Weirdness

It has been a long time since I've felt the urge to blog away. Lots of good things have happened over the past couple of months: the wife and kids have settled in, we've moved to a new place in the West End, and the second term is nearly completed at school.

Furthermore, we saw my old friend Ryan and his wife Young-ju as they stopped by Vancouver for a visit in July. Heather, the kids, and I attended all four nights of the fireworks competition at English Bay. We even got an up-close look at the Pride Parade as it was happening more or less outside our door.

But none of these events inspired me to get on the ol' blog. They were too nice. Nothing unusual. Just good times. Today, however, was different. I witnessed something so creepy that... well, let me explain.

I stopped in McDonald's on Robson Street near my place. It was around 5:30 or so, and very few people were in the place. In fact, besides myself sitting at one end, there were three others in the seating area. Two people sat together: a man who looked to be about 45 or 50 years old, with dark hair and a greying beard. Across from him was an old lady, who appeared to be in the neighbourhood of 85. One table over was a guy, sitting by himself.

As I ate my chicken burger, I watched the man and the old woman at the table. It began to occur to me that the scene was unusual for some reason. The conversation they were having seemed to be one way, with the old lady just sitting there. Occasionally she would glance at me. The man was sitting with his back to me. I wasn't really listening to them, just observing. Then I began to become curious over what he was saying to this woman, so I consciously paid attention. He seemed to be talking about medical school. He had gone there for a while, apparently.

Somehow, this prompted the man at the next table to share a lawyer joke. To paraphrase, a lawyer died and was supposed to go to heaven but accidentally got sent to hell. When God asked Satan to send him back, Satan refused. God said, "I'll sue you." Satan responded, "Really? Where are you gonna find a lawyer?" The man with the lady kind of stared, then said, "That's a joke, right?" Umm, yeah, the guy replied. Then he got up and left.

So now the man and the old woman were sitting quite alone. This is where it gets really creepy. The man said to her, "Wanna move in with me? I've got a big bed. You can cuddle with me if you like. Would you like to cuddle with me?" What the fuck??? Clear as day, he said those words. I didn't have to strain to hear him. There was no ambient noise to filter out. Just this weird guy asking an 85-year-old woman to sleep with him. She said no, and then glanced over at me one more time.

So, what did I do? I began to take note of things. He was wearing a grey, collared shirt and blue jeans. He weighed about, oh, 190-200 lbs, I would estimate. About average height. Why was I doing this? If I heard on the news in the coming days that an old lady in the West End had come to some unfortunate end, I was going to be prepared to tell the police everything I could about this guy, who was likely a mental patient. Imagine if I could get his name.

As luck would have it, another elderly couple, around age 60, spoke to him. They knew each other, sort of. The creepy man said, "Why didn't you call me back?" I'm sorry, replied the man to whom he was speaking. Then they exchanged phone numbers, and creepy man said it. "My name is Iman Arnold." Amazing. Now I had a full description AND a name, should the need ever arise.

Is there a mental hospital in my neighbourhood that I don't know about? Is it now considered suitable behaviour for 50 year-old guys to hit on 80-something women who need walkers to get around? This was too bizarre to believe, except for the fact I witnessed it. I'm still dumbfounded.

But at least I have a good story to share on my blog.

Lucky 07/07/07

Today is a day I've been looking forward to for eleven weeks.

Heather, Renee, and Kaitlyn are coming to Vancouver. Yay!!!

Time to head to the airport. More to come soon.

Sweepless in Seattle

It's July 6th. Oh, and by the way, summer is finally here! My condo is actually, almost, kinda sweltering. Outside, the breeze keeps the downtown area comfortable, but there is still an intense desire to blow off homework and storm the beach.

Over the Canada Day weekend, I showed my patriotism by heading to Seattle. What?!

Well, the Blue Jays were playing there, and they needed my support. As it turned out, they got swept in spite of the throngs of Canadians who turned up at Safeco and made Seattle seem like a Canadian enclave for the weekend. The weather was spectacular and the city showed me its fun side, from the various sidewalk cafes and bistros on 1st Avenue to the 'Ride the Ducks' land and water tour. When I ascended the Space Needle on the last day, the wondrous Mount Ranier became visible. It appeared to be floating on clouds, a sight I will never forget.

The only negative was that I was travelling alone, so I couldn't share the pleasures of the Emerald City with family or friends. But, seeing that Seattle is a mere 3-4 hours away from Vancouver by car, it's quite possible I'll make my way down again.

PHOTO ALBUM

There's More to Vancouver

Yeah, so I finally got out of the downtown area, thanks to my buds Terry and Kenn visiting from Ontario. With a rented car, we managed to get up north, first to Lynn Canyon Park, and then up to Whistler. It's spectacular up in that neck of the woods.

Here's a short video of our weekend.

Time Flies

10:25 am. No school today. End of term. A siren howls down on the street, just like everyday. Seems strange because it's a great neighbourhood, but there's always a fire truck or an ambulance roaring by.

Five days off until the next term begins. The first term flew by, which usually means it was a good time. And it was. I've gotten to know my classmates much better, not only in class but outside, as well. And that pitch class that was causing me nightmares? Survived it, and even made a fine pitch of an original feature film idea. Doing so in that class, with that particular teacher... well, I won't say it was like slaying the dragon, but the metaphor lingers in my mind.

I've come to believe that I can succeed at this business of screenwriting. I don't feel as intimidated as I did at the start. We will soon begin the process of writing our feature script, and that will start a week from today when we pitch three film ideas to a panel of instructors.

As for this weekend, my buddies Terry and Kenn are coming from Ontario to hang out. If the weather is nice, I'd like to get up to the mountains, maybe to Whistler. It'll be a righteous time for three buddies who've been doing stuff together ever since the university days (just not nearly often enough).

And that's life on the left coast, exactly two months since I arrived. Time flies.

Term 1 Update

The first term at VFS is rapidly coming to an end. We have ten more days, to be specific. Time is definitely going fast, and that tells me that things are pretty good.

Of course, not everything is roses. I'm learning that I suck at pitching if for no other reason than I don't remember the details of my pitches all that well. I suppose I'm going to get better at it -- that's the hope. Actually, I will say that my success at pitching ideas has boiled down to the person I'm pitching for: When I pitch for Kelsey, I do pretty well. When I pitch for Kat, I feel the noose tightening.

Other than that, I'm pretty stoked about being here. There's something inherently cool about studying movies for a living. I'm gaining respect for good screenwriters because I'm learning how difficult it is to BE a good screenwriter. On my Facebook page, I've started analyzing films for themes and iconography, and practicing my loglines at the same time. It's quite enlightening to watch a movie this way, although it is equally pleasing to then sit back and just enjoy a film for what it is -- entertainment.

So, now I will pop in a DVD this evening. Hey, it's homework, really. Again, pretty damn cool.

On Set

Taking classes at VFS is fun and all, but it isn't the only way to learn about the film industry. Today, I earned my first credits - as an extra and a grip - while a short film was being shot. It was easy to do, and now my name will appear in the end credits. That's cool.

These kinds of opportunities are one of the benefits of attending film school. Not only do you get some on-set experience for the resume, but there's the distinct possibility of being asked back for other shoots, or perhaps of being recommended to other directors. It's another foot in the door.

I want to thank Nicholas Humphries of VFS, who was the writer, producer, and director of the short film, for sending the invitation to anyone in the program to come help out. He appreciated the assistance, and I appreciated the opportunity to participate. Best of luck, Nick, when your film goes to the film festival.

Meeting the People

Three weeks into our classes, things are generally looking good. I'm talking about interesting classes on the whole, and we are getting to know more people at VFS with whom we may be collaborating in the future.

A couple of our instructors who impress me are Dean Burns and Kelsey Kirvan. I think Dean is sharp as a... porcupine needle (sorry, can't use a cliche). He's mellow, but he knows his stuff concerning the film industry. Not to mention that I'll always fondly remember him as the person who introduced the terms 'loglines' and 'beatsheets' to my vocabulary. Thank you so much, Dean!

As for Kelsey, I don't know if "impressed" is really the word I'm looking for. I just love the guy for his personality and approach to our pitch classes. Any guy who claims (even in jest) to have turned down a job because of the pants requirement is fuckin' right on in my books. Last week, he reached one of his objectives, which was to make one of the girls in our class cry. No, he isn't really cruel; he's just funny as all hell. And he attended the University of Western Ontario -- the mortal enemy -- at the same time I went to Guelph. I do believe him when he says he didn't drive a jeep at Western.

Last Friday night was karaoke night, and "WHOA NELLY" did we have fun. The writers were well represented, singing a number of classics very poorly. A few actors and some film production people showed up, too. The highlight of the night came at the end when I nearly knocked the DJ's MacBook Pro on the ground when I tripped coming off the stage.

And tonight was the mandatory mixer for first-termers. The objective was to meet students in the other programs at VFS, collect names and email addresses, and lay the groundwork for future collaboration. The beer we drank immediately preceding the mixer was a definite help.

So that's what life on the left coast has been like of late. For the most part, it's tres cool. No regrets so far.

Karaoke Night at VFS

Falling for Vancouver

It's 9:00 pm, and I'm thinking about the day that just passed. It turned out to be a near-spectacular day -- 20 degrees, pure blue skies, a calm breeze. It was so good that after school finished, I went walking all over the place just because I wanted to be outside.

Ultimately, I went to David Lam Park in Yaletown. There were families with young children playing on the swings and slides. Two teams enjoyed a game of frisbee football (or something like that). Cyclists and joggers passed by along the sea wall. As for myself, I was simply taking it all in while listening to my personal soundtrack on my iPod. Interestingly, the music provided the perfect background to my observations of the activities unfolding all around. At one point, Phil Collins' True Colors played while I was admiring the deep blue water, the light blue sky, and the fabulous green of the thick grass. Then I closed my eyes and smelled the salty water of False Creek, and I could feel the breeze bringing some relief from the sun. Then I re-opened my eyes to watch a sea bird glide just inches above the water.

As great as it was, I wanted to share the moment with my wife and daughters, who are still in Korea. They would have loved it, and they will love it when they finally arrive.

And that's the feeling I'm now getting about Vancouver. This place really is special. It makes you feel good to be here. Two weeks ago, I felt out of sorts, like I didn't belong. Now I walk down the street just like any Vancouverite, and I could see myself staying here for quite some time. Days like today can make you fall for Vancouver.

It's 9:24 pm, and the city's lights shimmer outside my window. Just another source of enjoyment in this wonderful place.

Loglines and Beatsheets

A week into my classes at VFS, I realize just how little I know about the business of film and TV. We started our Genre: TV class by listing different genres and examples of those genres on the board. At least half of the TV shows mentioned I had never even heard of before, and probably 90 % of them I hadn't seen. Needless to say, having spent so much time in Korea has caused me to abandon my television viewing habits. Under normal circumstances, that would be fine, but as an aspiring writer, maybe I've got some catching up to do. So, in addition to all the regular homework I have to do, now I have a whole bunch of TV shows I should watch. Hmm, could be worse, I suppose.

Yesterday, I completed my first homework assignment -- an adaptation of the first chapter of The Maltese Falcon. The point of the assignment was to learn the correct format for writing a screenplay. Whether or not I did a decent job of adapting the story is probably not important right now, but it was good to get the practice.

I also completed reading a script for the first time: Some Like It Hot. Written half a century ago, the screenplay is probably meant to demonstrate some features that we would not want to include in our scripts today, especially the overly-descriptive action paragraphs and the guiding of the camera. Nevertheless, it was an entertaining story, easy to visualize.

As for those loglines and beatsheets, I learned what they are: difficult to do! But at least I know what their purpose is. And it's those kinds of things that begin to make me think I'm getting something useful out of this program.

P.S. In case some of my former co-workers in Korea read this, don't be confused about the term beatsheets. Those aren't something you use after enjoying your favourite porn on the Internet. Just thought there might be some confusion there. Carry on.

View From My High Perch

It's 8:34 pm. It's the second night I've been in my new abode -- a studio apartment in a condo, on the 17th floor, in downtown Vancouver. I have great views of... more skyscrapers, in every direction. Actually, though, it's pretty spectacular. The snow-capped mountains are visible on clear days, so it's nice to just gaze out the window.

The weather changes quickly here. This morning, it was raining hard as I walked to school. By the afternoon, it was nice and sunny. In the early evening, I went for a walk along the waterfront, and by the time I got home it had started to rain. Just a few minutes ago, I saw lightning out my floor-to-ceiling bedroom window. It's really quite the vision watching dark, swirling clouds from my location in the sky.

I like my neighbourhood. It's less than 20 minutes on foot to school. There are plenty of options for eating and entertainment nearby. The waterfront is just two blocks away. I'm pretty lucky.

Anyway, I should actually spend some time this evening looking at homework. Gotta read the script for Some Like It Hot. Beyond that, I don't really know what to do yet, but at least you could do worse than have to read movie scripts for homework.

It's 8:55 pm. Until next time...

Brighter Days

I've now been in Vancouver for a week. Whereas much of this past week has been rainy and dreary, Saturday was terrific. The bright sunshine afforded me the opportunity to take a BigBus tour of the city. What a difference the sunshine makes in the feeling one gets in this city. Instead of everything looking a shade of grey (as on rainy days), the colours come out. Beautiful people and expensive cars are everywhere. Vancouver is a special place, there's no doubt about that.

I'm still getting used to life here. I'm relearning little things like tipping, although it seems to me that the practice of tipping is different from what I remember: even when I eat at fast-food-type restaurants, there is a tip jar. As such, I'm not sure if I have offended any merchants by failing to leave tips when they are expected.

Tomorrow is the first day of class. The nervous excitement is starting to build once more.

A Fresh Start

It's 6:05 am, Pacific Daylight Time.

I'm in my hotel room, unable to sleep. It has been this way since I got to Vancouver. At first I figured it was simply jet lag, but now that I've been here for six days, I wonder if it is something else.

Maybe it's the anticipation of starting my new life here on the left coast of North America. I just returned from seven years in Korea as an English teacher. Before that, I lived and worked in Toronto for two years. Prior to that, I had spent two stints in Korea, also teaching English. And before all of that, I had spent five years enjoying the blissful life of an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph, earning a B.A. in History and Political Studies. Now, I am about to embark on a new challenge. On Monday, April, 30th, 2007, I will begin a one-year program at Vancouver Film School, learning how to write for film and television.

However, maybe my inability to sleep is due to the stress of resettling in this country. It's amazing how many things you have to do when you return to your home country: get health insurance, acquire a driver's license, EAT! Everything costs money, especially in Vancouver. When I was working in Korea, I simply wasn't that concerned about spending money. Now, I have to be fully conscious of everything I do. And I have to get used to how things are done here. It's reverse culture shock, you know.

So, I think these are the reasons I haven't been able to sleep well since I arrived in Vancouver.

*****

My wife and two daughters are still in Korea. They will join me here in the summer after I have had time to get settled. I miss them, but I've been fortunate to have been able to talk to them via Skype. In the meantime, I've spent this first week getting accustomed to the city. I've been doing a lot of walking. I've ridden the SkyTrain. On Monday and Tuesday, I attended orientation sessions at VFS. On Monday night, I sat in a sports bar and revelled with local sports fans as the Vancouver Canucks won their first-round playoff series with Dallas. I cheered for Vancouver because it was easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm of the moment. I dared not mention that I'm a Leafs fan at heart.

Later in the week, I walked around the Yaletown neighbourhood of downtown Vancouver. This area is awesome -- waterfront with marina, parks, highrise condos. I stopped at an intersection to watch a film shoot that was taking place. Yep, this seems like a happening place. On Wednesday night, I met a friend from my time in Korea. We had dinner at the Yaletown Brewery, and I enjoyed spending time with a friendly and familiar face, something I had otherwise yet to do in Vancouver.

The last couple days have been very wet and cool. This isn't surprising, but it has caused me to spend more time in my hotel room than I'd like. I'm taking advantage of this time to catch up on my blogging, including starting this new one. A little later, I will chat with my wife once again on Skype, and then maybe, just maybe, I will try to sleep a little bit more.

It is now 6:35 am. The sky is brightening up outside my window, but I simply must try to normalize my sleeping pattern. Waking up at 3:30 in the morning, as I did again today, is not a habit I want to develop. Three more days until I start classes. And then maybe I will begin to get used to this new life on the left coast of Canada.