Adult Animation Revolution: Exclusive Interview With Glitch Productions On The State Of Indie Animation

Glitch Productions is a fully self sustained Australian animation studio with a following of over 5 million engaged fans. The ultimate goal is to make animated shows targeted at teens and young adults that tell fun and whimsical stories while also respecting our audience’s ability to appreciate mature plots and complex themes.

I recently had the opportunity to chat with the team behind Glitch Productions to get their insight on the evolving indie animation industry.

Tito W. James: I noticed a shift in Western animation around 2018 and 2019. We had shows like Castlevania, Primal, Love Death + Robots, and Hazbin Hotel. There were also films like The Breadwinner, Isle of Dogs, Bird Boy and the Forgotten Children, I Lost My Body, and Into the Spider-Verse.

When did you notice this shift into narratively-driven artistically rich adult animation happening?

Glitch: We noticed she shift start to happen around that time as well, especially with Hazbin Hotel being a landmark in indie animation production in the West. A lot of the people that grew up on anime and seen the kinds of stories that Japanese studios are creating have now gotten old enough to create their own things and it’s definitely been a big influence on the perception of our generation’s approach to animated stories.

James: Growing up, web-based animated series were of the quality of Strongbad but now there are cartoons on YouTube that look better than cartoons produced for TV.

When did this occur and why do you think that is?

Glitch: Rooster Teeth definitely paved the way with RWBY and showed that it’s possible to make something good as an independent studio. With all the turmoil happening in the mainstream animation studios and TV in general, creators are looking to indie animation as the means to tell the kinds of stories they want, they way they want it, and keep the control in the hands of artists.

James: Many people working at traditional cable channels like Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and Disney Channel, have expressed frustrations with corporate censorship. What are some of the creative advantages of working in the indie animation realm?

Glitch: As indie producers, we can make pretty much whatever we want so long as it’s within the realm of general sensibility. Cultural shifts also mean that topics that were seen as unapproachable in animation before are now okay to depict. Since we’re from the very generation we’re trying to appeal to, we also know exactly what kinds of stories they’re looking for without any out-of-date studio head telling us what they think.

James: You created Glitch Expo to spotlight indie animation. What would you like to see from the indie animation world in the next five years?

Glitch: Being able to completely self fund productions is a goal for us and the indie animation scene at large. We want people with unique stories to be able to connect to the under-represented audiences that the mainstream studios won’t touch and for indie animation to be seen as the go-to source for high quality, mature stories. Basically, if a bunch of other indie artists can do what we’re doing right now, we’ll be incredibly happy and excited for this industry.

James: There’s a lot of “content” on the internet. What should indie animation creators do to stand out and find their audience?

Glitch: Mostly just taking risks and disregarding old formats of production. The 22×22 TV show format is dead, and people are looking for shows that go deeper into their characters lives and personalities. Episodic status quo shows just aren’t as appealing anymore – audiences want to experience a show that really speaks to them on a personal level, and that very rarely comes from the very safe content produced by mainstream networks.

James: Glitch Productions has shown a commitment to creating animated programs for teen audiences. Young adults are some of the most passionate cartoon fans and yet they are largely ignored outside of Anime.

Why is this demographic unique and important to create for?

Glitch: They’re important for exactly that reason – they’re under-targeted at the moment. These are the adults that grew up on gems like Last Airbender, Samurai Jack, and all kinds of anime. They’ve known for a long time that animation doesn’t just have to be for kids.

The blog I write is called “Adult Animation Revolution” — we believe that “animation is a medium not a genre.” Sadly, in America it’s still rare to see animation being taken seriously as a mature form of artistic expression. If you had to advocate for animation’s potential as an artistic medium what would you say?

Glitch: Animation allows you to make whatever you want and build worlds that just aren’t possible in real life. The kinds of visuals and stories possible through animation is limited only by your imagination and it’s sad that a lot of the mainstream’s current animation imagination is limited to just kids shows and animated sitcoms. When you really explore the boundaries of what you can do in animation, you end up with masterpieces like Spider-verse and Arcane – how can anyone not want more of that?

I’d like to thank the team behind Glitch Productions for taking the time to do this interview. Also be sure to check out Glitch Expo 4pm PST, November 9th on the Glitch Youtube channel.