What are you up to?

[Charles]

I don't know if there's been a time when people in and around animation have been so busy. Maybe during the boom of the 1990s but even then there wasn't as much activity as what seems to be happening now. Not just on the studio scene but in many different ways and all over the place as well. Especially when it comes to independent projects.

There's no doubt that crowdfunding phenomenon is affecting things in a very positive way. Like a layer of undergrowth shooting up in the forest as rays of light penetrate the canopy.

It's affecting me too as I'm dusting off projects I've had set aside for a long time. A revival of hope. Now there's a genuine way to get a property out realistically with the prospects of a payoff. If people like what they see you can get it going regardless and in spite of the traditional gatekeepers.

A very exciting time indeed!

Perhaps the best time for artists that I can remember, distinguished by the potential of what this New Golden Age that's emerging means for our community and for the future.

So as you guessed from my text, I'm enthusiastically resurrecting projects and planning new ones, along with enjoying a nice period within my school where everyone is having a good time enjoying not only their creative growth but the prospect of doing something significant in animation even without having to get a job at a studio.

So what are you up to lately? How's your life going? Are you working a lot, have you got your own thing happening? Check in and let's catch up on what we all have going on.

Feel free to feature links, your art, whatever you'd like to share or promote.

Keep Creating brothers and sisters! Now more than ever!

[Charles]

Well, here's what I've got going on.

I have lots of projects in the works over the years. Plenty of ideas for my own content. Some are farther along than others. One project in particular that I've been developing for a long time. There's enough content to launch the property as a destination site and maintain it for several months while using that time to create more content to follow up.

In this great new environment we're experiencing the idea of pitching to an industry entity is moot. Like an iron foot in a velvet boot, we can now kickstart our projects through crowdfunding.

So that's what I intend to do. I'll be launching my project in January 2013 and keep feeding it content in the hopes that a substantial community can be developed that will give me the opportunity to market directly to the project's fan base.

I'm excited about this! Instead of sitting on a property with no faith in the industry system, now there's the Internet entertainment system fully formed!

Pitch to the people!

[jeffnevins]

Thanks for the topic. I like these kinds. Glad to hear things are going well for you, Charles, and that you have a soon-arriving completion date for a project.

I've been working on art/animation for Flash games for years. It's been nearly two years since our last one was released, and I hear that the one I'm on now (4-5 years in production), will release early '13.

Hoping for funding or a definite release as finances are hitting critical.

[Charles]

It's very active. Some are moving in, some moving around, some moving about, there's a charge in the air and it's cuz of crowdfunding. Better yet the success of crowdfunding. Lots of new things getting ready. Creative start ups and buzz in general. I'm getting announcements coming in to AN every day and they're backing up. CTN eXpo is happening too just down the street adding to the energy. Good time to be creative.

[Charles]

Boy things are happening fast. Something is popping up every day. Even on weekends. A local studio is expanding. There's a demand for Flash animators in Burbank.