YouTube, Vine, Instagram, and the 2014 Animation Tide-Change

Quick! Name all of the names of the animation endorsing channels on TV! -Let's see, Fox, Comedy Central, Hub, Cartoon Network/[adult swim], Disney Channel, uhhh...drawing a blank here guys. If you think about it for just a second of two, you'll realize what a rare comedy it is to find actually good animated entertainment. Whether it's today, or 20 years ago when all animation was broadcast Saturday mornings and Sunday nights, today, mostly crap television, then, mostly crap television. My point is NOTING has changed! Right? Wrong! I'm sure at this point you are intimintly familiar with YouTube, Vine, and the overwhelming amount of video-sharing social networks. Well, within the past 2 years, animation, and should I add actually good animation, has started to have a tide-change, thanks to these social networking platforms.

Cartoon Network's Steven Universe, which premiered last year

Just a few months ago, Starburns Industries/[adult swim] released a full episode of their recently premiered show, Rick and Morty, through Instagram video. This was done through putting out over 100 15-second clips that, when marathon watched one after another, strings together a 22-minute (a full half-hour show in TV time), big budget episode of the show

In mid-January of last year, twitter and Instagram released a very similar video sharing service, Twitter, a 6-second looping video network, which could be taken by using their app for smartphones. Instagram, a 15-second looping video network, that can also be taken via iPhone and Android devices. Though unlike Twitter, you can upload a video to your phone, so it doesn't have to be taken with just your phone camera.

Since then, I have seen countless Stop Motion and 2d animations made possible through these platforms. Their traction has on the internet has, and will keep doubling, and doubling, and doubling.

I have seen Vine grow a considerable amount faster than Instagram video, though. But who's to say suddenly Instagram video won't suddenly grow a mile high traction wise tomorrow?

The channel that can take the most credit for the tide-change on YouTube, and let's not remember YouTube is the one who has really caused these other networks to work, is Cartoon Hangover. Cartoon Hangover, was started by Fred Seibert, also founder of Frederator Studios. His company can take responsibility/credit for shows such as the Pop cutler phenomenon, Adventure Time, as well as The Fairly OddParents, and Bravest Warriors.

Created by Pendleton Ward, Bravest Warriors remains the most successful cartoon on Cartoon Hangover to date

Launched mid-2012, CH has continued to produce TV quality shows for free! Where they make money is their merchandising, a huge money maker business to get into when creating a cult show. If you don't know the name Cartoon Hangover, chances are that you've probably seen one of their videos (Bravest Warriors, Rocket Dog, Bee and PuppyCat).

Bee and PuppyCat, accumulated over $850,000 in their 30-day Kickstarer campaign

A couple weeks ago, Frederator purchased Simon's Cat. A flash animation made strictly for YouTube. Simon's Cat was created by a British animator named Simon Tofield. The show? Think Garfield minus the talking. SC has expanded past YouTube into merchandise and multi-laungage book. The channel currently has almost 3,000,000 subscribers since it's launch in 2009.

Simon's Cat, and his owner

And that is just the tip of the iceberg. I'll keep this concise for time's sake, The Cyanide & Happiness Show crowd funded $770,309 through Kickstarter. And now, it has hundreds of millions of views. Another Kickstarter success story, Baman Piderman just raised almost $80,000! Remember, it's not a production house, it's 2 people sitting in front of computers! All of these, some monthly, some even weekly, YouTube shows!

Baman Piderman raised over $80,000 last month on Kickstarter for 5 episodes to be shown as a YouTube show

To bring my point home on this tide-change fact, big Hollywood companies are starting to cash into this YouTube business too. DreamWorks Animation (Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Madagascar) just launched their own YouTube only channel, DreamWorksTV. Where they'll start posting seasons of shows strictly for YouTube. Some originals, some featuring characters that we already know and love like Shrek. This is actually happening!

These are my thoughts on this subject, but if you do some Googling, you'll find others who have similar feelings as I. I'm going to leave with one statement 'YouTube, the next television.'

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