LA Zoo custodian turned screenwriter: Austin Kolodney scores with his new movie, ‘Dead Man’s Wire’
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Here’s the story of a Hollywood dream coming true.
Austin Kolodney knew he’d written a good movie. He also knew getting it made would not come easy. But he had no plans on ever giving up.
His story is an inspiring one and an impressive one because his screenplay has become a movie.
“Dead Man’s Wire” is based on a true story from 1977 about the president of a mortgage company taken hostage by a client who believes he’s been swindled out of a lot of money by that company. He’s now demanding an apology – or else.
“It’s a pretty fascinating event that I think deserved to be on the silver screen,” Kolodney said. “This is my first credited, sole screenwriting credit and the fact that it has Gus Van Sant in the director’s chair, Al Pacino, Bill Skarsgard, Colman Domingo, Dacre Montgomery, Cary Elwes, Myha’la. It’s a murderers’ row. I’m a kid in a candy store.”
While Kolodney is days away from his movie hitting the big screen, the moment is years in the making.
After the writers’ strike, he was beyond broke and needed a job until he got his big break. Through a job fair, he was hired to do custodial work for the Los Angeles Zoo. It was a blessing.
“I didn’t realize how much this place would change my life. I loved the zoo, but I thought, like, ‘Oh, it would be a part-time job,'” Kolodney said while visiting the zoo. “But the people I worked with here and what I learned about animals in the city of L.A. and just people is something that I wouldn’t trade for anything else. It was really special.”
Kolodney also said he built a nice family at the zoo, adding, “It’s cool to be back here knowing that I made some of my co-workers proud.”
He made his family proud, too. His grandfather is the one who recommended a job with the city until Hollywood beckoned, and his movie-loving mom taught him a strong work ethic. She got to see “Dead Man’s Wire” when it played at the Toronto Film Festival.
“And seeing it play to a full crowd and having your mom there experience that was a very special time,” Kolodney said. “I think if this movie does well, hopefully I can get another movie job and then I can start to pay off the rest of the student loans and what have you.”
But if not, he jokes he might give his old bosses a call.
“Dead Man’s Wire” will have an Oscar-qualifying week at The Grove beginning Dec. 12. It’ll open officially in L.A. on Jan. 9 before expanding across the country the following week.
As for Kolodney’s next goal? He wants to direct.
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