novelslam Chapters 1361 and 1370: This guy is a bug!!
Chapters 1361 and 1370: This guy is a bug!!
Chapters 1361 and 1370: This guy is a bug!!
"Naoki-san, do you want the grand prize trophy?!"
Yoshimura Otomo spoke with absolute confidence, patting his chest as he said...
"If you want the grand prize trophy, just say the word and I'll get it for you!"
".cough cough"
Naoki Nagayama, who was enjoying 5A-grade Wagyu sukiyaki, was startled and almost choked.
“Otomo-san, if I were to say ‘Then give it to me,’ would you immediately run out of the private room and bring in a trophy?!”
After downing a sip of sake, Yoshimura Otomo exhaled a breath:
"What are you saying, Naoki-san? It can't be that fast!!"
"We won't get it until at least February, after the final results are announced!"
Yoshimura Hirotomo was referring to the results of Japan's three major film awards, the Blue Ribbon Award, the Japan Academy Film Prize, and the Kinema Junpo Award, which will be announced in early February.
These three film awards are not unfamiliar to Naoki Nagayama. He has won the grand prize in all of them!
In fact, in recent years, almost every year, tree enthusiasts have won a prize, either for Best Film or Best Director, and sometimes they also win Best Actor, Best Actress, or Best Editing.
Some people are jokingly saying that these film awards are actually just for Tree Friends Films!
Other film studios had considered competing, but... who knew that Naoki Nagayama and his friends were simply beasts!
They produce two or three films every year, and each one is of excellent quality, as if they have no bottlenecks!
Moreover, last year's "Departures" even brought back the retired Momoe Yamaguchi. The film itself is very artistic and profound, and it was made entirely for the purpose of winning awards!
How can anyone else compare?!
Therefore, Yoshimura Daitomo can confidently guarantee that as long as Naoki Nagayama wants that award, he will definitely get it! He won't even need to put too much effort into Nagayama's campaign.
"Forget it. Winning so many awards is meaningless. There aren't enough trophies to fit in the display case!"
Naoki Nagayama continued to focus on food, much like achievements in a game—once won, these awards lose their appeal.
Unless these big awards can come up with some new tricks!
"Tsk tsk tsk"
Yoshimura Daitomo shook his head.
"Naoki-san's words will make everyone in the entertainment industry who's desperately trying to win the Grand Prize cry."
"Haha~"
The two ate lunch while laughing, and once the initial excitement had subsided, Yoshimura Otomo continued to ask:
"Naoki-san, you still need an Oscar, right?!"
"Ah, Oscar."
The Oscars in March were one of our goals when we were filming "Departures".
The Palme d'Or prioritizes innovation and artistry, and is selected by a small group of professionals. In contrast, the Oscars place greater emphasis on the combination of commercial success and cinematic artistry, while also paying close attention to audience reception. The Oscars are voted on by over 6000 people.
Therefore, it is even more difficult to "bribe" the Oscars with money!
“We will definitely strive for an Oscar.” Naoki Nagayama nodded. “However, I heard at the end of last year that there was a formidable competitor: The Last Emperor.”
The film "The Last Emperor" tells the story of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty. It was directed by an Italian director and received much acclaim in France and the United States.
Compared to "Departures," one is a grand narrative with a rich history, while the other focuses on the lives of ordinary people and the culture of life and death, seemingly becoming the opposite of each other!
"Yes, The Last Emperor!"
Yoshimura Otomo also stopped drinking.
"There are a lot of positive reviews!"
"Although the film 'Neon' hasn't been released yet, I've learned some information from other directors who have seen it."
Naoki Nagayama began, saying that he actually knew it from his mind.
"The production and distribution companies of this film are very powerful. It was a joint production of eight European and American film companies, and a joint distribution by countries such as the UK, the US, and Italy. Tsk tsk tsk, it suddenly feels absurd. Isn't it these countries that created the last emperor?!"
After saying that, he immediately shook his head. This kind of thinking couldn't continue; if it did, it would become a sensitive issue.
"Regardless of the circumstances, such a background and strength are indeed impressive! It's a huge advantage in the Oscar race!"
Yoshimura Otomo nodded, but his face didn't show much worry:
"Naoki-san, our 'Departures' has a very strong background too, produced by Shuyou Group! Shuyou Group distributes it worldwide."
Japan's booming economy and thriving entertainment industry during this era undoubtedly make it a representative of Eastern culture in the world, and the Japanese have always been very confident.
Moreover, over the years, Yoshimura Daitomo has developed the ambition to be the best in the world. He believes that even competing with Hollywood in the United States is not impossible!
Didn't they say someone in Japan was going to buy an American film company?
"Furthermore, I've always had a lot of confidence in Naoki-san's films!"
Yoshimura Otomo downed another glass of sake in one gulp.
"What's there to be afraid of? It's only been out for a little over a month. Let it compete for next year's Oscars! This year's Oscars belong to our 'Departures'!"
"Oh, Ōtomo-san really knows how to be confident!"
Naoki Nagayama felt that Hirotomo Yoshimura was more confident than he was.
"However, according to the teacher from the great Eastern power, one can despise the enemy strategically, but must take the enemy seriously tactically."
"We need to strengthen the promotion of 'Departures' in the United States, especially by having the American distributors showcase their network of contacts."
"We also need to collaborate with film industry professionals in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, as well as film critics in Europe."
"Finally, it still costs money!! In the end, it's all about profit anyway."
In short, they should not be underestimated.
Listening to Naoki Nagayama's words, Hirotomo Yoshimura, who already had experience competing for the Palme d'Or, nodded:
"I understand, Naoki-san, I'll take care of all of this!"
"Ok!"
Naoki Nagayama picked up the last piece of beef from the sukiyaki and slowly put it in his mouth.
"Now, it's up to fate!"
The awards ceremony will be held in February, but the nominees for the Grand Prize will be announced in January.
Looking at the list of nominees handed over by Fumio Ishikawa, Tomoyuki Tanaka, vice president of the Japan Academy Film Prize Association, remarked with some emotion:
"This year's Grand Prize nominees include Shuyou's 'Departures'."
"Hi!"
Ishikawa Fumio nodded,
"Departures" was undoubtedly the No. 1 film in the Japanese film industry last year, both in terms of influence and box office performance.
"Yeah yeah."
Tanaka Tomoyuki nodded perfunctorily.
"Shuyu Films, Naoki Nagayama, every film he makes is number one. It's like he owns the film academy awards!"
"."
Fumio Ishikawa didn't know how to respond for a moment, so he could only remain silent.
"By the way, have any of your friends tried to influence you through PR?"
Tanaka Tomoyuki continued to ask,
"I don't think I received any red envelopes this year?!"
"No."
Fumio Ishikawa said,
"I haven't received it either!"
"???"
Tanaka Tomoyuki was stunned when he heard his confidant's words.
In Japan, where the culture of gift-giving is rampant, film companies openly give bribes to award organizers and judges; it's practically an unspoken rule in the entertainment industry.
In the entertainment industry, everything is a business, and there's no exception. If you want to win an award, you have to follow the rules.
What's going on? Does the tree enthusiast no longer want to win the award?!
"Has the tree friend forgotten?!"
"."
In a company this big, even if the boss forgets, there should be someone in charge of public relations to remind him!
Seeing the look in his subordinate's eyes, Tanaka Tomoyuki realized that this time, Kiyu really didn't want to send money to buy the prize!
"Huh? Does Tree Friends Films really think our grand prize will definitely be awarded to them?!"
Tanaka Tomoyuki felt offended, as if Old Deng, who used to always give out gold coins, had suddenly stopped giving him pocket money and had to make him fend for himself.
"This is mainly because none of the other movies have any decent action scenes!" said Fumio Ishikawa, one of his subordinates, somewhat helplessly.
Last year, it lacked the box office success of Toho's "The Tale of the Cat" (which grossed over 50 billion yen) from the previous year, and it also lacked the artistic appeal of "The House on Fire." "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter," produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka, only grossed 15 billion yen.
There's a meticulously crafted Toho production called "Dunhuang," which is only scheduled for release this spring.
"No film can compare to 'Departures' in terms of box office success, influence, or even artistry!"
Hearing his subordinate's words, Tanaka Tomoyuki became even angrier:
"Could this be the source of your confidence to not give gifts?!"
"Yes, who else should receive the grand prize if not them?!"
Ishikawa Fumio sighed,
"Tree Friends Pictures, you've given us a real challenge!"
If the award were given to any other film instead of Shuyou's, the authority of the Academy Awards would be severely damaged!
Although the selection of film academy awards in this era is somewhat biased towards major film studios, it is not as blatantly corrupt as it was in the late 90s. It still strives for a fair and respectable process!
If the gift is given to Shuyou, other film companies will follow suit, and the unspoken rule of gift-giving will be broken!
"."
Tanaka Tomoyuki felt resentful, as if they had been forced to drink water by Shuyou over the past few years.
"Shuyou Pictures! Naoki Nagayama!"
"This guy is a true rule-breaker!!!"
Fumio Ishikawa waited for his superior to finish venting before calmly speaking:
"President, shall we continue to award the prize to our fellow tree enthusiasts?"
"Let's stick with this result for this year!"
Tanaka Tomoyuki secretly hardened his heart.
"Next year, I'll discuss with the organizers of other major entertainment awards what new rules to come up with to limit completely abnormal guys like Tree Friends."
"For example, in principle, the same recipient cannot receive two major awards consecutively."
".Hi!"
This forced the industry to create separate rules for tree growers. No other company could do that!
Just like how in the future, the United Nations will always exclude a certain major Eastern country from its various statistics and data, listing it separately, otherwise the data would be unbalanced.
This is a bug!
"Alright. Let's notify the media to release this shortlist first!"
Tanaka Tomoyuki waved his hand.
"By now, the lists of winners for the other major awards should also be released."
"Hey, I'll get right on it!"
In the editing room, a busy day is about to end.
After doing some eye exercises, Naoki Nagayama stood up and stretched. He was feeling a bit sore and tired after a long day!
"Everyone, the editing for today is almost done."
Naoki Nagayama patted the alarm clock on the table.
"Everyone, let's go home and rest for now, and continue tomorrow!"
"Hi!" X4
Masataka Komori, Muneo Matsuo, and the others all began tidying up their editing tools, and a relaxed expression appeared on everyone's face.
In the days before integrated software, this kind of meticulous special effects editing work was truly inhuman!
Naoki Nagayama was just about to go back to his office to tidy up before heading home when he suddenly saw a flash of golden light in the corner of his eye. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he remembered what he had talked about with Akina yesterday.
"Ah, Kijima-kun."
He called out to Kijima Kyō before the elevator doors closed.
"Come to my office in a bit, I need to talk to you about something!"
"Hi!"'
Kijima hesitated for a moment, then prepared to follow Naoki Nagayama onto the elevator, but the previous elevator had already closed, so he had to wait for the next one.
"Kishima," Masataka Komori teased with a laugh, "Have you done something naughty lately? Are you going to be detained for questioning?!"
What bad things could I possibly do?
Kijima shook his head, but what he was thinking was,
"Could it be about secretly filming Yoshihiko Noda, or some other scandal? Or is there a new mission?!"
During this period, as the designated ninja, Kijima Kyō has become a highly sought-after figure among the Tree Fellowship's higher-ups!
"Alright, Naoki-san looking for it is usually not a bad thing!"
Seeing the doubt on his friend's face, Masataka Komori comforted him.
"I'll wait for you downstairs. Let's go grab a drink and relax tonight!"
"Good~"
That's true. When Naoki Nagayama calls someone, it's usually for good news, like a promotion or a raise, or a gift. On the other hand, when Otomo Yoshimura calls you, it's more likely to be for a work report or a reprimand.
The top leader is very kind, but the second-in-command is very fierce!
In his top-floor office, Naoki Nagayama didn't have much stuff; he simply tidied his scarf and jacket and put away his cell phone.
Just then, Kijima knocked on the door and came in:
"Naoki-san, you were looking for me?!"
"Akijima-kun!"
Naoki Nagayama didn't stand on ceremony and offer him a seat; he simply stood in front of the desk and began to speak.
"I told you before that I would give you the script for 'Full House,' right?!"
"Hi!!"
Kijima Kyō felt a surge of excitement. Sure enough, Naoki-san hadn't forgotten!
"Yes, Fuji Television has also been urging us. It should be broadcast during this year's cherry blossom season."
Naoki Nagayama nodded and continued,
"So after you've finished editing Jurassic Park, you can get ready."
"The company will take care of everything, including the film crew and equipment."
Naoki Nagayama looked at the key member in front of him,
"However, you need to be careful when casting. You need to choose the actors who are most suitable for the role. It's not limited to the artists under Shuyou!"
Upon hearing this, Kijima's years of experience silently observing others gave him a sudden insight, and he understood Naoki Nagayama's unspoken meaning:
"Naoki-san, I don't interact much with actors in the entertainment industry. Could you offer some advice on casting?"
Naoki Nagayama nodded in satisfaction, pleased that his subordinate understood things so quickly.
"When it comes to casting, one factor is whether the actor fits the character, and the other is naturally the actor's added value."
"For example, 'Full House' is an idol romance drama, so the male and female leads naturally need to be young, handsome, and beautiful. It would be even better if they had their own fan base!"
"For example, the female lead is a somewhat impulsive but sweet and cute young woman, very similar to the popular female idol Yukiko Okada."
"Other roles can also be selected using this standard!"
Naoki Nagayama only mentioned that they were very similar, without saying that he had to choose one.
But Kijima Kyō already understood and nodded repeatedly:
"Hey, I'll use this standard for casting!"
"That's good"
Naoki Nagayama patted Kyō Kijima on the shoulder with satisfaction.
"Keep it up, Kijima-kun! I know you actually prefer being in the spotlight!"
"Hi!!!"
Kijima was deeply moved. The others, including Otomo, wanted to use his stealth ability to make him a secret weapon for Kijima.
Only Naoki-san still remembers that his greatest dream is to get the attention of others!
"Alright, let's go back and rest. See you tomorrow!"
Naoki Nagayama took Kyoru Kijima downstairs, where they encountered Masataka Komori, who was waiting for them.
After Naoki Nagayama got into his car and left, Masataka Komori asked:
"Kijima, how's it going? Did you get a promotion and a raise?!"
"No."
Kijima looked at his friend and smiled.
"However, preparations for filming for 'Full House' are about to begin!"
"I rely on!"
Masataka Komori immediately looked on with envy at Naoki Nagayama's script; it seems like there's only one this year, "Full House"!!!
(End of this chapter)