I was in LA for a week of meetings and arrived to find a great big rain cloud from Dublin had followed me in the plane. I spent the first two days feeling very much at home as it rained constantly. It took me nearly a whole week to get over the jetlag but it was Oscar week and tinsel-town was in full frenzy with paparazzi and camera crews outside every hotel snapping any car with tinted rear windows.
Cathal, Walt and Mickey
As a self confessed Car Nut, I always enjoy LA, oogling the beauty of exotic American cars and to my eyes LA is the automotive capital of the world. A busy week of meetings ensued and I quickly remembered that what looks like a short stroll on a map of LA, is actually 10 mile drive or more. Despite the fact that they all drive on the wrong side of the road over there, I still managed to navigate the city, often with the help of Jonathan Loughran from the Irish Film Board. (The Irish Film Board have an office over there but as Jonathan doesn’t have diplomatic immunity and the police carry guns and sticks, I kept the U-turns and breaking red lights to a minimum!)
On Wednesday night I went to a party in Ron Diamond’s house in Beverly Hills for the 2009 Animation Nominees. This was a great chance to catch up with the LA Animation community.
Thursday night saw the US-Ireland alliance host the Oscar Wilde event, celebrating ‘Irish in Film’. I hooked up with Damien Farrell of Caboom who has an office in both Dublin and LA and we discussed all things animation. We were oblivious to all the celebrities that were apparently there, I only managed to catch a glimpse of Kate Winslett but supposedly I was in a room with lots of famous people.
The Skywalker Ranch
One of the highlights of the week was a visit to Skywalker Ranch on Friday which was an inspiration. Located on almost 5,000 Acres in a remote location near Nicasio, Marin County, the Ranch is simply stunning (a lesser known fact about George Lucas is his interior design skills are on par with his directing talents!). The Ranch is the nerve centre of Lucas Films and I was very happy to have had the opportunity to visit.
The original Darth Vader costume
After the Ranch, I headed into San Francisco city and had a look around ILM and Lucas Films. San Francisco would not be a city to practice hill starts in a manual car but I enjoyed the glimpse of it in the little time I had. Exhausted, I flew back to LAX that night and after a second wind I made my way to the W Hotel in Westwood where a Pre Oscar party was in full swing. Director Steph Green and Producer Tamara Anghie of Irish Zanzibar Films were nominated for their short film ‘New Boy’. The excitement that night was fantastic as we toasted their success Irish Style. Sadly, they didn’t win the Oscar but I’m sure they will continue to do great work.
With Tamara and Edwina of Zanzibar Films
Alas, the week came to an end and I had to return home on Saturday afternoon missing out on Sundays Oscar night in LA. I had some very important things to do back home (ie changing nappies and walking the dog) and after a hectic but enjoyable week in LA, I happily clicked my heels and swapped Californian sunshine for Dublin’s rain and recession.
