Thomas James Ridgewell (born 27 June 1990),[2] known online as TomSka, is a British filmmaker, actor, content creator, and vlogger. He is known for writing, directing, producing and starring his live-actionsketch comedyYouTube videos and animated web-series such as asdfmovie,[a]Eddsworld and Crash Zoom.[3] As of June 2021[update], his YouTube channel has over 7.98 million subscribers and his videos have garnered over 2.1 billion views.[4]
Early life and education
As a child, Ridgewell made short films using his parents' video camera.[5] Shortly after YouTube was established, Ridgewell created CakeBomb,[6] a website where he posted his projects, including his animated web series asdfmovie and his friend Edd Gould's Eddsworld. Ridgewell graduated from the University of Lincoln[7] where he studied Media Production, and whilst studying created a series of unofficial advertisements for the university which received millions of views.[8]
Career
As a professional YouTuber, Ridgewell earns money from revenue on his videos on the website.[9][10] He has been discussed and interviewed in relation to this, especially when the medium of online video was in its infancy.[2] He has appeared as a guest on the BBC's The One Show[11] and created short films for Comedy Central.[12]
In October 2007, Ridgewell created a secondary channel called DarkSquidge (currently known as TomSka & Friends).[13] As of June 2021[update], the channel has over 1.2 million subscribers and over 161 million views.[14] While his main channel consists of sketch comedy and animations, The TomSka & Friends channel shows behind the scenes footage of TomSka related projects and videos, as well as vlogging.[citation needed] Ridgewell also engages in social commentary, covering a range of topics such as mental health,[15] sexual health and body positivity.[16] From April 2016 to February 2018, he uploaded weekly vlogs to the channel in a series named Last Week.[17]
In 2008, Ridgewell released the first episode of asdfmovie,[18] an animated sketch comedy series featuring short clips of minimalist characters in surreal and occasionally darkly humorous situations. The song "Beep Beep I'm a Sheep" by Canadian musician LilDeuceDeuce with vocals by Ridgewell and Gabriel Brown,[19] released alongside asdfmovie10, was featured in the dance rhythm gameJust Dance 2018.[20] A book based on the asdfmovie series, titled Art is Dead: the asdf book, was written by Ridgewell, illustrated by Matt Ley and published by Little Brown on 22 October 2015.[21] A second book titled Sam Kills Christmas, written by Ridgewell and Eddie Bowley with illustrations by Dorina Herdewijn, was released on 8 November 2018.[22][23]
In 2012, Ridgewell founded the media production company, TurboPunch Ltd., located in London. He currently works there alongside co-writer Eddie Bowley and video editor Elliot Gough.[24] Ridgewell also became the producer of Eddsworld after the show's creator, Edd Gould, died of leukaemia.[25] He left the series in 2016, relinquishing the show to animator Matt Hargreaves.[25]
In February 2013, Ridgewell was featured on the cover of Wired UK as part of a feature titled "How YouTube Reinvented the Entertainment Business".[26] In May 2013, he was featured in YouTube's first Comedy Week[27] as a guest host for its Geek Week series in August.[28]
In 2016, Ridgewell filmed several sketches with the BBC for a potential sketch show on BBC Three.[34]
In May 2018, Ridgewell uploaded The Muffin Song, a spin-off song of his asdfmovie series, in collaboration with Schmoyoho. The video has garnered over 200 million views.[35]
In 2019, Ridgewell developed a card game based on asdfmovie in collaboration with Big Potato Games called Muffin Time: The Random Card Game.[36] He raised over £1,000,000 for the game on Kickstarter.[37]
Personal life
Ridgewell's twin sister, Amelia, died prenatally after their mother sustained injuries in a car accident.[38]
He was raised a Jehovah's Witness but no longer practices this faith.[39] Despite this, he has expressed belief in a higher power.[38]
Though not primarily a musician by trade, Ridgewell has played bass guitar in multiple videos, including "Guitar Warfare"[40] and "Mine Turtle" as a featured artist with LilDeuceDeuce.[41]