Writer Scott Thomas will be the CCC Graduation Speaker on May 12, 2012. Thomas is a CCC Alumnus and is the son of Sherry Thomas and the late Warren Thomas.
Scott Thomas was born in Coffeyville and graduated from Field Kindley High School in 1994. He graduated from CCC in 1995 and continued his education at the University of Kansas where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Film. Following his dream, he moved to Los Angeles in August of 1998 and began working there.
Thomas’s involvement at CCC goes back to an early age, when due to his father’s involvement at CCC he grew up knowing many of the instructors. He began attending summer camps in grade school and middle school and learned his way around the TV/Broadcasting Program at CCC. This was at a time when editing was not done on your home computer, and video could not be shot on your phone.
“I wanted to make movies, and Marlon Thornburg and Billy Durham were generous enough to give me access to the college's editing system to edit the videos that I made with my friends. I remember one time Marlon even came in on a Sunday when what he really wanted to do was sit at home and watch football,” said Thomas. “With faculty I knew would go above and beyond to help me, deciding on CCC was an easy choice.”
After arriving in Los Angeles with his degree in hand, Thomas worked for VH1 from 2000 to 2008 as a writer/producer. He has also spent time writing for cable networks such as MTV, VH1, Bravo and E! Thomas has written over 15 TV movies including: My Super Psycho Sweet 16: Parts1-3 (for MTV), Whiskey Business (for CMT), Worst Prom Ever (for MTV) and The Mistle-Tones (for ABC Family, airing this Christmas). He also created the reality show Paris Hilton’s My New BFF for MTV. He is Co-Creator and Executive Producer of the new Disney XD animated series Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, premiering in Fall of 2012.
When asked if he had words of encouragement for the graduating class, his ideas were these. “Probably the biggest challenge facing college graduates today is the sheer amount of competition out there. You just have to believe that you've got what it takes to make it. You have to continue to hone your craft and follow your dream, because not everyone is going to be willing to put in the time and effort it takes to become a success,” said Thomas. “The harder you work in college, the more you hone your skills, the better chance you'll have of being ahead of the crowd when you graduate.”
Scott resides in Sherman Oaks, Calif. with his wife, Kim, and his two daughters.