Writing Web Novels In America-Chapter 328 - 331: Winning an Award

"Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, Best Visual Effects, all taken by ’Friends’?"

In New York, inside ABC’s office building, James was seriously watching the TV screen.

Although in the presentation of such artistic awards, they tried to downplay the influence of the capital behind them, he hadn’t gone to Los Angeles in person.

But as the person in charge of the ’Anomalies’ project, James was still very concerned about the Emmy Awards winners.

"Sure enough, the members of the National Art Academy don’t like works with too much imagination."

He took a sip of coffee, shook his head helplessly, "Our ABC and Roger Ebert’s PR most likely failed."

Mike, a famous Hollywood director, felt the same.

"’Rachel’s hairstyle did indeed set the trend and swept across the entire United States, but... just because of that to win Best Visual Effects?"

The special effects for ’Anomalies’ had cost a fortune and were designed by the Industrial Light & Magic team!

This made him think of the Oscar nominations for Best Visual Effects this year, where his ’Rock’ was surprisingly edged out by ’The English Patient’!

A hairstyle, a natural landscape, did they really appeal more to the judges than high-tech precision design, real F-16 explosions?

Michael Bay felt his chances for Best Director were slim to none.

However...

He glanced at the ’Friends’ crew next door, the scene buzzing with excitement.

Then looked back at the ’Anomalies’ crew, and their subdued atmosphere.

"It’s okay." Michael Bay patted Samuel Jackson on the back, "The demon you played has a certain contrast."

"The judges, they tend to like such characters."

"Ha, don’t console me." The black actor shrugged and smiled in response, "Because of physical reasons, Matthew Perry had reduced screen time on ’Friends’ this season."

"The role of Chandler, competing for Best Supporting Actor?" Jackson chuckled bitterly, shaking his head slightly, "I’m just there to make up the numbers."

However, as an experienced actor, he quickly understood the intent of the director.

Jackson glanced at the other actors, who because of nervousness, were trembling and expressionless.

"Ha, you all should learn from Mr. Wang, let yourselves relax a bit."

He pointed at Wang Jian, laughing as he spoke.

Everyone followed his gesture and looked to the left.

There was Wang Jian, checking out the photo features on his phone.

"Brad Pitt and ’Rachel’ really do match well, worthy of being Hollywood’s ’golden couple.’"

"But the previous ’golden couple,’ Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder, ended with the man dating an actress over forty."

"I just wonder how it will turn out for this couple?"

Wang Jian, out of boredom, gossiped in his mind.

Hmm?

It seems like everyone is looking at me?

"Wang, aren’t you nervous?" Naomi whispered.

What is there to be nervous about...

Regarding the Emmy Awards, Wang Jian truly wasn’t that concerned.

Of course, this wasn’t because he had the noble character of being indifferent to fame and fortune, but purely for financial reasons.

His interests in TV and film mainly revolved around cable networks like HBO.

However, due to their audience, on-demand TV series were temporarily not part of the Emmy nominations.

If we go by Wang Jian’s thinking, he and the site would act purely as IP sellers in other types of films and TV series.

Then, competing for these awards was far less profitable than going for literary prizes.

The works that won the Nobel Prize in Literature could be sold to Hollywood for about four million US dollars in net profit.

While at the same time, the payment for the Oscar’s Best Screenwriter was barely breaking one million dollars, right?

As he was about to reply, he saw everyone’s expressions seemed a bit contorted.

Er...

Would saying this be inappropriate?

Wang Jian pondered for a bit, then whispered, "I’m actually very nervous, but I heard there will be paparazzi snapping photos."

"Huh," Michael Bay nodded, "You seem even more like you’ve been immersed in Hollywood for years."

While everyone was talking, the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor was announced.

As expected, it was won by Matthew Perry, who played Chandler in ’Friends’.

Uh...

That is a bit rough...

Wang Jian paused, then spoke to comfort Jessica Alba playing ’Husky.’

"Don’t worry, in the nominations for Best Supporting Actress, there are no ’Friends’ actors."

The young Latina actress rolled her eyes at Wang Jian, "Thanks so much for your consolation!"

But...

She thought about it and felt that it was indeed good news.

Yet, Jessica had forgotten that the Emmy Awards were not just between ’Friends’ and ’Anomalies’.

There are still many actresses vying for these awards.

"Best Supporting Actress goes to Miss Patricia Heaton, for her role in ’Raymond.’"

As the awards were announced, other drama teams and reporters all turned to give the ’Anomalies’ crew their due attention.

"Despite receiving ten nominations, completely crushed by ’Friends’?"

What was supposed to be a moment of glory turned into being the backdrop...

In the future, when people mention ’Friends,’ they would undoubtedly lament ’Anomalies’ with a sense of schadenfreude.

With the Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director respectively going to "Rachel," "Ross," and Ke Roger,

the gaze upon ’Anomalies’ inevitably carried a tint of pity.

Of course, this does not include their direct competitor, the ’Friends’ drama team.

"Heh," the producer Bright scoffed, "Attracting public attention, to get nominations?"

"That bestselling author might snatch the ’soap opera’ award from us with that tactic, but he can’t take away the more authoritative Emmy Awards."

He patted the screenwriter, David Klein, on the shoulder, "Don’t worry, this year is a fruitful one for us."

"The most important awards for screenwriting and a major television drama will undoubtedly be ours."

After speaking, he pointed to the award presenter on stage, "After all, he has already gone to Hollywood."

"And the award for Best Original Screenplay goes to," George Clooney paused for a moment and slowly spoke, "’Anomalies,’ Wang Jian!"

Huh?

Wang Jian was stunned for a second before feeling the people beside him, as if mad, start embracing him.

"Weren’t they saying that you need PR to even have a shot at something like this?" he responded to the crowd while slowly making his way to the podium.

"Fuck! I didn’t prepare a speech!"

"Ha, Mr. Wang, congratulations," George Clooney joked: "As a writer, you must love your own work, right?"

"So, could you express your feelings at this moment with a line from a novel or a piece of dialogue?"

"Uh..." Wang Jian thought for a second and tentatively said, "Since it doesn’t cost anything, why not just take it?"

Ha...

The audience burst into laughter.

Wang Jian, looking at the throng of actors, reporters, and viewers, racked his brains, recalling what people normally said at these moments.

Thank the parents? His foster parents were still in the New York Psychiatric Hospital.

Thank the girlfriend? Um... better not.

"Thanks to Mr. Michael Bay’s guidance, performances from Joseph Gordon, Naomi Watts, and others, this award doesn’t just belong to me, it belongs to all of you."

After his brief speech, Wang Jian walked off the stage amidst applause.

"Ha," Michael Bay took over the trophy, "We... finally won’t be a total joke!"

Joseph Gordon and Naomi Watts also took the trophy, touching it excitedly.

For them, rising from bit players to stardom, this was an opportunity for a significant award.

In stark contrast was the ’Friends’ drama team not far away.

Just now jubilant, they had now completely quieted down.

"It’s okay," the producer took a deep breath, calming himself down.

Then, he quietly encouraged everyone, "This award comes out of sympathy due to recent events."

"It has a minimal effect on the much more important award for the best drama."

"Regardless, at this Emmy Awards, we are destined to become legends!"

However, Wang Jian had no interest in caring about what others thought.

"Didn’t Roger Ebert say it was impossible for him to win?"

"Should I call to thank him?"

"The last and most important award of this Emmy Awards is about to be revealed," the host stood on stage, emotionally building up the moment.

"For this, we have invited the famous comic book master, Mr. Stan Lee, to present the award."

Amidst applause, an elderly white man with coffee-colored glasses emerged from behind the curtains.

Differing from the jesting style of the other guests, his expression was very serious.

Stan Lee adjusted the microphone and said, "The nominees for Best Drama are ’Seinfeld,’ ’Raymond,’ ’Friends,’ ’Anomalies.’"

As he spoke, the big screen behind him started to play exciting moments from the series.

"This show is about nothing."

"Everybody loves Raymond."

"How you doing!"

"We’ve kept on running, even after you masters were gone!"

Stan Lee paused for a moment, then opened the envelope.

His expression seemed puzzled and surprised, as if... there was also a hint of imbalance.

After scanning the audience, Stan Lee slowly spoke, "The winner of the fortieth Emmy Award for Best Drama goes to ’Anomalies and Creatures.’"

"Congratulations to James Kahn and Mr. Wang Jian."

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