Lou Bloom, a young man desperate for work, discovers the high-speed world of L.A. crime. Finding a group of freelance camera crews who film crashes, fires, murder and other mayhem, Lou muscles into the dangerous realm of nightcrawling -- where each police siren wail equals a possible windfall and victims are converted into dollars. Aided by Nina, a veteran of the blood-sport that is local TV news, Lou blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.