American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 250 The Three Major Hollywood Talent Agencies

Time: December 28, afternoon, Los Angeles.

Location: SB Projects headquarters, an office overlooking the entire Beverly Hills.

Scout Braun leaned back in his expensive Herman Miller office chair, his fingertips lightly tapping the desktop.

Back at the company from Bieber's home, he had just finished a video conference about next year's world tour route and looked a little tired.

His assistant knocked on the door and came in, handing him a tablet computer.

"Boss, an email has been forwarded from Allison, addressed specifically to you." The assistant's tone carried an unusual excitement. "It was sent by that man from Alaska."

“Oh?” Scout raised an eyebrow and sat up straighter. He took the tablet and gestured for his assistant to leave.

He had expected it to be an emotionally charged, incoherent thank-you letter, or a tentative letter seeking to monetize and explore business opportunities.

This is a normal reaction he has seen countless times in this industry after someone becomes an overnight sensation.

However, when he saw the email's title, his businessman's keen intuition told him something was amiss.

A heartfelt thank you from the Alaskan wilderness—from Lin Yu-an

The title is simple and direct, yet it carries a sense of humility and distance.

He began to read the email text word by word.

The office was quiet, with only the soft hum of the central air conditioning. Scout's expression shifted from initial casualness to focused attention, and then to a hint of surprise.

Finally, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curled upwards, revealing a smile full of appreciation and excitement, as if he had discovered top-quality prey.

"Brilliant... absolutely brilliant," he muttered to himself.

This email could be considered a perfect example of crisis public relations and relationship building.

First, the tone: the email was filled with sincere gratitude, but without any flattery or ecstatic joy.

The flattered and overwhelmed words perfectly satisfied their feelings as benefactors, while maintaining the integrity that an independent creator should have.

He clicked on the attachment titled "[Attachment: A Song, A Restoration, A Wooden House]".

Mr. Braun:
Before explaining why the song "Recovery" is so important to me, I'd like to tell you a story about me and my wife, Arya.

A few years ago, I didn't live in the tranquility of Alaska that I do now.

At that time, I had just experienced a devastating low point in my life, which not only depleted all my savings and brought me to the brink of bankruptcy, but also put me at risk of being deported at any moment.

That was the most desperate time of my life. I felt like a ship lost in a storm, having lost all direction and power, being swallowed up little by little by the giant waves of reality.

At that very moment, Arya, who was then my girlfriend, made a decision that would change my life forever.

She didn't choose to leave; she married me without hesitation, even though I had nothing.

Our wedding was without a grand ceremony or blessings from relatives and friends. It was just two simple rings and the most steadfast gazes between us in the city hall.

Life after marriage remained difficult, and I worked several odd jobs at the same time. During those days of surviving on cheap fast food, I happened to hear the song "Recovery" on the radio.

To be honest, before that, my impression of Justin Bieber was still based on his early fame. But this song was like a bolt of lightning, instantly piercing me!

What I heard was no longer a distant superstar, but a real soul who had also experienced being lost, was deeply introspecting, and was praying for healing.

The lyrics' longing for home, the frank admission of mistakes, and the repeated chant of "Headed for a recovery" perfectly reflected my state of mind at the time.

From that day on, this song became my solace. Every night when I was exhausted and almost ready to give up, I would listen to this song on repeat in my headphones.

It reminds me that I am not alone, that I have a lover who believes in me no matter what, and that I must complete the revival of my life for her sake.

Later, in order to give our future children a better life, I took on the challenge of "Living Alone in the Wilderness" with a do-or-die determination.

In that desolate wilderness, what kept me going, besides my longing for my family, was this song that was already etched in my mind.

Fortunately, I won. Our lives finally started to get better.

Later, God gave us the most precious gift: our twins, Olivia and Ethan.

But I always knew in my heart that I owed Arya a real home, not just a rented house.

A sanctuary where she feels absolutely safe, where we can escape all the noise and hustle and bustle, where we can create every blade of grass and every tree that truly belongs to us.

Then, I went to Alaska.

When I saw myself cutting down the first tree and laying the first foundation in the video, that phrase still echoed in my mind.

“My heart's on the mend, I'm headed for a recovery.”

So, I play this song on repeat in my videos. It's not to please the audience, but rather as a way for me to pay my deepest respect to the song.

I want this song, which brought me countless comforts during the darkest moments of my life, to become the cornerstone of our family, to become a part of it.

I never imagined that this purely personal tribute would receive a response from Mr. Bieber himself. This "understanding" from the other side of the world means a lot to me.

This is the song, and the story of this cabin. Thank you again, and thank you, Mr. Bieber.

Lin Yu-an

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

I was deeply drawn in by the story about finding solace in music during a low point in life after reading only the first few paragraphs.

He immediately realized that this was not just a fan's story, but a priceless public relations opportunity!

At this point, Scout no longer cared whether the story was true or false; he only knew that it was the story they needed!

This story perfectly binds Justin's obscure yet artistic song together with a positive and realistic story about hope and reconstruction.

This is precisely the mature and profound artist image they have been trying to cultivate for Justin in recent years!
Again, wisdom. What shocked Scout the most was the third part of the email—proactively requesting the team to review the thank-you note to ensure it would help Bieber build a positive image.

“This kid… he’s not asking for anything, he’s offering himself up!” Scout saw right through his intentions.

This is tantamount to telling him, "I understand your rules of the game. Not only will I not break them, but I will also become your most compatible and understanding teammate in the game."

This unspoken understanding is the quality that a top agent appreciates most.

Finally, and most importantly, ask for a lawyer's recommendation.

Scout almost burst out laughing when he saw this.

This move was absolutely brilliant! It cleverly shifted the relationship between the two parties from simple online interaction to a deeper level of interaction that required the use of offline connections.

If he refuses, he will appear petty; but if he helps, it will be tantamount to admitting that he has included Lin Yu'an in his protective circle.

More importantly, this means that all of Lin Yu-an's future business contracts will be handled by a lawyer approved by Scout Braun.

The information that can be conveyed and the trust that can be built in this way are far beyond what money can buy.

“Grateful, sensible, knows how to maintain boundaries, and understands how to transform personal relationships into deeper bonds…” Scout leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the tablet screen.

"This is no longer a simple video blogger; it's more like a seasoned veteran in the workplace who understands the basic workings of this world."

He picked up the internal phone on the table and connected with his assistant.

“Connect me to Brian Lord of CAA (Creative Artists Agency).

CAA, one of the three major Hollywood talent agencies, is headed by Brian Lord, who wields immense power as its co-chairman.

"Also, book me an appointment with Marty Singer, the best entertainment lawyer in Hollywood. Tell him I have a very important new client to introduce to him."

“And also,” Scout paused, then added, “in Justin’s name, no, in my own name, prepare a Christmas gift for Mr. Lin and his family.”

“Send some of the best supplies through our supply lines in Anchorage, Alaska. Remember, do it in the least disruptive way.”

"Finally, forward Mr. Lin's email and the attachment to Justin. Tell him that he may have really found a remarkable guy this time."

After hanging up the phone, Scout stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, held the background check results, and looked out at the city skyline that symbolized wealth and power.

A confident smile spread across his face.

Archaeopteryx? Mountain rat? LVMH? Interesting.

What you're seeing is just an internet celebrity who became famous overnight.

What I saw was a future ally and a new global leader in the outdoor racing scene. A well-developed plan began to take shape in Scout's mind!

The assistant quickly dialed the number, and it was answered almost instantly. A voice, equally powerful yet slightly languid and husky, came from the receiver.

“Scooter, my friend. I thought you were too busy counting money this Christmas to pay attention to me.”

“Money is never-ending, Brian. But interesting people are rare.” Scout leaned back in his chair, his tone relaxed, yet with an undeniable seriousness.

"I delivered a client to you."

Brian chuckled on the other end of the phone: "The clients you personally call to deliver things to are either Oscar winners or people who can ring the Nasdaq bell."

"But I'm more curious, Scout, given your personality, if you discovered a gold mine, why wouldn't you dig it yourself, but instead call to offer to give it to me?"

Brian pinpointed the crux of the problem.

Scout laughed too, his laughter filled with candor and confidence: "Because I'm a music agent, Brian, and what I'm good at is creating superstars on stage."

"And this guy, he doesn't need a stage. He can neither ring the bell nor win an Oscar now, but his future achievements may only be slightly less than both."

"This is a Chinese man named Lin Yu'an. He lives in the Alaskan wilderness, has participated in wilderness survival competitions and won a championship. Oh, and by the way, he can also build his own house."

Brian was silent for two seconds. "That sounds like a savage. Scout, you know our CAA business hasn't expanded into... the primitive market yet."

"He's also the caveman who got Justin's Instagram post to get 30 million likes in three days," Scout casually dropped the bombshell.

"..."

(End of this chapter)