LA Observed Script Project

The LA Observed Script Project is an interactive, group screenwriting collaboration launched in February 2008 by Hollywood writer Eric Estrin.

He wrote the first pages of a Los Angeles-based film noir thriller called "Right of Way" and posted them to get things started. The story centers around a charismatic young mayor, determined to transform both L.A. and his political career by building a subway to the sea.

Each week Eric asked readers to imagine the next chunk of story and supply 3-5 new pages for a chance to have some fun and win a custom-made Script Project t-shirt. He selected entries from 20 different writers who added an evil cult leader to oppose the mayor, some star-crossed romance, a few depraved hookups and more twists and turns than on Mulholland Drive. Eric story-edited the pages and chronicled the progress at Script Notes, his blog.

The project attracted some buzz on TV, public radio, the web, YouTube and in the trades. There was initial Hollywood interest, and some imitators. After seven months, the draft was finished.

But it was just a first draft. The script wasn't yet ready for Hollywood — not after being cobbled together a week at a time by 20 strangers working over the Web without an outline.

So begins the next phase: rewriting the script to ready it for the marketplace. Head over to Script Notes to take part in Act 2.

2:01 PM Fri | Getty gardens reopen Saturday

9:45 AM Fri | 405 project months behind, Carmageddon II delayed

9:31 AM Fri | Morning Buzz: Friday 5.25.12

8:32 AM Fri | LA Sketchbook: Space X

11:23 PM Thu | KPCC relaunches website as SCPR.org

Celebrating 35 years of 'Star Wars'

2:35 PM Fri | A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a smallish movie called "Star Wars" opened in just 32 theaters, including the Avco on Wilshire Boulevard. No fanfare, no text-messaged reviews - just a bunch of weird characters, a compelling good vs. evil plotline, and a towering soundtrack.

Night vision: Mean streets of Silver Lake

Iris Schneider | The aftermath of a teenage party over the weekend in the Silver Lake hills.

Are we all paparazzi now?

Iris Schneider | It's debatable which came first, the insatiable desire to document the famous or the need for the masses to see endless images of celebrities caught acting like normal people. But the Internet, the money to be made and the ease of picture-taking technology have changed everything. Thus a panel discussion at the Getty in conjunction with the exhibit, "Portraits of Renown," celebrity portraits dating back to the 1800s.

LA Phil rolls out the red carpet for old friend Simon Rattle

Donna Perlmutter | Back in the day, before his curly top turned white, Simon Rattle was an enormously gifted principal guest conductor of the LA Philharmonic. That was an earlier golden era — well before this one headed by the spirited, infectious Gustavo Dudamel. We cannot forget any of those from the '80s.

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Behind the pro-Berman super PAC

Marc Nathanson had reached the $2,500 federal limit on money he could contribute to his candidate in the San Fernando Valley’s 30th Congressional District, Rep. Howard Berman. So he started a super PAC allowing him and others to give much more.