As the most influential newspaper on the West Coast of the United States, the "Los Angeles Times" is only a non-Sunday edition of the news information page, which usually exceeds 50 pages.

Although it is still not a front-page news, as a highly recommended navigation information, this part of the content is a must-read article for most subscribers.

In this era, newspapers can be said to be the most important channel for ordinary people to obtain information, and powerful print media such as the "Los Angeles Times" have played a role in guiding public opinion.

And.

Young man rushing out of a mental hospital.

Lunatic?

Unique surname.

A script makes $200,000.

At the age of 18, he made a well-acclaimed one-man film.

Genius boy.

Peter Butler's article lists Simon's series of personal 'labels', which is simply a perfect embodiment of the American dream for Americans who worship miracles, adventure, and personal heroism.

As a result, with this article in the Los Angeles Times, Simon's attention that has been accumulated piecemeal in some media since he signed a screenwriter contract for "The Butterfly Effect" with Fox Film last year has completely exploded.

It was as if all of a sudden, a lot of people started discussing, who is Simon Westeros?

And then.

A series of news stories that Simon has been making since last year have been rediscovered by the pervasive media, and every detail of Peter Butler's article has become the subject of some media discussion.

Even, a local losip tabloid in Los Angeles broke the news on the front page that Simon was attacked in Santa Monica late at night last year.

Although it is stated that this is a real case confirmed by the Santa Monica Police Department, the tabloid completely adopts a joke tone of surprise, describing Simon as if he had seen it with his own eyes, bravely smashing the right leg of five gangsters, and knocking out seven teeth of one gangster with one elbow, which is simply the rebirth of Bruce Lee.

Immediately afterwards, due to the proximity to the water, the San Francisco Chronicle, which is also influential in San Francisco, also published a biography of Simon, completing all his experiences before the age of 18.

Grew up in a child welfare home in San Jose.

Original surname.

The only top student admitted to Stanford in the community public high school for many years.

Less than two months after entering Stanford, he had a schizophrenic.

The San Francisco Chronicle recounts Simon's upbringing in a very sympathetic tone, and questions Simon's children's home in San Jose on the grounds that Simon began to be self-reliant at the age of 13, and speculates that Simon's mental illness may be at the root of intense stress caused by years of hard life.

As for why such a teenager who came out of the bottom was suddenly able to make a well-acclaimed solo movie, the San Francisco Chronicle failed to find the roots, but the newspaper also did not show too much surprise, but quoted Simon's middle school teacher interviewed by the newspaper: Simon is a very hard working child, and I will not be surprised that he has created any miracles.

This view is almost identical to that of Peter Butler's article, and unwittingly creates a realistic basis for the fact that Simon suddenly became a cinematic genius.

Of course, in the midst of the noise, there is naturally no shortage of doubtful voices.

After the Los Angeles Times article about Simon was published, many of the countless phone calls to the paper's editorial office were incredulous that Peter Butler praised a young man so much, and even thought that the Los Angeles Times was grandstanding.

The host of a late-night talk show on a local TV station unceremoniously mocked the news about Simon's one-and-five.

As the arguments continue to accumulate, the public's final attention is gradually shifted to one thing, Simon's film, "Lola Run".

Since you're talking about that boy so well, why don't you show us the movie?

As a result, as Simon's most direct partner with Hollywood, many calls were made to Fox Film again to inquire about the release date of "Lola Run", and many newspapers that had not joined the discussion in a lively state also sincerely or ridiculously urged Hollywood studios to push "Lola Run" to theaters as soon as possible.

Los Angeles.

Now that the campaign had been successful, Simon returned from Park City and asked his agent, Jonathan Friedman, to help him hold a small preview screening for Hollywood studios in a screening room in Century City.

In the following week, Simon frequently negotiated with the executives of major film companies in person.

However, the result was not satisfactory.

Friday, January 30.

Approaching the end of work, returning from Warner Studios in Burbank, the Chevrolet SUV stopped in front of the villa in the Montana district.

Janet pushed the door and got out of the car, looked at her boyfriend who was empty-handed again on the other side of the car, the woman walked over and put her arms around Simon, put her head on his shoulder, and said, "Sooner or later, the film company will chase you for cooperation, just like Spielberg." ”

Simon came to the door with the woman, took out the key to open the door, and said with a smile: "Is it just like Spielberg? Why can't we be our own bosses and let those executives work for us." ”

"Mmmmmm," Janet nodded like a chicken, "Daenerys Pictures will definitely develop into a big company like Fox and Warner in the future." ”

Simon pushed open the door, saw that Janet was still hanging on him, reached out and picked up the woman's light body, and gently threw it to the living room sofa, then smiled: "Imagination is still not enough, in the future, I want to be like Morgan and Rockefeller back then, and become the master of the whole Hollywood." ”

I remember seeing a tree-shaped diagram of the corporate associations of major Hollywood film companies in the early 20th century, and the eight major film companies of that year kept going back, half belonged to Morgan and half belonged to Rockefeller.

That was the golden age of capital.

Janet was thrown on the sofa by Simon, listening to what he had just said, her body was limp, barely supported herself, and she looked at the man who hung her satchel on the hanger with a red face: "Simon, I will help you." ”

"Okay," Simon replied casually, seeing a message on the phone in the living room, he walked over and pressed it casually, "Why don't you start by making dinner for me?"

"Uh-huh. ”

Jenny nodded, but leaned lazily on the couch with a pillow around her.

On the other hand, the phone message came from Mike Meadow, president of Orion Pictures, asking Simon if he had time tonight and hoped to have dinner together.

Simon naturally understood Mike Medowa's intentions, and he couldn't help but think about it in his heart.

In recent days, Simon has been in contact with almost all seven major Hollywood studios. However, the conditions offered by the Seven Great Congresses were difficult for him to satisfy.

Simon is not greedy either.

The current heated media buzz around his age in which he made "Lola Run" may only be used once in a lifetime, just like "Blair the Witch," which was a huge success with online viral marketing.

If it works right and is lucky enough, "Lola Run" is likely to create a small box office miracle. Simon can also use this opportunity to accumulate a good amount of original capital.

It's just that.

The long-term industry advantages have made the seven major film companies very strong in the cooperation negotiations, coupled with the lack of standard commercial film attributes of "Lola Run", the conditions offered by each company are generally lower than Simon's expectations, and Simon obviously has little room for bargaining.

Leaving Warner Studios in the afternoon, Simon had already confirmed a reality in his heart.

At least for now.

The seven major film companies are not ideal partners.

After reorganizing his thoughts, Simon looked at Janet who was still lying on the sofa and said with a smile: "Get up, you don't need to make dinner, let's go eat together." ”

Now that the decision has been made, Simon no longer pins his hopes on the Big Seven studios.

Mike Meadow, president of Orion Pictures, has been very interested in the project since he first saw the script and storyboard sketches of "Lola Run". Compared with the seven major film companies, Orion Pictures can also stand on a relatively equal footing to negotiate cooperation with Simon.

Both sides had a tendency to cooperate, so they hit it off at the ensuing dinner. After two days of intensive negotiations over the weekend, Simon quickly reached a co-distribution agreement with Orion Pictures.

Monday, February 2nd.

An announcement in The Hollywood Reporter quickly attracted a lot of attention.

Orion Pictures has reached an agreement with Simon Westeros that "Lola Run" will officially enter North American theaters on February 13. ”