Chapter 44: Preparing an Excuse

Simon drove to the restaurant near the Brentwood Country Club where he had dined last time. After a short wait, Catherine and Janet arrived together.

As they sat down in the restaurant, Simon noticed that Catherine seemed particularly downcast today and ventured to ask, "Did something else go wrong with the start of 'Night of the Blood Corpse'?"

Before Catherine could respond, Janet interjected, "It looks like it's going to be pushed back to next year."

Simon had seen some news about De Laurentiis Entertainment, the production company behind 'Night of the Blood Corpse', and expressed his concern, "Why is that?"

The conversation paused as the waiter approached to take their dinner orders.

After ordering, Catherine explained, "The producer, Edward Feldman, called me this afternoon. De Laurentiis Entertainment has completely run out of funds. They have to wait until the end of the year to receive the returns from a few movies they released this year before they can start on my film."

Hearing this, Simon nodded solemnly. Delays due to financial issues, changes in the creative team, or other reasons were not uncommon in Hollywood, and Catherine's situation was not particularly surprising.

After a moment, Simon ventured, "So, Catherine, does this mean you're out of a job again?"

Catherine nodded absentmindedly, "Yes."

Simon suggested, "Why don't you come and help me then?"

Catherine looked up, uncertain, "Hmm?"

"With 'Run Lola Run,'" Simon clarified. "We start shooting next month."

"But I might still need to..." Catherine began, but she hesitated, unable to find a good excuse on the spot and turned to Janet for support.

Janet, who had been blinking rapidly at Simon's earlier suggestion, now chimed in with enthusiasm. Wrapping an arm around Catherine, she encouraged, "Kate, let's both go. I'm the major investor after all. If necessary, I might even fire the director and let you take over."

Simon, hearing Janet's grumbling tone, put his hands together in a mock prayer, bowing his head in feigned terror, "Janet, I was wrong. How about I order two servings of foie gras for you?"

Janet playfully threw a napkin at Simon, "Jerk, hitting you."

After their playful exchange, influenced by Janet's encouragement, Catherine eventually agreed to join Simon as his assistant director. The 'payment' agreed upon was that Simon would later assist on the 'Night of the Blood Corpse' set.

Initially, Janet had no particular interest in the production of 'Run Lola Run.' Simon had previously suggested that she join as a producer, not just in name but in a more active role. However, the usually indolent Janet only took on the task of painting a butterfly-themed mural for the casino scene—one of the three subtle references to the 'butterfly effect' in the film.

With Catherine's involvement, Janet also became more engaged.

The next morning, Janet arrived at work bright and early, filled with enthusiasm.

It was eight o'clock.

Although Simon was accustomed to waking early, he had just finished breakfast.

Upon hearing the doorbell, he went to open it and was greeted by Janet, dressed in office attire.

As Simon's gaze began to wander, Janet's cool hands reached out, cupping his face to prevent him from looking away, and she spoke in a commanding tone, "You keep this up, and I really will get mad, you know. There are serious consequences."

Simon awkwardly nodded under Janet's 'clutches,' and she finally released him.

Following Simon into the house, Janet couldn't wait to ask, "So, little boy, what are we doing today?"

Simon, heading to the kitchen to put away the dishes, replied succinctly, "Resting."

Janet, discontented, followed and protested, "How can that be? For someone as ambitious as you, that's way too unambitious."

Simon didn't respond.

Though the shoot was over a week away, starting from the next Monday until the end of post-production, Simon wouldn't have any more free time; this weekend would be his only rest for the coming months.

After cleaning the dishes, Simon moved to the bedroom.

He blocked Janet, who tried to follow him inside, changed clothes, and upon reemerging, said simply, "Let's go."

"Go where?"

"Shopping."

Janet's interest was piqued instantly, no longer talking about Simon's lack of ambition as she took his arm, "Are you buying clothes? I could really help you with that, you know. Honestly, your taste in clothing is dreadful. But, heh, little boy, you look good in anything."

"Janet, can we change how you address me?"

"Little jerk?"

"Never mind, forget I asked."

"Heh."

Outside the villa, Simon pointed to the Chevrolet SUV

 parked on the ground. Janet walked over to the passenger side and affectionately patted the SUV's hood, "Hi, big guy."

Simon opened the door, hearing Janet's remark, and gave her an exasperated look.

Always so provocative.

Leaving the residence, Simon drove Janet around all morning, sticking to Santa Monica without straying far, just switching from one bookstore to another.

After lunch downtown, they returned to Montana area.

By the long table under the garden arbor, Janet, looking at the dozens of books on directing, cinematography, and editing stacked on the table, glanced skeptically between Simon and the books several times before asking hesitantly, "Little boy, you're not going to tell me that the movie's about to start shooting and you just thought to learn a bit about these things, are you?"

Simon, comfortably leaning back in a lounge chair and enjoying the afternoon sun filtering through the vines, nodded affirmatively, "Yes, how else am I supposed to make a movie?"

This was indeed a small realization Simon had recently come to.

He planned to take on many of the roles in 'Run Lola Run' himself, and when the time came, he couldn't just tell people that he knew about filmmaking by divine intervention.

Now, with all these books, he could at least provide a plausible excuse to those curious.

Self-taught.

What an inspiring story.

Janet, who was typically pampered and lazy—very smart despite rarely exerting herself fully—seemed to catch on to something but chose not to pursue it further.

Seeing Simon relaxed in the lounge chair, she moved closer like a cat, trying to squeeze in beside him. Finding that Simon had no intention of sharing his lounge chair, she huffed and left.

Less than half an hour later, another lounge chair was delivered from a furniture store.

After spending a wonderfully chaotic weekend, the shooting date for 'Run Lola Run' was fast approaching.

By then, the crew had been fully assembled.

Simon Westeros: Director, Producer;

Brian De Palma: Executive Producer;

Ron McMillan: Producer;

Janet Johnston: Producer;

Catherine Bigelow: Assistant Director;

Linda Wiggs: Casting Director.

Sandra Block: Lead Actress;

Keanu Reeves: Lead Actor.

With the main cast and several support staff positions secured over the past month, the production was nearly ready to begin.

As the new week started on September 30th, although filming had not yet commenced, Simon's schedule became extremely tight.

In one week, Simon had to finalize numerous details:

- Final fittings for the main actors.

- Coordinate with the animation studio contracted to insert sequences into the film.

- Schedule and conduct script readings with the actors.

- Officially submit applications to the Santa Monica city government for street filming.

- Rent filming props.

- Familiarize himself with the crew.

And much more.

With such a busy schedule, Simon's rest was limited to six hours a day.

By the weekend, while other staff began to relax, Simon was still personally arranging the set for Lola's room.

As Simon's dedication and professionalism became apparent, the main creative team gradually identified with 'Run Lola Run.'

Thus, as Simon busied himself in a northwest Santa Monica apartment preparing Lola's room, Catherine, Janet, Sandra, and even Ron McMillan, who claimed he was just too free over the weekend and did not need overtime pay, all came to help.

Surprisingly, Keanu Reeves also showed up. Over these days, Simon realized that Keanu's interest in the film was still largely due to the incident with the five broken legs.

Despite being two months past, the injuries of those young men had not yet healed. To avoid too much attention, they had quickly transferred from the UCLA Medical Center to San Diego soon after the incident.

This purposeful concealment only fueled more public curiosity. At a press conference for Fox's 'Project X' starring Matthew Broderick, a reporter boldly asked Broderick for his views on the incident, creating an awkward moment.

Simon, however, had completely stopped caring about that.

After another busy weekend...

On October 7th, Monday, 'The Butterfly Effect' officially started filming at Fox Studios, with Simon attending the kick-off ceremony.

Then, on October 8th, Tuesday, 'Run Lola Run' began its unassuming shoot in a Santa Monica apartment by the sea.