Hey Ho Hey!

…we’re the NCS LA!

Just a little follow-up post to my last one. About six weeks ago, a few members of the NCS LA (the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society) gathered together at the home of Tom Gammill (writer for The Simpsons) to shoot a video not only for our chapter, but for a comedy bit for the national organization. It debuted at the annual Reuben Awards in Washington D.C. two Saturdays ago during Memorial Day weekend, and is now available for your viewing pleasure online.

The whole video starts with a running gag Tom has been doing where he is living in a pretend marriage with Jeannie Schulz, wife of the late Charles Schulz. The first part of the video features Tom with Sally & Mell Lazarus, Cathy Guisewite, Jeannie Schulz and members of her staff, and Caroline & Arnold Roth.

The part I’m in begins at the 4:25 mark. The gang participating in the song include Bill Morrison (Bongo Comics guy and president of the national NCS organization), Keith Robinson (Making It comic strip), Tony Carillo (F Minus comic strip), Dan Piraro (Bizarro comic strip), Matt Diffee (cartoonist for The New Yorker magazine), Dave Kellett (Sheldon comic strip), David Silverman (The Simpsons), Mell Lazarus (Momma comic strip), Cathy Guisewite (Cathy comic strip), Sergio Aragonès (MAD magazine & Groo comic book), Jeannie Schulz (Charles M. Schulz Museum), Tom Gammill (The Doozies comic strip), and yours truly.

 

As you can see, we are a group that enjoys each other. It is fun hanging with these folks as well as with the many others who come to our monthly chapter get-togethers. It is nice when colleagues can have fun together in brother/sisterhood without ugly competitiveness getting in the way. If anything, supporting each other raises all of our games.

I enjoy taking pictures, and I was getting lots of behind-the-scenes photos from our 4 hour shoot. Thought I’d share a few highlights here:

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Tony Carillo and Spencer Ramsey. Spencer was our audio playback guy, and he did the bouncing ball animation in the video.
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New NCS President Bill Morrison getting ready for his close-up.
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You can see we all pitched in where needed behind the camera, too. Here is David Silverman holding the light, and Christy Higgins who served as our cue card grip.
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Chad Frye flanked on either side by David Silverman (L) and Matt Diffee (R).
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Cornelius the Bear ate Tom Gammill!!!
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David Silverman and his tuba in a jam session with Cornelius.
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From a scene that landed on the cutting room floor, an angry mob of cartoonists chasing Cornelius the bear. Our cinematographer was Max Pross, a very funny comedy writer currently working on “The Simpsons.”
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Matt Diffee, Dave Kellett & Tony Carillo enjoying an orange juice interlude.
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A final shot of the gang at the end of shooting. Back row: David Silverman, Chad Frye, Tony Carillo, Spencer Ramsey. Front: Matt Diffee, Dan Piraro, Tom Gammill, Keith Robinson, Dave Kellett, and Bill Morrison.
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Keith Robinson after chugging a vat of India ink in the video. That, ladies & gentlemen, is dedication.
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