, "Eric, how is it?"
Eric shook his head: "Dr. Paquin said for twelve hours, if there is still no movement, it is best to have a caesarean section. I will help Vicky get some food, Joan, you should go to bed earlier."
"It's okay, I can't sleep either," Joanna shook her head lightly, stroking her abdomen lightly with her hands, perhaps because of the influence of Virginia, she felt a slight pain in her stomach, but it was just as many times in the past It's normal, in order not to worry Eric, he didn't say it out, and continued: "Gina just asked if she wanted something to eat, go to the kitchen to get it."
Watching Eric get into the kitchen and quickly come out with a bowl, the maid who was guarding Joanna said softly, "Mr. Williams is really considerate."
"Yeah," Joanna said softly, feeling the tingling pain in her abdomen again, frowned slightly, reached out to fumble for the remote control beside her, wanted to turn on the TV to divert her attention, and moved her body slightly , when she touched the remote control, she also saw a faint water stain on the sofa.
Just as the maid was about to say something, she followed Joanna's blank gaze and immediately covered her mouth and cried out, "Oh, my God."
After saying this, the maid got up and ran towards the delivery room nervously.
Joanna's amniotic fluid also broke... Eric was almost at a loss when he heard the news, but the doctors calmly divided into two small teams, with one guarding the other.
To be on the safe side, Dr. Paquin suggested that Eric could contact one or two more doctors. Encountering such a coincidence, Eric didn't think about any confidentiality at all, and immediately agreed to the other party's suggestion. Seeing that Eric agreed, Dr. Paquin recommended two of his colleagues to Eric.
The nearby residents had already noticed the brightly lit manor. After two helicopters flew over and landed on the small manor, they became more curious. Some people came to ask questions enthusiastically, but they didn't get an answer from the guard.
Eric had a brief conversation with the doctor who had just come by helicopter and was a little surprised to see him, and then got into Joanna's delivery room.
Seeing Eric coming, Joanna, who was biting her lip slightly, immediately stretched out her small hand towards him.
Seeing the man holding her little hand and comforting her softly, Joanna, who had been quiet all the time, couldn't help crying: "Eric..."
"It's okay, it's okay, it will be soon, don't worry." Eric comforted a series of words, reaching out to wipe the corners of Joanna's eyes.
Joanna shook her head slightly, and said sadly and timidly: "No, Eric, I mean, I, my child's name is not Hawaii." (To be continued...)