Seriously Stumbling Forward

For the sake of creating context around my process, I wanted to share that in my last post I mentioned I was a grad student but didn’t mention that I’m pursuing an Entertainment Business Master of Science degree specifically as a means to getting our animation series produced. I started that 12 month program at Full Sail University in February 2014. Going to grad school obviously isn’t a requirement for producing animation but I wanted to have a firm understanding of the industry workings so I could make smart, educated decisions for our enterprise, which also includes a business component. So after years of anemic effort stumbling around in the dark and getting nowhere fast with our idea, it was time to get serious and I decided this program was the vehicle I needed to move our project forward and I’m pleased to say I’m getting what I came for. It’s a big commitment but if you’re stuck because you can’t identify your next steps or you’d just find it easier with professional guidance, then this kind of program can provide the structure, discipline and resources necessary to help move your project from concept to reality in far less time than it would take to figure it out on your own. Plus, you'll have a useful degree in the end. So really, going to grad school was my first serious step toward getting our series produced.

With that said, as I learn more in each course, it’s become obvious this will not be a linear progression of steps, more like a cha-cha, and often it will seem like I’m backtracking from steps in previous posts because, well, I am. I mean, I’m just learning, so let’s be clear… you’ve probably guessed by now I’m no authority on how to get this done, I’m merely sharing my process and if it’s helpful, awesome! Moving on... this is where we are now.

1. Brainstorm ideas for steps to fulfill project and then create a timeline to manage them. I chose to create a timeline just for the development phase of our series. These exercises helped us to identify what we think needs to happen next and in which order.

2. Research the animation development and production process. Two great books to pick up are; Creating Animated Cartoons with Character: A Guide to Developing and Producing Your Own Series for TV, the Web, and Short Film and Producing Animation “a one-of-a-kind reference book that stands as the entertainment industry’s go-to information source for the many “how to” questions involved with television and feature animation production.” We’re finding both very useful.

A big eye-opener from my research over the last month is that even though technology is providing more and more opportunity to independently produce animation and get it in front of an audience without a network owning you, there is nothing about the process that will be fast or easy. This is a labor of love that will demand a great deal of patience, time, and energy to realise. Prepare for the long haul.

So, You Have a Brilliant Idea for an Animated Series - How Are You Going to Get It Produced?

I’m an idea person and if I could just find a way to sell my ideas, I’d be set for life. However, given the fact I haven’t earned a single dime for an idea yet, I finally came to the conclusion that I actually have to produce something tangible. 

One of these ideas includes a well thought out story for an animated series.  My husband and I have been working on this project for about seven years.  Now, neither of us could add “animator,” “animation writer,” “storyboard creator,” “director,” or “producer” to our respective resumés and we’re not networked to the animation industry in any way.  The best I can do is draw stick figures and tell a funny, creative story so the question became, how do you get animation produced if you have no relationship to animation or the industry other than a good story or idea?

When we started on this project back in 2007, we thought that to get it produced, we’d have to make a formal pitch bible and sell it to cable or network executives.  Obviously a daunting task and thankfully one that’s no longer required.  We knew producing a web series was a possibility but didn’t know just how easy that could be until recently.  Basically, there is nothing stopping you from producing your animation and getting it aired as soon as you determine a structure for doing so and you fill in the skill and talent gaps which, in this case, include everything but the idea.

These are the first few steps in my process to getting our animation produced and I will cover more in future posts. 

1. Determine what your final goal is (airing your animated series or short) and put a date to it. Work backwards from there.

2. Do a SWOT Analysis to determine your personal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats as they relate to producing your animation.  Strange place to start maybe, but I found it helpful to understand what I needed to focus on next, which turned out to be writing. If all you have is an idea so far - that’s probably where you need to start too so here are a few resources:

• Writing for animation:  Read How to Write for Animation, and follow the Aspiring TV Writer and Screenwriter Blog which is an amazing treasure trove of trending industry information.

If you're a busy person like me, working and going to grad school full time, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with more “to do’s” so this is plenty of information and resources to get you started for now.