Well, ...ington |

So I bounced over to the North Island a few days ago, on a day that was so windy we had to pull up upon attempting to make our first descent into Wellington and circle around for another pass. The pilot did manage to put the plane down the second time, and rather smoothly — everyone applauded.

I really, really like it here. I would venture to say Wellington has felt the most like home out of all the cities I’ve visited. On a clear day, the mountain range surrounding the bay is absolutely beautiful, and today my LOTR tour (nerd alert…) took us by Breaker Bay where I saw a breathtaking sunset and could even see the mountains on the South Island.

Being here in “Wellywood” has gotten me thinking more about work and what I should do about it all. Immigration laws in NZ demand that jobs only be given to overseas folk should there not already be a Kiwi equipped for the job. And, let’s face it: being a set production assistant isn’t brain surgery. But what if?

My desire to get involved goes hand-in-hand with my reasoning for being in the film industry. I want to be involved in something bigger than myself, creating something that thousands of people can appreciate for decades to come, and that’s exactly what movie-making allows us to do.
But I would love to work on something great.
I think the magic of Lord of the Rings is that no one realized how successful the movies would be, but yet they devoted two or more years of their lives to the project, created deep friendships, broke rules, and lived daily adventures that forever changed them. Their adventure is not unlike the adventure described in the books, and that kind of an experience is what I’m striving for, and that’s why I love being on movies more than anything else. How awesome would it be to leave it all behind for a year to move to a distant land, focusing on nothing more than one project with one group of people and have that piece of work recognized by millions around the world? You could forever say, “I had a part in that”, and forever whenever you stumbled across a person who you worked beside, you could share that knowing smile — It was our journey and only we know.

I went surfing at Lyall Bay yesterday where the waves were far gentler and less intimidating than back at the Gold Coast. I even stood up a couple of times!

On this trip I’ve realized how adventurous I am, how the 9 to 5 will never cut it for me, and how NOTHING is outside the realm of possibility. The thought of moving to New Orleans, Los Angeles, or even Wellington doesn’t strike me as insane anymore. Wherever I end up, it will work out and be an incredible journey.

Things I want to do when I get home: