JUST BEFORE TKOF FROM LAX ARPT; FLC RECEIVED A HURRIED HEADING CHANGE TO THEIR SID AND TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT.

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WE WERE OPERATING A FLT FROM LAX TO OAK. OUR DEP CLRNC WAS THE 'VENTURA TWO' DEP WITH AN INITIAL ALT OF 2000 FT MSL. THIS SID SPECIFIES A DEP HDG OF 250 DEGS FOR VECTORS TO VTU VORTAC. WHEN WE WERE CLRED ON THE RWY AND FOR TKOF; LAX TWR ADVISED US OF TFC ON FINAL (I DON'T REMEMBER HOW FAR OUT) AND THEN CHANGED OUR DEP INSTRUCTIONS TO: 'AFTER PASSING THE LAX VOR; TURN L TO HDG 210 DEGS; CLB AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT.' I WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT AND; BECAUSE WE WERE EXTREMELY LIGHT; I WAS LEVELING OFF PRIOR TO PASSING THE LAX VOR. DURING THE CLB I HAD THE FO MANUALLY TUNE IN LAX VOR SINCE THE FMS WAS AUTO-TUNING ANOTHER FACILITY AND I NEEDED A POSITIVE CONFIRMATION OF WHEN TO TURN. WORKLOAD INCREASED DRAMATICALLY AS I WAS DOING THE LEVELOFF; TRYING TO IDENT THE TURN POINT; AND COORDINATE CONFIGN CHANGES ALL AT ONCE. AT THIS TIME THE DEP CTLR KEPT QUESTIONING US IF WE STARTED OUR TURN YET. IT WAS THEN THAT I NOTICED THAT WE WERE AT 3400 FT INSTEAD OF OUR ASSIGNED 3000 FT. AS I CORRECTED BACK TO 3000 FT; WE HAD A HAND-OVER TO ANOTHER CTLR WHO CLRED US HIGHER.