[Chapter 90: I'm Black and I'm Proud]
On Venice Boulevard, at the Cactus Auto Repair Center, Hawke sat in a reclining chair, watching a group of Mexican workers busily engaged in their tasks. Edward wandered around, curiously inspecting the products displayed in the window.
The center's owner approached with a cardboard box and said, "This is the dashcam you ordered; it just arrived yesterday afternoon."
Hawke inquired, "How's the clarity of the footage?"
The owner opened the box, connected it to power, filmed a short clip, and transferred it to a computer for Hawke to review.
At that time, one couldn't hold modern standards against technology from years past. When Hawke saw the picture quality was satisfactory, he checked the dashcam and said, "Let's install it in the car."
The owner instructed a worker to install it and added, "It has a loop recording feature, just like a surveillance camera; if you need any files, extract them as soon as you're done recording."
"Got it." Hawke called Edward over, "When you get a chance, bring the van over and install one in that too."
The efficiency of the workers in this place was always commendable; the latest model dashcam he had ordered had taken a month to arrive.
...
After the workers finished, Hawke tested the features, settled the remaining payment, and had Edward drive them to Culver City.
Sony Pictures was located right there.
Following the address in his notes, Hawke reached the production studio, where the sign "S.W.A.T." hung on a two-story building by the roadside.
The crew was recruiting extras. After donning a wig, a false mustache, and glasses, and applying some makeup, he went into the studio with the William Morris work badge he got from Dany and requested several recruitment forms.
Like some small agents from other companies, he took the forms to a small meeting room on the first floor and filled out some actor application information.
After writing for a while, he pulled out a bottle of water and took a sip, realizing he was filling out the forms at a painfully slow pace.
He casually jotted down the names of about a dozen supposed extras and then took his bag out to use the restroom.
Hawke ducked into a storage room, found a "Do Not Enter - Cleaning" sign, hung it on the bathroom door, and swiftly moved toward the stairs with a small pack of tissues clutched in his hand.
The stairs were adjacent to the front desk, and the receptionist, seeing him head upstairs, asked, "What's the matter with you?"
Hawke waved the tissues in his hand, saying, "They're cleaning the first floor; I can't hold it anymore."
Noticing how uncomfortable he appeared, the receptionist waved him through.
Once on the second floor, he darted into the men's restroom and soon emerged, adjusting his William Morris work badge to display it prominently on his chest.
He strode confidently as if he were a legitimate agent discussing business, openly walking through the second floor.
During his time there, he encountered a few people, but nobody paid him any mind.
After circling around without any fruitful results, he was about to head downstairs when he heard a door open down the hall and quickly turned to take a look.
About six to seven meters away, a door opened to an office where a Black man wearing a black beret stepped out.
Hawke recognized him immediately -- it was Samuel L. Jackson, before he had turned himself into an one-eyed pirate.
The man strolled further down the hallway.
Hawke waited a moment, then picked up his bag and returned to the hall, walking forward.
Up ahead, the Black man knocked on a door and entered the director's office, their voices carrying out into the hallway.
Hawke quickened his pace just enough to pass by the open door, glancing inside quickly.
Jackson shut the door behind him. It was in that fleeting moment that Hawke noticed two other individuals outside the office.
One man, a bald head, he had seen on the paperwork yesterday: the crew's director, Clark Johnson.
This guy had a slightly darker complexion, looking like a Latino mixed heritage or perhaps a Black man on the verge of washing out.
The other was a pure Black man wearing glasses; he looked somewhat familiar, possibly from media appearances.
Hawke caught a few key words from their conversation.
They discussed civil rights advocate Steve Nutt and the increasingly vibrant Black civil rights movement in California.
Having lingered on the second floor for a bit too long and seeing there were no new leads, he returned to the small meeting room to continue filling out the registration forms.
Before long, a few agents approached the front desk to submit their applications.
Hawke followed one group in but didn't turn in his forms. Taking advantage of the busyness at the front desk, he slipped out of the office building.
...
After circling back to the car, he removed his wig, mustache, and glasses, turning on the air conditioning to cool off and dry his sweat.
Edward asked, "Boss, did you find anything?"
Thinking about the Black man he had seen in the director's office, Hawke replied, "Just hold tight; wait a bit."
By midday, Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Johnson, and the man in glasses exited the office building together.
Hawke grabbed his camera and snapped a photo while asking Edward, "Hey, do you know the guy with the glasses?"
Edward replied, "That's Spike Lee, one of the top Black directors in Hollywood."
Hawke was slightly surprised. "You actually know him."
"Boss, I'm Black," Edward said proudly, "Spike Lee is a leader in the Black movement in Hollywood; of course, I know him."
Hawke then recalled what he had overheard in the office: "Is Clark Johnson also Black?"
Edward remarked, "He looks a bit like Dwayne Johnson; I can't be sure."
The three men jumped into a car, and Hawke signaled Edward to follow. Taking out his phone, he called Dany, asking, "Is director Clark Black?"
"I forgot to mention it in the materials?" Dany apologized, then added, "Like Dwayne, his father is of African descent, so by some definitions, he is as well."
Hawke continued, "Spike Lee often speaks out for Black issues in Hollywood?"
"It's not just occasionally; it's frequently," Dany explained, clearly familiar with the director, "He's a leading voice for Black rights in Hollywood."
"I see." Hawke hung up the phone.
...
The car ahead stopped at a restaurant, and the three men headed inside for a meal.
Hawke told Edward to park: "Let's grab some lunch."
The two of them entered the restaurant.
There weren't many patrons there, and Hawke chose a booth nearby the three Black gentlemen.
The trio wasn't discussing movies; through their conversation, they primarily talked about the plight of Black individuals in Hollywood and expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs.
After lunch, a car arrived to take Spike Lee away, while Jackson and director Clark returned to the studio.
...
Hawke received a call from Caroline, prompting Edward to drive them to Burbank.
While on the road, Hawke retrieved Clark's materials, focusing on highlighting the keywords related to Black and civil rights.
When they arrived in Burbank, Caroline called again.
With his William Morris agent badge, Hawke entered the studio lot and, at an ice cream shop, found Caroline.
Miss Baa was sporting a new blunt bang haircut and large earrings, sipping lemonade at a small round table by the glass window.
Hawke pulled out a chair and sat across from her: "Any luck?"
Caroline took a sip of lemonade, replying, "Follow me."
Hawke followed her out of the ice cream shop as they walked towards the film set.
Passing two soundstages, Caroline stopped in the shade and pointed subtly with her chin diagonally: "The completion bond for S.W.A.T. was provided by the Firefighters' Fund Insurance Company, and the business manager, Green, is in this soundstage negotiating with the Warner Bros. crew."
Hawke nodded slightly, then asked, "Your other client, Steve Nutt, is he currently closely linked with the Black civil rights organization in LA?"
Caroline answered, "Not just closely; thanks to your maneuvering, Steve has become a representative figure in the realm of Black civil rights within sports -- Los Angeles's Black civil rights organization has taken him on as their mascot-like leader."
She abruptly paused, slightly poking Hawke in the side and gestured with her eyes: "The guy who just came out is Green."
Hawke saw him -- a man in his thirties who was a bit paler than Edward.
A mixed Black.
Caroline whispered, "Should I go and talk to him?"
Hawke shook his head, "Don't confront him directly; have your assistant or someone else test the waters with him... mm, ask him about his thoughts on Steve Nutt."
Following their previous collaboration, Caroline had adapted somewhat to Hawke's rhythm and replied, "I got it, the beauty strategy, piece of cake."
"Let's go." Hawke headed towards the studio gate.
Caroline followed, making a phone call as they walked.
This kind of covert probing wasn't difficult for a public relations agency.
...
As they strolled, Hawke pondered, and when she finished her call, he asked, "Does the third-party bond significantly impact the crew's choice of actors?"
Caroline stated, "Very much so, especially with action films. If the insurance company doesn't cover the actors, any accidents they face will wholly become the crew's risk. Not providing a completion bond makes things even more complicated; companies involved in financing and funds would just pull out."
She summarized, "The guarantee of a third-party insurance company is one of the cornerstones of today's Hollywood film industry."
Upon arriving at the studio's entrance, Hawke noticed she was dragging her feet and urged, "Have you gathered the info on our competitors?"
Caroline replied, "Working on it."
Hawke prompted, "Hurry up. Don't dawdle like a little sheep."
Caroline shot him a glare and lightly punched his arm before pulling out her phone to call again.
...
They entered the parking lot and got into a Mondeo.
Edward waved, "Good afternoon, Miss Baa."
Caroline's face darkened, and she kicked the driver's seat: "A hick and a cotton-picking descendant, not even worth a sheep..."
Hawke's phone rang; it was Dany.
She sounded cheerful: "I just got some good news, Paul Walker declined."
Hawke asked, "What's the reason?"
Dany quickly explained, "Universal has kicked off Fast & Furious 2, and side character Vin Diesel is filming another action movie, so he won't be appearing; Universal offered Paul an irresistible paycheck for market considerations."
Hawke cautioned, "Make sure to confirm the source to guard against rivals moving backward as a strategy."
Dany emphasized, "I can confirm one hundred percent."
Hawke added, "Great, that leaves our competition with Colin Farrell, Josh Hartnett, and Jeremy Renner."
Dany continued, "Jeremy Renner lacks the competitive edge; he has had no significant roles and is destined to be in a supporting position."
Caroline remarked, "Let's hope these guys know their place and back out voluntarily."
Hawke didn't share that sentiment, saying, "Dany, I have some ideas; let's have a meeting tomorrow morning."
*****
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