Screenwriter Disappears Midway Through Moviemaking

A group of filmmakers have taken a novel which has made an influence on modern day and are turning it to a cinematic masterpiece. Robert Hurley, screenwriter of “Notes from the New World”, based on F.M. Dostoevsky’s “Notes from the Underground”, has vanished shortly after filing police reports indicating harassment.

According to police reports, Hurley saw the figure of a tall man peering into the window of his parked car in the parking lot of the Paradise Palms apartment complex in Culver City. Hurley stepped outside to shout and frighten the man, but the prowler fled the scene as Hurley opened his front door. Other reports show that he was experiencing frequent nuisances. A hard copy of his current script was stolen from his home, his living room window was shattered, and a threatening letter was left on his desk. The private investigators hired by VM Productions, the company that is bringing Robert’s work to life, won’t go into detail about what was written in the note. All that is known is the threats had to do with his current script.

After Hurley didn’t answer phone calls from family members and co-workers, a call was sent to the police department where an investigation soon began. Details around his home showed signs of foul play, but area neighbors reported no disturbances at the time of the incident.

Clues have raised suspicions that current members of the Russian mafia may be to blame. “Notes from the New World” tells the story of a young actor playing the role of F.M. Dostoevsky, a 19th century Russian novelist, who becomes tangled with a Russian prostitute and a Mexican immigrant. The Russian mafia plays a role in this film and isn’t shown in a positive light.

Neighbors say Hurley is a good man and can’t imagine he’d have any enemies. Rebecca Studel, his neighbor, would chat with Robert while he fetched his morning paper. “We would talk about how his script was coming along. I used to joke that I wanted to be in one of his movies!”

According to Vitaly Sumin, producer, the film is still underway. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him, of course, but he would have wanted us to go on with the show!”

If you have seen or heard anything, please contact VM Productions at vmpfilms@hotmail.com