I can remember very vividly over 32 years old in middle school standing in line after recess had just ended. My classmate Jarred Green had asked what you want be when I grow up? And my immediately answer was I wanted work in the Hollywood. He chuckled and laughing mocking me. Even Mom tried to discourage me by suggesting that I just get a job at local cable station in our small town.
But rather than giving up on my dream I decided go for it. Prove everyone wrong. So after graduationg from high School I went to Community College to study in the Television program. I spent almost every waking hour learning what I could. I would be the first in the morning, arriving to open the campus studio and the last to leave to shut down the equipment. Shortly after my professor recommended me to a job as driver at Production rental company in Hollywood. I applied the same tecnque as before, come early learn about the equipment when I wasn't on road doing a delivery. In a matter of less than year I was offered to work as Quality Control engineer checking equipment before they went out to the clients. I became aware of a pattern.
It was through my hard work and dedication. So as a Quality Control I was given the opportunity to volunteer to work for experience on small film productions. My family and friends thought I was insane. Working for free! Well....after a years times I gained so much experience that I was able to get a job at the Walt Disney Studios feature Animation ....Lion King... Frozen... while still going part-time in College. In fact I spent another 4 going from an assistant engineer with 16 people in the department to be asked to be the senior Video engineer managing the build out of Disney TV animation new state of the art studio. After 10 tens years decided to leave Disney and hollwoood pursue my anbimtion of working on a low budget indepentantfull length feature Documentary.
Once again friends and family shook their heads in disparity. My best friend warned me that I am taking a big risk of not being able to get another job in such a big Hollywood studio. After 3 years Business travel to all the big cities at the final weeks of completion of the Documentary , I got a call from the head of Disney TV animation technology offering my position back to help expand what I built from 5 years before. I declined and got a job at Dreamworks Animation where I closeysupporting with CEO JeffereyKatenzburg in further advancement of the their Audio and Video needs and how to implement hstudiowied The moral of my story is don't give on your dream. I have two mottos in life:
1-My work is my life, and my life is my work.
2- Make your dream into aspiration so you can inspire others. So there you have it. This one of the many chapter of my journey. I quit Dreamworks animation in 2014 and moved to Shanghai,China. Rather than asking why, my friends and family were more curious and excited. They ask similar question to what Jarred Green asked me Over 30 years ago " What are you going do you China?"
My answer be part of the development the new Hollywood.