Blog:Why we need indie animation to rise now more than ever.

Okay, so we all know how animation is being treated as of late, right? We've seen U.S. animated shows that are story-focused like The Owl House and O.K. K.O. end after a mere 3 seasons while shows that aren't serialized like Big City Greens are still going to this day (not to downplay that show, 'cause I actually like it). Heck, even adult-oriented shows that are plot-focused like Final Space, for example, are falling victim to this annoying trend, and in that show's case, I think its cancellation has something to do with the merge of Warner Bros. and Discovery (correct me if I'm wrong about that, BTW).

Speaking of WB and Discovery, we all know that a great many shows, most notably cartoons, are being removed from HBO Max, thanks to the merge between the aformentioned companies, making most of the shows from said service almost completely inaccessible without pirating them, and making the creators' hard work in vain. This is true since the creator of Infinity Train has called out WB for removing his (or her) show from the platform.

Even Netflix, a service that's supposed to be the most reliable place for original content, is treating animation like crap. Just look at shows like Glitch Techs and how that show got cancelled after two seasons, and the animated adaption of Bone (great comics, BTW) never even came into fruition, and its future is looking uncertain as Jeff Smith doesn't seem to know what to do anymore.

There is, however, a way to save animation in its current state... and that is if it becomes relevant and in-demand in the independent industry. I know this may not be super sustainable the way it is right now, because of how expensive and demanding animation is and all that, but if it could gain a place as indie similar to other types of media in the industry like video games, movies, and even comic books, then maybe, animators could make their projects huge and profitable with absolute creative control and not having to worry about answering to a giant corporation which is liable to meddle with their projects.

Web shows like Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss are a prime example of being an independent cartoon without corporate meddling or fearing the possibility of getting instantly canned regardless of how big the audience is. There are also indie cartoons made by small studios with otherwise-large budgets such as Indigo Ignited, which can be found on YouTube. That pilot may not be all that recognizable, but it's still a very good example of being indie.

If there was some sort of streamimg platform or a network that can air primarily indie cartoons like the ones I've mentioned above and can give creators creative freedom and a large enough budget to have just about the same quality as mainstream cartoons do, then maybe, animation can be saved from the situation it's in right now, and creators will be much happier with their carriers than they are now.