Animation. A medium that many people have many opinions about. Unfortunately, the majority of people believe that animation is something that can only be enjoyed by children, most likely due to the colorful visuals seen in the majority of animated properties. As a result of this, so many animated shows and movies are either dumb down so that toddlers can watch them, or are only decent because they’re a continuation of a previously successful animated project. This means that when creators have an idea that they want animated, major corporations either won’t greenlight it or they have such little faith in it that they profusely try to sabotage the project, causing it to get canceled before creators can finish telling the story that they want to tell. Best case scenario, corporations metal so much that the original idea is almost unrecognizable. Fortunately, the golden age of indie animation has just begun to fight this trend.
Indie animation was originally started in the early 2000s, on little websites called Newgrounds and YouTube. Since creators didn’t have the backing of large corporations like Disney or Warner Bros., these animators weren’t being paid the big bucks when they started out. Luckily, many of these animators gained notoriety on the internet. YouTube started giving Ad revenue to creators, allowing them to put more time into their passion projects. Unfortunately, they also gave a guideline on how long the animations had to be in order to receive Ad revenue, and small time animators didn’t have the time to create long animations, as animation takes a long time.
Around this time, Story Time animations began. Small time animators would tell stories about their lives, and then animate it for the world to see. These short videos kept the passion of animation alive on YouTube, paving a path for the beginning of what many people like to call, “The Golden Age of Indie Animation”.
In 2019, YouTuber Vivienne Medrano, known online as Vivziepop, posted the pilot of an animated show called Hazbin Hotel. It very quickly gained millions of views, and got picked up by the small production studio, A24, to become a fully animated show. Back in January of 2024, the first full session of Hazbin Hotel got dropped on Amazon Prime, where it became the highest global viewership on the streaming service. Yet, that is not where Vivziepops story ends. On her YouTube channel, she has a show called Helluva Boss, which has won multiple Streamy Awards for Animation and is on its second session.
Because of Vivziepop, many other indie animated shows have walked the path to success. Animations such as Murder Drones, The Amazing Digital Circus, Lackadaisy, and Ramshackle have gained notoriety in animation, beginning animation into full length shows. Because of indie animation, creators don’t have to be afraid of not getting their ideas picked up. All they have to do is pick up a drawing tablet, post the pilot into YouTube, and the people will come.
Sources
How Indie Animators Are Making Their Mark in the 2020s – Cultured Vultures
‘Helluva Boss’ Wins 2023 Streamy Award for Animation | Animation Magazine