Hotheaded Hannah is about to make her biggest sale in months. Hundreds of thousands

of dollars are at stake. Her clients have been wined and dined, making them more susceptible to a deal that is purely driven by emotion and aesthetics – they must have this painting! Feeling triumphant after hours of working her magic, Hannah is filling out the paperwork when Aaron arrives yelling that they are his customers. As the tension rises and the argument over-heats, the buyers sneak out the front door. This is the high priced, high stakes, high drama world of art sales in paradise. ART OF THE DEAL takes place on the spectacular island of Maui, home to one of the hottest art scenes in the world. Most of the island’s 30 plus galleries are on oceanfront Front Street in the town of Lahaina, where stars like Oprah Winfrey shop (she just dropped $100,000 at a local gallery) and Mick Fleetwood has a gallery of his own. But behind their stylish facades and gorgeous works of art, war rages! The psychological battle between buyer and seller, the cutthroat competition between the sales people – or, consultants – the fractious relationships with the artists, and the rivalry among the Maui galleries all form the nucleus of the series. Breathtaking Maui and the opulent world of art sales, where millionaires are often trumped by billionaires, form the setting. Embroiled in this arena is a great cast of characters:

Hannah

Art Consultant, Kush Fine Art

Blonde, beautiful and ambitious, Hannah is a triple threat – and she doesn’t care who knows it. In the world of art sales, where confidence sets consultants apart, Hannah’s in a league of her own. This bombshell prides herself on speaking her mind – even if it costs her clients, co-workers, and close personal friends. Hannah’s lack of restraint is a thing of legend on the island, and she’s turned that infamy into a cash cow, leading sales at the Kush Gallery for the past eight months. Audacious, territorial, and shockingly brash, Hannah’s charmed existence is one chaotic victory after another, with little concern for those left in her wake. Her romantic life is another story, and a constant source of chaos. Photographer boyfriend Jason is much older, and far less confident, leading to a tumultuous relationship that usually plays out in front of her coworkers, at Maui’s hottest nightspots, and even at the rival gallery where Jason’s art is sold.



Scott

Art Consultant, Kush Fine Art

Aaron

Art Consultant, Kush Fine Art

A care-free hard core party animal, Scott enjoys all Maui has to offer, and then some. Whether it’s as a drummer in one of several local rock bands, or cruising the strip for attractive clients and company, Scott’s social life regularly bumps up against his day job at the gallery. Though his co-workers suffer his regular hangovers and hangerson, Scott’s social standing on the island makes buying art cool, and that’s just the image his gallery is looking for. Admittedly more of a party boy than professional salesman, Scott is a wealth of unlocked potential, and could even make director some day, if he ever decides to grow up.

Aaron used to be like Scott, until the drinking and partying got out of hand. Maui’s seductive nightlife took its toll on the ambitious salesman. He began missing shifts at the gallery, and blew a number of huge deals. To keep his job, and his sanity, Aaron resolved to make some wholesale changes. Now, he meditates, prays, and consults the Bible instead of the bottle. Though the appeal of Maui’s nightlife beckons – especially in the wine-and-dine world of art sales – Aaron’s mission is to walk the straight and narrow, no matter how much he gets teased or pressured by his co-workers. An outward model of professionalism, beneath Aaron’s newfound serenity still lurks a dogged, pushy, cutthroat salesman who rubs many clients and coworkers the wrong way.

Nisla

Gallery Director, Kush Fine Art

AJ

Sales Lead, Diamond Head Galleries

Cache

Art Consultant, Diamond Head Galleries

This exotic Latina oversees the dynamic sales force at the Kush gallery. Nisla takes a compelling approach to dealing with her young, charismatic work force. She likens herself to a mother hen, trying to keep order where disorder reigns. But it’s an uphill battle, especially since she can’t monitor her flock after hours – and that’s where most gallery drama begins. Nisla handles it with her calm, no-nonsense demeanor that instills fear, along with a healthy respect, in her employees. A prolific artist in her own right, Nisla’s passion for making money is easily eclipsed by her desire to nurture her own creativity. Despite success as an art critic and saleswoman, Nisla’s real goal is to see her own work hanging in a gallery.

A walking Hawaiian cliche´, AJ is as ‘surfer dude’ as it gets. From his ritualistic morning surf sessions to his beach bonfires, life’s all about being Zen and hanging ten. But beneath this bronzed, blonde exterior lies Diamond Head Gallery’s undisputed sales leader. Though there’s much debate about AJ’s lackadaisical sales style (and wardrobe), it’s clear that this beach bum has the art game figured out, and it drives his better dressed colleagues crazy. AJ is confident to the point of arrogance; a ladies’ man who regularly mixes with co-worker Cache and local spin doctor, DJ Bikini. He has a volatile relationship with the Kush gallery’s top sales consultant, Hannah, and it plays out often as AJ sells her boyfriend’s photography at Diamond Head.

Within minutes of meeting her, most people believe Cache is their new best friend or romantic interest. She’s sweet, personable, and enthusiastic about almost everything - including her bi-sexual dating life. But this attractive brunette is as smart and opportunistic as they come. With an aging millionaire boyfriend and her overtly flirtatious sales style, this self-admitted sugar-baby knows how to get ahead. Her dream is simple – to be rich and happy. But it’s a struggle. Cache’s charming ambition often lands her in sticky situations. Whether it’s one of her many male clients ‘accidentally’ seduced by her flirtatious style or her loyalty to friends, Cache’s bustling social life is both a blessing and a curse to her happiness and her sales figures.

Cesere Brothers

Photographers & Owner of Cesere Brothers Photography

Dan and John’s inspirational story began the day they made a childhood pact to spend their lives underwater. When they started bringing a camera on their dives, that dream turned into a career. The brothers are now among Maui’s elite underwater photographers, but since becoming gallery owners, lifestyle, family and business are in conflict. John’s got a new baby, and with plans to open a gallery on prestigious Front Street, there’s less time for underwater adventures. When they first got to Maui, it was all about living the beach bum lifestyle; diving and capturing glorious underwater images was all that mattered. Now, they are spending less time underwater, and often worry about losing sight of the dream that originally brought them to paradise. Always enthusiastic, and positive – sometimes to a fault – these dreamers are struggling to balance their work with their passion.

DJ Bikini

Model, DJ, Art Consultant, Yoga Enthusiast

DJ Bikini comes as advertised - although she’s been known to work in lingerie as well. DJ can usually be found modeling and mixing ‘Hawaiian House’ music at nightclubs and pool parties on the islands and around the world. Now based in Honolulu, DJ’s goal is to return to the Maui art scene - and because she regularly rubs shoulders with the rich and famous, she plans to parlay those connections into a day job at one of Front Street’s top galleries. Beautiful, ambitious and bendy, DJ Bikini straddles the music and art worlds in every way.

Our characters and their world will produce an endless stream of fun and entertaining storylines that will often take us outside the galleries and into their lives, exploring all Maui has to offer. Here’s a small sample of some potential storylines for the series:

Episode One

A-Story: Three customers arrive at the Kush Gallery at the same time. One is an elderly couple that smells of money...the other is a young man who looks like a penniless drifter. A heated discussion erupts between Hannah and Aaron over who gets to approach the upscale customers. Manager Nisla intervenes and settles the matter. Hannah is assigned the difficult, but promising, rich couple - and goes through hell while lavishly courting them throughout the episode. Meanwhile, Aaron effortlessly closes a 400k deal with the ‘drifter,’ who is actually a start-up billionaire.

B-Story: Business has been brisk at the Cesere Brothers Gallery, but it’s been months since John and Dan have had time for their first love...dive photography. When a deep-pocketed customer puts in a special request for a photo of a rare shark, the brothers can’t wait to organize an expedition and embark on an underwater hunt. But with no guarantee of actually finding the elusive shark, and with plans in the works to open a second gallery, can the brothers afford to go on a potentially fruitless expedition? C-Story: AJ has been Diamond Head Gallery’s top salesman for several months in a row, but he’s about to be knocked off his perch by his mini-me; a younger, ‘chiller’ surfer that he’s been mentoring. Normally laid-back and Zen-like, AJ starts doing uncharacteristic things in an effort to dump his slump. Runner: Manager Nisla is really an artist at heart and is very excited about her latest painting. To get an honest reaction to it, she brings it into the gallery under a pseudonym. Not only do her employees have a hostile reaction to the piece, they can’t stop making jokes about it. Runner: Now based in Honolulu, DJ Bikini returns to her old Maui haunting grounds for a pool-side DJ job. She originally left Maui because the art she was selling wasn’t to her taste. Her ultimate goal is to land a day job in a gallery she respects - like Christopher Egan’s.

Episode Two

A-Story: When Hannah returns from a Las Vegas convention, she meets the Kush Gallery’s newest female consultant. Every bit as driven as Hannah, the new hire quickly racks up some impressive sales figures and captures the attention of most of the male consultants, including Aaron and Scott. While the gallery is crawling with customers, Hanna’s territorial side comes out with a vengeance, forcing Nisla to step in and do what she can to preserve the dignity of her gallery. B-Story: Cache is back! A former consultant at Diamond Head Gallery and a friend of AJ’s, her life hasn’t been the same since she left Hawaii. She moved back home to San Diego for a few months to clear her head after a messy breakup with a rich boyfriend everyone else hated. Now refocused, and missing the excitement and glamour of art consulting, Cache will stop at nothing to get her old job back – until she runs into her old flame. C-Story: The Dive Brothers have been spending more time underwater, reconnecting with their passion for photography. But they’re under pressure at home and at work. Opening a new gallery on Maui’s prestigious Front Street has made the paperwork stack up, plus, their wives are tired of all the risky underwater expeditions. On a recent dive to photograph great white sharks, John’s air ran out, and he only made it back to the surface by sharing Dan’s reserve oxygen. That kind of risk was fine for them when they were in their 20’s, but now they have real responsibilities and it’s time to grow up. When the brothers came to Hawaii it was all about sleeping on the beach and having fun. Now, success and responsibilities are threatening to ruin paradise. Does success mean the end of their dream?

Runner: Scott comes to work hung over and is getting the gears from Aaron, who is born again and recently gave up a life of sin. While Scott nurses a hangover, Aaron steals one of his customers. Apparently he missed the sermon about the Ten Commandments.

Episode Three

A-Story: A Maui boutique hotel is renovating and they’ve brought on Nisla and the Kush team as consultants. It’s a huge contract. The problem...the buyer has HORRIBLE taste. Now, Nisla and her crew must unlearn everything they think they know about ‘good’ art as they hunt down the ugliest pieces on the island. B-Story: It’s the weekly Art Night in Lahaina, where customers and artists mingle in the galleries. Hannah and her boyfriend Jason are at AJ’s gallery, where Jason’s artwork is sold. He knows they don’t like each other, but when Hannah confronts AJ about never looking her in the eyes, the normally calm AJ tells Hannah exactly what he thinks of her. Jason, always mindful of his business interests, stays out of it. But when they get home, Hannah blasts Jason for not standing up for her, and all hell breaks loose.

Episode Four

A-Story: Maui homeowner Oprah Winfrey comes to town and rumor has it she’s on a buying spree. Nisla calls an emergency meeting, sending her consultants out to bring Oprah into the gallery. In return, she’s offering a bounty to the individual that can land this big-ticket celebrity. The problem? Peter Lik’s Gallery – their main competition – has done the same thing. The race is on.

B-Story: Hannah is smitten by a new client and takes him out to dinner to close the deal. Just as he’s about to sign on the dotted line, Hannah’s jealous boyfriend shows up and threatens to scuttle the deal. Hannah explains to her boyfriend that it’s just work, but he’s fed up, and suspicious, of all the wining and dining that goes on in the art sales world. Something’s gotta give.

C-Story: Cache made one of her biggest sales ever to a Florida couple several months ago, but now they want to return all the artwork. They tell her they’ve had a string of bad luck that started the day the art arrived – bad financial deals, sick relatives, and dead pets. Cache doesn’t know what to do, but after taking a few months off she simply can’t afford to give back the commission, especially since she’s already spent it. Runner: DJ Bikini’s dream job is to work at Christopher Egan’s Gallery, but so far he is being non-committal. When she meets famous singer and deep-pocketed art collector Steven Tyler at one of her gigs, she tries to leverage the relationship to get in the door at Egan’s.

C-Story: The Cesere brothers are close to signing the lease for their new gallery on Front Street - but they agree their collection feels stale and needs some fresh material. Dan and John must decide whether to spend more time diving and shooting photos, or focusing on business and expansion. Trying to have it both ways, they work to convince a third brother on the mainland to rejoin them in Hawaii. Runner: Scott wears a very loud shirt to work to “stand out” on the floor. It works. A very promising customer flirts with him, then buys some artwork. Coincidently, they run into each other again that night while out on the town. The next morning, as his co-workers look on, Scott shows up late, hung over, and wearing the very same loud shirt. There is no greater walk of shame anywhere in Maui than at the Kush Gallery.

Peter Hartogs Landmark Media Productions [email protected] (202) 365-0470