Shot in the Dark (2017) s01e08 Episode Script
Shitstorm
The stringing world, it has changed.
It was a relatively unknown industry 15 years ago.
We have earned good money.
Now, we have Zak.
He's trying to dominate the market.
You've got Scott who's packaging everything.
And it's killing the industry.
And now, Austin's decided to leave the business.
So, I really don't know what we do now.
We've got to level the playing field.
This town may not be big enough for the three of us.
I don't wake up and think, I wanna put Scott and Howard out of business.
But eventually, the vision would be, yeah, OnScene is the only freelance news service.
We'd be the only stringers in the field working.
My goal is to have OnScene as the only logo on TV.
That's the goal.
Other stringers probably think I'm a loose cannon.
Other stringers probably think that I'm a sociopath.
But I don't really give a shit.
I just do my job.
There's always gonna be people that talk shit.
But when it starts to hurt my business, there will be consequences.
We're out here documenting a war.
You don't realize the danger until it's done.
What we see in a week, most people do not see in an entire lifetime.
It's really been a bizarre few days.
Zak wants us to join OnScene under the condition that we give up the RMG name and logo that we've built over 15 years.
That doesn't sit well with me.
But more importantly, I think he is doing it not to help RMG.
I think he's doing it just to fuck over Scott.
I really believe that.
But at this point, I may not have much choice.
Rescue, heavy rescue near Mulholland Drive.
Possibly an ejection out of the car.
Oh, shit.
Fuck.
Been ejected out of the car.
This is now a big story.
Just 'cause it's in a celebrity enclave, that's maybe some hits.
Oh, fuck me.
You drive a Maserati for God's sake.
Fuck.
Oh, for fuck's sake.
I haven't heard back from Howard about the offer.
If you just join OnScene and do the merge, you don't have to worry about this shit anymore.
To me, it seems like a no-brainer.
I can't force him to see things the way I see things, but I hope he comes to that realization.
I don't like stringing when I'm tired.
Stringing when I'm forced.
I like stringing when I want.
It's like when you need to pay bills.
You don't work as well as when bills are paid.
But things have changed.
I'm having a baby.
Fuck, you know, do what you gotta do.
Come on, dude, wake up.
A vehicle has hit a pedestrian.
Victim is on Union and 6th.
So, a vehicle versus a ped on Union and 6th.
We're on Union at 9th.
Now I'm awake.
Auto versus pedestrian.
It's in the area of where we're headed.
455's gonna be responding on an auto ped.
- Roger.
- Let's do it.
Hit ped, left, then returned, is now beating up ped.
What the fuck? I wanna see that.
Oh, here it is right here.
Where's the guy? Is that him? That's him right there.
Dude, look at his head.
Oh, there's a body in the street.
Shit.
Shit, shit, shit.
Oh, Scott's here, too.
This is gonna be interesting.
Where's the driver that hit him? Why is Scott getting involved? Are you the driver? No? You just witnessed it? Okay.
From my perspective, I wanna be on the outside shooting in, so, I'm removed from what's occurring, and I'm documenting what's occurring.
Looks like he's still breathing.
That's a good sign.
There's stuff missing from the back of his head.
It's not cool to look at.
Oh, fuck.
That vehicle across the street might be the suspect vehicle.
It's got TC damage on the front side, so I'm not sure.
We're gonna find out in a second.
Hey, guys, do me a favor.
We're going to move everybody back, okay? Back.
Grab your tape.
Where you put your tape, I'll stand.
I understand, sir, but we're moving everything.
Sometimes I have a problem with authority.
It's like just do your job and I'll do my job.
The rules are yellow tape.
So, as soon as you grab the tape, I'll move on the other side.
We do have rules that allow us to do things.
Places I'm allowed to be, places I'm not.
All right, we're gonna put some tape up, so we need you guys to move back.
What's the crime? Tell us you don't want us there.
But the law says we're allowed to be there.
Once it becomes a crime scene, we're not allowed.
That's why they crime-scene it up.
I'm going to have you move this way, okay? Okay.
Yeah, that's fine.
Scott has his way of doing things, and I have my way.
I was at the same scene, and didn't need to go where he went.
We're good.
Hey, sorry about my, uh, counterpart.
- The other guy.
- Oh.
Oh.
Little Zak is already talking to the cops.
He so wants to be an authority.
Being respectful to the officers and the fire personnel working If I can get my shot and nobody notices me, I'm very happy.
But Scott obviously really doesn't give a shit.
Let's beat Scott on the feed.
We're just gonna pull through.
I think we're good.
Sweet.
I'm curious to see who gets this in sooner, because I've got Scott over my shoulder.
Bet you didn't know you can talk back to cops.
I think he might have gotten me.
He got one shot I didn't.
But I have ways of fixing that.
Hello, this is Scott with LLN.
I'm good.
How are you? I just sent you two e-mails, two stories.
Two-for-one.
Okay, bye.
Packaging.
That's how you get things done.
LAPD officers are investigating an assault and hit-and-run in Westlake on Wilshire Boulevard.
Police tell us that's where one man ran over another man, then physically assaulted him before running off.
The victim was taken to a hospital but is expected to be okay.
Investigators say the incident looks gang-related.
Look at it.
Massive scene.
That's LA City Fire chopper there.
LAPD battalion, security.
That's a good-looking scene.
Let's see how close we can get.
The person got ejected out of the car.
But I don't think they found the driver.
I just need to get a shot of that car.
It's destroyed.
Get out of here! Get out of here! Go back down that way.
- Okay.
- Get out of here.
- What are you doing? - Okay You're in everybody's way.
Back down the hill.
- I'm not really, but - Back down the hill.
Okay.
I came from that way.
- Down there? Okay.
- Through the yard.
Go.
- Guys - You gotta go.
No.
They're telling us to leave.
We are.
Yeah.
Gotta get off the property, okay? We are.
We were on Mulholland, but Fuck me.
What a bunch of twats.
Haven't got what I needed.
I need to get a close-up of that car on top of the hill.
Gonna get a hold of this guy and see what he's doing.
It's upside down.
It rolled from up there.
This is my house! I heard the radio, and I saw the lights, so I went up to see what it was.
There was a smoking car upside down.
Thank you.
- Excuse me.
Can we shoot from the garden? - Say again? - That all right? - Where? - From your garden? - Garden.
Yeah.
- Okay.
Thanks.
- Cops might get mad, but Well What can the LAPD do? We're on private property.
This type of access doesn't guarantee you're gonna get the shot.
But it's definitely worth trying.
I appreciate you letting us up.
Right.
Where those guys are is where the car is, - and all the lights are up by Mulholland.
- Oh, wow.
Thank you.
Sometimes it's just a matter of getting the shot, no matter what it takes.
Because that's what sells it to the news stations.
I was able to get behind the car, inside the property.
That's the shot I needed.
Breaking news.
We begin with news at 11.
A car crashes through a guardrail high up in the Hollywood Hills and careens over a cliff.
So far, there's no sign of the driver or any passengers that may be in that car.
The car slammed into a guardrail, then plunged down the hillside.
Had it tumbled further, it would've landed in the swimming pool of a home.
Zak and I will probably be following each other all night.
We'll be on each other's heels, because that's the first story, that's the one that sets it for the night.
I'm sure Zak is talking shit about me.
He's just not stupid enough to do it to my face.
Zak weighs 135 pounds wet.
He doesn't get lippy with me.
Traffic collision.
Southbound Santa Fe and Vernon.
Red 5 en route to a TC in Vernon.
Vernon usually has good TCs.
Traffic collisions.
So, we're about to find out if they have a good one tonight.
Apparently, it's a vehicle versus a building.
That's a really good call, if we can get there in time.
Through a pole into a building.
Sounds good.
Let's check it out.
Hoping nobody else heard it.
Yellow.
Yellow.
Green.
Green.
Red.
Go.
Single vehicle crash into a wall and a light pole.
Oh, really, guy? What are you doing, you fucking penis? You can see they actually skipped off this pole.
This is all from the vehicle colliding with it.
And it appears like he was traveling at a high speed.
And, uh looks like it's into a building or near a building.
Come on, fucking move.
In 1,000 feet, turn left.
Oh, look who's here.
Scott on the I wanna say the wrong side, but it might be the right side depending on how banged up that car is.
Oh, great.
The circus is here with me.
No big deal.
Being there first doesn't mean you win.
It just means that you're there first.
A better cameraman can come and scoop it away from somebody if they don't know what they're doing.
Zak's a good cameraman, but not as good as me.
Stand behind the pole.
This is an investigation.
We have I understand.
Your other officer said I was fine there.
What's the crime? - We don't know yet.
- Don't know if it's a crime? Might be a crime.
We don't know if it's a DUI or not.
Okay, thank you.
Oi, there's a massive, massive response up here.
Fuck.
Can we just dump it here? Shit.
I was hoping Fucking missed it.
I was really late.
I mean, I was quick, but I was late in the world of stringers.
Now I've gotta make it look like I was here early.
Oh, who the fuck is this? Of course.
Years ago, I'd be exclusive.
Not anymore.
Lookit, Zak, Scott.
Ugh.
It's kind of frustrating.
They're like a disease, you know? They're everywhere.
Like a dirty rash.
Fuck.
Scott.
Goodbye.
There's two parts of the job.
There's the drama, and there's the job.
Don't fucking do the drama.
Just do the job.
I need that fucking victim.
I need that victim.
I just need that one shot.
Come on.
The cameramen here, they're all good.
So, I'm gonna edit, and I'll feed it out before Zak and Howard.
- Let's see if I can beat them.
- Here we go.
All right.
Assignment desk.
Scott with LLN.
Just sent you two stories.
It is a two-for-one.
Yup.
Bye.
Other thing about everybody being here, everybody's here.
We shouldn't be.
Let's go.
I see Scott on a damn phone call.
He's packaging those two stories for the price of one.
Fucking bullshit.
It used to be better.
Used to be about getting the best shot, getting the best story.
But now it's who can package the most stories.
Gonna say bye to my friend Howard.
Bye, Howard.
All right.
I'll leave you to it.
Have fun.
Zak's walking away on the phone all cocky like.
There's a smugness about him that just drives me mad.
I saw what Scott did.
He wanted to feed in faster.
But we got there sooner and we have some steadier tripoded shots.
On to the next one.
Ugh.
It's kinda frustrating.
It doesn't make sense what they're doing.
They're screwing themselves over because of some petty bullshit that's been going on for years.
I'm just not left with many options.
Something has to change.
This morning, authorities continue to investigate a dramatic accident in Vernon that left two people hospitalized.
Police are trying to determine if alcohol or drugs were a factor in this accident.
It's been a shitty few months.
How are we meant to compete with LoudLabs if they do 7- or 8-for-1? We can't compete with that.
Yo.
- Zak, how are you? - Doing well.
What's going on? I need to talk to you about something important.
When? Tomorrow night.
That's fine.
Okay.
What did I miss? Scott, I need to talk to you.
Wanna come down to Slauson tomorrow? Uh, yeah.
I can do that.
All right.
See you.
It's in motion.
Zak and Scott together.
This is gonna be interesting.
I have to be honest, I'm nervous.
They never talk.
You can see the animosity between them.
But they forced me into a position.
They are basically shutting my company down I've had for 15 years.
It's hard for me to sit back and let it happen.
This meeting is Been a long time coming.
My success and my business falls on this meeting.
If I can't get those two to sort themselves out, it's doors closed for us.
Howard.
What's going on? Good to see you, by the way.
You okay? Yeah Yes and no.
What's going on? We're gonna deal with it now.
Hey, what's up? What am I missing? RMG is doomed.
I think the industry is doomed.
Packaging is fucking RMG.
I don't think packaging is fucking you.
I don't think packaging is fucking you.
As personal matter, sorry.
As a business matter - Business is business.
I get that.
- I'm gonna do the way that I do.
It's the same policy I had when I was with them.
If I have competition, I package.
Now, I don't wanna waste my time.
- It's set a precedent with the stations.
- I'm the most experienced stringer - with the least experienced team.
- You hustle.
I have the least experienced team, so sometimes, in order for them to make money, I'll give them my footage so they make money.
- I'm a nice guy, believe it or not.
- So, what if you shot three really good stories and didn't package them? One story will make it and the other two might not.
What we're saying is, if we stop packaging, then Howard would benefit from that.
You would in turn benefit from that, - and it'd be a more level - I don't know if I would, though.
Why? You'd be getting the hits, the sweep, plus other stories I don't know that.
Me changing my policy hurts my guys.
I'm not here to help you to hurt them.
- No.
That's not what we're asking.
- I understand.
We're saying it would be equally beneficial to not package.
Would it be? You would be competition without having to package.
- I believe that.
It'd make me better - Is it worth a shot to try it for a week? It is.
But can we trust each other? Don't take it personal.
It's business.
- I'm not.
- You should take your own advice.
The thing about the difference, what you said right there? You talking shit about me is personal.
What we're talking now is business.
I get upset when I hear you're talking shit about me, saying I give stringers a bad name.
Why is it I give stringers a bad name? Because I'm not a Johnny Law wannabe firefighter like you? Or is it because of the way I race around to scenes to get the shot? You claim to be trained professionals who are better.
Is it professional to talk shit to firefighters, policemen, and news desks about me? - No one's doing that.
- Really? Never said anything bad about me to firefighters, police, or news desks? It's not what you've heard, right? - I don't like liars.
- That's not the case.
Okay, great.
Do you think you come out looking good? - I don't know, Scott.
You tell me.
- You don't.
- You don't.
- How do you think I look? Like the douchebag you are.
Oh, I see.
You're just shitting on me right now.
I don't know I am shitting on you.
You're a piece of shit.
That's why.
Cool, Scott.
It is very cool.
Not what we need.
That's not my intention of trying to sort things out.
You can't fuck with somebody and expect nothing to happen.
You think I'm fucking with you.
I really don't care.
That's not my goal.
- I'm not trying to fuck with you.
- Fuck you, kid.
See you, buddy.
I don't know what the fuck just happened.
I don't think I figured anything out.
I don't know what my options are now.
I haven't come to a decision whether I'm gonna merge with Zak.
I just haven't made that decision.
Even if I do join Zak, is that really gonna make much difference if Scott's refusing to stop packaging? 'Cause, obviously, packaging isn't going away.
I can just package everything, screw over LoudLabs and OnScene.
They fucked me over so many times, about time it's gonna be paid back.
I'm gonna run down every story if Scott wants to play like that.
Thinking it's a hit-and-run.
I don't see the car.
It's a hit-and-run.
All three of us have respect for each other in the matter that we do this job.
But that's about as far as the respect goes between Zak and I.
He thinks his actions don't have consequences.
And we live in a world where, and he knows firsthand, people die for talking shit.
I got buildings, and I got water.
I'm stoked.
Scott's not an easy guy to get along with.
It's very frustrating.
We've got a three-car collision.
I don't know how many victims.
There will always be people that don't like what you're doing because you're successful.
Whether it's jealousy or insecurities, there will be people like that.
Um I just try to bring myself and my guys up.
Because it's sure as hell not gonna stop me.
I could do what Scott's doing.
Imagine if I said: "I'm gonna take my network of photographers and take everything we shoot for the night, package it for one.
" I'd put LLN out of business.
I'd put Howard out of business, and it would decimate the industry.
You think it's a car fire? - It's gonna take you 15.
- I mean, go for it Now I really wanna make this story.
Fuck.
Oh, yeah, it's a good one.
It's a fucking good one.
This thing's on fire, big-time.
If they put out the fire before anyone gets here, I could get this exclusive.
That'd be nice.
Steve showed up.
This is the third time I've seen these fuckers tonight.
It's beyond a fucking joke.
It's pissing me off.
Makes no sense.
I mean, it really doesn't.
Yeah, world domination.
Good idea.
Fuck yourself over in the end.
They have what, 25 guys now.
Not only fighting for the story.
They're fighting against each other.
Internally, 25 people.
What do they have, four blocks each? How are they gonna make a living? They're not.
It doesn't make any sense.
All units, suspect is a male, black, 6'1", red hoodie, blue jeans.
He just went northbound through a residence, going northbound from 83rd.
Car 40 George, please continue the vehicle pursuit and set up a perimeter on the guy with the rifle.
Okay.
We're going.
He's armed with a rifle.
Oh, shit.
Hey, 414, did you say the suspect has a rifle? Is that correct? The suspect does have a rifle.
Uh All units, suspect is running eastbound 83rd from northbound Normandie.
Suspect is armed with a rifle.
Oh, fuck.
LAPD is chasing a man on foot.
He's apparently got a rifle.
They're saying it's an AK-47.
Show me en route to Normandie and 83.
Gonna check that out.
Look.
This is what's coming.
They're about to pass.
One, two, three, four, five.
At least five units.
They're going where we're going.
- Through the houses.
- He's out of breath.
Jesus.
There's the chopper right there.
They've lost him.
So, there's gonna be a guy running around with an AK-47.
We're on northbound.
Avery and Normandie.
Maybe four houses east.
Little Zak is here.
Look at the amount of cops here already.
On an incident like this, you have to keep in your mind how powerful a weapon like that is.
If a suspect actually has an AK-47, it's incredibly dangerous to be around.
Don't know what that suspect's wanted for.
Talking about a person who has the potential to go to jail for life.
What's a person in a position like that capable of? Sir, you can't be in the command post.
What's that? You cannot be filming at the command post.
Okay, if you want me to go across the street, I'll go.
I'll find someone to talk to you, - but you can't be here.
- You got it.
Didn't know it was the command post.
Thinking it's the Story of the Night.
It comes down to who gets the action and who gets the suspect in custody, depending on how the outcome is.
It's pretty visual.
Watch your back.
There's a guy running around with an AK-47.
Howard.
This is ridiculous.
Now Scott, Zak, me.
At this point, best man wins.
I know how to shoot, so Howard's not playing the same game of chess I'm playing.
Stringing is a very strategic game.
And I play it.
So, I'm just constantly playing chess.
Saw something.
Sure as hell saw something, didn't he? When it comes to this, as much as I don't like watching other stringers do their job, they might see something you don't.
This is the Los Angeles Police Department.
Okay, the helicopter's talking.
We're going to use the police dogs.
For your safety, please go inside your homes.
To the suspect, we have you surrounded.
Put your hands up and come out.
You have one minute to surrender.
OnScene has three guys here.
Whatever.
It doesn't matter.
I'm better, I'm faster, and I don't need a handful of guys to cover one story.
Three OnScene guys.
Really? Steve's here, Nash is here, Zak's here.
Talk about overkill.
I don't like being where everybody's at.
No reason to be here.
Nothing more I can get that's gonna sell this.
To get the suspect in custody, you gotta find where he is.
This could very well turn into a search until the sun comes up.
I don't know.
It's getting harder.
It's kinda pointless.
Scott's driving away because he thinks he has this in the bag.
And the amount of people that Zak has working for him is so fucking frustrating.
But I think we are done.
I don't think I'm gonna get much else.
No matter how much I try and compete, it's not working.
I just I can't win.
RMG is failing.
At what point do you cut it off? At what point do you give up? A man was arrested after a short car chase in South LA.
Police say the passenger got out, ditched a shotgun, and then made a run for it.
K9 officers were called in.
It took about two hours to track him down.
The suspect faces weapons charges.
The driver got away.
I just can't lose anymore.
But I'm never gonna give up what I love doing.
Zak's given me a lot to think about.
He really has.
Hey, what did I miss? Hey, Scott.
It's Howard.
- Listen, uh, we need to talk.
- What's up? What would you say if RMG and LoudLabs were to join forces?
It was a relatively unknown industry 15 years ago.
We have earned good money.
Now, we have Zak.
He's trying to dominate the market.
You've got Scott who's packaging everything.
And it's killing the industry.
And now, Austin's decided to leave the business.
So, I really don't know what we do now.
We've got to level the playing field.
This town may not be big enough for the three of us.
I don't wake up and think, I wanna put Scott and Howard out of business.
But eventually, the vision would be, yeah, OnScene is the only freelance news service.
We'd be the only stringers in the field working.
My goal is to have OnScene as the only logo on TV.
That's the goal.
Other stringers probably think I'm a loose cannon.
Other stringers probably think that I'm a sociopath.
But I don't really give a shit.
I just do my job.
There's always gonna be people that talk shit.
But when it starts to hurt my business, there will be consequences.
We're out here documenting a war.
You don't realize the danger until it's done.
What we see in a week, most people do not see in an entire lifetime.
It's really been a bizarre few days.
Zak wants us to join OnScene under the condition that we give up the RMG name and logo that we've built over 15 years.
That doesn't sit well with me.
But more importantly, I think he is doing it not to help RMG.
I think he's doing it just to fuck over Scott.
I really believe that.
But at this point, I may not have much choice.
Rescue, heavy rescue near Mulholland Drive.
Possibly an ejection out of the car.
Oh, shit.
Fuck.
Been ejected out of the car.
This is now a big story.
Just 'cause it's in a celebrity enclave, that's maybe some hits.
Oh, fuck me.
You drive a Maserati for God's sake.
Fuck.
Oh, for fuck's sake.
I haven't heard back from Howard about the offer.
If you just join OnScene and do the merge, you don't have to worry about this shit anymore.
To me, it seems like a no-brainer.
I can't force him to see things the way I see things, but I hope he comes to that realization.
I don't like stringing when I'm tired.
Stringing when I'm forced.
I like stringing when I want.
It's like when you need to pay bills.
You don't work as well as when bills are paid.
But things have changed.
I'm having a baby.
Fuck, you know, do what you gotta do.
Come on, dude, wake up.
A vehicle has hit a pedestrian.
Victim is on Union and 6th.
So, a vehicle versus a ped on Union and 6th.
We're on Union at 9th.
Now I'm awake.
Auto versus pedestrian.
It's in the area of where we're headed.
455's gonna be responding on an auto ped.
- Roger.
- Let's do it.
Hit ped, left, then returned, is now beating up ped.
What the fuck? I wanna see that.
Oh, here it is right here.
Where's the guy? Is that him? That's him right there.
Dude, look at his head.
Oh, there's a body in the street.
Shit.
Shit, shit, shit.
Oh, Scott's here, too.
This is gonna be interesting.
Where's the driver that hit him? Why is Scott getting involved? Are you the driver? No? You just witnessed it? Okay.
From my perspective, I wanna be on the outside shooting in, so, I'm removed from what's occurring, and I'm documenting what's occurring.
Looks like he's still breathing.
That's a good sign.
There's stuff missing from the back of his head.
It's not cool to look at.
Oh, fuck.
That vehicle across the street might be the suspect vehicle.
It's got TC damage on the front side, so I'm not sure.
We're gonna find out in a second.
Hey, guys, do me a favor.
We're going to move everybody back, okay? Back.
Grab your tape.
Where you put your tape, I'll stand.
I understand, sir, but we're moving everything.
Sometimes I have a problem with authority.
It's like just do your job and I'll do my job.
The rules are yellow tape.
So, as soon as you grab the tape, I'll move on the other side.
We do have rules that allow us to do things.
Places I'm allowed to be, places I'm not.
All right, we're gonna put some tape up, so we need you guys to move back.
What's the crime? Tell us you don't want us there.
But the law says we're allowed to be there.
Once it becomes a crime scene, we're not allowed.
That's why they crime-scene it up.
I'm going to have you move this way, okay? Okay.
Yeah, that's fine.
Scott has his way of doing things, and I have my way.
I was at the same scene, and didn't need to go where he went.
We're good.
Hey, sorry about my, uh, counterpart.
- The other guy.
- Oh.
Oh.
Little Zak is already talking to the cops.
He so wants to be an authority.
Being respectful to the officers and the fire personnel working If I can get my shot and nobody notices me, I'm very happy.
But Scott obviously really doesn't give a shit.
Let's beat Scott on the feed.
We're just gonna pull through.
I think we're good.
Sweet.
I'm curious to see who gets this in sooner, because I've got Scott over my shoulder.
Bet you didn't know you can talk back to cops.
I think he might have gotten me.
He got one shot I didn't.
But I have ways of fixing that.
Hello, this is Scott with LLN.
I'm good.
How are you? I just sent you two e-mails, two stories.
Two-for-one.
Okay, bye.
Packaging.
That's how you get things done.
LAPD officers are investigating an assault and hit-and-run in Westlake on Wilshire Boulevard.
Police tell us that's where one man ran over another man, then physically assaulted him before running off.
The victim was taken to a hospital but is expected to be okay.
Investigators say the incident looks gang-related.
Look at it.
Massive scene.
That's LA City Fire chopper there.
LAPD battalion, security.
That's a good-looking scene.
Let's see how close we can get.
The person got ejected out of the car.
But I don't think they found the driver.
I just need to get a shot of that car.
It's destroyed.
Get out of here! Get out of here! Go back down that way.
- Okay.
- Get out of here.
- What are you doing? - Okay You're in everybody's way.
Back down the hill.
- I'm not really, but - Back down the hill.
Okay.
I came from that way.
- Down there? Okay.
- Through the yard.
Go.
- Guys - You gotta go.
No.
They're telling us to leave.
We are.
Yeah.
Gotta get off the property, okay? We are.
We were on Mulholland, but Fuck me.
What a bunch of twats.
Haven't got what I needed.
I need to get a close-up of that car on top of the hill.
Gonna get a hold of this guy and see what he's doing.
It's upside down.
It rolled from up there.
This is my house! I heard the radio, and I saw the lights, so I went up to see what it was.
There was a smoking car upside down.
Thank you.
- Excuse me.
Can we shoot from the garden? - Say again? - That all right? - Where? - From your garden? - Garden.
Yeah.
- Okay.
Thanks.
- Cops might get mad, but Well What can the LAPD do? We're on private property.
This type of access doesn't guarantee you're gonna get the shot.
But it's definitely worth trying.
I appreciate you letting us up.
Right.
Where those guys are is where the car is, - and all the lights are up by Mulholland.
- Oh, wow.
Thank you.
Sometimes it's just a matter of getting the shot, no matter what it takes.
Because that's what sells it to the news stations.
I was able to get behind the car, inside the property.
That's the shot I needed.
Breaking news.
We begin with news at 11.
A car crashes through a guardrail high up in the Hollywood Hills and careens over a cliff.
So far, there's no sign of the driver or any passengers that may be in that car.
The car slammed into a guardrail, then plunged down the hillside.
Had it tumbled further, it would've landed in the swimming pool of a home.
Zak and I will probably be following each other all night.
We'll be on each other's heels, because that's the first story, that's the one that sets it for the night.
I'm sure Zak is talking shit about me.
He's just not stupid enough to do it to my face.
Zak weighs 135 pounds wet.
He doesn't get lippy with me.
Traffic collision.
Southbound Santa Fe and Vernon.
Red 5 en route to a TC in Vernon.
Vernon usually has good TCs.
Traffic collisions.
So, we're about to find out if they have a good one tonight.
Apparently, it's a vehicle versus a building.
That's a really good call, if we can get there in time.
Through a pole into a building.
Sounds good.
Let's check it out.
Hoping nobody else heard it.
Yellow.
Yellow.
Green.
Green.
Red.
Go.
Single vehicle crash into a wall and a light pole.
Oh, really, guy? What are you doing, you fucking penis? You can see they actually skipped off this pole.
This is all from the vehicle colliding with it.
And it appears like he was traveling at a high speed.
And, uh looks like it's into a building or near a building.
Come on, fucking move.
In 1,000 feet, turn left.
Oh, look who's here.
Scott on the I wanna say the wrong side, but it might be the right side depending on how banged up that car is.
Oh, great.
The circus is here with me.
No big deal.
Being there first doesn't mean you win.
It just means that you're there first.
A better cameraman can come and scoop it away from somebody if they don't know what they're doing.
Zak's a good cameraman, but not as good as me.
Stand behind the pole.
This is an investigation.
We have I understand.
Your other officer said I was fine there.
What's the crime? - We don't know yet.
- Don't know if it's a crime? Might be a crime.
We don't know if it's a DUI or not.
Okay, thank you.
Oi, there's a massive, massive response up here.
Fuck.
Can we just dump it here? Shit.
I was hoping Fucking missed it.
I was really late.
I mean, I was quick, but I was late in the world of stringers.
Now I've gotta make it look like I was here early.
Oh, who the fuck is this? Of course.
Years ago, I'd be exclusive.
Not anymore.
Lookit, Zak, Scott.
Ugh.
It's kind of frustrating.
They're like a disease, you know? They're everywhere.
Like a dirty rash.
Fuck.
Scott.
Goodbye.
There's two parts of the job.
There's the drama, and there's the job.
Don't fucking do the drama.
Just do the job.
I need that fucking victim.
I need that victim.
I just need that one shot.
Come on.
The cameramen here, they're all good.
So, I'm gonna edit, and I'll feed it out before Zak and Howard.
- Let's see if I can beat them.
- Here we go.
All right.
Assignment desk.
Scott with LLN.
Just sent you two stories.
It is a two-for-one.
Yup.
Bye.
Other thing about everybody being here, everybody's here.
We shouldn't be.
Let's go.
I see Scott on a damn phone call.
He's packaging those two stories for the price of one.
Fucking bullshit.
It used to be better.
Used to be about getting the best shot, getting the best story.
But now it's who can package the most stories.
Gonna say bye to my friend Howard.
Bye, Howard.
All right.
I'll leave you to it.
Have fun.
Zak's walking away on the phone all cocky like.
There's a smugness about him that just drives me mad.
I saw what Scott did.
He wanted to feed in faster.
But we got there sooner and we have some steadier tripoded shots.
On to the next one.
Ugh.
It's kinda frustrating.
It doesn't make sense what they're doing.
They're screwing themselves over because of some petty bullshit that's been going on for years.
I'm just not left with many options.
Something has to change.
This morning, authorities continue to investigate a dramatic accident in Vernon that left two people hospitalized.
Police are trying to determine if alcohol or drugs were a factor in this accident.
It's been a shitty few months.
How are we meant to compete with LoudLabs if they do 7- or 8-for-1? We can't compete with that.
Yo.
- Zak, how are you? - Doing well.
What's going on? I need to talk to you about something important.
When? Tomorrow night.
That's fine.
Okay.
What did I miss? Scott, I need to talk to you.
Wanna come down to Slauson tomorrow? Uh, yeah.
I can do that.
All right.
See you.
It's in motion.
Zak and Scott together.
This is gonna be interesting.
I have to be honest, I'm nervous.
They never talk.
You can see the animosity between them.
But they forced me into a position.
They are basically shutting my company down I've had for 15 years.
It's hard for me to sit back and let it happen.
This meeting is Been a long time coming.
My success and my business falls on this meeting.
If I can't get those two to sort themselves out, it's doors closed for us.
Howard.
What's going on? Good to see you, by the way.
You okay? Yeah Yes and no.
What's going on? We're gonna deal with it now.
Hey, what's up? What am I missing? RMG is doomed.
I think the industry is doomed.
Packaging is fucking RMG.
I don't think packaging is fucking you.
I don't think packaging is fucking you.
As personal matter, sorry.
As a business matter - Business is business.
I get that.
- I'm gonna do the way that I do.
It's the same policy I had when I was with them.
If I have competition, I package.
Now, I don't wanna waste my time.
- It's set a precedent with the stations.
- I'm the most experienced stringer - with the least experienced team.
- You hustle.
I have the least experienced team, so sometimes, in order for them to make money, I'll give them my footage so they make money.
- I'm a nice guy, believe it or not.
- So, what if you shot three really good stories and didn't package them? One story will make it and the other two might not.
What we're saying is, if we stop packaging, then Howard would benefit from that.
You would in turn benefit from that, - and it'd be a more level - I don't know if I would, though.
Why? You'd be getting the hits, the sweep, plus other stories I don't know that.
Me changing my policy hurts my guys.
I'm not here to help you to hurt them.
- No.
That's not what we're asking.
- I understand.
We're saying it would be equally beneficial to not package.
Would it be? You would be competition without having to package.
- I believe that.
It'd make me better - Is it worth a shot to try it for a week? It is.
But can we trust each other? Don't take it personal.
It's business.
- I'm not.
- You should take your own advice.
The thing about the difference, what you said right there? You talking shit about me is personal.
What we're talking now is business.
I get upset when I hear you're talking shit about me, saying I give stringers a bad name.
Why is it I give stringers a bad name? Because I'm not a Johnny Law wannabe firefighter like you? Or is it because of the way I race around to scenes to get the shot? You claim to be trained professionals who are better.
Is it professional to talk shit to firefighters, policemen, and news desks about me? - No one's doing that.
- Really? Never said anything bad about me to firefighters, police, or news desks? It's not what you've heard, right? - I don't like liars.
- That's not the case.
Okay, great.
Do you think you come out looking good? - I don't know, Scott.
You tell me.
- You don't.
- You don't.
- How do you think I look? Like the douchebag you are.
Oh, I see.
You're just shitting on me right now.
I don't know I am shitting on you.
You're a piece of shit.
That's why.
Cool, Scott.
It is very cool.
Not what we need.
That's not my intention of trying to sort things out.
You can't fuck with somebody and expect nothing to happen.
You think I'm fucking with you.
I really don't care.
That's not my goal.
- I'm not trying to fuck with you.
- Fuck you, kid.
See you, buddy.
I don't know what the fuck just happened.
I don't think I figured anything out.
I don't know what my options are now.
I haven't come to a decision whether I'm gonna merge with Zak.
I just haven't made that decision.
Even if I do join Zak, is that really gonna make much difference if Scott's refusing to stop packaging? 'Cause, obviously, packaging isn't going away.
I can just package everything, screw over LoudLabs and OnScene.
They fucked me over so many times, about time it's gonna be paid back.
I'm gonna run down every story if Scott wants to play like that.
Thinking it's a hit-and-run.
I don't see the car.
It's a hit-and-run.
All three of us have respect for each other in the matter that we do this job.
But that's about as far as the respect goes between Zak and I.
He thinks his actions don't have consequences.
And we live in a world where, and he knows firsthand, people die for talking shit.
I got buildings, and I got water.
I'm stoked.
Scott's not an easy guy to get along with.
It's very frustrating.
We've got a three-car collision.
I don't know how many victims.
There will always be people that don't like what you're doing because you're successful.
Whether it's jealousy or insecurities, there will be people like that.
Um I just try to bring myself and my guys up.
Because it's sure as hell not gonna stop me.
I could do what Scott's doing.
Imagine if I said: "I'm gonna take my network of photographers and take everything we shoot for the night, package it for one.
" I'd put LLN out of business.
I'd put Howard out of business, and it would decimate the industry.
You think it's a car fire? - It's gonna take you 15.
- I mean, go for it Now I really wanna make this story.
Fuck.
Oh, yeah, it's a good one.
It's a fucking good one.
This thing's on fire, big-time.
If they put out the fire before anyone gets here, I could get this exclusive.
That'd be nice.
Steve showed up.
This is the third time I've seen these fuckers tonight.
It's beyond a fucking joke.
It's pissing me off.
Makes no sense.
I mean, it really doesn't.
Yeah, world domination.
Good idea.
Fuck yourself over in the end.
They have what, 25 guys now.
Not only fighting for the story.
They're fighting against each other.
Internally, 25 people.
What do they have, four blocks each? How are they gonna make a living? They're not.
It doesn't make any sense.
All units, suspect is a male, black, 6'1", red hoodie, blue jeans.
He just went northbound through a residence, going northbound from 83rd.
Car 40 George, please continue the vehicle pursuit and set up a perimeter on the guy with the rifle.
Okay.
We're going.
He's armed with a rifle.
Oh, shit.
Hey, 414, did you say the suspect has a rifle? Is that correct? The suspect does have a rifle.
Uh All units, suspect is running eastbound 83rd from northbound Normandie.
Suspect is armed with a rifle.
Oh, fuck.
LAPD is chasing a man on foot.
He's apparently got a rifle.
They're saying it's an AK-47.
Show me en route to Normandie and 83.
Gonna check that out.
Look.
This is what's coming.
They're about to pass.
One, two, three, four, five.
At least five units.
They're going where we're going.
- Through the houses.
- He's out of breath.
Jesus.
There's the chopper right there.
They've lost him.
So, there's gonna be a guy running around with an AK-47.
We're on northbound.
Avery and Normandie.
Maybe four houses east.
Little Zak is here.
Look at the amount of cops here already.
On an incident like this, you have to keep in your mind how powerful a weapon like that is.
If a suspect actually has an AK-47, it's incredibly dangerous to be around.
Don't know what that suspect's wanted for.
Talking about a person who has the potential to go to jail for life.
What's a person in a position like that capable of? Sir, you can't be in the command post.
What's that? You cannot be filming at the command post.
Okay, if you want me to go across the street, I'll go.
I'll find someone to talk to you, - but you can't be here.
- You got it.
Didn't know it was the command post.
Thinking it's the Story of the Night.
It comes down to who gets the action and who gets the suspect in custody, depending on how the outcome is.
It's pretty visual.
Watch your back.
There's a guy running around with an AK-47.
Howard.
This is ridiculous.
Now Scott, Zak, me.
At this point, best man wins.
I know how to shoot, so Howard's not playing the same game of chess I'm playing.
Stringing is a very strategic game.
And I play it.
So, I'm just constantly playing chess.
Saw something.
Sure as hell saw something, didn't he? When it comes to this, as much as I don't like watching other stringers do their job, they might see something you don't.
This is the Los Angeles Police Department.
Okay, the helicopter's talking.
We're going to use the police dogs.
For your safety, please go inside your homes.
To the suspect, we have you surrounded.
Put your hands up and come out.
You have one minute to surrender.
OnScene has three guys here.
Whatever.
It doesn't matter.
I'm better, I'm faster, and I don't need a handful of guys to cover one story.
Three OnScene guys.
Really? Steve's here, Nash is here, Zak's here.
Talk about overkill.
I don't like being where everybody's at.
No reason to be here.
Nothing more I can get that's gonna sell this.
To get the suspect in custody, you gotta find where he is.
This could very well turn into a search until the sun comes up.
I don't know.
It's getting harder.
It's kinda pointless.
Scott's driving away because he thinks he has this in the bag.
And the amount of people that Zak has working for him is so fucking frustrating.
But I think we are done.
I don't think I'm gonna get much else.
No matter how much I try and compete, it's not working.
I just I can't win.
RMG is failing.
At what point do you cut it off? At what point do you give up? A man was arrested after a short car chase in South LA.
Police say the passenger got out, ditched a shotgun, and then made a run for it.
K9 officers were called in.
It took about two hours to track him down.
The suspect faces weapons charges.
The driver got away.
I just can't lose anymore.
But I'm never gonna give up what I love doing.
Zak's given me a lot to think about.
He really has.
Hey, what did I miss? Hey, Scott.
It's Howard.
- Listen, uh, we need to talk.
- What's up? What would you say if RMG and LoudLabs were to join forces?