The Wolf of Los Angeles.

Chapter 90 I am proud of my black

Venice Avenue, Cactus Auto Care.

Hawke sat in a reclining chair and watched a group of Mexican workers at work.

Edward wandered around, curiously examining the merchandise in the window.

The owner of the maintenance center came over with a cardboard box and said, "This is the dashcam I ordered specifically for you. It just arrived yesterday afternoon."

Hawke asked, "How's the clarity of the shot?"

The boss opened the box, plugged it in, filmed a clip, copied it to the computer, and let Hawke watch it himself.

In this era, we cannot hold people to the same standards as those of a decade later.

Seeing that the effect was acceptable, Hawke checked the recorder and said, "Let's put it in the car."

The boss asked the workers to install it, and then said to Hawke: "It's just like surveillance. It has a built-in overwrite function. If you need any files, copy them out as soon as possible after recording."

"Understood." Hawke called Edward over and said, "Find some time to drive the commercial vehicle over and install one as well."

The work efficiency here is always touching. The latest model of recorder he ordered only arrived a month later.

After the workers finished installing it, Hawke tested its functionality, paid the remaining balance, and had Edward drive to Culver City.

Sony Columbia Studios is located here.

Hawke found the crew's studio according to the address on the information. There was a "SWAT" sign hanging on the two-story building on the side of the road.

The crew was recruiting extras. Hawke put on a wig, beard and glasses, put on some makeup, and then took the William Morris work tag he got from Dany and went into the studio to ask for some recruitment forms.

Like some small agents in other companies, he went to the small conference room on the first floor with a form and filled out some actor declaration information.

Hawke wrote for a while, then took out a bottle of water from his bag and drank it. He filled out the form so slowly.

After making up the names and information of a dozen so-called extras, he picked up his bag and went out to the toilet.

Hawke slipped into the utility room, found a "Keep Out, Cleaning" sign, hung it on the door handle of the men's restroom, took out a small packet of tissues from his pocket, held it in his hand, and walked quickly towards the stairs.

The stairs were next to the front desk. When the receptionist saw him trying to go upstairs, she asked, "What's the matter with you?"

Hawke shook the tissue in his hand: "The first floor is being cleaned, I couldn't help it."

Seeing that he looked very uncomfortable, the receptionist at the front desk waved his hand and told him to hurry up.

Hawke went up to the second floor, entered the men's restroom first, and came out soon. He adjusted William Morris's work tag and placed it in the most conspicuous position on his chest, as if he was an agent who came to discuss work and was walking on the second floor openly.

He met a few people during this period, but no one cared about him.

Hawke walked around but found nothing. When he was about to go downstairs, he heard a door open in the corridor and turned around quickly to take a look.

Six or seven meters away, an office door opened and a black man wearing a black beret came out.

The man was so conspicuous that Hawke recognized him at a glance: Samuel Jackson before he turned into a black-boiled egg.

Lao Hei walked deeper into the corridor.

Hawke waited for a moment, then returned to the corridor with his bag and walked forward.

In front, Hei Lu Dan knocked on the door and entered the director's office, and the voices of two people talking could be heard.

Hawke quickened his pace slightly, passed by the open door, and glanced inside quickly.

Black-boiled Egg closed the door.

At this moment, Hawke saw two other people besides Black Salted Egg.

One of the bald guys he had seen in the information yesterday was the crew's director Clark Johnson.

This person has a dark complexion and looks like a mixed-race Latino or a mixed-race black who is about to be bleached.

The other one was a pure black man wearing glasses. He looked a little familiar and you might have seen him in the media.

Hawke also captured several key words from their words.

The two mentioned equal rights pioneer Steve Nutter and the recent surge in black rights in California.

Hawke stayed on the second floor for a while. Seeing that he had gained nothing else, he went back downstairs to the small conference room and continued filling out the registration form.

Not long after, several agents went to the front desk to submit.

Hawke followed them, but he did not hand it in. While the front desk was busy, he went straight out of the office building.

After walking around and returning to the car, Hawke took off his wig, beard and glasses, turned on the air conditioner and wiped the sweat off his face.

Edward asked, "Boss, did you get anything?"

Hawke thought of the black man in the director's office and said, "Hold on and wait a moment."

It was almost noon when Samuel Jackson, Clark Johnson and the black man with glasses came out of the office building together.

Hawke picked up his camera and took a picture, while asking, "Savior, do you know the one with the glasses?"

Edward said: "Spike Lee, one of the most famous black directors in Hollywood."

Hawke was slightly surprised: "You actually know him."

"Boss, I'm black." Edward said proudly, "Spike Lee is the leader of the black movement in Hollywood, of course I know him."

Hawke thought about what he had heard in the office building: "Clark Johnson is black too?"

Edward said: "The skin color looks a bit like Dwayne Johnson, but I'm not sure."

The three got into a car. Hawke motioned for Edward to follow, took out his cell phone and called Dani, asking, "Is Director Clark black?" "Did I forget to indicate that in the information?" Dani apologized and said, "It's similar to Dawn's situation. His father is African American. According to certain rules, he is also African American."

Hawke went on to ask, “How often does Spike Lee speak up for black people in Hollywood?”

"It's not that he speaks up often, but that he speaks up frequently." Dani knows about this black director: "He is a black equality leader in Hollywood."

"I see." Hawke hung up the phone.

The car in front stopped in front of a restaurant, and three black men went into the restaurant to eat.

Hawke asked Edward to stop the car: "Let's go have lunch."

The two also entered the restaurant.

There weren't many people in the restaurant, so Hawke found a booth near some black people.

The three people did not discuss the movie. What they talked about most was the situation of black people in Hollywood and their dissatisfaction with the current situation.

After dinner, a car came and took Spike Lee, Black Sauce and director Clark back to the studio.

Hawke gets a call from Caroline and asks Edward to drive to Burbank.

On the way, Hawke took Clark's information and emphasized the words "black people" and "equal rights" on it.

When we arrived in Burbank, Caroline called again.

With the help of William Morris' agent badge, Hawke entered the studio shooting area and met Caroline in a cold drink shop.

Miss Mee changed her hair to a straight fringe, wore big earrings, and drank lemonade at a small round table by the glass window.

Hawke pulled open a chair and sat opposite her: "Any results?"

Caroline took a sip of lemonade: "Come with me."

Hawke followed her out of the soda shop and walked toward the set.

After passing two studios, Caroline stopped in the shade of a tree and pointed diagonally across the room with her small chin. "The Fireman's Fund Insurance Company provided the completion guarantee for SWAT. Green, the business manager who connects with the crew, is in this studio discussing business with the Warner crew."

Hawke nodded slightly and asked, "Is your other client, Steve Nutt, currently in close contact with the Black Equality Organization in Los Angeles?"

Caroline said, "More than close, after your operation, Steve has become a representative figure for black equality in the sports circle. The black equality organization in Los Angeles regards him as a mascot-like leader..."

She suddenly interrupted, quietly poked Hawke in the waist, and signaled with her eyes: "The one who just came out and is getting on the four-wheeled electric vehicle is Green."

Hawke saw a middle-aged man in his thirties, whose complexion was paler than Edward's.

Black mixed race.

Caroline whispered, "Do you want me to approach him?"

Hawke shook his head: "Don't confront him directly. Let your assistant or someone else find a chance to test him...well, ask him what he thinks of Steve Nutt."

After their last collaboration, Caroline's thinking was more or less in line with Hawke's pace, and she said, "I understand. Honey trap, no big deal."

"Let's go." Hawke walked towards the studio entrance.

Caroline followed, talking on the phone as she walked.

This kind of pick-up attempt is not difficult for people in a public relations company.

Hawke walked and thought, and when she finished the call, he asked, "Will a third-party guarantee against the casting have a big impact on the crew?"

Caroline said: "It's very big, especially for action movies. Insurance companies don't insure actors. Once an actor has an accident, all risks will be borne by the crew. It's even more troublesome if they don't provide completion guarantee. The companies and funds involved in financing will run away."

She concluded: "Guarantees from third-party insurance companies are one of the cornerstones of the Hollywood film industry today."

Arriving at the entrance of the studio, Hawke saw that she was slow and urged, "Did you get the competitor's information?"

Caroline said, “It’s in progress.”

Hawke reminded: "Hurry up and don't be as slow as the ewe."

Caroline glared, hit him on the arm, and took out her cell phone to make a call.

The two entered the parking lot and got into the Mondeo together.

Edward waved, "Good afternoon, Miss Mea."

Caroline's face darkened, and she kicked the driver's seat with her high heels: "A country bumpkin, a descendant of a cotton farmer, is worse than a sheep..."

Hawke's cell phone rang. It was Dany calling.

She said in a brisk tone: "Just got some good news, Paul Walker has withdrawn."

Hawke asked, "Why?"

Dani said quickly, "Universal Pictures has launched 2 Fast & Furious. Supporting actor Vin Diesel is filming another action movie and will not be in it. Considering the market, Universal has offered Paul Walker a salary that is hard to refuse."

Hawke reminded: "It is important to identify the source of the information and prevent the opponent from retreating to advance."

Dany emphasized: "I am 100% sure."

Hawke said: "Great, now our only competitors are Colin Farrell, Josh Hartnett and Jeremy Renner."

Dani added: "Jeremy Renner is not competitive enough and has not had any important roles in the past. He is destined to be a runner-up."

Caroline said: "I hope these bastards will have some sense and quit on their own initiative."

Hawke would not think so and said, "Dani, I have some ideas. Let's have a meeting tomorrow morning."

(End of this chapter)