A combined love of drawing and acting led Tommy on the path to filmmaking and animation. Inspired at an early age by the Fleischer Studios' Popeye Cartoons, Tommy strives to make his work strong to the finish.
Company
Tommy's Toons
    Tommy Simms is an interdisciplinary artist and award-winning filmmaker, specializing in stop-motion animation. Earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, his senior animation was showcased at the Festival de Cannes. For years, he taught classes online and at art camps across the United States, inspiring younger generations with puppetry and stop-motion. Ranging from cartoons to live-action, Tommy's work has been featured in film festivals around the world, on PBS, in theatre productions, and at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. His animated adventures continue through the production of independent films and music videos.
    Official Selection
    Top Secret Jazz
    Tucson Film Festival
    Tucson, Arizona
    2024
    Official Selection
    Top Secret Jazz
    The Billy The Kid Film Festival
    Hico, Texas
    2024
    Official Selection
    Top Secret Jazz
    Sawdust City Fright Fest
    Stevens Point, Wisconsin
    2024
    Official Selection - Outlaw Film
    Top Secret Jazz
    Almería Western Film Festival
    Tabernas, Almería
    2024
    Official Selection
    Top Secret Jazz
    Hobnobben Film Festival
    Fort Wayne, Indiana
    2024
    Official Selection
    Top Secret Jazz
    Milwaukee International Short Film Festival
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    2024
    Honorable Mention
    Killing Time
    Hollywood Horrorfest
    Los Angeles, California
    2024
    Best Animation/Puppet Horror Nominee
    Killing Time
    Chicago Horror Film Festival
    Chicago, Illinois
    2024
    Best Wisconsin Film Nominee
    Killing Time
    Port of Fear Film Festival
    Kenosha, Wisconsin
    2024
    Official Selection
    Killing Time
    Sin City Horror Fest
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    2023
    Winner - Best Directors, Best Gore, & The Jury Award; Best Cinematography Nominee
    Killing Time
    Twisted Dreams Film Festival
    Milwaukee, WI
    2023
    Best Short Horror Comedy Nominee
    Killing Time
    VHS: Vancouver Horror Show
    Vancouver, BC
    2023
    Winner - Best Wisconsin Film
    Fuzzysurf - Sheep Shed
    Milwaukee International Short Film Festival
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    2023
    Finalist - Best Rock Music Video
    Fuzzysurf - Sheep Shed
    International Music Video Awards
    Budapest
    2023
    Official Selection
    Fuzzysurf - Sheep Shed
    Milwaukee Film Festival
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    2023
    Semi-Finalist
    She Was Crying Sugar
    San Francisco Arthouse Short Festival
    San Francisco, California
    2023
    Semi-Finalist
    She Was Crying Sugar
    Dubai Independent Film Festival
    Dubai
    2023
    Launch Feature
    Killing Time
    Hobnobben Film Festival
    Fort Wayne, Indiana
    2022
    Official Selection
    She Was Crying Sugar
    Montreal International Animation Film Festival - ANIMAZE
    Montreal, Quebec
    2022
    Winner - Best Director & Honorary Mention (2nd Place)
    She Was Crying Sugar
    Milwaukee International Short Film Festival
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    2022
    Winner - Best Music Video
    She Was Crying Sugar
    Cannes Shorts
    Cannes
    2022
    Official Selection
    She Was Crying Sugar
    New Zealand's Vision Feast Film Festival
    Auckland
    2022
    Semi-Finalist
    She Was Crying Sugar
    AniMate: Australia Animation Film Festival
    Sydney
    2022
    Official Selection
    She Was Crying Sugar
    Green Bay Film Festival
    Green Bay, Wisconsin
    2022
    Semi-Finalist
    She Was Crying Sugar
    International Cosmopolitan Film Festival of Tokyo
    Tokyo
    2022
    Surprise Feature
    Killing Time
    Hobnobben Film Festival
    Fort Wayne, Indiana
    2021
    Winner - Best Mixed Media
    She Was Crying Sugar
    Los Angeles Animation Festival
    Burbank, California
    2021
    Official Selection
    She Was Crying Sugar
    #MoStopMo - Stop Motion Shorts Festival
    YouTube
    2021
    Official Selection
    She Was Crying Sugar
    Hobnobben Film Festival
    Fort Wayne, Indiana
    2021
    Official Selection
    She Was Crying Sugar
    2D & 3D Animation Film Festival
    Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi
    2021
    Honorable Mention - Best Animated Music Video
    She Was Crying Sugar
    Rome Music Video Awards
    Rome
    2021
    Honorable Mention - Best Animated Music Video
    She Was Crying Sugar
    International Music Video Awards
    London
    2021
    Semi Finalist
    She Was Crying Sugar
    London Indie Short Film Festival
    London
    2021
    Winner - Best Music Video Clip
    She Was Crying Sugar
    Vesuvius International Film Festival
    Campagna
    2021
    Official Selection
    She Was Crying Sugar
    Milwaukee Film Festival
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    2021
    Winner - Best Wisconsin Film
    Reanimation of The Imagination
    Milwaukee International Short Film Festival
    Milwaukee, WI
    2021
    Official Selection
    Killing Time
    Milwaukee Film Festival
    MIlwaukee, WI
    2020
    Official Selection
    Killing Time
    Hobnobben Film Festival
    Fort Wayne, Indiana
    2020
    Official Selection
    Killing Time
    Rincon International Film Festival
    Rincon
    2020
    Official Selection
    Genie Gypsy Woman
    Milwaukee Film Festival
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    2017
    Best Animated Music Video
    Genie Gypsy Woman
    Rincón International Film Festival
    Rincón
    2017
    Court Métrage Short Film Corner
    The Legend of Leatherface Larry
    67th Festival de Cannes
    Cannes
    2014
    Official Selection
    The Legend of Leatherface Larry
    The Grim Natwick Animated Film Festival
    Wisconsin Rapids
    2012
    Winner - Second Place
    The Legend of Leatherface Larry
    61st UWM Student Film & Video Festival
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    2011
    College
    University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
    Current City
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    Hometown
    Greenfield, Wisconsin
    Gender
    Male
    Great-Nephew of Aye Jaye
    (Carny Sideshow Magician / Clown / Ronald McDonald / Actor / Comic / Author of "The Golden Rule of Schmoozing")
    Learned to draw by watching "Mark Kistler's Imagination Station" and "The Secret City" on PBS as a child. Years later, Tommy taught classes alongside Mark at numerous art camps across the United States.
    Studied animation at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee under the guidance of animator, Tim Decker (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / The Simpsons / Disney Interactive)
    "Dream it! Draw it! Do it!"
    - Mark Kistler (The Imagination Station)
    "See you back on the lot!"
    - Aye Jaye
    "Stay Animated!"
    - Tommy Simms
    A combined love of drawing and acting led Tommy on the path to filmmaking and animation. Inspired at an early age by the Fleischer Studios' Popeye Cartoons, Tommy strives to make his work strong to the finish.
    Company
    Tommy's Toons
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