Most of the behind-the-scenes crew of this new production team had also participated in the filming of "Dark City," so they were very concerned about whether the film would receive Oscar nominations.
Shortly afterward, Robert Downey Jr., Margot Robbie, and others came out of the makeup room and gathered near Gal Gadot and Emma Watson, who had come to visit the set.
Murphy also walked over, showing concern.
"Guess how many Oscar nominations 'Dark City' received?" Emma Watson teased.
James Franco, who was very familiar with her, said directly, "Stop beating around the bush, just tell us."
Emma Watson glanced at Gal Gadot beside her and then said, "Best Makeup, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Mixing, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture!"
After finishing, she asked Gal Gadot, "Is that right?"
Gal Gadot nodded slightly.
"One, two, three..." Jonah Hill, standing behind James Franco, was counting the nominations on his fingers. "A total of thirteen Oscar nominations."
"Thirteen." Robert Downey Jr. repeated the number, sounding a bit regretful. "It's not the most ever."
Murphy laughed, "Thirteen Oscar nominations are already quite a lot."
The important thing was that "Dark City" had received nominations for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture—the four most crucial categories!
"Right!" Seth Rogen echoed. "Thirteen is quite a lot!"
Everyone around laughed. Wasn't thirteen Oscar nominations a lot?
Judging by the Oscar nominations, the previous defeat of "Dark City" at the Golden Globes didn't have much of a negative impact.
The true indicators of the Oscars were always the industry guild awards.
Getting Oscar nominations meant they had to prepare for the final award ceremony. After all, who among the contenders didn't want to hold the little gold man?
Emma Watson watched the lively discussion around her with some envy. If she could get an Oscar acting nomination, she wouldn't be struggling to shake off the influence of Hermione Granger.
Thinking about the recent media and public criticism, Emma Watson felt a bit helpless.
"Alright, it's about time." Murphy raised his voice slightly to remind everyone, "Let's get ready for the next shot."
The people nearby gradually dispersed, returning to their posts to prepare for the next scene.
Emma Watson stayed with Gal Gadot, accompanying Murphy back to the director's monitor. Seeing that Murphy was free, she smiled and said, "Congratulations, Murphy."
"Thanks." Murphy glanced at her. They were fairly familiar with each other. "You've had a lot of trouble recently."
"Yes." Emma Watson shrugged. "Some people just love standing on moral high ground to attack others."
Murphy casually reassured her, "It'll pass. The criticism won't last long."
A few days ago, the latest issue of "Vanity Fair" featured Emma Watson on the cover, with some rather revealing photos inside. This sparked considerable controversy, with many criticizing her, especially some feminists who accused her of hypocrisy, claiming she posed for "male-pleasing" sexy photos despite being a self-proclaimed feminist.
There wasn't much to say about such matters. Like the Catholic Church's attacks on Murphy, critics always had their excuses and reasons.
After chatting with Emma Watson for a bit, Murphy returned to filming.
Since this shoot used old-fashioned 35mm cameras and film, with a return to traditional cinematography, Murphy rarely intervened with the photography team, leaving most of it to Philippe Rousselot.
Despite the seemingly simple filming techniques, it was still very demanding in terms of basic skills. Philippe Rousselot managed well.
Filming continued until nearly five in the afternoon when Murphy announced the end of the day's work.
"I just read the script."
As they walked towards the set's entrance, Emma Watson said to Murphy, "The content is shocking! Those journalists were very brave back then!"
"For American society, the sexual abuse of children by bishops is a phenomenon some know about and many don't. The journalists stood against a powerful institution, not accusing one or two or seventy priests, but pointing out the systemic cover-up and corruption in the Church."
Murphy spoke of objective facts. "This is a story that hasn't been properly acknowledged or valued, but it must be told. Unlike exposing Watergate or the tobacco industry's nicotine harm, the hardest part was not digging out the truth and repeatedly confirming it through legal processes, but convincing themselves."
They stepped out of the set's entrance and were immediately surrounded by reporters. The bodyguards quickly formed a protective circle around Murphy.
With the Oscar nominations just announced and Emma Watson being a recent hot topic, the enthusiasm of the reporters was understandable.
For the sake of the film's promotion, Murphy was ready to accept some interviews.
Upon a bodyguard's loud reminder, order was gradually restored, but the bodyguards still firmly surrounded Murphy, preventing any reporter from getting too close.
The reporters and paparazzi quickly reached an understanding, choosing a few representatives to ask questions.
These people weren't stupid. If the situation remained chaotic, Murphy would just walk away. This way, they could still get some news.
After answering a few basic questions about being happy with the thirteen Oscar nominations, a reporter asked about the new film.
"Director Stanton, why did you choose this subject for your new film?"
"I feel it's my duty to let more people know about these events and the efforts those journalists made for justice and truth!"
Murphy certainly wouldn't reveal the true reasons now, speaking instead in grand terms. "The 'Spotlight' team's reports back then were known to some but not widely told. Because after weighing it, the social pressure and practical benefits of this grand institution far outweighed the small personal honesty of telling the truth. Sometimes it even made people think, 'If I speak out, am I betraying God and faith?' or 'Is my sacrifice contributing to a greater good?' So we must praise the courage of the 'Spotlight' team, even though they were just doing their job."
He paused slightly, then added, "These untold and unvalued stories exist everywhere. The courage to stand against powerful institutions may seem excessive for those involved, but for journalists, it should be their duty. Sometimes, we want the truth to be clearer, the forces trying to tame it weaker, and the impetus to spur it stronger."
A reporter suddenly turned to Emma Watson, asking, "What do you think of Miss Watson's recent controversy?"
Murphy knew what they were referring to and glanced at Emma Watson before responding. "Feminism is about giving women the right to choose. Feminism isn't for attacking other women. It's about freedom, liberation, and equality. I really don't understand what **** has to do with this. It's very confusing."
The reporter then directed questions at Emma Watson. She didn't shy away, answering directly, "This issue has shown me that people still have many misunderstandings and wrong ideas about feminism. I'm confused, and so are most people. But I'm honestly speechless."
At Murphy's signal, the bodyguards parted the crowd, allowing Murphy and his companions to get into the car.
"Thank you, Murphy." Emma Watson said sincerely. "Thank you for supporting me."
Murphy smiled, "It's nothing."
It was just a few supportive words, not a big deal.
Emma Watson also accompanied Murphy to Wave Manor, where other members of the Stanton followers arrived in their cars for Murphy's dinner party.
It was a small celebration for the thirteen Oscar nominations "Dark City" received.
With the 86th Academy Awards ceremony scheduled for early March, Murphy had to balance the filming of "Spotlight" with Oscar preparations.
After the nominations were announced, the situation became clear. Murphy could easily identify his biggest competitors. For the four most important awards, he faced Alfonso Cuarón for Best Director, "12 Years a Slave" was a strong contender for Best Picture due to its significant subject matter, and the Best Actor race between James Franco and Leonardo DiCaprio was still undecided. Margot Robbie's Best Actress nomination faced competition from Cate Blanchett...
Each competitor was formidable, with no guaranteed victories.
However, the Directors Guild Awards and Producers Guild Awards, which followed the announcement of the nominations, showed strong support for "Dark City," winning Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture. From every perspective, "Dark City" was the biggest favorite at this year's Oscars!
In mid-February, Murphy completed the studio filming and led the crew to Boston to begin shooting the remaining outdoor scenes.
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