Before I begin ;-)

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Martin's Beginning

I'm always being asked how I got started in this business and how I got to where I am. Well...

I was a geek. Like most of the people in this industry (Or at least this aspect) I was (and still am) a major Science Fiction fan. I went to conventions and hung out in costume. I volunteered to accomplish con tasks and took part in Masquerades as well as parody plays and such.

I was born in Shelburne, Ontario and lived most of my life in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. I was always doing tech stuff in High School plays and knew the lighting and sound system like the back of my hand. When I met Christina at a Dr. Who convention I decided that I wanted to be in Toronto with her and the many friends that I had made while at conventions. A small group in Toronto was interested in forming a 'club' of fans that built and created fan costumes and props for the hell of it. I decided I wanted to be part of that. So I did. We called ourselves the 'Not The BBC Props Dept.'

I drove back and forth from Brantford to Toronto for meetings and events. A car accident on Feb. 11/88 landed me in Toronto for a week. While staying at Christina's (Her mom's - actually) I decided to go to a job interview with a theatre and lighting company. Bruce Whitehead at Lumitrol seemed to be impressed (Or desperate) with me so he hired me on. Crazy as I was I drove back and forth for the first few months. After a bit I couldn't stand it any more and moved here.

I got bored of the 9to5, five day weeks, doing the same systems over and over again. I still conventioned and built and created in order to keep me active. Christina and I did many plays and competed all over. With the fan group we traveled around North America with Dr. Who replicas. Eventually Paramount Home Video found us and began to use us for store openings and promos. We took over the Bridge... etc... etc... If you go to our hobby pages you'll see what we mean. Now... That lasted for years... Then....

It happened. Boredom returned. The challenge was slipping. From 1988 to 1996 I was doing what I wanted to do as a profession, as a hobby. I took the risk. I began to do indie films and small scale productions. I called people I had met before and met up with them. I built up a contact list and called like mad for interviews. I cleaned up a lot of the props I had made for our gigs with Paramount Home Video and used them as samples of my work. Put together a 'portfolio' and a resume. Finally... In 1997 Monica Babic of JJAMB Productions sat across from me and told me what was wrong with the sample piece I had brought to the interview. I was bummed out. I left that interview and returned to Christina who was waiting outside. I was ready to give up. All of the other companies that interviewed me previously seemed so much more complimenting but none had called. I was sure that her criticism was a definite 'no way' and figured I never hear from them again.

Boy was I wrong. They called me to be a finisher on one project and before I knew it I was accepting the title as 'prop builder' and actual staff. Even though I still freelance (Must fill the gaps between gigs) I am a staff member of JJAMB and working as hard as I can work.

Now. I invite Christina to share hers

Christina's Beginning

Well... See above. More or less the same.. The club, traveling to cons, etc... I'm in most of his pics too.. Cool.

I'll add:

Unlike Martin I was a freak instead of a geek.

Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada I know this city like the back of my hand. In high school I had shaved my eyebrows off and drew them in every day. My hair had been streaked a number of colours and I am still amazed that it has all survived.

When I met Martin at the convention in 1997 I had tamed down a little. It was my final year of high school and I was getting tired of spending 2 hours a morning getting ready. My lifetime love for Sci-fi began to dominate and my passion for daily visual freaking people out was fading. One was an easier morning routine and I could still be considered a weirdo. Dressing up at conventions would now be the time to freak people out.

I've done a number of things. I worked with a dog groomer as a bather, one mascot company and a children's costume company as a seamstress, ran (agent?) the group for Paramount Home Video as well as acting with them, Researcher for a multi media company, retail at a clothing store, finisher for a jeweler, child care (Okay,okay - I babysat)..... etc. but I never felt as good as I did when I was in front of a camera or on stage. Parody play after play, kid's parties and mascot work, masquerade, media relations for Toronto Trek, etc.. I took every opportunity to get in front of a group or a camera. Like Martin it began as a hobby and eventually branched out into my profession.

I now have a wonderful agent, Watson Talent Management, and I plan on going far.

 

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