Same here. I'm older now and the dream is lost a bit, but in the beginning it really drove me towards some good and kowledgeable people. I worked in Film (and Animation), but once I saw the working conditions (low pay, long hours, difficult to find work) I moved to SWE.. I still rarely do some work on the side for VFX/Animation.. and I think that is the way I keep it so I don't loose the "fun" in all of it.
