HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – It is a colorful day in Hollywood at Sunset Bronson Studios, owned and operated by L.A.-based real estate company Hudson Pacific Properties.

Los Angeles police officers and students from Joseph Le Conte Middle School are collaborating on a big project, a mural adorning the side of one of the sound stages. Officer Eddie Guerra is there to lend a helping hand.

“When you do this, for me coming from where I grew up, this avoids a wall being infested with gang graffiti with everyday they're crossing each other out, pretty much telling themselves if you do it again you're going to kill each other,” said Officer Eddie Guerra.

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Officer Eddie was born in El Salvador and moved to South Los Angeles at the age of 3 and has wanted to be in the LAPD since he was the same age as these students. An officer with the Hollywood Division since 2010, he has seen a lot, so working with students today is an opportunity to bridge the gap with the community.

“The kids you see behind me, a lot of them, they all live in this community,” said Guerra. “They go to school here, they live here and a lot of their parents or their siblings, a lot of the contacts, the majority of the contacts they have with a uniformed officer, it’s never a positive one.”

And that is why it is so important for LAPD officers like Guerra to mend the divide so students like Jose Tavares can feel more comfortable around cops now.

“I’ve never been this close to a police officer before,” said middle school student Jose Tavares. “I’ve only been close, you know, in the car with my parents, driving.”

And Jose isn’t as afraid as he used to be.

“It actually makes them more friendly,” said Tavares. “I’m thinking, you know, they’re more friendly instead of mean.”

The mural is a win-win for the whole community. The police, the students, and Hudson Pacific Properties who offered this wall to send a positive message. The largest independent owner and operator of studios in the U.S., which include Sunset Bronson, Sunset Gower, and Sunset Las Palmas, large walls on the side of enormous sound stages are usually reserved for advertising.

“What’s really wonderful about it is the school kids come out and the really young kids come out of the school here and they see this gigantic mural and talks about ‘Be Yourself’ so it’s a great social message. I think the timing of it is really good,” said Sunset Studios SVP Bill Humphrey.

Produced by Arts Bridging the Gap through their program LA Street Art Initiative, the mural was designed by Kid Wiseman. They believe there is nothing better than a student feeling like they accomplished a huge project. But it’s all about the collaboration between students and LAPD officers.

“When we get the opportunity to work with kids that are in elementary, this is where I think we need to be focusing,” said Guerra. “Even doing something as simple like this and grabbing a paintbrush or a spray can and painting something positive on a wall versus painting something negative.”

“Be Yourself,” a positive message everybody can get behind.