Happy Birthday to Andrew. I know your birthday is Tuesday, but I'm saying it now in case I forget to later, and also as a note to call you.
So what have I been up to other than torturing myself with writing a script and posting random videos on my Myspace blog? A whole lot actually. On top of the usual trying not to think about the events of last year, while at the same time trying to stay positive about it all. We are all doing fine. Me and Juli that is. Although we have yet to come up on October 23rd, but she's been so strong.
Oh! I FINALLY got to see Dinosaurs. Walking With Dinosaurs The Live Experience that is. I saw the workshop videos months ago showing how they built these huge animatronic life like Dinos, and thought I would NEVER get to see this show. Thankfully the tour came to Winston and I bought tickets months ago. Finally saw this amazing show Saturday night. Here are some pics.
The show is an educational endeavor, targeting kids and families. But the FX were amazing. One of the main reasons for me wanting to go. I really wanted to see these creations perform live first hand. Especially the Raptors. I wanted to see how they would function and how life like it would be. Mainly because it's the same caliber of work I'm looking for in my own FX work for Monster Cops, if I had the money of course. To have a functioning Werewolf the same style of animatronics and performance as some of these Dinos.
It's not without it's flaws. In some of the Dinosaur "battles" they couldn't actually battle, because they didn't want to bang up millions of dollars of work, so the dinosaurs just kind of danced violently around each other. I was suprised at the few hits they actually made. Two Stegosaurases rammed eachother and I wasn't expecting it, nor the loud crash that would come with it, very cool. Also, the show panders a bit more to the center of the audience. We sat to the side, and we noticed that much of the spectacular pieces weren't as great from our position.
Still, it was most definitely more good than bad. Just watching these creatures move and react, were astonishing. The Baby T-rex was cute, the comic relief of the show. Lemme tell ya, that fuckin T-Rex was amazing. When it came stomping in, I was thrilled. And that roar. Damn!!! I've got video of it that doesn't do it justice. I'll try to post it soon. For now, here's the nerdiest picture of me ever.
Superman hat, Warriors shirt, standing quite happily next to a Dinosaur head. NERD!!!!
Another reason for wanting to go to see the Dinosaurs was also because I figured it would be good for Juli. I never really told her this, but I just figured it would be something else for her to experience that could reaffirm that there is a bigger world out there with varying possibilities. Since her mom's cancer and death, she's felt her world fall apart, and in piecing it back together without her mom, it just sometimes feels so small and lonely and without color or possibility. I just want to keep bringing her to experiences that are filled with fun, laughter, wonder, and possibility, cuz she deserves it. I hope seeing this show has added to her experience and sense of wonder. I know it has for me.
Gotta get back to work on Monster Cops. Soooo much work to do, but more on that later.
