The film was finished, and Simon also began to focus on the later stages of the film.

Next year's Sundance Film Festival starts on January 16, and from November 14, there are only exactly two months left for "Lola Run."

During the filming of the movie, Simon got along very happily with most of the crew members, and agreed to have the opportunity to work together again in the future. However, in order to save money, when filming ended, Simon immediately disbanded the crew.

In the days that followed, only Catherine and Janet were the only ones who stayed by Simon's side to assist him in completing the later stage, and Simon was only hired temporarily behind the scenes.

Despite such a careful budget, in fact, because Simon was responsible for a lot of work such as cinematographer, editor, and soundtrack artist in the original budget list, the production of "Lola Run" was actually very well funded.

Janet deliberately calculated, and the result was that the budget of $650,000 would probably not even be able to use $600,000 in the end.

However, Simon did not make a big deal out of it.

For a movie to be successful, excellent production is one thing, and post-publicity is equally important.

Simon didn't think about leaving other film companies to promote "Lola Run" alone, which is simply unrealistic for him now. However, the extra tens of thousands of dollars will definitely come in handy in the future publicity process.

Since editing had already begun during the production process, it only took Simon two weeks to completely complete the rough cut of the film's footage. Entering December, while continuing to refine the cut, Simon also began to work on the soundtrack of "Lola Run".

The soundtrack style of "Lola Run" is dominated by fast-paced electronic music, and although Simon can complete the composition, the specific music recording still needs a professional band to complete. WMA also represents a very large group of musicians, and Simon has not faced much of a hindrance in this regard.

So busy, the time came to the end of the year before I knew it.

Montana district, outside the villa where Simon lived.

Today is December 23rd.

Catherine pulled over to the side of the road and came to the door of the villa, and was about to ring the doorbell when the door opened, and Simon and another slightly chubby man in his early thirties appeared in the doorway, chatting in a low voice.

Nodding to Simon, Catherine greeted the man again, "Good afternoon, John, I didn't expect you to come over today?"

The man named John was carrying a briefcase, smiled and nodded, "Yes, Ms. Bigelow, I was about to take my leave." Also, tomorrow is Christmas Eve, happy holidays. ”

Catherine also said, "You too, happy holidays." ”

With that, Catherine and Simon sent the man to the side of the road and watched the other drive away before entering the villa together.

Last month, several inserts in "Lola Run" were also completed, and everything else was fine, but Simon was not satisfied with the 2D animation effect of the crowd gathering to form the title of "Lola Run" at the beginning, and planned to redo it in 3D.

In this era, there are not many companies that make 3D animations.

After some inquiry, Simon finally contacted a 3D animation studio in San Francisco, which is also famous and called Pixar. The man who had just left was none other than John Lasseter, the vice president of Pixar.

Pixar was originally the animation arm of Lucasfilm, and George Lucas was involved in a divorce case and had to sell the assets in his name. It just so happened that Steve Jobs, who left Apple and founded NeXT Computer, was interested in Pixar and bought the company at the beginning of this year.

Jobs had hoped that Pixar's animation technology would boost sales of NeXT's graphics computers, but the reality was not as good as it could be. In order to keep Pixar afloat, the studio had to accept orders for animated commercials.

Simon agreed with Pixar at the beginning of the month for a 10-second 3D intro, and John Lasseter had just delivered the finished product himself.

Walking into the living room, Catherine saw a pile of materials and drawings scattered on the coffee table, so she naturally stepped forward to clean up, and said, "I'm going back to San Francisco later, what about you?"

Simon sat casually on the armrest of the sofa, watching the woman busy, enjoying this feeling, and said with a smile: "Otherwise, you can take me home, whatever you want." ”

Catherine gave Simon a blank look and said, "Jenny wanted to bring you back to Australia a few days ago, why didn't you go?"

"I'm afraid of flying. ”

"I also flew this time, but I just didn't get a ticket last time. ”

"Oh, like, suddenly I don't feel so scared anymore. ”

Catherine listened to Simon's rogue tone, raised the document in her hand and patted it on his knee before continuing to sort it out. However, after a moment's hesitation, the woman still said softly: "You, do you really want to go back with me?"

Simon felt that Catherine's tone became serious, his face was slightly red, and he quickly shook his head and said, "It's still not necessary, I'm not ready." ”

Christmas is a time for families in the West, and Simon knows that he is far from going home with Catherine, and it would be too abrupt to do so.

Imagining that Simon might be alone tomorrow night, Catherine had already relented. Hearing his refusal, the woman breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, but she also had a faint sense of loss.

Looking away from the little man next to her, Catherine put the sorted documents on the coffee table and said, "Then, I may not come back until after the New Year." ”

"Understood," Simon nodded, and said with a solemn face, "Also, don't pay attention to the accosting of the next seat on the plane." ”

Catherine glared at Simon, but there was a smile on her lips: "You think everyone else is as scoundrel as you." ”

Janet had returned to Australia a few days earlier to see off Catherine, and Los Angeles seemed to be suddenly empty.

Recently I was working on an audio clip, but the next day it didn't work.

Most of them are resting, and they are still in the studio, which is too bleak.

After a busy morning, I decorated the villa inside and out like other houses, even the roof was decorated with colorful lights, and I bought a Christmas tree.

I also received several phone calls inviting him to spend Christmas together, but they all declined one by one.

In the afternoon, I drove to the market again to shop, and I also took the time to visit the motel where I stayed when I first arrived in Los Angeles, and brought a box of pumpkin pie to the old Spaniard.

The old man's children are already married, but he is celebrating the holiday with his wife, and he is very relieved to see him coming, claiming to be looking forward to his movie, and opening the box of pumpkin pie on the spot to taste it, and praising it again and again.

So he joked that the pumpkin pie was left over from Halloween.

Seeing the old man's suspicious appearance of wanting to vomit or not, he hurriedly changed his words.

Speaking of which, the two king-sized pumpkins on Halloween were not wasted, and they were sent to be processed into pumpkin pie and distributed to everyone in the crew.

This box was naturally bought in the store.

It's fresh.

Spent more than an hour in the motel, chatting with the old man, playing guitar, and then going home.

Until dark.

But just prepared a very simple dinner, a person, does not like to waste.

After filling my stomach and watching TV boredly for a while, I simply hid in the piano room again, sat down next to the Steinway piano sent by Janet, and pondered the last piece of the soundtrack of "Lola Run".

In fact, the soundtrack has been completely done, and I am very satisfied with it, and I don't plan to revise it.

Just passing the time.

Ding Ding Dong, Ding Ding Dong.

At one point, I suddenly remembered the thoughts I had at the Brian's house party that night.

That movie.

An old bandit, cautiously maintaining his 'career', carefully guarding his few brothers, occasionally fantasizing about retirement, old age, and emigrating to an inconspicuous Pacific island nation to see the seaweed that glows only once a year.

Suddenly, I met a woman I loved.

But it was strong.

Insist.

I'm alone, but I'm not lonely.

How can it not be lonely?

Ding Ding Dong, Ding Ding Dong.

At ten o'clock, I finally decided to rest, but the doorbell suddenly rang.

Ding-dong, ding-dong.

I guess it's an illusion.

The bell kept ringing.

Well.

The hallucinations shouldn't last that long.

So he left the piano room.

Open the door.

Janet Johnston stood outside the door, wearing a crop top T-shirt, small hot pants, fluffy blonde hair, a flushed face, two long straight white legs, and pink flat shoes.

Like a Barbie doll.

Seeing that he was a little dazed, she habitually flickered her long eyelashes a few times, stared at him brightly, and said in a hoarse little voice: "Little boy, were you thinking just now, who will knock on your door at this time, it will be your girlfriend?"

He shook his head, a smile overflowing from the corner of his mouth, and said, "No, it's too risky to think like this, and it would be bad if it was a man." ”

She laughed along.

Subsequently.

She raised her arm: "Come, hug me." ”

Without any further hesitation, Simon stepped forward and hugged the woman's light body.

Start with cold.

So he felt a little pity and pretended to reprimand: "It's winter, dress like this, play performance art?"

Janet put her arms around his neck and stuck to the man, feeling warm, but not to be outdone: "It's stupid, it's summer in Australia." ”

As he said this, a wallet clicked out of Janet's hot pants pocket and fell to the ground, Simon looked down, and the wallet was scattered with passports and plane tickets, but he ignored these things, and went straight to her bedroom with the woman in his arms.

Wrapped Janet in the quilt, picked out a few clothes from her closet and handed them over, and ran to boil water.

After some busyness, Janet changed her clothes, held the hot cocoa, and still sat on the bed, looking very satisfied.

Simon sat down on the edge of the bed, looked at the woman, and asked, "Why did you come here at this time?"

"I'm worried that you're too desolate to be alone, look at how good I am. ”

Simon smiled and said, "I've always been alone, it's okay." It's you, Christmas suddenly ran out, your parents will definitely be sad. ”

Hearing Simon say lightly that she had been alone, Janet's heart tightened inexplicably, reached over, touched his cheek, and said, "I've seen my mother, and as for the old man, he won't be sad." What's more, there are a bunch of people accompanying them, and it doesn't matter if I don't have one. ”

Simon pricked Janet's palm with stubble sideways and said, "Your family is quite big." ”

Janet retracted her hand and said, "Yes, two brothers, two brothers, I'm the only girl in the family." So, if you bully me in the future, you will be beaten very badly. ”

Simon smiled: "Well, it's not necessarily who beats whom." ”

Janet gave him a blank look, drank the hot cocoa, handed the empty cup to Simon, and said, "I heard the piano when I was at the door, are you playing?"

Simon set the cup aside and nodded.

Janet suddenly became interested again, and raised her hand towards Simon: "Hold me over, I suddenly want to hear you play the piano." ”

Simon saw that the woman had already thrown herself into his arms, stretched out his hand to catch it, but said, "Isn't it time to change your clothes, you can go by yourself?"

Janet wrapped around Simon: "It's troublesome to put on shoes, hurry up." ”

Simon had to pick up Janet again, go to the piano room, put her on the bench, and sit down himself.

Sitting down at the piano, Janet skillfully tinkled a few times, then stopped moving her hands and said, "You come." ”

"What do you want to hear?"

"I don't know, you can play it casually. ”

Simon looked at Janet, who was leaning beside him with a little girlish atmosphere, thought for a while, and said, "Sing, I'll play, you sing." ”

"Uh-huh. ”

Simon pressed the keys and gently struck out an opening paragraph.

Janet discerned for a moment, then smiled and stretched out a finger to 'make trouble', ding ding dong, but completely matching the notes of the song.

Then, a slightly hoarse female voice began to sing softly with a special charm.

* When I was a little girl, I asked my mom.

*What does the future hold?

* Will I become pretty?

* Mom said.

* Go with the flow.

* The world is unpredictable, let him do whatever he wants.

* When I'm grown up and have a lover.

* So I asked him.

*What does the future hold?

* Do we have a rainbow every day?

* Said the lover.

* Go with the flow.

* The world is unpredictable, let him do whatever he wants.

*......

The faint singing accompanied by the sound of the piano wafted through the villa, driving away the loneliness that had been hiding in every corner on Christmas Eve.