So what did Chartier do when The Hurt Locker took Best Picture last night? “Nicolas was pretty gobsmacked when the film won,” producer Lynette Howell told me. “He stayed in his seat while everyone else erupted, and then he just started jumping up and down, before standing up on this little white stool to give his speech. He listened as Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal and Greg Shapiro gave their speeches on the screen behind him. Nicolas was then able to give his speech, one that was much longer than the 45 seconds he would have gotten.” (See video below.)
Chartier watched the Oscars at that viewing party which Howell, and WME Global chief Graham Taylor, and Mike Fleiss hosted in Malibu for the Hurt Locker financier. It was organized when Chartier, the Voltage Pictures partner, was banned from the Academy Awards show for his inflammatory mass-email. Fleiss offered his home after I revealed the party and the guest list swelled over 400. “The atmosphere was incredible. People drove an hour to support him,” Howell told me.
Chartier remained for 90 minutes after his win before changing from jeans into a tuxedo and heading off to the Vanity Fair party and other fetes. Most of the costs of the bash were incurred by Fleiss. He and Taylor ended the night talking about making it an annual event.
Tremendous.
Thank you.
here’s my problem with this guy that i haven’t heard anyone address:
it’s not that he merely asked a handful of the academy to vote for his picture and “not a $500 million film.” that’s fine. my problem is that he took this a step further. you can not ask people to throw the vote, which is precisely what he did when he told others to vote avatar in tenth place and hurt locker in first place. that’s rigging the ballot. that’s different.
you can ask them to vote for you and make a case for why you are the best. you can even bad-mouth and talk mad shit about enemy number one, but you can not ask the voters to cast a ballot stacked against your biggest competitor. and that more than anything else is where he went wrong and why he was, i believe, reprimanded appropriately.
… Way too many posts on this topic. Chartier looks like a loser even though he won. You gotta avoid any association with WME if you want to look good in this town.
Agreed… WME has developed a very second-tier image, and throwing a party for that loser/cheat Chartier who was only there because he couldn’t be with the winners doesn’t help any.
Funny he thanks Roeg Sutherland, a CAA indie packaging guy, at a bash thrown by WME Global chief Graham Taylor
I somehow knew that the film would win. I’m really happy that Chartier did get to talk. If someone finds a version with better sound, can you please post it. Thank you!
Couldn’t happen to a better guy!
It was pretty special to be there last night amongst a truly independent crowd and listen to a speech that included just some of the trials and tribulations that us film makers go through to get to the ultimate goal of just finding an audience, never mind winning an Oscar! 45 seconds can’t possibly do justice to the mammoth task of getting a film up and running and it was a unique treat to be able to hear Nicolas’ speech. Naturally, every film – whether it be a studio film or otherwise – takes a million different people to do a million different things, but the impression one sometimes gets at the Oscars is that its another world; It somehow came about through the ‘hollywood’ machine and that it was given a leg up by some unattainable ‘Hollywood’ influence. However, last nights party reminds us that we’re all in it for the same reasons, fighting the same battles, talking the same game and that good things DO come to those who wait and that the cream will ALWAYS rise to the top! Well done, Nicolas, and thank you Graham, Lynette and Mike for an awesome evening.
Jenn Lee who was a producer on “The Hurt Locker” gives a first hand account from the Nic’s Oscar party as to what went down behind the scenes at Voltage and how they got it produced. Watch this. It is funny and insightful. You can see it at a friend of Nic’s site…
A great piece.
While I truly think Avatar was robbed, i did not agree with Nicolas being banned from the Oscars. I think the academy is living in Hollywoodland if they think this does not happen all the time every year. People hate Cameron and actors hate any inkling of movies not really needing them (even though Avatar had human actors)to be good. It was a really odd year. I never got the whole Monique is amazing in Precious, would have preferred Gabby win something, Monique was just being herself, minus the makeup. Gabby created a character. I am happy for Sandra she is a genuinely nice lady and a good actress to watch. The little guy won but history will prove that no one will remember that and Avatar will live on.
thanks for you
Nice post!Thanks!
I was very happy for Nicolas when he won but also very sad and angry that I couldn’t see him there onstage to accept his award. Thank you for posting this footage because unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend. It was nice to see him get his much deserved moment in the spotlight.
Nick rocks. BABY !!!
I’m so thrilled to see that Nadine DeBarros was thanked so graciously in his speech. She’s been an unsung hero in her sales role at Voltage for years. One of the sweetest and warmest women in sales, but balls of steel if and when required. Her no-nonsense approach and winning smile never fail to brighten the dullest of markets.
Congrats to Nicolas and Nadine for such a fantastic cap to a brilliant partnership and here’s to many more successes in the Voltage lineup.
I agree. Nadine works her tail off and it was nice to see he acknowledged her.
Couldn’t agree more about Nadine…she rocks!
Really great party. Amazing outcome. SO happy for Nicolas.
Great that he got his speech! This movie so deservs it, yeah!
I think this was great. So happy for the guy to get his moment, and to be surrounded by that supportive group was HUGE for him.
So, for all we know, his emails worked.
He did highlight the great flaw of the weighted ballot – self-interest (Is there any of that in Hollywood?) dictates you vote for your film in the #1 slot and your greatest perceived competition in the #10 slot.
A real shame Nicolas couldn’t be at the ceremony. Shame on the Academy for that. Big Congratulations to him and his team! A Great Motion Picture!!
Actually he broke Fcc regulations by asking people to vote avatar in 10th and him in 1st.
As a Talent Producer on Award shows one if our jobs is to not only get everyone a release to appear on TV , but to sign a statement that says that have not tried to alter the vote in any way or pay anyone for their vote. or forced or forged any votes in the voting process.
Every nominee is required to sign this form. That goes for all the award shows from Oscars, Emmeys, Grammy’s Academy of Country Music Awards etc.