The Wolf of Los Angeles

Chapter 12: Tough to Make Money, Troubles Abound

The community theater group Brandt was part of was the professional team led by Hawk with exceptional expertise.

Upon arriving, Hawk confirmed once more, “As long as there’s sponsorship, the group can gather nearly a hundred people to participate, right?”

Brandt kicked at the snow piled by the roadside and replied, “It’s winter now, and the community has a lot of idle folks. If you were offered free food and drinks at a party, would you refuse? Trust me, they’ll bring their whole families.”

Motivated by the chance to win over his dream girl, Brandt was all in. “Let’s go. I’ll take you to meet the group leader, Larson. He’s the most influential person in the theater.”

Ten minutes later, Hawk found himself in the living room of a wooden house, face-to-face with Larson, the group leader.

Larson, nearly fifty but still full of energy, asked directly after hearing Brandt’s explanation, “Outsider, are you planning to sponsor us? I don’t get it. Are you doing charity work?”

Hawk chose his words carefully. “I have a director friend who made an independent film. It’s screening the day after tomorrow at the Great Salt Lake Theater. He’s worried there won’t be enough audience members, so he asked me to find some. Since I’m friends with Brandt, he mentioned your gatherings.”

Larson eyed Hawk with a sly grin. “I bet you stand to gain quite a bit.”

Larson’s smile faded as he got straight to the point. “I want half.”

“Leader, I…” Brandt began, but Hawk cut him off.

Hawk always considered the worst-case scenario, and Larson’s reaction clearly leaned toward the unfavorable.

Pulling out a wooden chair, Hawk sat down across from Larson and began slowly, “The production is paying $5,000 for this gig.”

Hearing that number made Larson’s eyes light up.

Hawk didn’t fear Larson’s greed, only his disinterest. “The Sundance Film Festival happens every year. There are always over twenty or thirty productions needing this kind of service. This could be a long-term business.”

He pointed to himself. “I’m an outsider. After this festival, I’ll be gone. This market will be yours to dominate.”

Larson understood and probed, “So it’s not just about finding an audience?”

Hawk replied, “Executing it isn’t simple. Brandt—or even you—can shadow me for this festival to observe and learn. I won’t charge you tuition.”

Larson couldn’t hold back and swore, “You’re one generous bastard!”

“Thank you for the compliment.” Hawk’s method wasn’t particularly sophisticated—it was just old wine in a new bottle. Once the box was opened at one festival, it would soon become a widespread practice.

A $5,000 bait per production was tantalizing enough for Larson. With over a thousand productions attending each festival, the potential was enormous.

After considering for half a minute, Larson turned to Brandt. “Call the other deputies and have them come over immediately.”

Brandt quickly made the calls.

About ten minutes later, four deputies—all middle-aged men around Larson’s age—arrived. Larson explained the situation.

One of the deputies, who seemed particularly level-headed, said, “Everyone complains about spending money at the annual gatherings. Canceling the most important one would completely demoralize the group.”

Larson’s expression turned serious. “If we do this right, the group will have a stable source of income every year. With money, we can bring in professional instructors. Those with talent will have a better future.”

This perspective surprised Hawk, forcing him to reevaluate Larson. People were indeed complex.

After some discussion, Larson turned to Hawk. “Tonight, I’ll try to gather everyone here by eight. Just one thing—while I can rally them, you’ll need to motivate them.”

Hawk had anticipated this. “A hundred people, no problem?”

Larson asked the deputies a few questions and replied, “Including family members, more than enough.”

“Great. I’ll come by tonight.” Hawk gestured for Brandt to follow, ready to leave.

One of the deputies stopped Hawk. “You’re in the media business. Let me ask—did Winona Ryder really steal money on Capitol Hill and not get caught?”

Hawk said nothing, simply bowing his head and walking out.

Outside, Brandt wisely avoided mentioning the theft scandal. Instead, he offered, “I’ll cover the gathering costs. The leader isn’t what I expected.”

Hawk refused, predicting future problems if they deviated from the plan. “Stick to the deal. Don’t forget, your dream girl is still waiting at the state university.”

Motivated anew, Brandt pressed, “What’s next?” He urged, “Buddy, now’s not the time to slack off! You’re too slow—we don’t have much time!”

“Sort out the food for the gathering.” Hawk headed toward the community’s exit. “You know Bill pretty well, don’t you? How much does Alpine Pizza make during lunch? What would it cost to book them for a time slot?”

Brandt, familiar with Alpine Pizza, muttered calculations as he walked.

In the end, with Brandt acting as a partial insider, Hawk secured a $1,000 deal to book Alpine Pizza for a mid-day slot. The restaurant would provide a spread including pizza, steak, barbecue, fried chicken, and salad, with unlimited beer and soda. Additionally, they’d prepare a hundred cups of instant black coffee for the morning of the event.

Holding cups of black coffee, the two stepped out. Taking a gulp, Brandt reflected on recent events and said to Hawk, “I’ve noticed that except for Lewis and Damian, you’ve leveraged every resource you’ve encountered.”

Hawk tossed his empty cup into a trash can. “If I hadn’t been lucky to meet you, it would’ve been a different plan entirely.”

At 8 PM, Hawk returned to Larson’s home.

The yard, enclosed by wooden planks, was packed with nearly ninety people. Larson spoke about the movie and the gathering, eliciting cheers.

Everyone loved the idea of a free feast.

A man with a bushy beard raised a bottle and shouted, “Buddy, I’ll toast to you! You’re a damn good man!”

“We’ll drink at the gathering!” Hawk began to address the movie. “Before the party, there’s a screening of a film about Mexican culture.”

He had Brandt distribute promotional flyers for the movie.

As people read the introduction and saw the stills, the enthusiasm evaporated.

The bushy-bearded man exclaimed, “A movie about Mexicans? What’s that got to do with us?”

The crowd grew restless.

“This movie sounds boring.”

“Can’t we watch something else?”

“We’ll go to the party but skip the movie.”

Large groups are notoriously hard to manage, and organizing events is especially challenging.

Hawk pulled a small electronic megaphone from his bag and said, “Everyone, everyone, listen to me!”

The noise subsided slightly, and Hawk offered a simple incentive. “Each attendee will receive $10! Ten bucks!”

The mention of money quickly quieted the crowd.

Hawk added, “Anyone who watches the movie seriously will get another $10 at the party. But there’s a catch—the crew will have monitors. If anyone doesn’t watch properly, not only will they lose their reward, but they’ll also be barred from the feast.”

“That doesn’t sound too hard,” someone murmured.

“It’s just over an hour.”

“Could be interesting to see Mexican life.”

Human nature is the same everywhere, akin to retirees spending hours to claim free eggs or participating in online promotions for a small discount.

Watching a movie in a warm theater for just over an hour? Not a bad deal.

Hawk sweetened the pot further. “To keep everyone awake, I’ve also prepared coffee.”

The bushy-bearded man raised his bottle again. “Can I get two cups?”

Feigning difficulty, Hawk hesitated before replying, “Alright, I’ll give you mine.”

The crowd burst into laughter, and the mood lightened.

The makeshift group finally took shape. After explaining some key points, Hawk watched as everyone dispersed.

Coordinating nearly a hundred people smoothly would take more than one or two individuals.

The next day, Hawk met with Eric and Katherine in the morning. In the afternoon, he regrouped with Larson and the deputies to go over the plan for the following day.

Later, he joined the former pair at the Great Salt Lake Theater to finalize the exhibition setup.

Hawk wanted the client to see that he was constantly at work.

No one could guarantee the film’s sale, but the client still owed the remaining $5,000 regardless.

After dinner, Hawk finally had some downtime. Borrowing Brandt’s computer, he updated his blog with a photo-filled post.

At around 10 PM, Katherine called, sounding anxious.

“Rob Reiner suddenly changed his schedule and won’t attend tomorrow’s screening. Eric’s gone berserk, storming off to confront people. I couldn’t stop him. Hurry and come help!”

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