vrcanaries Chapter 206 Network of Connections
Chapter 206 Network of Connections
Currently, the Apollo Awards are undoubtedly the hottest topic in the entertainment industry, maintaining high popularity and attracting a large amount of media attention.
All the shortlisted works were thoroughly investigated by the media and compared with "Asking Immortals".
Film critics offered differing opinions, analyzing the nominated works and actors' performances from a professional perspective.
Heated debates continue to unfold on various film review websites and forums:
"Asking the Immortals is indeed a well-made film with excellent visuals and a compelling storyline. However, the other films nominated this year are also formidable contenders."
"Wow, 'Eternal Silence' is also nominated! The 12-minute one-shot segment about 'black holes' in it is so stunning."
"The Honey Woman is a huge hit in the West because it deals with the theme of female empowerment. It's just that it wasn't released in China, so it's not well-known there."
"Neon Animals is indeed on the nomination list. This film has a real chance of winning. It's Disney's first cyberpunk animation, and the animals in it are so cute. I love it. It's really hard to say whether Immortals will win."
"Even if 'Asking Immortals' doesn't win an award, being nominated is already a milestone achievement. Of course, winning would be even better!"
"Those who know, know. The Apollo Academy Awards jury is dominated by Westerners. It's not easy for a film with a purely Eastern background to win an award."
"Please, why are our own people starting to criticize it? Why don't you ask on foreign websites how popular 'Asking Immortals' is before you speak? We should have confidence in domestic films!"
"It's not that I don't support 'Asking Immortals,' but that I dare not jinx it."
……
Bai Li is familiar with the online discussions about the Apollo Awards.
As the awards ceremony draws ever closer, the discussions are becoming increasingly heated.
She had not received any prior information regarding the final list of winners.
If someone asks Bai Li how confident she is about winning an award for "Asking Immortals", she will say on the surface that she is confident, but in reality she is not very confident.
Western films often glorify individual heroism, with superheroes like Spider-Man and Batman typically saving the world through their own abilities, and usually ending happily.
Their film characters tend to be more collectivist, often willing to sacrifice themselves for the collective good, resulting in tragic endings.
The protagonist of "Asking the Immortals" is a typical Eastern hero who bears the weight of the world's suffering and embarks on a perilous journey for the sake of the collective good.
Such cultural differences are very likely to influence the jury's judgment.
Even though "Asking the Immortals" is on par with, or even better than, other nominated films in terms of visual quality and plot arrangement, the cultural gap is a formidable obstacle, and it's really hard to say whether "Asking the Immortals" will ultimately win an award.
However, Bai Li was remarkably calm.
Filmmaking is a long journey.
Even though "Asking Immortals" missed out on awards, she will not be discouraged.
If there's a first part, there's bound to be a second.
She is in the prime of her youth, and her entertainment is just beginning. She has a long future ahead of her and plenty of time and opportunities to try.
Even if she doesn't win the award, that doesn't mean the problem lies with her.
If the Apollo Awards continue to be prejudiced against Eastern films and are unwilling to give them recognition, then she can create her own "Apollo".
……
Time flies.
The grand Apollo Awards ceremony took place as scheduled.
Previously, this award, which has a strong Western influence, has never received much attention in China.
But this time, thanks to "Asking Immortals", the attention it received skyrocketed.
Major platforms vied for the live broadcast rights to the Apollo Awards ceremony.
Therefore, in addition to Western local media, many domestic media professionals also traveled long distances to attend the awards ceremony.
As soon as the live stream camera started rolling, the bustling crowd on screen instantly ignited the enthusiasm of netizens. A large number of viewers flooded into the live stream room, and the barrage of comments scrolled rapidly like a tidal wave.
"Wow, there are so many people in the live stream! Are there really that many people watching 'Asking Immortals'?"
"I rushed over to support the game as soon as I heard about the live stream. I hope 'Asking Immortals' will achieve great success!"
"Why are they still walking the red carpet? Where is the crew of 'Asking the Immortals'?"
"The movie 'Asking Immortals' hasn't even been shown yet; all the guests walking the red carpet right now are foreign guests."
As the live stream progressed, the host introduced each guest in fluent English, while the simultaneous interpreters in the studio provided real-time commentary.
The flashbulbs went off one after another on the red carpet as one foreign face after another, some unfamiliar and some familiar, appeared.
"Ahhh, isn't that Oscar-winning actor Brad?! He's here too!"
"Honey Mom!!! Honey Woman is so good, Mom really deserves Best Actress, she's so beautiful!"
"My God, they're all foreign actors, not a single Asian face..."
"Alas, there's nothing we can do about it. The long-term absence of Chinese films on the international stage has led to this situation."
"Everyone was cheering so loudly at the scene. What if our actors went to walk the red carpet and no one took pictures of them because they don't have any fame? That would be so embarrassing."
……
The live stream suddenly switched, and a familiar Eastern face appeared on camera.
The cast and crew of "Asking the Immortals" finally stepped onto the red carpet. In an instant, the live stream chat exploded with a torrent of comments, scrolling at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.
"Ahhh! Here it comes!"
"Our actors have just as much presence as foreign stars, they're so handsome and beautiful!"
The appearance of this group of people with Eastern faces instantly drew gasps of amazement from the audience.
The flash went off in a burst.
An Asian face is a completely new face on this red carpet.
Moreover, their costumes were all custom-made, which was truly refreshing.
After all, all of them were designed by top designers, combining a sense of design and aesthetics.
It possesses both the elegance of traditional clothing and the fashionable feel of modern design.
The smooth, flowing lines of the tailoring perfectly accentuate the actors' figures.
Foreign media outlets rushed forward upon seeing this, their cameras clicking away incessantly.
Meanwhile, many domestic media reporters were present, all of them enthusiastic, shouting at the top of their lungs:
"Xianxian! Teacher Xianxian! Over here! Over here! Waves!"
"Teacher Zhang! Ahhh! Teacher Zhang is so handsome! Look at the shot here!"
……
Because of time constraints, the red carpet event was very short.
In an instant, the performance of "Asking the Immortals" came to an end.
Some viewers in the live stream hadn't even had a chance to recognize each actor's face, and some even received a message that the cast of "Asking Immortals" had already disappeared as soon as they entered the live stream.
Although the red carpet event for the "Asking Immortals" crew has ended, the discussions about them in the live stream have not.
The comments section was almost entirely filled with praise:
"Haha, why am I suddenly hearing Chinese in the audience? It's so distracting."
"Ahhh! Wei Wuxian, my son is so well-behaved!"
—"Wow, the costumes in the 'Asking the Immortals' crew are all so beautiful! Has anyone figured out which brand they are?"
"Wow, that top luxury studio posted on Weibo! They were the ones who designed all the red carpet looks for 'Asking Immortals' today. That's some serious spending!"
"Who's worried that no one will take photos of our actors on the red carpet? Look at all those flashes just now, how can they be unpopular at all?"
"The game 'Asking the Immortals' is so cool! It's awesome!"
……
Entertainment reporter Xiao Wang, as a reporter dispatched by Oriental Entertainment for this overseas mission, shoulders an important responsibility.
In order to get first-hand information from the "Asking Immortals" production team, they carried long lenses and short cannons and traveled abroad in a rickety manner.
His task was to keep a close eye on the "Asking Immortals" crew and capture their every move.
If "Asking Immortals" wins an award, I must help Oriental Entertainment secure the first interview opportunity.
Therefore, as soon as the red carpet event for the "Asking Immortals" crew ended, Xiao Wang quickly picked up his photography equipment and ran towards the direction where the crew was leaving.
As for the other red carpet guests following behind "Asking the Immortals," he couldn't control them.
On the other side, after the Wenxian drama crew finished the red carpet event, they successfully met Bai Li, who had been waiting at the entrance of the venue.
At that moment, Bai Li was raising a glass and chatting with a young actor with a Western appearance.
Leading the way was Director Xu Min, who was grinning from ear to ear. When she saw Bai Li, her smile practically burst out of her head. She said between laughs, "President Bai, the red carpet event went very smoothly, and the response from the audience was exceptionally enthusiastic!"
Upon hearing this, Bai Li waved goodbye to the young European and American actors, turned to Director Xu, and nodded with a smile: "That's good."
She chose not to walk the red carpet; she had more important things to do than to be in the media spotlight.
She subtly glanced at the new actors in the film crew behind her and noticed that they seemed somewhat reserved.
It makes sense; being in a foreign country and not speaking the language, it's inevitable to feel nervous.
Even the big names in the domestic entertainment industry might not be able to remain calm today, let alone these newly debuted actors.
However, youthful innocence has its own unique charm. Western aesthetics favor sophisticated Eastern faces, and this Apollo Awards ceremony is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to open up the Western market.
Bai Li smiled and waved to everyone, saying in a friendly tone, "Come on, let me introduce you to some friends."
After saying that, he led everyone toward the depths of the venue.
The group continued until their figures disappeared from sight.
Entertainment reporter Xiao Wang seemed to snap out of his daze, his eyes fixed on the direction they had left, lost in thought.
The woman he had just spoken with director Xu Min gave him a strong sense of familiarity.
Who is she?
Why did director Xu Min take the initiative to talk to her, and why did the two seem so familiar with each other during their conversation?
Finally, she led the entire cast and crew of "Asking the Immortals" into the venue. What exactly is their relationship?
Could she be a translator sent by the Apollo organizers to handle communication and coordination?
Judging from his demeanor and appearance, he doesn't look like a staff member at all; he seems more like a high-ranking leader.
Xiao Wang quickly pulled up the footage he had just taken, and everyone in the video was a handsome man and a beautiful woman.
Not only were the actors beside director Xu Min outstandingly beautiful, but the woman who suddenly appeared in the frame was even more stunningly beautiful, her looks even surpassing those of the actresses present, making her unforgettable at first glance.
Xiao Wang racked his brains, feeling that he had seen this face on some important occasion.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind: it was that night at the entertainment summit!
He immediately pulled out his phone, opened his cloud photo album, and compared the photos taken on the day of the entertainment summit with the footage he had just seen.
He slapped his thigh sharply.
That's right!
The mysterious beauty in Area A of the Entertainment Summit.
It's her!
Xiao Wang felt his heart pounding, and a bold guess surfaced in his mind.
Who is behind "Asking the Immortals"?
It's entertainment day and night.
But who is behind the day and night entertainment?
It's that mysterious big shot named Bai Li.
It is known that Bai Li is female.
Could this mysterious beauty I photographed be Bai Li?!
The more Xiao Wang thought about it, the more reasonable his speculation seemed.
Being able to sit in Area A of the Entertainment Summit, having a close relationship with the "Asking Immortals" crew, and being treated with utmost respect by Director Xu Min, coupled with the powerful aura she exudes in every gesture, all point to this conclusion.
Having been in the entertainment industry for many years, reporter Xiao Wang has some insight and deductive reasoning skills.
However, all of this is just his speculation. For now, he can only keep all his guesses to himself and wait until the venue is open to the media before he can observe more carefully and inquire about it.
……
At this moment, the venue was brightly lit and filled with celebrities.
Bai Li spotted the famous director Smith at a glance; he was holding a wine glass and chatting and laughing with the person next to him.
Smith King, who has won three Apollo Best Director awards, is considered a titan in the world of directing.
Bai Li calmly led the crew forward: "Director Smith, I'm Bai Li, it's a pleasure to meet you!"
Smith paused slightly upon hearing Bai Li's name, then turned around, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes before a warm smile quickly appearing on his face: "Ms. Bai Li, hello, it's a great honor to meet you."
The two shook hands warmly, as if they were old friends who had never seen each other before.
In reality, they had only met online two days prior.
Shirai did her homework thoroughly for the Apollo Awards ceremony.
Winning awards is only part of the story.
But more importantly, it's an opportunity to meet more celebrities, build more friendships, and expand one's social circle.
Thanks to the prize from the universal wheel—[a universal membership to a private club with no entry requirements]—it wasn't difficult for Bai Li to achieve this.
The underlying logic of the upper class is universal: the exchange of equal resources.
By simply revealing her membership, actively communicating and exchanging resources, including but not limited to property, assets, and intelligence, Bai Li can quickly establish connections with celebrities from all walks of life.
In the past two days, apart from visiting Wuhai Manor, she has spent most of her time building her network of contacts.
Director Smith is one of the important people she met in the past two days.
Bai Li then introduced director Xu Min to Smith: "This is director Xu Min. 'Asking the Immortals' is his work, and he is fortunate to be nominated for the Apollo Awards."
Xu Min was a little nervous, and extended her hand, saying, "Director Smith, I've heard so much about you!"
Smith smiled and replied, "Xu Min, you are excellent! I heard that 'Asking the Immortals' has received a great response, and I hope we can achieve good results today."
Because of Shirai, Smith's attitude was very good.
After a conversation, Smith enthusiastically introduced Bai Li and the "Asking the Immortals" crew to other celebrities from all walks of life, from well-known directors and popular stars to top fashionistas and socialites from Europe and America...
Eventually, even the renowned photographer Mike was drawn to the area.
Although Mike is an independent photographer, he is frequently invited to participate in shooting events for major magazines, fashion shows, and brands, and is quite influential in the industry.
When Mike saw Zhang Yu, his eyes lit up instantly, and he exclaimed without reservation, "My God, this is simply a gift from God to the camera!"
As he spoke, he circled around Zhang Yu, his eyes full of admiration. If it weren't for the occasion, he would have loved to start gesturing directly.
There was a sense of regret that we hadn't met sooner.
Sure enough, Zhang Yu's sophisticated Eastern features perfectly match Western aesthetics.
After exchanging contact information, the photoshoot appointment was made immediately.
This is the effect Bai Li wanted to achieve, and it's also why she chose to get to know Smith.
Smith has been deeply involved in the entertainment industry for many years and has a wide network of connections. With his influence, he can easily open up social situations.
Under her leadership, the crew of "Asking the Immortals" moved with ease at the event, exchanging ideas with celebrities from all walks of life in Europe and America without any barriers.
However, this pleasant social interaction did not last long.
The red carpet event is over, the awards ceremony is about to begin, and the main event is about to start!