Oscars 2014: and the winner is...

I love the Oscars. And that’s not just because I work in the film industry, am a self-confessed movie geek or enjoy seeing all the gorgeous dresses sweeping down the red carpet—although all of that is true—it’s because I love the inspirational acceptance speeches. That’s my favourite part. I love hearing grown men and women talk so openly about their dreams, about believing in yourself and striving for the top. These are all things we're encouraged to talk about as children. Unfortunately, as we get older and real life responsibilities set in, we make compromises. We stop talking about our dreams and goals and focus on the practicalities of every day.

I was eight years old when I decided I wanted to work in the film industry. I had been blown away by Jurassic Park and was determined to be a part of movie-making magic. As I got older, my dream expanded. Not only would I work in film but I would also win an Oscar. My dreams were big, like most kids’ dreams are. Of course, when I went to University to pursue my goal of working in animation and VFX, I scaled down my expectations. I knew it was unlikely that I would ever win an Oscar, so I shifted my focus to working on great, award-winning films. I wasn’t giving up on my dream, but redefining it.

Throughout my career, I’ve been extremely lucky to work on films that have won awards. And although I’ve never been on that glittering Oscars’ stage, I’ve felt the overwhelming joy of being part of a team that brought an amazing film to life and had their efforts acknowledged by the Academy. I still think back to the 2010 Oscars where Avatar won Best Visual Effects and it’s one of the highlights of my life. I will always treasure that night.

When I watch the Oscars, I’m reminded that the desire to follow our dreams is something we should not grow out of. Whilst we might not achieve exactly what we dreamed of as kids, if we work hard, we’re likely to find something equally as satisfying. It's also wonderful to share in the excitement of other people's successes and hear their inspirational journeys. Last night, I particularly enjoyed Jared Leto’s acceptance speech as well as Lupita Nyong'o’s and Robert Lopez's and Kristin Anderson-Lopez’s. If you are ever doubting yourself and your dreams, you should check out their speeches to stay inspired and keep your dreams alive.

And the great thing is that we all have different dreams and paths to follow. As well as winning an Oscar, I’ve always wanted to be a published author. What about you? What are your dreams? How have they changed from when you were a kid? I'd love to hear in the comments.

Step into Magic

Last Sunday I spent the day at Tokyo DisneySea, considered the best theme park in the world by theme park enthusiasts. Tokyo DisneySea is an experience more than a theme park; the details, ambience and theme-ing are beyond imagination. In fact, the first time I visited I was reduced to using only words of exclamation and sounds of disbelief. You are not visiting shops, rides and attractions themed as an Mediterranean harbour, underwater lagoon or volcanic island, but you are in these environments. I love theme parks, but my joy, appreciation and enthusiasm for Tokyo DisneySea knows no bounds. I could talk your ear off about how wonderful it is - although I'll try not to! Put simply: it's the most magical place I've ever visited.

My favourite of the seven themed lands or "ports" is Mysterious Island, based on the works of Jules Verne, specifically, 'The Mysterious Island' novel. The scale is completely overwhelming, it's like stepping inside a fictional world that is fully-functioning and completely immersive and compelling. I could spend all day there, soaking in the atmosphere as a wanna-be explorer.

My second favourite land is the enchanting underground playground of Mermaid Lagoon. The inner child in me loves being surrounded by everything 'The Little Mermaid'. It's another area that demands my time and attention.







After a rewarding, but exhausting, visit to Tokyo DisneySea and the wonderful immersive environments, I couldn't help but think of what other fictional worlds I would like to step into. One that came to mind was the world of Philip Reeve's 'Mortal Engines' novel, where gigantic mobile cities chase smaller cities across barren wastelands; where cities eat other cities. I would love to wind my way through a "Traction City", from the grimy depths of the bottom tiers to the gleaming wealthy top levels where I could watch a city chase that's underway. What a great ride/experience that would be!

What about you? What fictional landscape/world would you like to walkthrough and experience? Please let me know in the comments.

Now for more Tokyo DisneySea pictures, just because they're awesome...