Eastgate Reopening on 26th July

This is fantastic news. Eastgate shopping centre will reopen on the 26th of July having been shut by the devastating February 22 Earthquake.

Countdown and The Warehouse have both opened in recent months, adding a little bit of normality into our quake ravaged lives. The reopening of the rest of the mall will be the finishing touch. I cannot wait to go back to the mall, I can't believe how much I have missed it, then again you don't really appreciate something until it's gone.

The centre is smaller now. Many shops will not be back immediately, as they needed to be demolished. In the short term a car park has been made on the site where they once stood. How many years it will be until they rebuild those shops is anyone's guess. I reckon we'll be looking at four or five years at least.

This blog was inactive at the time of the quakes, so nothing in the past before the reboot dealt with what we went through. Getting these shops back is a ray of sunshine bleeding into the darkness of a very long, cold winter.

Why Kids Movies Rule

Kids movies rule. I'd rather watch the latest 3D animated feature than the dull dross served up to more "adult" audiences. They got Cars 2 this summer, while adult audiences were served The Hangover 2. The more infantile movie here is Hangover. Cars is a thoroughly fun and entertaining film for everyone.

The newer movies, pushed by Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks, are aiming to entertain adult audiences as well as the young ones. I'd call them a guilty pleasure, but I feel no guilt about enjoying them. They've got great stories, witty and sharp dialogue and animation is just so cool. There is nothing like seeing a computer-drawn car burst to life on the big screen and, recently, with the 3D screens, jump out at you. There is a clever use of vibrant colours and wacky set designs that draw you into another world. Escapism. An hour and a half passes by all to quickly and then, it's back to a grey, wintery night.

I can see why this is the dream job that I chase. To be a part of bringing that big, vibrant world of animation to life.

Animated features do 3D better than live action. They don't treat their audiences like idiots and as a result, a near 30 year old like myself can enjoy them as much as a ten year old. It didn't always used to be like that, but it is now.

Chasing the Dream

I have sent away fro a Natcoll enrolment pack, it is the start of a long journey toward my goal of becoming an employee at Pixar.

It's a dream that gets rekindled in me every time I see one of their films, although now I am determined more than ever to make something out of it. I can't push trolleys for the rest of my life, I need more, I want more. A more fulfilling purpose, where I can use my God-given passions and abilities.
I asked myself, just where can I go to work every day and be happy? This is where. Making feature films a world away from the drudgery of trolley collection. Even the monotony of moving the 433rd node into position 9870 to make a character smile is more exciting than that. I know that animating is hard work full of repetition, but it is hard work full of repetition, that turns into Hollywood gold. The feeling of achieving something great, that will endure for generations.

Not to mention the fantastic facilities that are available at the Pixar campus, and a work life ethic that values and encourages creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. This is why they make hit movie after hit movie, and haven't slipped up. 12 feature films with critical and/or box office success, a record in the industry like no other, an envy to their rivals.

I am willing to do what it takes to get there, Long hours of study and work ahead of me. I really really want to be a part of their team. I ask for your prayers and support for this journey. It will be quite an experience.

4D Rebooted

The old Gazza4D is gone. I decided to reboot the blog and start from scratch. All those old political posts wont fit here anymore.

G4D 2.0 is now focused on life, entertainment and faith. One major new component will be me posting here about my journey towards working for Pixar, which is my dream job. You can see in this photoshopped image tot he right that I'm mad keen on the prospect of one day landing the gig and moving on over to Emeryville, California.


What to expect from the new Gazza4D:

• The Pixar Journey - What I'm doing towards the goal of Pixar Employee
  
• At the Movies - Film Reviews
• Graphical Deviation: Photoshopped pictures and logo designs
  
• InFaith - Musings about all things connected to my faith
• Life - Work, Home, and anything else which does not fit the above criteria.

What NOT to expect from the new Gazza4D:

• Politics
• Bible thumping
• nonsense

Out with the old, in with the new. If you have a blog and would like to be linked, then let me know. I've removed all my old links since most of them are now dead and/or broken blog sites. Welcome to the future, enjoy your stay. :)