Woody's contribution

Woody has been flat out at work and has not had time to respond to his friends and colleagues emails.

This is his contribution...

Vancouver;

Land of the Looney, Beaver, Moose , Grisly Bear, raccoons, bagels, cheesy flavored everythings and the Inukshuk! The people here are so nice and say “your welcome” soooo much you feel scared. What do they want? What are they on? It is the land of the free dope smoking, mmmmm.

Even the bus drivers are extremely helpful. They welcome you on the bus and wish you a good day getting off!, every day! Hey am I paying too much?

Then there are the ferry boats that take you across and up and down the river. I get one each day as its part of my ride to work. Now these boats are kind of funny.

Imagine a 6 year old boy with his toy boat in the bath. Now slightly enlarge that. Bit more. That’s it. Yes a cork with a motor. The driver sits up in the middle looking out a hole in the top like a half submarine. He has to look out the window in the top because he is filling the entire space. I pay 2 looney (2 $CAD) to cross the harbour ; which is about what you would pay for the boat at the 1 dollar shop. Still the “captain” of the toy boat tells stories , “the saying , look a gift horse in the mouth, this came from the old days; when if you were given a horse it would be very rude to start pulling back its lips and checking if the teeth where any good”. Very useful information should I be given a horse.

The harbor has seals in it at the moment which look like really cute puppy dogs. The followed us on the sea walk the other day. There was also a whale in the harbour just before we arrived. Now picture me in the toy boat and now picture the largest mammal in the world coming up to say hi!

The mountains surround the back of the city and have snow on the top which is very cool to see from your bedroom window if you’re from Australia. The weather around these mountains is constantly changing so the skies, mist and clouds and sunsets are just incredible. Weather is wet, sunny, warm, cold, chilly, this morning.

Everyone is out on the seawall walk at the end of the day catching the sun which looks like 3.pm to me when its about 9.30 pm.

Long days are really good. I can come home from work, go to the gym, have a swim and spa – all of which comes with the apartment, and walk up and watch the mid afternoon sun!

People are playing cement hockey on the basketball courts, weird hippy people are playing various instruments at various levels of skills, one very crappy hip hop rap singer who is shit! Wish someone would lop him like a fir tree.

Stanley park is a great big island park which we have ridden around- about 11 Km and walked though a bit on the weekends is fantastic. That’s where we have seen beaver and raccoons. It’s only about a 20 min ride from home. I have not seen a Moose there …only a goose. You can only ride around the park in one direction, which is very funny watching the summer tourist try to ride against the flow. This is the one time when the shiney pearly white smile of the Vancouverite, on his or her power ride, rollerblade, or run around the park becomes a nasty snarl. Very funny to see. Yes we did try to ride the wrong way.

We are hoping to get out and see the surrounding environment over the coming weeks. It looks fantastic to see and explore.

Digital Domain.

I sit in a dark room with two monitors two computers a set of draws, nearby a kitchen and toilet , also nearby are nice offices with sunlight and a great view that have producers and co-coordinators in them. Around me are many geeks……yes all the film effects houses look the same.

Actually work has also been very friendly and the work has been great to date. I have no complaints and have been made very welcome.

I have mainly been doing concept frames for THOR to date. Sup here seems very good.TRON looks very good. I think it will be very well received.

The company here is 88 staff going to 155 ish. LA crew is 600 + and key staff are up and down between the studios so that keeps it all in the mix well. They have some incredible films on the books starting soon, which is also very good to see in the current film industry climate.

PS: bonus giver away, write to me and I will send a beaver postcard!

Woody