Thursday, October 10th.
On the third day of filming for "Run Lola Run", the crew was still stationed in the apartment in the northwest corner of Montana.
The scene at Laura's house leads to the beginning of the three stories and is particularly important in the film. The crew arranged for three full days to shoot this part of the scene, and today is the last day.
It was already past three o'clock in the afternoon.
In Laura's bedroom, after temporary renovation, only a room of less than 20 square meters was left, but seven or eight people were squeezed in at this time. Counting cameras, fill lights, reflectors and other equipment, the small room was crowded with people. It was so full that some people could only stay outside.
However, the atmosphere in the room seemed quite quiet.
This is actually the unified feeling of all the crew members since the filming of the movie started.
From the first day of filming, everyone found that Simon's directing style was very different. He would not yell like some directors, nor would he explain to the staff in great detail what kind of results he wanted. .
More often than not, Simon remained in a quiet state, quietly examining the surrounding scenery, quietly using the viewfinder to consider the upcoming shots, quietly holding the light meter to observe every corner... and then giving orders succinctly.
If it were just that, everyone might enjoy this relaxing shooting experience.
Who wouldn't want a director who is quiet and a little neurotic compared to the countless yelling and harsh criticisms he has suffered on many crews
However, after three days, most of the crew did not feel relaxed at all, but became increasingly stressed.
The young director on the crew was really too harsh.
On the first day of shooting, Simon spent more than two hours just lighting the first shot.
As a typical backlit scene, there is nothing wrong with spending more time on lighting.
However, this is not a big scene in one of those high-budget films. It is just a simple close-up shot that took more than two hours to light. It is a bit too much anyway.
Moreover, due to Simon's age, some of the crew members even began to wonder, does this young man understand filmmaking? Some people even think that Simon is just showing his authority through this repeated tossing.
All kinds of doubts and dissatisfaction accumulated for three days. When Simon once again made repeated adjustments for a phone falling shot of less than one second for more than half an hour, the crew's lighting engineer Josh Wakeman finally broke out.
Josh Wakeman is thirty-three years old. He has been working as a lighting technician in Hollywood for seventeen years, starting as an apprentice at the age of sixteen. Although due to his mediocre personal qualifications and lack of opportunities, he has only been able to work on independent film sets, he is still considered a veteran in this circle.
To be fair, Josh Wakeman can vaguely sense the subtleties of some of Simon's adjustments most of the time, but it is difficult for him to tolerate Simon's long and repeated deliberation.
This is excruciating.
At this time, Josh Wakeman threw away the light meter he had just held in his hand, raised his voice and said to the young man who seemed a little confused: "Simon, I think this set is already very good, you can't waste any more time." .”
As Josh Wakeman suddenly burst out, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked over together.
Simon listened to what Josh Wakeman said, picked up the shooting schedule next to him, looked at it, and said, "I didn't waste time. The shooting schedule here is three days, and now there are only the last three shots left. It’s okay to finish it before get off work.”
Everyone was stunned when they heard Simon say this.
After a little calculation in their minds, everyone also discovered that although Simon seemed a bit too harsh on many details, the filming progress was not slowed down at all.
This young man seems to have always known very clearly what effect he wants. Therefore, there are very few cases of hesitating and repeatedly adjusting the shot or deliberately taking a few extra shots for backup. In most cases, everyone carefully prepares a shot and then starts shooting. As long as there are no accidents, there are usually only three or four shots and then it is over. This crispness virtually accelerated the filming progress of the film.
However, perhaps this kind of compact advancement speed without any delay has unknowingly put a lot of pressure on the staff.
So, when Joss Wickman heard Simon's explanation, he became even angrier inexplicably, saying: "Anyway, you can't do this anymore. Or, you don't know what you are doing at all, you little rookie .”
Sensing the dispute in the room, Ron MacMillan and Sandra Bullock, who were originally staying outside, quickly walked in.
Ron MacMillan saw Josh Wakeman getting more and more excited as he talked, and immediately said with a bit of scolding: "Josh, what's going on?"
"What's going on?" Josh Wakeman felt Ron McMillan's questioning, but said louder: "I've had enough of it," saying this, Josh Wakeman still pulled randomly He glanced at the reflectors that had been arranged around him, looked at Simon again, and said: "Boy, do you think you are Martin Scorsese? I tell you, I quit."
After saying that, Josh Wakeman raised his foot and kicked a reflective board again, turned around and walked out.
Ron MacMillan was stunned when he saw the lighting engineer suddenly abandoning his job and leaving after a disagreement.
How can this work!
However, Ron MacMillan just wanted to chase out, but was held back by Simon.
Simon's expression also darkened at this time, he glanced around and said: "Maybe my requirements for shooting are a little too strict, but I don't plan to change this state in the future, so if you can't adapt, you can do it now You can leave.”
Everyone was silent.
In the past three days, Josh Wakeman was indeed tortured a bit hard before he broke out. Although others are also dissatisfied, they are far from resigning and leaving. In Hollywood, behind-the-scenes staff, like actors, are often unemployed, and finding a job is not an easy task either.
Simon waited for a moment and said again: "Only this time, if you leave now, we can terminate the contract very peacefully. But for the next filming, if anyone suddenly strikes again, the crew will pursue it to the end."
After saying this, Simon glanced around until everyone nodded in agreement, then he leaned over to pick up the reflector that was kicked to the ground by Josh Wakeman and said, "Okay, continue shooting."
The lighting engineer is gone and there is no one to set the lighting, so how can we shoot
This doubt came to everyone's mind.
During the filming process, other jobs may be able to make cameo appearances, but lighting engineers have very high requirements for professional skills. Although the assistant provided by the crew for Josh Wakeman stayed on, it was obviously impossible for him to be qualified for the job.
Simon ignored everyone's thoughts and ordered the young lighting engineer's assistant to rearrange the lighting equipment.
Ron MacMillan looked at the situation in front of him and felt helpless. He pulled Catherine who wanted to come forward to help and said a few words to her.
Catherine heard Ron MacMillan's words, came to Simon, and whispered: "Simon, how about we stop here today?"
"It's okay, Catherine, trust me," Simon gave the woman a reassuring look and pointed to the fill light next to him: "Can you turn that off for me first?"
Seeing Simon's insistence, Catherine nodded and started to help.
Ron MacMillan saw that the venue was busy again, so he had to leave the room and hurried to the next door. He picked up the phone and wanted to help the crew contact a lighting engineer as soon as possible to save the scene.
However, after all, Ron MacMillan was not one of those big-name producers, so he made several calls to no avail.
After hesitating for a moment, Ron MacMillan sighed and rushed to the scene to help.
Being so busy, the time to get off work is coming soon.
Although some time was wasted on the shot of the phone falling, the next few shots went very smoothly.
As a result, everyone suddenly discovered that without a lighting engineer, the last remaining shots were all completed. The young director seemed to be no worse than a professional lighting engineer in terms of lighting.
Although I don't know how effective it will be.
but.
Considering that Simon also serves as a photographer himself, well, this seems to be barely explainable.
The photographer must know something about lighting.
but.
It is actually quite abnormal for a young man in his twenties to personally serve as the cinematographer for a movie.
Some people even couldn't help but wonder, if they had given up their jobs and left just like Josh Wakeman, would the young director have taken on his own job as well
This is impossible!
With all kinds of surprises and doubts, everyone went home from get off work.
As a producer, Ron MacMillan was not at ease. He also had some doubts about whether the last few shots of today could be used. In fact, Ron MacMillan was even a little worried about whether the footage shot in these three days would be usable.
In any case, Simon is still too young.
Moreover, Ron MacMillan had always wanted to hire a professional photographer, but Simon insisted on doing it himself.
This is what worries Ron the most.
So, after work was done, Simon took Janet to check out tomorrow's shooting scene, but Ron MacMillan stopped Catherine who wanted to go with him. The two of them hurried to Fox Studios with today's shooting film. .
Since it coincided with "The Butterfly Effect", Brian De Palma provided Simon with another convenience. The film shot by the "Lola Run" crew could be sent to the post-production center of Fox Studios to work with "The Butterfly Effect" The film is developed and printed together.
Of course, printing costs still have to be paid.
But even so, the professional development and printing conditions of Fox Studios are not comparable to those of independent laboratories. The importance of the original negatives to a movie cannot be overstated. The more professional the development and printing environment, the more guaranteed the quality of the negatives.
Therefore, this is quite a favor.
"Yesterday, I asked the Fox Post-production Center to develop a sample of the negatives shot two days ago. I can see the results today," Ron MacMillan took the initiative to explain to Catherine when he came to Fox Studios and called her out He said, "If, Catherine, if the effect of the sample film is not satisfactory, maybe you should be the follow-up director. After all, this is an investment of 650,000 US dollars."
Catherine shook her head slightly and said, "Ron, you should have more confidence in Simon."
"Of course, I'm still very optimistic about Simon, if he can experience it for a few years." After all, it's not honorable to conspire behind the scenes to oust the director. Ron MacMillan's expression was a little more embarrassed, but he still said: " However, he is still too young after all, and you have seen the situation these days."
Catherine smiled and said nothing more.
The two came to the post-production center. Ron MacMillan was registering today's filming films with the staff. David Giller, Brian De Palma and others happened to be walking away chatting and laughing. Come in.
Seeing Ron and Catherine, several people came over to say hello.
Ron was originally introduced to Simon by David Giller, and everyone also knew Catherine.
So, after chatting with each other for a while, they learned that Ron and Katherine were going to see the sample footage Simon had shot two days ago, and both David and Brian became interested.
Brian De Palma said: "It just so happens that we are also going to see the samples shot in the past few days. Let's come together. I am very much looking forward to Simon's movie."
When Ron and Catherine heard Brian De Palma say this, they couldn't help but look at each other.
Simon, Simon, the shots you take must be normal.
otherwise.
That would be tragic.
So secretly praying for a certain guy, David Giller gave a few instructions to the staff, and everyone walked towards the sample screening room of the post-production center.
When I came to the screening room, there happened to be someone inside, but it was another veteran Hollywood actor Robert Redford and several other staff members. A movie that Robert Redford was producing was currently in post-production, so it was will appear here.
After exchanging pleasantries, Robert Redford was about to leave. After hearing a few words from David Giller, he suddenly became interested and said, "David, are you the young man who broke other people's legs?"
David Giller nodded and said: "Of course, by the way, Simon also hopes that his film can participate in the Sundance Film Festival. So, maybe you can come and see how the young man's film goes."
"Of course," Robert Redford nodded immediately, but still said: "However, I am more interested in how that little guy broke five other people's legs. One against five, it is very powerful. Is he the same as the one back then? Like Bruce Lee, have you ever learned Kung Fu?”
David Giller smiled and said: "Well, you can ask him personally when the time comes."
Ron and Catherine couldn't help but start praying for Simon again when they heard that Robert Redford also planned to stay.
After talking and laughing, the staff quickly sent over several samples.
Brian De Palma skipped "The Butterfly Effect" and directly motioned to the staff to show Simon's sample of "Run Lola Run" first.