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.

After a couple extra days in Angwin thanks to a spot of car trouble, I've arrived and settled into my room in La Canada, California. It's a mere nine miles to the studio from here, but I'm told the commute in can turn into a 30-45 minute drive.

LA driving deserves a blog post of its own. While I'm fortunate enough to have the luxury of a Taco Bell and supermarket within walking distance (there's also a Pier 1 Imports, for all my overpriced houseware needs), anything requiring me behind the wheel is straight up soil-you-pants terrifying. The aggressiveness and anger with which people here drive is reminiscent of the chariots in Ben-Hur. As many people know, I take great pride in my timid, Oregon-style driving methods. So far it's saved me from the horror of wrecks and tickets, but I'm beginning to realize that if I fail to adapt down here, I might be in for even more trouble.

However, the fear of not finding my way on my first day on the job and getting lost in the sprawling maze that is SoCal drove me to face off with my fear of LA highways and make a practice run to the studio I'll be racing to over the next few months. The drive really isn't that bad, but I can only imagine what it'll be like during rush hour time.

I did have the opportunity, once I found my way to the studio gates, to glimpse the exterior of the place. I'm not going to lie - it looks freaking amazing. I'm looking forward to actually getting to enter and see everything in its full glory. I briefly thought about driving up to the gate and asking if I could look around a bit early, but the enormous black man working the security booth didn't look like someone to approach unless you actually had business to conduct. Thanks god I'm a patient man.

It's now the pins and needles I've been sitting on all throughout the past week begin to intensify. I can't believe I'm reporting in for work at DreamWorks! It's just so surreal. The only thing that's been able to detract from the excitement (besides the obvious fact that my heart remains up north with a certain young woman), is the growing, overwhelming fear that I'm going to screw up such an amazing opportunity. Hopefully that melts away tomorrow.

One can only hope.