Lets talk about the film/ video scene in Denver for a second.

When I originally moved to Denver in 2002, I saw ample opportunity to connect with a wide number of artists ranging from musicians to print folks and video/ film heads. After a year apiece stints at Missouri State U. and scouring Southern California, I finally felt I would land in Denver with a warm welcome.

And I did.

I really like Denver. There are very nice people there, but as in any city, you have to dig for them. I knew the scene I was coveting - the art scene - and I hooked right in. Concerts, snowboarding, art openings, the skate park - all places I made friends. For the last three + years, I’ve been part of “the scene”; that is, making things happening in the local environment I chose.

If you’re currently living in Denver, or are planning a move, let me offer my endorsement and hand in finding a few gigs. Through my work there, I’ve made many contacts, specifically in the film and video business. If you’re looking for work, please hit me up with your resume’/ reel and if I dig your stuff, I can certainly point you in the right direction. Frankly, I know good people in Denver looking for good people to work for them. You might be needed.

As far as second tier cities go, Denver is unique in that there are fair amounts of large AND small film/ video companies operating in the area. You can get mixed in with giants such as Comcast, The Hallmark Channel, Starz, and HDNet among smaller shops like Post Modern, SportsHD, High Noon, Citizen Pictures, and Montano Solaria.

Of course, that’s just a small list of the film/ video shops in Denver - but you get the idea.

Thing is, there’s also a lot I’ve learned to dislike about Denver which I believe can be attributed more to society’s ills (on a whole) as opposed to my innate desire to exhibit nomadic behavior.

Sprawl is a huge problem in Denver. Sprawl is TERRIBLE there. Outside of the city’s walkable core, condensed municipal planning is decades behind growth and the current highway system is even further behind than that. One of my passions, snowboarding, has taken a huge backseat over the last year simply because I’ve developed a great disdain for driving. Unless you LIVE in the mountains of Colorado, they are virtually impossible to enjoy as a hassle free experience.

As progressive as one may perceive “the Colorado Lifestyle”, the particulars of living in Denver have actually driven me to loose faith in Denver’s city model and look elsewhere for the green fueled, global citizen conscious, publicly transportated environment.

Portland, Oregon seemed like the obvious choice.

What follows is a pictorial post of snaps from my move 1250 miles to the West. For the record, Oregon is now the fourth (and will probably NOT be the last) state I’ve lived in.

Add some graphics to YELLOW, and it’d look like we were starting a race team.

Governor of Penske Truck: 90 mph (+)
Dirty, Smelly Cab: (-)
AM-FM Stereo: (-)

Penske: 2 / You: 1

Mandatory sunflower seeds needed to get through the doldrums of Wyoming.

Mere seconds before shutter snap, LeeLoo had decided she needed to go number two facing (butt first) a rather busy intersection in Provo, Utah. insert your own punch line, here _______

Best gas station logo, ever.

Boise, man.

Leaving the spud state. I’ve missed the rain (haven’t seen a good storm in over five years since I left Missouri).

Just across the Idaho/ Oregon state line. Had I spotted a Peter Jackson look-a-like, I’d have sworn we were in New Zealand.

You can’t pump your own gas in Oregon. Its state law. Chevron’s Chris in Baker, OR learned me. When I asked his opinion on why he thought this was, he said, “More jobs I guess.”

A case against BioDiesel can certainly be made, but progressive vibes abound nonetheless.

Notes for this post.

Yellow Snow Maker.

Exhibit: A - Beautiful

Exhibit: B - Desolate

Of Exhibit A & B, one of these two photographs represents an Indian reservation. Can you guess which of these two pieces of land the US Government gave to the Native Americans?

This is a freaking TREE FARM. It’s an awesome sight to behold, acres and acres/ rows and rows of trees and growing saplings used for harvesting timber. Talk about self sustaining - SO COOL.

The florescent green type really pulls the whole color scheme of the bathroom apart.

Holy Crapnetto Batman! Superman’s last changing room!

Oregon’s Columbia River.

More Happy Trees.

My first in-person view of the Portland Skyline.

And after a week of unpacking….

…Home Sweet Home (this is Blanket the cat).

—

So -

All that has me landing in Portland with a big smile on my face. After unpacking and bumping around the city for a week, I must say - I REALLY LIKE IT HERE.

Professionally, yeah, there’s opportunity here. I can smell it. I really want Portland to be the place where my Indie aspirations begin to shine through in a big way. Thus far, I believe I’ve only tickled the market for my stories. Denver helped me create art on a local level, and I think Portland is the place where I’ll figure out how to reach a larger audience.

An on that note, I’ve already come upon a swell opportunity to help further those dreams. In the upcoming weeks and months, I plan on talking about that (/ those) paths as they come to fruition. But before I say too much, I simply encourage everyone out there to view THE END OF SUBURBIA written and directed by Toronto’s Gregory Greene. As I stated on my Ten Great Documentaries post - THE END OF SUBURBIA champions a cause that we all can get behind. Watch it.

More to come. Ciao Boogie.