A Conversation with My Childhood and Dave Thomas

     

Dave Thomas is a Producer and Director of Nickelodeon’s TUFF Puppy about a secret agent labradoodle fighting for injustice within the city and The Fairly Oddparents focusing on a 10-year-old boy bullied by his babysitter under the care of two magical fairy godparents granting wishes with a twist of consequences.  Thomas has a special place in my heart sharing a collective memory.  A bowl of Trix cereal or Toaster Strudel while enjoying Saturday morning cartoons of the 90s; The NeverEnding Story (1995-1996), Pippi Longstockings (1998), and Fairly Oddparents (2003-2011) are a few shows watched at my home and Thomas was involved with.  Below I posted a couple episodes of the shows I mentioned above.  Enjoy and let these videos take you back to a time of innocent thinking and believing.

    Dave Thomas has been nominated for many awards; Primetime Emmy Award for show Wander over Yonder about two kids helping people of the galaxy and targeted by a Lord Hater who is set on world domination, Annie Award for Wander over Yonder, TUFF Puppy, Fairly Oddparents.  In 2004 Fairly Oddparents won the Annie Award for Outstanding Storyboarding in Animated Television Production.  Thomas and a group of collaborators won the Daytime Emmy Award in 2010 with Fairly Oddparents Outstanding Individual in Animation and 2009 El Tigre: The adventures of Manny Riviera about a 12-year-old Mexican superhero dealing with interesting enemies with help of superhero dad and villain grandpa in Oustanding directing in Animated Program.  

When Thomas was young he worked at a comic book shop and baseball card shop in San Diego, California.  In this environment places like Comic-Con and the Spike and Mike Festival are featured bringing a world of animation to life.  Throughout his life Thomas met talented individuals; Chuck Jones famous for Tom and Jerry cartoons, Disney's Nine Old Men who are the core Walt Disney animators of early film, and Joe Ranft an American screenwriter working with Pixar and Disney.  Dave Thomas mentions a time when Ranft brought him to the making of Toy Story, where he was inspired by the devotion and work ethic put into the movie, this work showed through the lifelong impact Toy Story has on contemporary culture.  

The advice he gave in an interview reached me and I thought it would be helpful for other individuals wanting to achieve their dreams.  He mentions to put your undivided attention and time to your craft, humility so you stay open to opportunities and critics, copy or practice over and over again, stay encouraged to keep moving forward, and ask for help because many people are willing to help those who want to learn.  

Question: What advice did early animators give you that is a part of your artistic makeup today?

Answer: Charles Schultz (Director of Peanuts) You will make a fine animator.

Answer:Frank Tomas (Disney's Nine Old Men) You will be a fine director.

His newest project is called Cosmic Kid and the Rings of Power, the first episode introduces a socially awkward kid and Joe a young teen restless in a small town working for mom at the diner.  Eventually, the two kids meet and try out these cosmic rings with different powers facing outer world creatures.  These two kids are not allowed to say anything about these rings and will continue to protect Earth working with one another.  Here's a trailer for the show.