Birth to University
I was born to a conservative, middle class Canadian family that gradually became upper middle class by high school — an important distinction I didn't quite understand. My childhood, spent playing with my brother and doing homework, was loving but too safe — which I rebelled against. When I hit puberty (around 9/11) I had friction with my uptight Catholic high school and suburban community so after a couple years of partying and top marks in university, I dropped out to become a film director in LA.
My Family
Left to right: my parents, maternal grandparents, brother and grandfather, paternal grandparents and uncles. I like how my grandfather didn't change his hair or moustache for 40 years.
Early Childhood
I don't remember much about these days, but I sure was excited to meet Santa! I just wish I could still rock those dinosaur suspenders.
Toddler Jack with Accordionist
I had the same silhouette as Super Mario.
Boyhood
When I wasn't riding my bike, Epona, through the forest hunting squirrels with a slingshot (which I never had the heart to shoot), I was talking to friends or girls on the phone or listening to The Backstreet Boys. Around my 13th Christmas, my brother and I finally got a computer that I could use to watch my new Spider-Man DVD about 15 times. I was at just the right age to get a hero complex forever.
Childhood Montage
See what this sequence from Cherries & Clover reveals about my childhood psychology.
High School
I've always changed friends a lot, to try many crowds. I felt separate from the others, but liked it. Nobody tried to bully me, because they knew I wouldn't take it. And once Andrea came around, life was sweet. I had it all figured out, and was eager for life to begin.
Andrea
My high school sweetheart.
Catholic High School
This blink-182 music video is how I felt in high school.
The 10km Race
On the last day of gym class in high school, we had a 10 km race (6.2 miles). Halfway through, I was gaining on this jock who was maybe half a foot taller than me. So he cheated: he majorly cut a corner. But I refused to cheat, I stayed on the path. And I will never forget the look we exchanged when I surpassed him.
Roadtrip USA
In 2010 I packed up my things and drove to LA with only a compass to guide me. I didn't know the layout of the States so my plan was to just drive south until I hit the Gulf of Mexico and then turn West. It's a fun way to travel if you got the time.
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