Chapter 134: Chasing the Oscar

Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Chasing the Oscar

The difference between winning and not winning is vividly manifested in Hollywood.

The day after winning the award, Irene’s office phone didn’t stop ringing, so she handed the phone directly to Vera to answer.

Just as Vera hung up from an interview request from a top fashion magazine, Adelaide Griffin from Fox arrived with a revised promotional plan.

"The company has decided to add a $3 million marketing budget. The big screen ad in New York’s Times Square will go live two weeks early, and we’ve also contacted the red carpet broadcast of the Oscar ceremony to reserve a 30-second promotional spot for The Italian Job." Adelaide pushed the plan toward Irene, her fingertip tracing over ’Trailer Upgrade’.

Irene raised an eyebrow. This was a complete turnaround from Fox’s initial "cautious investment" attitude toward the April release slot, as they were even using Oscar advertising.

Adelaide seemed to see through her thoughts and added,

"The nomination has changed the market’s trust in you. Previously, we were worried about the appeal of an action movie in the spring slot, but now, the ’Golden Globe Awards Best Screenplay’ label is enough to make theater managers willing to give us a higher share of screenings.

Three theater chains even contacted us voluntarily last week, wanting to lock in the premiere of The Italian Job early."

After Vera handed over the coffee, Adelaide continued,

"Although many people don’t believe the Golden Globe Awards’ claim that it’s a bellwether for the Oscar, sixty percent of Golden Globe Awards winners are nominated for an Oscar."

Irene: "You mean I will be nominated too?" She found it hard to believe.

Adelaide didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she took a sip of coffee and explained unhurriedly,

"It’s just a possibility, but a very strong one. I know you don’t like those vanity fairs, but I still suggest you participate in various upcoming industry gatherings. Winning is definitely impossible, but as long as you have an Oscar nomination, your status will be completely different."

Irene couldn’t help but nod. If attending some optional cocktail parties could earn her an Oscar nomination, she certainly wouldn’t hesitate.

After Adelaide left, she called Shelly and told him about Fox’s intentions.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. He was likely considering the possibility of what Adelaide had said. After a while, a voice came through: "I’ll go ask Ella Walker. Wait for my call."

Irene waited patiently while reading a book.

Half an hour later, Shelly dialed Irene’s private number.

"Adelaide was right, and he was even being conservative. I specifically asked the veterans at the company, and the probability of a Golden Globe Awards winner being an Oscar nominee can sometimes be as high as eighty percent."

Irene stopped turning the pages of her book. It seemed the Golden Globe Awards hadn’t exaggerated its own positioning.

"I will use all the connections I can to help you secure a nomination, but don’t get your hopes up too high. After all, you are too young, and Mean Girls doesn’t fit the Oscar’s usual preferences," Shelly said cautiously. Whether it would happen or not remained to be seen.

"Thank you, Shelly," Irene said sincerely.

"You’re welcome. You are the most promising artist I have, and the more successful you are, the more valuable I am," Shelly smiled. "By the way, I’ve recently signed a few new actors. When Pirates of the Caribbean is hiring actors, please help look after them."

Irene said indifferently, "Got it. You have more and more actors under your wing. I don’t even know most of them."

Pirates of the Caribbean needed quite a few actors, so it would be easy to squeeze in a few newcomers.

"Then, when there’s a chance, I’ll have them come over so you can meet them. There are some good prospects this time."

After her father returned home, Irene followed him into the study. Regarding the operations of the Oscar, Shelly was just a novice with no experience and dared not give Irene a definitive answer.

But Francis Coppola was different. Although he hadn’t been involved in the film business for a long time, many filmmakers would still give him face.

"Your agent is right. You do have a high probability of getting an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay," Francis said, handing the coat in his hand to Irene.

Irene hung it on the study coat rack.

"But probability is not one hundred percent. You are too young, so young that it puts those veteran filmmakers to shame. After all, they couldn’t achieve such results at your age," her father said seriously while sitting on the sofa.

"I don’t think anyone in the world dares to say they have one hundred percent confidence in the Oscar. I just want to strive for it. If I get it, it’s my luck. If I lose it, it’s my fate. Besides, I only want a nomination," Irene smiled slyly.

"Hahahaha, you’re right, it’s just a nomination. My daughter, Francis’s daughter, has class," her father patted Irene’s shoulder. "I can help you lobby for the Oscar, but there are some prerequisites I need to make clear.

If you successfully make it to the Oscar nomination stage this time, anyone with a sharp eye will know that you relied on the Coppola surname. In that case, for at least the next three years, you won’t be able to receive any individual award nominations at the Oscar. Can you accept this risk?"

Irene hesitated not at all. "I can fully accept this result."

Others might hesitate when facing the trade-off of sacrificing potential nominations for the next three years for one nomination now, but Irene would not.

Because the movie she was about to release, The Italian Job, and the planned Pirates of the Caribbean were neither subjects that the Oscar liked, and the depth of the films was extremely limited, making it as difficult as reaching the sky to win an award.

Oh, and there was also My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but in her memory, this film hadn’t won any awards either. After all, it was about the affairs of the Greek people, and the Oscar judges had no interest in that.

Being nominated now might even earn her the honor of being the youngest Best Screenplay nominee in Oscar history, which would be very beneficial for her subsequent projects and plans.

Francis wanted to persuade his daughter again. "You answered quite decisively, don’t you need to think about it again? You should know that if you happen to make a very brilliant film in the next three years, but are prematurely excluded from the Oscar because of this nomination, you won’t be able to regret it then."

"I won’t regret it. I just want this nomination. Thank you, Dad," Irene said with unwavering tone.

Francis saw the seriousness in his daughter’s eyes and sighed softly, "All right, wait for my news."

Afterwards, the figures of the Coppola father and daughter began to appear successively at various Hollywood-related evening parties.

Before the official Oscar nomination list was announced, Irene had already won two of the four major Oscar precursor awards, namely the Best Screenplay from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the National Board of Review.

These two awards basically helped her secure an Oscar nomination.

And in the weeks before the Oscar nomination list was announced, almost every evening party and every break on set in Hollywood could not do without discussions about Irene Coppola.