Traditional animation studios are struggling to produce original work. Disney’s current trend of live action remakes and sequels highlights this issue. Rather than employing new creators and exploring new ideas, they cling to past properties deemed “safe.” Major studios have been running out of ideas and are afraid to take creative risks; they fear investors will pull out if they don’t approve of the project. Only a few streaming platforms have been able to take those risks and come out successful.
Animated films, such as KPop Demon Hunters, were led by new talent embracing animated story telling by diving deeper into creative and complex themes. The art of “show, don’t tell” has been losing its momentum, simplistic story telling becoming the new norm. Studios are also putting themselves and artists at risks if they decide to integrate AI into the production process.
For years, large studios like Disney, Universal, and Sony restricted artists from telling the stories they wanted to share. Simplistic character designs, forced rewrites, and heavy producer oversight caused animated shows and films to be seen as “just for kids.” Video-sharing platforms have made it possible for indie animators to create and share shows that are widely accessible. The internet allows creators to build a global fanbase for shows that take creative liberty to the next level.
Indie animation, short for independent animation, are created by studios made up of just one person or a small team. These creators take time out of their day to develop projects that require an immense amount of skill. Indie animations can range from sketch style AMVs (Animated Music Videos) to fully animated episodes. Many creators find platforms like YouTube the best place to share their works, even if they get no monetary compensation.
Indie animators took a risk and pushed back against industry limitations by using animation for all kinds of story telling. Today, there’s an opportunity for indie shows to have professional production deals with major streaming platforms. It has created a new expectation of “success” in the indie animation community and has shifted the views of millions of consumers.
The big boom of indie animation began when Vivienne Medrano released the full pilot episode of Hazbin Hotel in October 2019 on her YouTube channel “VivziePop,” produced under her self-founded studio SpindleHorse. The project was crowdfunded through Patreon, supported by fans who were drawn by her unique art style and held a fondness for her previous works. The pilot gained millions of views and made an unofficial statement of what creativity and achievements artists can receive with the right support and platform.
Soon after Hazbin Hotel’s success, more independent studios began to follow the same path. Studios like Glitch Productions began producing several animated web series created by independent artists. Their most famous show, The Amazing Digital Circus, gained over 100 million views on its pilot during its first month on YouTube. Its success on the platform eventually led to it being picked up by Netflix. These achievements are seen as opportunities for other indie studios. Having a streaming platform helps projects gain financial backing, widespread marketing, and merchandise. But all these milestones set a new standard of what an indie animated series should achieve.
Many indie developers aspire to create the newest hit animated show using minimal resources, yet still expect high production quality and immediate revenue. Indie developers seem to overlook important facts that studios like Glitch Productions and SpindleHorse had spent years establishing financial backing, building publicity, and developing strong management structures before releasing their shows. By the time these projects reached mainstream success, the studios had access to large teams of animators, professional voice actors, and dedicated investors.
Indie creators want to be the new “VivziePop;” developing complex stories, hiring well-known voice actors, and achieving instant success, but underestimate the realities of working with extremely limited budgets and resources. Indie studios are becoming their own type of influencer, following trends to become famous. However, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t pursue their projects. Studios have the right to create their shows but should be mindful about the resources and limitations they have.
The current state of indie animation is still too early to predict. While some indie studios are gaining support through streaming platforms, this can also limit who can access their content. Accessibility is what gave these indie projects such strong fan followings, putting a paywall on these shows prevents potential audiences from discovering them, but lacking reliable financial backing can also damage the quality and production output of these shows.
So far, there have only been a few major successes in the indie animation community, and audiences only seem to focus on two indie studios. While SpindleHorse and Glitch Productions are advocates for breaking the glass ceiling, their successes and controversies make them unreliable references for such a complex answer in a blooming industry.
Projects like PUNCH PUNCH FOREVER, Vampair, GOD’s School, and WASTELANDIA are just a few examples of indie projects that are currently in production, but haven’t reached the same backing or audience as larger studios. This doesn’t mean these projects aren’t successful, but they were created with a specific story in mind and were able to capture a niche audience.
There are over a thousand pilot episodes created by indie artists who are searching for audiences to enjoy their work. Many rely on Patreon, crowdfunding, and their own finances to fund episode production. It’s worth giving them a chance, not only to support indie projects but also you might discover a new show you’ll end up loving.