'It's a pretty amazing turn of events': Nanaimo toy artist debuts collaboration with Netflix
After his life took a series of unexpected turns, Todd is having one of those pinch-me moments.
“All that’s happening is a dream I never even knew to dream,” Todd says.
It began earlier this year, when Todd transformed an old Sesame Street toy set from the 1970s into a tribute to the Canadian comedy Schitt’s Creek, so he and his three year-old Jack could play together.
“He loves playing with toys,” Todd said at the time. “And I love Schitt’s Creek.”
When Todd posted pictures and videos of his custom toy tributes on social media, they went viral, earned kudos from Creek co-creator Dan Levy, and inspired the wedding DJ and karaoke host to reconsider how he thought about his hobby.
“I wasn’t making any money, but I did make people laugh and smile,” Todd says. “So I’m an artist now!”
But then the amateur artist’s online gallery also caught the attention of Netflix. The streaming giant offered Todd his first professional art job.
“I went from basically laying in my driveway taking shots of my Fisher-Price toys, having my neighbour drive by looking sideways at me, to working for Netflix,” Todd laughs. “It’s a pretty amazing turn of events.”
Todd was hired to make toy art to promote the show Stranger Things.
“They told me the character they wanted, the scenes they wanted to portray,” Todd explains. “And gave me control over how I showed that.”
Todd spent the next two and a half months — more than 100 hours — creating the cast, constructing four iconic scenes from the show, and taking 12 toy art photographs, which Netflix shared with its millions of social media followers.
“[It’s] a whole other level of excitement for me,” Todd smiles.
While Todd waits for his next assignment for another show, he hopes his latest creations will prove to be fun for his son to play with, and inspiring too.
“I love that Jack gets to grow up seeing his dad do something he loves,” Todd says.
He gets to see that working hard at playing can pay off.
“Life’s short,” Todd smiles. “Play. Have fun. Follow your heart.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.