AI vs Indie

Over the past few years, the quality of AI has only improved while the job market plummets. More and more people are being laid off, and it seems almost impossible to find hope as an artist. However, after seeing Flow win an Oscar for best animated film this year, it got me thinking. With the rise of AI, will indie animation finally have a chance to shine?

Flow is not the first independent animation to start receiving notice. Loads of animated shows made by indie studios have been noticed more. For example, The Amazing Digital Circus was once on YouTube and is now available on Netflix, along with Hazbin Hotel. Perhaps the best way to make it as the industry changes is through independent work. Original IP is so valuable, hence why Disney only seems to make remakes/sequels 90% of the time.

However, if all we can do now is just focus on our independent works and build a team of other artists or even go the solo route, how do we guarantee that our show will be picked up by a network or even become big enough where we develop that fanbase? Will the industry ever go back to normal? Is it even worth it to continue the job hunt, or should I delete LinkedIn and pray the AI away? The answer to these questions is that we have to do it ourselves.

Regardless, if you are someone interested in making your video games, animations, or stories, the best tip is to just get started and put it out for the world to see. Indie studios have an opportunity to grow massively by creating original ideas and flipping the situation we are in right now.

If everyone is being replaced with AI, then maybe the best option we have now is to hire ourselves. Going independent doesn’t mean you’re doing it alone. You don’t need a massive budget or a giant team. Get a story that matters to you, and post it, whether it’s on YouTube, Webtoon, Patreon, etc. An animator recently posted an animatic, not even the full finished work of the first episode of a show they’re making, and it gained massive attention online in only a matter of days. So be consistent and put your work out there. Start small. Collaborate with other artists in your network. Join Discord groups and post your process. Studios may be cutting jobs, but now is the perfect time to make your own. Having a job today just means you're paid until they don’t need you anymore; there’s no real security. But starting something yourself is where the security can happen.

People still want stories, so instead of begging Disney for an original film, make the one you want to see, because there is always going to be someone out there who wants a story that you have been pushing off. So make it.

Happy drawing,

ArtBeat