Chapter 54: Completion

As the credits rolled and the lights came back up, many in the screening room felt as if they were waking from a dream.

After a brief silence, applause began to ripple through the room. Although it wasn't thunderous due to the small number of attendees, it was nevertheless unified and sincere.

Given budget constraints and other factors, those who had joined the crew were primarily year-round regulars in the low-budget independent film circuit.

As film professionals, they were naturally very invested in the movies they worked on. However, having been involved in several mediocre projects previously, they had gradually lost any expectations of excitement.

Even with support from the likes of Brian De Palma, most of the crew hadn't expected much from Simon, a newcomer. Many attended the screening mainly because of the big names associated with it, rather than out of any belief in the film's potential.

But the outcome far exceeded their expectations.

With a similar budget to many of the B-movies they were used to, which relied on gimmicks and sensationalism, "Run Lola Run" was not a mainstream commercial film, yet it was leagues above anything they had previously been involved with.

In fact, many thought to themselves, "This is what a movie should be."

In the front row of the screening room, although David Giler had already been impressed multiple times by Simon's cinematic talent and had seen "Run Lola Run" more than once, he was still amazed by the film's exceptional score.

Director, screenwriter, cinematographer, lighting, editor...

And now, composer.

David could only wonder what else the young man sitting nearby couldn't do.

Beside him, Brian De Palma was similarly reflective.

A movie goes through many stages from initial concept to final product, and any deviation in one aspect can drastically alter the intended outcome. Many viewers criticize certain films for their stiff plots and lack of logic.

But these poorly received films all started with what were likely comprehensive scripts; otherwise, no studio would risk millions of dollars on them.

The discrepancy between a polished script and a poorly received final film highlights the issue of a film's completion rate.

The completion rate not only encompasses whether a film fully realizes the story intended by the screenplay but also involves the quality of special effects, editing, and music, among other aspects.

Having viewed the final cut and recalling the screenplay he had read, Brian De Palma realized that "Run Lola Run" was a highly complete film.

If "Run Lola Run" had been a mainstream commercial release, he was confident it would have performed exceptionally well at the box office.

Even though it wasn't a conventional commercial film and its themes were unconventional, anyone who saw the movie would likely give it a positive review, even if they were not interested in the story.

This was the strength of "Run Lola Run."

In the screening room, after watching the film, everyone was deep in thought.

However, if anyone was most profoundly impacted, it was undoubtedly Peter Sanders, the vice president of Fox.

Months ago, when he first heard of the stunning results of Simon's test reel, Peter was skeptical.

He didn't think that a newcomer to Hollywood, no matter how talented at cinematography, could produce even a passable film, especially one managing editing and music as well.

It seemed impractical.

A waste of what he heard was a $650,000 investment.

As a vice president at Fox, Peter only made around that amount in a good year, including his salary and bonuses.

Having been in the industry for decades, Peter knew that while talent was important, experience was crucial. Without years and multiple films to hone one's skills, producing a reputable film was nearly impossible.

Yet, the eighty minutes he just witnessed had completely overturned his long-held beliefs.

His initial skepticism had turned into profound shock.

Although not known for outstanding ability, Peter had enough experience to judge the quality of a film.

Like Brian De Palma, Peter recognized that "Run Lola Run" was a film of very high completion.

Such a film, even with a limited audience, could easily achieve commercial success if handled correctly.

People naturally strive for perfection.

A highly completed film is like a finely carved gemstone; compared to mass-produced goods, consumers, even if not particularly fond of the genre, tend to prefer the more intricately crafted option.

Pondering this, Peter saw everyone getting up and enthusiastically engaging Simon in conversation. He approached Simon with a distracted air and said, "Simon, I have to return to the office for some work. How about this, come by at 4:30, and we can talk."

Simon nodded and politely escorted Peter out of the screening room.

After some lively discussions, the crew members who participated in the screening gradually departed.

As the leads, Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves apologized to Simon for not being able to join him at Sundance due to new commitments they had.

Simon understood. Not even the Oscars, let alone traditional, established film festivals, could compare to the current stature of Sundance

. Moreover, since Sundance didn't offer acting awards, there was little incentive for lead actors to attend.

After saying goodbye to everyone, David Giler and Brian De Palma were the last to leave.

Seeing only two women remaining with Simon, David Giler spoke openly, "Sanders was just posturing earlier. You must have felt it; that's just how he is. So, don't agree to his terms immediately. If possible, try to delay until after Sundance. Actually, Simon, I think you should take 'Run Lola Run' to more influential festivals like Cannes, Berlin, or Venice. These are much stronger than Sundance, and with the quality of your film, they would surely welcome it."

"I understand, David," Simon nodded and added, "I've thought about Cannes and others, but the film was only recently completed, and we've already missed the registration for the upcoming Berlin Festival. The others are too far away. Plus, I'd rather focus on the American market with 'Run Lola Run.'"

David nodded, understanding that there were reasons beyond what was spoken, including financial constraints.

After a brief chat, David Giler and Brian De Palma left.

Simon collected the copy of "Run Lola Run" and left the screening room with the two women.