Standing by the hotel's floor-to-ceiling window, looking down from a high vantage point, the spectacular queue of people at the theater entrance was truly magnificent. The surging crowds in the streets and alleys had crowded the entire small town. The dense mass of people within the line of sight looked like bustling ants, so small, so concentrated. In a trance, there was a sensation of being God.
No wonder those elite figures on Wall Street always preferred their offices to be on higher floors, higher still.
After five days of silence, Sundance finally became lively again due to the sudden emergence of "Like Crazy". It was continuing to heat up, causing major media outlets to become active.
"The scenery here is truly not bad, is it?" Harvey Weinstein stood with his hands behind his back, his rounded beer belly, genial smile, and friendly demeanor exuding an approachable aura. Even on the first encounter, there was no trace of awkwardness. In just a few exchanges, they seemed to have become familiar.
"However, compared to the view from the top floor of the Sunset Tower Hotel, it falls short by quite a bit here." Harvey turned around, strolling with an unhurried pace, walking back from the floor-to-ceiling window toward the sofa group in the lobby. He didn't rush to sit down, just casually leaned against the back of the sofa, his face radiating a mild smile. "If there's a chance, I can invite you to the top floor. Although it's not as grand as the Empire State Building, it's still a splendid view."
Harvey Weinstein, along with Bob Weinstein, the well-known Weinstein brothers. When they make a move in Hollywood, the entire film industry trembles. Some even refer to them as the "Kings of Hollywood" behind their backs. The powerful influence of the two brothers was evident.
Without exaggeration, the rise of the awards season was propelled by these two brothers. Over the past decade or so, they were undoubtedly the most significant figures of each year's awards season. They earned hundreds of nominations and dozens of Oscars in the process, bearing abundant fruit. Their every action was capable of stirring up controversies.
Recently, "The Social Network" found itself embroiled in turmoil. First, several individuals related to Facebook came forward accusing the movie of fabricating facts and defaming their images. Subsequently, the original novel of the film was accused of plagiarism, causing a stir. Leaving aside the authenticity of the claims, this series of negative news indeed impacted the prospects of "The Social Network" in the awards season.
What was even more significant was that during the first half of the awards season, David Fincher had been actively cooperating with the film's promotion. Lately, negative news had frequently surfaced, employing various dirty and unsavory tactics. This genuinely disgusted David, causing him to gradually withdraw from the related public relations activities of the Academy.
Behind all this, the shadow of the Weinstein brothers could be found. The North American distribution rights of "The King's Speech" were held by these two brothers.
The announcement of the Oscar nomination list was imminent, and the first phase of the awards season was entering its final sprint. However, the two brothers showed no signs of nervousness. Not only did they not remain at their headquarters, but they also came to Park City to participate in the annual Sundance Film Festival.
In fact, in recent years, as independent films gradually gained prominence, the attention of prominent producers and distribution companies had shifted as well. Last year's "Blue Valentine" and "Winter's Bone" were direct proof of this. The Weinstein brothers naturally wouldn't miss out; they arrived here like clockwork every year to try their luck.
The Weinstein brothers had divided their roles. The younger brother, Bob, was more skilled in production and would be responsible for selecting the projects. On the other hand, Harvey controlled the big picture, handling media promotion, public relations tactics, distribution rights, and other matters. Today was no different. Harvey remained in the hotel room while Bob roamed the various theaters in Park City, big and small.
To be honest, when Drake Dormus informed Renly of the invitation from the Weinstein brothers for a meeting regarding the distribution rights of "Like Crazy", his mind was momentarily muddled.
This was the Weinsteins, not just any random producers or distributors.
This was different from the time he encountered Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg during auditions. Back then, Renly's focus was solely on his performance, hoping to secure the job, and he had no leisure to idolize the two bigwigs in the audience. However, today, the Weinstein brothers had taken an interest in "Like Crazy". Not only did it mean that the work received their recognition, but it also indicated their positive outlook on the film's awards season prospects.
Before the Weinsteins, in fact, "Like Crazy" had already received olive branches from four distribution companies. Among them was an independent label under Paramount Pictures, which held a certain advantage, while the other three were independent distributors.
All three companies showed strong interest in the North American distribution rights for "Like Crazy", especially Paramount. As a label under one of the six major film studios, Paramount might not match the likes of Focus Features, Miramax, or Fox Searchlight, but its substantial influence was not to be underestimated. They not only hoped to secure the North American distribution rights for "Like Crazy", but also inquired about the global distribution rights.
Just this one detail could indicate that Paramount had high hopes for this work.
The fervent acclaim at Sundance, coupled with the vibrant online discussions, had brought sufficient attention and firepower to "Like Crazy". Naturally, the demand for the North American distribution rights surged, making them highly coveted. Without exaggeration, "Like Crazy" was currently the most eye-catching work at Sundance, and the fervor for its distribution rights was unparalleled. At least, up until this point.
And now, even The Weinstein Company expressed interest. Even if Focus Features and Fox Searchlight joined forces, they would still not be able to outperform The Weinstein Company. This was indeed a huge surprise.
Drake's excitement, Jennifer's and Felicity's exuberance, all of this was understandable.
In the end, Renly was the first to calm down, because he knew that the Weinstein brothers' strategy was always about casting a wide net; they'd rather make a mistake than miss out.
Starting from Sundance and continuing until the conclusion in Toronto, they would continuously purchase distribution rights for films. They would then slowly sift through them, eliminate them one by one. By the time awards season arrived, the number of contenders left in their hands would be very limited, with most films having been eliminated directly.
In other words, being favored by the Weinstein brothers wasn't as wonderful as one might imagine.
Each distribution company had its own distinct characteristics. The same film in the hands of different companies would have drastically different promotional strategies and focal points, and the ultimate results of the awards season could vary greatly. The Weinstein brothers were an epitome of prioritizing profits and being ruthless. They cared not for artistic value, but whether a film aligned with the value orientation of the Oscar judges.
In simple terms, a film like "Buried," which was unconventional and had a unique style, might not make it to the arrival of awards season in the hands of the Weinstein brothers; it might be terminated directly.
However, for independent films like "Like Crazy", the Weinstein brothers were indeed towering godfather-like figures, enough to stir up excitement to the point of losing control.
Today, Drake invited Renly to visit the Weinstein brothers at the hotel together.
Back in Telluride, Drake had promised Renly that due to his significantly low salary, he was willing to let Renly join the film's production with a share of the box office revenue.
Generally speaking, the distribution rights for independent films could be divided into two possibilities: one was a fixed price buyout, where the success of the film's distribution didn't affect the crew; the other was a reasonable distribution fee, followed by participation in box office revenue sharing. The success of the box office would determine whether the crew could recoup their costs and make a profit.
Regardless of how the distribution rights for "Like Crazy" were eventually negotiated, Drake was willing to share a portion of the benefits with Renly in percentage terms. That was the reason he invited Renly to come and meet the Weinstein brothers today.
Another reason was because he needed courage. Yes, those were Drake's exact words.
Watching Harvey, who was confident, composed, and at ease, Drake's nervousness and awkwardness were evident. He was only twenty-seven years old this year, still a genuine youth.
However, Renly noticed Harvey's posture as he entered. Whether it was the words spoken by the window or the friendly invitation by the couch, Harvey remained standing. Facing Renly and Drake seated on the couch, Harvey had an undeniable height advantage. His air of authority as a superior acknowledging his subordinates was already subtly exerted, and he had taken control of the situation without making a sound.
This manner of Harvey's was not unfamiliar to Renly; George Hall was particularly skilled at this kind of subtle oppression.
More importantly, Harvey clearly had something more to say. His proposal was not about sightseeing on the top floor of the Sundance Tower Hotel, but rather implied the grand finale of awards season—the Oscar night held every year at the Sundance Tower Hotel. It would be the celebration party for the winners.
However, Harvey was likely to be disappointed. In Renly's view, Drake hadn't picked up on Harvey's underlying meaning at all. "Really? I've heard about that too. The view from the Empire State Building is said to be wonderful. But I've never had the chance to go and see. It would be really cool if we could go up to the top floor of the Sundance Tower Hotel!"
Drake said with a beaming smile, even turning his head to nod at Renly, excitement written all over his face, as if he was genuinely looking forward to visiting the Sundance Tower Hotel.
The corners of Renly's lips gently curled upward, and then he nodded solemnly, "I think the same."
Harvey narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing the two people before him earnestly. His gaze finally settled on Renly, not concealing his curiosity. He waited until Renly turned his head, their gazes meeting, before he flashed a slightly awkward smile. "I apologize, please forgive my directness. You are younger than I imagined, and your age isn't apparent on the big screen. Or perhaps, your performance has fooled me. As an audience member, this truly is a delight."