Gordon B. Thomas
With this scholarship , we seek to honor Don’s memory and promote his values: creativity, diligence, inspiration to others, and celebration of human diversity. We wish to continue his commitment to learning, his love for teaching, and his belief that we need to hear other’s voices to make a difference.
-The Thomas Family
Don B. Thomas Memorial Scholarship
Gordon Thomas earned the first Master of Fine Arts degree in Cinema with an Animation Emphasis in June 2001 from San Francisco State University. Gordon also taught animation classes at SFSU and helped research and set up facilities to improve the program. Regrettably, died June 6th, 2003 at the age of 35.
Don’s final film, Pedro +Tony?, was shown at more than fifty festivals in the United States, Europe, Asia and South America. It won the Best Animation Prize at the Chicago Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival.
Filmography and Awards
Pedro +Tony? 2001
Best Animation Prize- Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival 2002
Goodnight, I love you 1997
Best Animated Short- Reel Affirmations DC, Gay & Lesbian Festival 1998
Golden Apple Award- National Education Media Network 1998
1st Runner Up- In the Life Short Film & Video Awards 1998
Idiots in Orbit 1997
Fixit 1993
Silver Apple Award- National Education Film and Television Festival 1994
Honorable Mention- Chicago International Film Festival 1993
Special Recognition- Central Florida Film and Video Festival 1993
The Baby From Outer Space 1991
Award of Excellence- California State Fair 1993
1st Place- Marine National Film and Video Festival 1993
2nd Place- Central Florida Film and Video Festival 1993
2nd Place- Chicago International Children’s Film Festival 1991
Going On a Picnic 1988
1st Place-Hometown USA Video Festival 1989
Honorable Mention- Chicago Access Network Awards 1988
My Television is Dead 1988
2nd Place- Chicago Access Network Awards 1989
Love Is On Half Inch 1987
At the Theater One Night 1987
You Are A Nerd 1986
Foundation
The Mexican Cactus (1:16) by Anthena Greenleaf, Spencer Gray, Estrella Torres and Eric Martinez
2D Animation
A colorful and bizarre collaborative music video.
Wavelengths (1:15) by Athena Greenleaf
2D Animation
The Adventure Zone Animated (0:34) by Kaylee Zorman
2D Animation
Animated audio from episode 6 of The Adventure Zone Podcast. Three adventurers have found themselves stuck at the bottom of a well.
Animation Lip Sync (0:18) by Abbey Vollmer
2D Animation
Brittany lectures her interviewee about smoking.
Late Night TV (0:49) by Adrian Bermundez
2D Animation
“Don't forget to turn off your TV before going to bed, it saves you a lot of trouble.”
Prom Night (1:26) by Estrella Torres
2D Animation
A shy dog is nervous to ask his crush to the Prom
Pixel Rush (1:00) by Jack Ramsey, Melissa Olson and Josephina Zavaleta
2D Animation
A robot's journey through music
Not So Silent Night (2:00) by Eric Martinez
2D Animation
A travel into the depths of your subconscious
Cup'a Tea (0:18) by Kaylee Zorman
2D Animation
A short-animated clip from episode 40 of The Adventure Zone.
More Than Meets the Eye (0:21) by Spencer Gray
2D Animation
Based on a scene from Bob's Burgers, Seeymor meets his pupil mini Seeymor.
Schadenfreude (0:42) by Estrella Torres
2D Animation
Lip sync animation for the Avenue Q musical!
Lip Sync: "The Night of the Hunter" by Athena Greenleaf
2D Animation
Lip sync project using audio from Charles Laughton's "Night of the Hunter" (1955).
Doodles (2:53) by Eric Martinez
Stop Motion Animation
A short film about two doodle drawings who want nothing but each other!
Amnesty Music Video (1:01) by Abbey Vollmer, Nicole Carlson, Julian Rave, and Kaylee Zorman
2D Animation
A collaborative music video set to the Amnesty Theme by Griffin McElroy.
Intermediate
Dental health PSA (2:11) by Sarah Lo
2D Digital Animation
Keep your teeth in check! Tooth the Kid will inform you everything there is to know about dental hygiene.
Double Flux Teleportation Transmission Unit PSA (1:37) by Jackson Carter
2D/3D Animation
A public safety announcement regarding the proper use and maintenance of your Double Flux Teleportation Transmission Unit.
The Wendigo (1:22) by Ellis Delgado
2D Digital Animation
A gripping tale of desperation and madness as a determined hunter tirelessly tracks a mythical beast.
Packbonding With Your Human CoWorkers (1:15) by Nina Reodica
2D Digital Animation
Alien PSA, also applicable to humans.
Entitled (1:06) by Felix Bishop
2D Digital Animation
An animation based on the poem 'Entitled' by TreVaughn Malik Roach-Carter.
No Shmerky (0:55) by Coral Hale
2D Digital Animation
A PSA narrated from the perspective of Smokey the Suave Cigarette, whose mission is to enlighten those who dare to listen about how your life can turn out if you chose to kick it with the tobacco-ol crowd.
Trumpet Player (1:03) by Samuel Holguin
Paper Cut Out Stop Motion
A stop motion adaptation of Langston Hughes' 1947 poem of the same name, the film utilizes paper stop motion to bring to life the imagery of blue note jazz album covers of the era to bring the poem to life.
Turtle Bois (2:23) by Ellis Delgado
2D Digital Animation
While trying to stop the malevolent Centurion, the Turtle Bois reveal the true villain: plastic pollution!
Cloony the Clown (0:50) by Coral Hale
Stop Motion, Paper Cut Out
A silhouette stop motion interpretation of an excerpt of Shel Silverstein’s “Cloony the Clown” poem, that exposes a clowns struggle to come to terms with not being very funny, not even a little bit, not even at all!
Sleep PSA (1:55) by Carina M. Farfan
2D Digital Animation
A public service announcement about the importance of sleep.
THESIS
The Ballad of Lucky Dave (5:00)- Courtney Pratt (2D Digital Stop Motion)
In the Wild West, renowned bounty hunter Lucky Dave risks his street cat cred for the girl he loves but her dark secret may just tear them apart.
Butterfly (1:05)- Andrew Kim (2D)
A butterfly finds a boy with a butterfly trapped in a jar and rushes to help.
Womens (1:05)- Felix Bishop (2D)
'Womens' is a short film about a recently-out trans woman who goes shopping with her wife to get her first dress.
Coulrophobia (3:00)- Coral Hale (2D / Digital Puppet Cutouts)
An innocent person seeking escape from a life that they do not resonate with, escapes to an alternate reality of grotesque clowns in which their demise is on the line.
Sound & Fury (2:10)- Ellis Delgado (2D)
After an engulfing panic attack, a distraught young man finds himself within his own mind and must free the pent up rage inside, or be trapped forever.
What To Do When You Meet An Angel (2:00)- Nina Reodica (2D)
Angel PSA
; (1:00)- Laura Droe (Digital 2D)
; is a story of a girl actively ignoring her depression to a point where it vigorously fights back and grows to encompass her life. As she seeks for an easy escape, she remember that her story is not over; as long as she choose to continue.
Concrete (2:00)- Samuel Holguin (Stop Motion/ 2D)
A boy struggling with a brain injury grapples with reality as he heals
Winter Melancholy (3:00)-Vong Vang (2D)
In this animation memoir, an artist takes shelter from the raging cold one evening in a cafe. Here, he recounts a time from when he was a small child during Christmas, scrounging for money with his family.
Hive (4:00)- Jackson Carter (3D)
A lone, deep ocean scientist struggles to stop a mysterious anomaly with immense destructive power.
Now & Then (Then & Now) (2:30)- Chloe Mitchell & Winston Schultz (2D, Mixed Media)
An anxious girl stumbles her way through the surreal world of her psyche, face to face with her inner demons.
Empanadas (2:30)- Sarah Lo & Carina Farfan ( 2D Animation)
A story about a newly widowed grandfather trying to rekindle his now sour relationship with his grandson through the love and passion of food.