New York: Its Up To You...

Little Gobie hits the Big Apple...

Even though I now have my own B&E Productions company, my 'home' studio remains New York-based Weinstein Company, and so it was to Tribeca that I flew with the Little Gobie team (director Tony Tang, producer Charlie Wong, executive producer Lee Yuen-hong...) to meet the boss of all bosses, Harvey Weinstein, and announce that TWC would be handling worldwide distribution of T-Films breakthrough animation, 'Little Gobie'.

Thanks to Charlie and Tony, I got the chance to produce the film with them, and its my first foray into the animation field. It was great that the movie was so well received by the TWC team, and to have our little blue reindeer brought to the waiting world by the guys that wrote the book on indie distribution.

At the company's Tribeca offices, we discussed the plans for the film, and some forthcoming animation projects, as well as several live-action ventures. Harvey, Tony and 'Hon Gor' all signed a large Gobie board to signify the done deal, and we took a bunch of photos for the local media.

I always thought New York should be twinned with Hong Kong: tall buildings, irascible cab drivers, insane property prices... I just love the city. When I was a kid, I always imagined New York as the place where all the Marvel superheroes lived... (Secretly, I still think that...).

Between our TWC meetings, I got to visit my usual New York haunts:

The Strand book store, with 18 (yes, 18!) miles of books, and I walked each one...

Times Square, always Blade Runner neon bright.To my dismay, my fave magazine store, which has every publication known to man, had moved, and I didn't find its new location until the following day.

There are always so many images to stimulate the imagination in this city. I turned one corner, and was greeted by a huge Spaghetti Western cowboy taking up the whole of one building.

I visited Ground Zero for the first time, which was a profound, sobering experience. Its rare to stand at a place where the world changed forever.

Just around the corner stands a cross with a flying shard of steel, a touching memorial to the lives lost.

On a lighter note, I went to look at the Ed Sullivan Theatre where David Letterman films his show. My kids always tease me that Letterman is my 'real' father, so I thought I should go claim my heritage.

I always wondered if the Hello Deli was a real restaurant and if Letterman's sidekick, Rupert Gee, was really its owner, or just an actor. I visited the Deli, and, to my delight, found it was the real deal. Rupert and his staff are all Hong Kong Chinese, and were surprised to find a (vaguely) Cantonese speaking white guy in their place! I actually discussed Rupert's playing a bar owner in 'Beach Spike!', but it'll depend on his schedule (and ours!).

It was great to enjoy Manhattan with our Gobie team, and to catch up with my TWC 'family'.