Indie Animation – The What, The Who, and The How

The last few years have seen an influx of indie animators trying to make their mark on the industry, and with animation being such a popular medium, success is on the horizon for a lot of these studios. But what is indie animation? What sets it apart from the big industries like Disney and Dreamworks? How does it all happen? Who is fueling these amazing passion projects? In this article I’ll be answering all the big questions on indie animation and what makes it happen. 

What is indie animation?

Indie animation is any kind of animated short, web series, or feature film that is produced outside of a major industry. Some popular examples of indie animation studios include Spindlehorse, Iron Circus, and Glitch. These studios are composed of freelance animators from all over the world working together to create their animated vision. 

How long does it take?

Animation in any form is an extremely long process, and that is no different for indie studios. It sometimes takes even longer for indie studios to produce their animations due to the number of employees, costs, and the time it takes to make the animation itself based on the previous factors. I estimate it can take anywhere from a few months to a few years depending on the scale of the project. But, all in all, it is worth it in the long run to see how even just a couple people with an idea can come together and make something wonderful.

What sets it apart?

The animations that are produced by indie studios and animators are different from the big companies like Disney in so many ways. For one, indie animation offers a lot of freedom. You can do almost anything you put your mind to in the indie animation industry. There is so much variety in indie animation since creators don’t have to worry about censorship or having their ideas shut down by corporations. The stories are more diverse and usually offer more representation than your average Disney film. 

How does it happen?

A majority of the time, indie animation relies on people like you to help make these dreams a reality. Most creators use crowdfunding websites like Patreon and Kickstarter to raise money so that their team can animate the story they want to tell. The creators usually post a few rough animations and a synopsis of their film. If someone finds it interesting, then they can donate to help these projects come to life.

Is it successful?

There are a few popular stories of successful indie animation. One the most popular being the outstanding success of Spindlehorse Toons. The studio, founded by Vivienne Medrano, is the creator of the adult animated series Hazbin Hotel, and its web series spinoff Helluva Boss. Hazbin Hotel originally started out as a single animated pilot on Youtube, but soon viewers fell in love with the characters and the universe. The independent film studio A24 soon caught wind of Hazbin’s success and decided to pick it up for a full series. It is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, and a second season has been confirmed. Its spinoff series Helluva Boss has also been wildly successful even though it relies almost entirely on crowdfunding. Another prime example is Lackadaisy, created by Tracy Butler and the studio Iron Circus, which recently just announced that it had raised enough money through Kickstarter to animate a full first season. The pilot episode made waves when it was released on March 29, 2023, and it immediately gained a sizable following and people wanting more. Indie animation may take a lot of hard work, but if it’s done right, then these projects can become very successful. 

So as I’ve said, indie animation is a vast medium that can tell so many different stories, and with there already being so many stories to enjoy, you can’t help but anticipate what’s to come. Indie animation is a rising star among the big industries, and it is clear why. With so many opportunities for people to make their vision a reality, who knows? Maybe that story you’ve been dreaming up can find life through animation! You just have to have the commitment and the imagination to make it happen.