“Thom Cat” at San Diego International Children’s Film Fest, Cartoon Art Museum, and NCS Booth at Comic-Con!

The above photos were taken at the San Diego International Children's Film Festival held at the San Diego Comic-con on Sunday July 27th during the 12:30-1:30pm screening of "Thom Cat!" Audience reaction to "Thom Cat" was (thankfully) great, and the Q&A following the screening was a lot of fun! Thanks so much to Dan Bennett who put together the festival, and made it such a wonderful experience for all involved!

After the screening, I was at the NCS (National Cartoonist's Society) booth from 2pm to 3pm signing and doing free sketches for people who saw "Thom Cat," and those who were just walking by and seeing it for the first time on my portable DVD player! I am sitting next to "Archie" artist Craig Boldman (pictured), and on the other side was Nancy Berg, daughter of the Mad Magazine great, Dave Berg (I bought an original page from her of Dave's while I was there, and it is a hilarious comic!). Special thanks to Phil Pyster for setting up my time at the booth, it was great to be a part of NCS at Comic-con and to promote "Thom Cat!"

On Saturday July 26th, from 12 noon to 1pm, my brother Doug and I were doing sketches for donations to the Cartoon Art Museum (pictured at their booth). If you get a chance, and are in SF, you must stop by there! We raised some money for the museum, and was able to promote "Thom Cat" in the process. Special thanks to Andrew Farago and Summerlea Kashar of the Cartoon Art Museum for making it all happen, I can't wait to help out again next year!
--Mike Gray
http://www.pencilforhire.com/

Mike Gray & "Thom Cat" at the San Diego Comic-Con!

I will be at the San Diego Comic-con this week promoting “Thom Cat” for the San Diego International Children’s Film Festival and pitching “Thom Cat” as a series! My schedule so far is Saturday July 26th from noon to 1pm at the Cartoon Art Museum booth (doing sketches for donations to the museum) and Sunday July 27th 12:30pm to 1:30pm in Room 10 for the San Diego International Children’s Film Festival screening of “Thom Cat” followed by a Q&A session with all the filmmakers, and then from 2pm to 3pm also on Sunday the 27th at the NCS (National Cartoonist’s Society) booth doing free sketches and talking about “Thom Cat!” I will also be at the San Diego International Children’s Film Festival booth on the Mezzanine at least one time from Friday to Sunday doing sketches for donations to the festival, time TBD, please stop by the booth to find out when! –Mike Gray

Oppose the Orphan Works Act of 2008!

If you have not heard about the Orphan Works Act of 2008 and how it can affect you and your copyrights as a professional artist, I urge you to go to this informational site produced by the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) as fast as you can: http://anti-orphan-works-act.com/
I have already faxed, e-mailed, and called my local legislator, and the rest of the legislators in my home state of California. You can find a sample letter, the names, fax #'s, and everything you need at the site provided by NCS...don't wait, act now before it's too late! --Mike Gray

"Thom Cat" Brooklyn 4th Annual KidsFilmFest Awards Received!

I just received two wonderful awards in the mail from the Brooklyn 4th Annual KidsFilmFest! What a terrific time my wife and I had at that festival, and these beautiful, lamenated awards are just another reason why I in such awe of Lisa King, the kidsfilmfest Director! She not only made us feel like royalty when we were there, but set up a wonderful spot for us to meet with the kid's first hand after the shorts were screened, and then took the time to make these awards for the filmmakers...thanks again Lisa, it was an honor to be a part of your festival!

--Mike Gray

"Thom Cat" Official selection of the 5th Annual San Diego International Children's Film Festival!

I am very proud to announce that ”Thom Cat” has been selected to be shown at the 5th Annual San Diego International Children’s Film Festival, July 27-Aug. 23 at Comic-Con International, the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park and the San Diego Central Library! Thom Cat will screen Sunday July 27 in our the theater in Room 10 at Comic-Con International (an exact screening time for the film will be available by late June/early July, and the Web site http://www.sdchildrensfilm.org/ will be updated at that time). A second screening of the film will be on the weekend of Aug. 9-10 at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park! Thank you again to everyone who worked on the short!! –Mike Gray

"Thom Cat" Official Selection of the Fire Island Golden Wagon Film Festival July 18-20, 2008!

I am happy and honored to announce that “Thom Cat” has been an official selection of Fire Island Golden Wagon July 18-20, 2008 http://www.goldenwagonfilmfest.com/main.asp?id=Festival-2008! The screening will be on Sunday, July 20th at approx. 11am as part of the Red Wagon Family Festival portion of the program. –Mike Gray