| My
name is Jason and I'm 28 years old. I currently reside in
North Hollywood here in Southern California. This place is
close to where I grew up, and I've lived in Southern California
almost my entire life. Home has always been a fairly nice
environment and I certainly have no complaints.
Throughout
most of my life, I have held an intense interest in the entertainment
arts. My first real lust for blood was quenched when in sixth
grade I took the role of Hamlet in our class play. As I progressed
through High School, I became more and more interested in
entertainment. I suppose some of that passion comes from the
enjoyment experienced by other people. This explains a lot
about my personality.
Work for me in
school though was a little bit more centered on the scientific
side of life. I worked as a Technical Lab Assistant at the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory which was not only a lot of fun,
but it also helped me grow to be a more responsible individual.
Regardless of this employment, a life of film and movies was
definitely my passion and career choice. So that's what I
did. After graduation from High School, I took a couple of
years off from education in order to work. There were smaller
jobs such as clerks in Laserdisc and video stores but I mostly
worked as a camera assistant doing commercials, music videos,
and small features. I had a lot of fun, and made some pretty
good money at the same time.![[Self-Portrait]](about/images/SelfPortrait.jpg)
I decided to
return to school and finish up a degree. I acquired my Associates
of Arts degree where I concentrated on photography. This interest
helps to support some of the wondrous and glorious photography
contained here at Disneyland Magic (such as the ominous looking
self-portrait). I then attended the University of Oregon in
Eugene to do some work in Theater Arts. Although movies were
still my main inspiration and motivation, I wanted to live
somewhere else for a change and get away from Southern California.
I do miss it up there. It is clean there and plenty of rain.
I love rain. But after Oregon, I returned home to California
and began work on some smaller movies before eventually getting
a job at the visual effects house Digital Domain.
Where
does Disney fit into all of this? Good question. My family
has always been a "Disney" family. We always went to the park
at least once a year (much more than that for me since I turned
16 and was able to drive myself). We also had a few Disney
employees in the family so sometimes I had the opportunity
to take a good look at what was coming up in the future at
a Disney or Imagineering Open House. Also, my aunt and uncle
were both in France for the building of EuroDisneyland (now
referred to as the Disneyland Resort in Paris). My uncle was
a designer on the Orbitron project, which of course was later
brought here to be the Astro Orbitor. They have both been
creative inspirations for me.
So why Disneyland?
That part of me isn't so easy to explain. There's the classic
Disney Magic... true. There's more to it though. No matter
what is happening in life, Disneyland seems to makes everything
feel good... Well, almost. I've had some bad days there, but
even those days are quite memorable. As soon as one walks
into the park, there is the overpowering surge of creativity.
It is such a spark of inspiration. I am instantly on an adventure.
It could appear juvenile I know, but that's how it feels.
I can't deny the fact that some of the most emotional days
of my life have taken place at Disneyland. It is these strong
emotions from the past that stay with me and make a Disneyland
day like no other. And while my past feelings from the park
are strong, I can only imagine what the future will bring.
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