6 ms·

My first "startup" was cartoonlagoon.com. We were going to be a site for independent animators and artists with the draw being a showcase of more well-known art

My first "startup" was cartoonlagoon.com. We were going to be a site for independent animators and artists with the draw being a showcase of more well-known artists releasing exclusive content you wouldn't see anywhere else. We had some cool stuff from Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Heavy Metal) and others, but it never really took off. Hearing the news about Pixar and other studios letting people go, made me think that something like this could totally be done today. Maybe it doesn't need to be its own site, but could be a channel on YouTube or something. There's definitely a shift happening in the space and I'm so excited for what's going to happen next.

Solvency 3y ago
All of the independent animators have their own IG/TikToks.
- yterdy 3y ago
  And they hate it. Patreon, too (particularly the ones with more risqué work). A dedicated platform would be a major boon in terms of community, reliability, and possibly remuneration.
  - thrdbndndn 3y ago
    I'd argue Patreon is dedicated enough. If we're talking about remuneration, the audience/customer don't really want a "dedicated platform" since that's not the only thing they do, unlike the artists themselves. Or in other words, dedicated platform (like deviantart) is fine but it won't attract the largest audience.
echelon 3y ago
The bar to create animation is going to be so incredibly low in just a few years time, that the skills to have will be writing, imagination, focus, clarity, cohesion, and taste making. Katzenberg has had a lot of flops, but he's right about this [1]. I'd even wager costs will get cut by 99.9% in ten years time. All this to say I think you're 100% correct. Now's the time to build platforms and tools for independent animators. [1] https://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/jeffrey-katzenberg-artificial-intelligence-will-cut-animation-production-time-labor-234649.html https://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/jeffrey-katzenb...
- mcphage 3y ago
  I wonder what he’s seen that makes him think that. I love playing with Midjourney, but if you want it to create a specific thing, you’re out of luck. I can see AI getting you somewhere, but I can’t see it coming up with a consistent, good quality result.
- qp11 3y ago
  Bill Watterson didn't need all these tools and platforms. Just paper and ink. Right now we have content, info and tool overload and Layoffs are a sign of over production. Plus people like Katzenberg love to jump around funding new stuff and telling/distracting/fomoing people more creative than them - hey you better learn this or be good at that, cause why else do people need him in the room?
  - jjulius 3y ago
    But (and I say this as a huge Watterson fan and someone who kinda agrees with your crux) Watterson never animated anything. The single-strip format is far more fitting for a one-man shop than an animated film, at least at this point in time.
  - egypturnash 3y ago
    Watterson needed Universal Press Syndicate to distribute his drawings to newspapers. And all the people involved in making, printing, and distributing those papers. There was a pretty long chain between his drawing table and you chuckling at Calvin's antics over your morning coffee.
- two_in_one 3y ago
  > The bar to create animation is going to be so incredibly low in just a few years time, that the skills to have will be writing, imagination, O yes, and those 'creative writers' wouldn't be humans. At least at low level it can be easily automated. After human gives the main idea and story line. Actually this can be done automatically too, but human touch is important to claim 'human made'. I'm afraid there will be radical changes. Like those which happened to photography once everybody got a camera. Now AI changes the field again. For the best or worst depends how you look at it.

Solvency 3y ago

All of the independent animators have their own IG/TikToks.

yterdy 3y ago
And they hate it. Patreon, too (particularly the ones with more risqué work). A dedicated platform would be a major boon in terms of community, reliability, and possibly remuneration.
- thrdbndndn 3y ago
  I'd argue Patreon is dedicated enough. If we're talking about remuneration, the audience/customer don't really want a "dedicated platform" since that's not the only thing they do, unlike the artists themselves. Or in other words, dedicated platform (like deviantart) is fine but it won't attract the largest audience.

echelon 3y ago

The bar to create animation is going to be so incredibly low in just a few years time, that the skills to have will be writing, imagination, focus, clarity, cohesion, and taste making. Katzenberg has had a lot of flops, but he's right about this [1]. I'd even wager costs will get cut by 99.9% in ten years time. All this to say I think you're 100% correct. Now's the time to build platforms and tools for independent animators. [1] https://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/jeffrey-katzenberg-artificial-intelligence-will-cut-animation-production-time-labor-234649.html https://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/jeffrey-katzenb...

mcphage 3y ago
I wonder what he’s seen that makes him think that. I love playing with Midjourney, but if you want it to create a specific thing, you’re out of luck. I can see AI getting you somewhere, but I can’t see it coming up with a consistent, good quality result.
qp11 3y ago
Bill Watterson didn't need all these tools and platforms. Just paper and ink. Right now we have content, info and tool overload and Layoffs are a sign of over production. Plus people like Katzenberg love to jump around funding new stuff and telling/distracting/fomoing people more creative than them - hey you better learn this or be good at that, cause why else do people need him in the room?
- jjulius 3y ago
  But (and I say this as a huge Watterson fan and someone who kinda agrees with your crux) Watterson never animated anything. The single-strip format is far more fitting for a one-man shop than an animated film, at least at this point in time.
- egypturnash 3y ago
  Watterson needed Universal Press Syndicate to distribute his drawings to newspapers. And all the people involved in making, printing, and distributing those papers. There was a pretty long chain between his drawing table and you chuckling at Calvin's antics over your morning coffee.
two_in_one 3y ago
> The bar to create animation is going to be so incredibly low in just a few years time, that the skills to have will be writing, imagination, O yes, and those 'creative writers' wouldn't be humans. At least at low level it can be easily automated. After human gives the main idea and story line. Actually this can be done automatically too, but human touch is important to claim 'human made'. I'm afraid there will be radical changes. Like those which happened to photography once everybody got a camera. Now AI changes the field again. For the best or worst depends how you look at it.