Welcome

We are Nicholas (Nicky) and Christiane Slater - English husband and wife immigrants to British Columbia in Canada (2016) with our son Benjamin. 

​

We are excited to be taking the LID OFF THE BOX of

our new Media Enterprise where we are...

​

Making Crazy Work

​

Crazy work is all about entertaining you and inspiring you to become the amazing person you are made to be.  

To read Nicky's explanation of what you are about to see and get context click here - or scroll down for more about us.

Otherwise dive in - and enjoy.

​

Love

Nicky and Christiane

​

WE CREATE

Writing, composing, designing, painting, singing, playing, packaging...

To serve you, to entertain you and to inspire you...

​

OUR PLAN

RECORD LABEL - STORE - BREAKTHROUGH INSPIRER

OUR 

PURPOSE

To see love, laughter and life prevail in the EPIC final battle of DREAMTRYB's good against FIAH's evil as we free NICKSTIR...

​

So you can be royally entertained and inspired in your life!

OUR

ETHOS

In an ever fickle societal world, demanding acquiesence to its latest 'the world is flat' mantra - WE STAND...

 We base our principles and actions on timeless values embedded in the Bible as our guide.

OUR

WORDS

Love, laughter, life, belief, honesty, integrity, kindness, joy, peace, hope, loyalty to the absent, vision, hard work, giving, courage, debate, freedom, humilty,confidence,forgiveness, maverick, rebel, warrior, perseverence, protector, family, strength, power, competition, proactive...

WE ACT

Through our cast of characters in an EPIC story of good against evil and the battle for the mind.

It's reality merged with story.. It's  'Marvel with Music' meets 'James Bond in The Office'. English  DREAMTRYB Super Agents battle the global menace FIAH in the North American continent. 

Their mission: Free NICKSTIR - release FIG - and change our world for good.

PREVIOUSLY

Christiane was dancer / actress / singer / admin - sorted woman.

​

Nicky - ice dance champion / producer / presenter defined by his past. Searching for identity. Hiding out, reinvention in music the dream. Singing enthusiastically, completely  out of tune...

2020

Christiane is photography, proofing, detail, characters, chef, singer, wisdom and glamour.

​

'N' > NICKSTIR < (Nicky) is visionary, writer, composer, character, designer, artist, web, etc...

​

Great input from Professionals received. Next = make great products build community

NICKSTIR

A story has developed that deepens daily. Characters have appeared. Nicky Slater's past now embedded in this EPIC struggle for the mind. His mind? A different continent and serendipity of location gives fuel.

Now Frank Speaker, as 'The Manager' takes centre stage. It's time to free NICKSTIR, release FIG and change the world.

WORDS

MUSIC IMAGERY

In 2020 we are the tiniest of 1 and a 1/4 person start up. A decade of development and work to reach this point.  And my vision has always  been H U G E... So baby steps to start, hope for relationships and resources to grow embedded. N

BEFORE I DIE

​

To walk the starlit desert; chase dolphins in oceans deep

To climb with friends to glorious views; atop a mountain's peak

To sit by roaring fire with my Airedale at my feet

To read the word and fret no more; my soul finding peace

To stand upon the stormy shore; as wind waves spirits roar

To heed adventurers' calls of old; cross seas to foreign shores

To lie in shade of old oak tree; beside the one who's mine

In English riverside meadow; letting summer fill my mind

All this I have to do

All this I have to do

All this I have to do

Before I die

To walk in smell and squalor; helping poorest of the poor

To give until it hurts and then; to give some more

To stand against the bully; protecting poor and weak

To be without the safety net of; all the world says seek

To overcome my naysayers; by stepping anyhow

To never be the one to take; Machiavelian fawning bow

And whether rich or poor to have love shine out from my eyes

Letting laughter treat adventures; akin the tides

All this I have to do

All this I have to do

All this I have to do

Before I die

​

​

© 2020 NICKSTIR  

​

Image Monmatre from the Eiffel Tower
© 2013 Christiane Elizabeth Slater

​

__________

​

A LID OFF THE BOX ENTERTAINMENT Production

​

MAKING CRAZY WORK

In June 1884 two engineers, Emile Nouguier and Maurice Koechlin had the idea for a very tall tower - 300 metres / 1.000 feet,.

​

In 1887 a competition for buildings to mark the 1889 World Fair - the 100th Anniversary of the French Revolution - drew 107 entries.

​

​

Emile and Maurices' idea - as Chief Engineers for Gustave Eiffel's company, along with Architect Stephen Sauvestre's involvement, won.

​

Two years and five days from construction start the tower was completed.

The Tower was chastised vehemently by the arts community of Paris during construction.

2 million visited

THE EIFFEL TOWER

at the Great Fair 1889.

​

​

Around 300 million have visited since.

Anything's possible...

Content © Copyright 2020 LID OFF THE BOX ENTERTAINMENT, BC, CANADA

All Worldwide Rights Reserved   |  lidoffthebox.com  |  Contact us

​

Eiffel Tower Image © 2013 Christiane Elizabeth Slater

CONTEXT

Nicky: What drives me is impossible in the world's eyes.

Now, in 2020, twenty years after tentatively starting to step on this journey I find I still grapple with how to present our work, and how to get breakthroughs. It's not quite ready, so I hide out and battle on. I'm apprehensive of exposing 'myself' and 'ourselves' to potential fame or disdain, I've been there with fame twice before. I sense something that will be very successful here and could stir up a hornets nest. So I'm starting to get over my 'being scared of success, the ridiculous notion of being 'unworthy' of that.

​

And I am recognising that I am a stand for what I see as 'righteous' and I rebel against society that has us Self Censor, and I need to get past that. To get past the need for people to me like or no. And to get past the indoctrination of fear current society can imbue.

You see I have a call on my life 'Set people free from the lies that bind them' and 'The Magic's in the Music.'

And I have resisted yet followed this call hiding out so many years. To be clear - I am not a preacher man and I've been held by the lies that have bound me much of my life. I have been a master of self sabotage, confusion, pride (cloaked in false humility), distraction and avoidance... I was never prepared for 'Real life' from my upbringing. Still I am an Eagle that hides away from 'don't do that' and internet bullies most days doing almost everything myself.  And I seek my true identity. 'Nicky' - as a name - a stumbling block. 

Yet... I follow the call and seek to break free. and I am seeing that freedom come as I view life afresh. It's an amazing gift. And golly it takes something and sacrifice, risking all, getting older. - Too late? - The ultimate get out clause?

 I sense that my journey can inspire others. but what I seek is so gorgeous that the voice in my head calls it 'selfish.' 'It's all about you,' it whispers... and confuses.

​

I love comedy which is truth and pain, The truth is God has blessed me (as he has blessed you) with amazing gifts. I have gifts for communication, music, design, dance, problem solving, leadership.

And - when I take the break off who I am - I upset people - I STIR them up. So I have hidden away. Oh yes and I see myself as a Music Star on an arena stage blowing the doors off with you at a great party! As you do you when you're singing in the shower with the radio on of course. The difference, perhaps, is that I am risking all to achieve this. This is the quest to be Making Crazy Work.

​

So this angst and inherent tensions is grist to the mill of comedic truth and pain. Comedy requires a person taken from location and dropped into another - very different space. This precept is abundant in what follows.

He's a former Ice Dance Champion searching for re-invention and his true identity. He's dreaming of being a music star as he peers prepare to retire. Unexpectedly he's caught in the EPIC final battle of good against evil. They think he can release FIG and change the world for good

That is the intro synopsis of the film / reality that is the story behind the business front that is LID OFF THE BOX!

​

​

THE STORY

​

So this is my story... This is our story... Imagine being married to me - a man with this crazy dream that develops daily! This is 'perhaps' a stir to your story - that hope deep inside that is too gorgeous, too far away from your experience and upbringing to ever achieve.

​

When I see myself standing free on that arena stage I am my NICKSTIR character - is this the true me? NICKSTIR is 'Blowing the doors off fear to create EPIC' and to make a difference stirring up the audience to dance, sing, cry, laugh... Truth is we all have our inner NICKSTIR.

​

The name NICKSTIR was given me by the late great Singer/Songwriter Colin Vearncombe when our journeys overlapped awhile in London.

​

So I do not know how this will pan out. And I/we commit to continue this crazy journey risking all to give it our all. I don't want to sound holy or too pious but the only way I can find enough courage to do this is to be  standing in God. Then, I can be trusting that more than we can imagine is going to happen here. And I will continue to work my butt off seventy hours a week or more to become competent, confident and break those lies that have bound me. Rock n Roll.

​

Our goal is to entertain and inspire you...

We aim to be powerful in our stories and family friendly in their delivery. The balance is delicate. We include characters that depict the reality of 'nasty' alongside our heroes.

​

In our world today the internet facilitates social bullying in a new way. It's the same old story but in a new delivery package of course, our stories take that onboard. The new outsider, the new rebel is the white, straight family man who believes in God through Jesus and dares to stand for a Godly society. More than that they stand against the tyranny of movements that close down Freedom of Speech to have their way. As Nazis did for Jews in Germany before World War Two. Provocative? You can't say that. Indeed... 

​

Thank you for reading. We hope that something of what we do here brings you love and laughter in your life's journey. Enjoy

​

Signature?

​

How many people do you know who find it hard  to sign their name? I am one of those. You see 'Nicky' doesn't quite do it. It's a comedic self depraecating ice skating me. But it's not music performer me nor LID OFF THE BOX CO-Founder me - really.

​

So let's leave it as N for now.

​