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Animation on YouTube has always been an intense labor of love. Because it takes so long to create (especially alone), animation isn't the most lucrative. However, indie animators have found a way to turn their hard work and passion into successful creative careers.
The History of Animation on YouTube
The Wild West Era
The early 2000s is often referred to as the "Wild West" days of the internet. People pretty much posted whatever they wanted, and since these were the days of "lol, so random", early internet animation was pretty chaotic.
Many animators at this time got their start on NewGrounds, a site which hosts animations and games. In the early 2000s, these were usually created with Adobe Flash, which shut down at the end of 2020. Popular memes such as The Duck Song and asdfmovie were created during this time.
The Storytime Era
As we approached the 2010s, animation became almost nonexistent. At a time when people were more interested in vlogs and storytime videos, it was hard for animators to find success, especially with the long development times for projects.
In the mid-2010s, things began to shift. Animators decided to start creating animated storytime videos to compete with the live action ones. This allowed creators to find success in their genre while using their creativity to express themselves. Creators like JaidenAnimations and TheOdd1sOut were some of the most popular channels at this time. Storytime videos allowed these animators to really show their personalities.
The Modern Era
While animated story time videos are still popular today, we've seen a rise in pilots for indie animated shows. These shows have existed for years; Welcome to Hell (which has recently seen a new reboot) is an early example. In the early 2020s, we saw the success of Hazbin Hotel and The Amazing Digital Circus. In the past year, we've seen new hits such as Pretty Pretty Please I Don't Want to be a Magical Girl and GNOME SHOW.
Now that animation has seen popularity online, creators have realized that they can team up to release television quality media without having to go through a studio. And with the ability to make merchandise, crowdfund, and monetize videos, animators can actually make a profit off their labor of love.
YouTube is a great place to not only find new independent animated shows to watch, but also to cultivate community with fellow artists.
