The DreamWorks Kid

Do you ever have those moments in life when things are just so wonderful and so incredible that you automatically begin attempting to convince yourself it's too good to be true, only to find that no amount of convincing or pinching seems to wake you up? It's then when you begin to realize that, yes, this is really happening. I've only had a couple moments like that in my life, but yesterday just added one more to the count.

Stepping through the studio gates was one jaw-dropping ordeal. No amount of PR could ever begin to do justice to how incredible the DreamWorks campus is. Rivers, fountains, waterfalls, and lagoons sweep through the place as the walls are blanketed in ivy. The weather was beautiful and the sun was able to spill into the campus, making it look even more magical.

And that was just walking in.

I walked over to the studio's theater, trying my best to keep the butterflies swirling in my stomach from escaping. Upon walking into the theater complex, I was greeted by a case holding the studios two Best Animated Feature Oscars, flanked by huge sculptures of ugly ogres and martial arts wielding pandas. I took my place with a couple other equally nervous new interns and waiting for an eternity (read: 15 minutes) while we waited for Peter Campbell, the Intern Coordinator, to arrive. The man is good at what he does, because only a few minutes after introducing himself, he had us all laughing and forgetting why we were all so nervous in the first place. All that remained was an overwhelming sense of giddiness over the fact that, yes, we get to work here.

We all went to a room for a few hours and learning all about company history, projects (past and future), policy, and benefits. The last one was by far the most exciting. The campus offers quite a bit of fun when you're not working. From the delicious dining commons (I never want to eat at the PUC Caf. Ever. Again.) to yoga lessons, to evening classes and workshops from DreamWorks artists and writers, to screenings of current films, all are offered to employees just for working there. So this is what working for one of those 100 Best Places to Work is like.

After the general orientation, I was handed off to my supervisor in the Story Department, David Joyner, where I'll be working. After a whirlwind of introductions to all the people in the department, the Script Coordinator (and my corner office mate) Jabarri taught me how to prep and deliver storyboards to the various departments, and then invited me downstairs with the directors to observe a scratch voice recording session. More on what that is later. The big thing is that I found myself in the same room with Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the directors I've admired quite a bit (they're best known for directing Disney's Lilo and Stitch, and have worked on countless other projects). Not only do they seem like awesome guys, but just observing them work was mindblowingly fun.

Before I knew it, it was time to depart. I gathered my things and head down to the theater to catch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (the studio theater is screening all the Best Picture nominees for employees). I have to say, I still had a big, fat, goofy smile plastered across my face on the drive back to La Canada.

In fact, I think I still had it when I fell asleep.