Animation

So I developed this concept and wrote a pilot script in 2004/5. The pilot script won the Columbine Award for Television Pilot at the 2005 Moondance International Film Festival. Then nothing. 21 years later, I am bringing it back to life. I'd like some advice.

Marty the Martian Farmer - a retro sci-fi...

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If you’re building a career in animation—whether you're an artist, director, storyteller, or producer—learning directly from working professionals can accelerate your growth. These webinars and classes break down real-world workflows used across TV, film, streaming, and games, offering you practical...

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I wanted to highlight some of our most highly viewed Animation webinars and classes from this year. These programs have helped creatives around the world strengthen their skills, improve their storytelling, and better understand the production pipelines that bring animated projects to life.

TOP WEBINARS:From Script to Screen: Tools To Get Your Animation Project Made

https://www.stage32.com/education/products/how-to-find-representation-in...Learn the animation process so you can get your animation film, TV show or show made from a 3x Emmy nominated animation director and producer!

How to Pitch an Animated Series to Networks or Streamers

https://www.stage32.com/education/products/how-to-pitch-an-animated-seri...By the end of this webinar, you’ll walk away fully prepared, and ready to leave a lasting impression with your animated series pitch! You’ll discover how to craft a winning pitch—from preparing your materials and building a standout pitch bible, to mastering pitch etiquette and confidently handling the toughest questions buyers throw your way.

How to Find Representation in the Animation Industry

https://www.stage32.com/education/products/how-to-find-representation-in...Learn from two powerhouse animation industry insiders with decades of experience! You will walk away from this exclusive Stage 32 webinar with a clear understanding of the types of representation available, when and how to find the right rep, portfolio and networking strategies tailored for animation professionals, and how to navigate common pitfalls on your path to a sustainable career.

TOP CLASSES:

Stage 32 4-Part Class: How To Start Your Career And Work As A Video Game Writer

https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-4-part-class-how-to-...Learn how to build your career as a video game writer from one of the writers on the new AAA-game studio game THAT'S NO MOON! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help you navigate the video game industry!

How To Write Your Animation Film: From Idea to Execution Get The TOY STORY Screenplay

https://www.stage32.com/education/products/how-to-write-your-animation-f...In this exclusive Stage 32 4-session on-demand class, you will explore and celebrate screenwriting for animated films with the Oscar nominated writer of TOY STORY

You'll walk away from this class with the tools and vision you need to write your animated feature at the highest level.

We’re mapping out our 2026 animation education and would love your perspective.

What areas of animation should we dive into next year?

Share your thoughts below—your input helps us bring the right programs to life.

View all All comments

Mike Boas

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3 people like this
4 weeks ago

While I hate the business-speak with which that article was written, it does break down animation components in interesting ways.

One thing I didn’t see was an acknowledgment of the free labor a new m...

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Cyrus Sales

4
4 people like this
3 weeks ago

Leonardo Ramirez 2 I haven't had a chance to properly read the entire article to make a comment but at a quick glance it looks insightful and helpful to my own journey. Thanks for sharing this article...

Leonardo Ramirez 2

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3 people like this
3 weeks ago

You’re very welcome Cyrus Sales. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Kevin Jackson

This is a great find Leonardo Ramirez 2 thank you for posting. This is going to come in very handy for me right now.

You’re very welcome Kevin Jackson. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Maurice Vaughan

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2 people like this
- Ashley Renee Smith
- Dwayne Williams 2
4 weeks ago

Thanks for sharing the tips, Kevin Jackson! They're gonna help when I think of and write characters, like the tip "Put yourself in the character's shoes."...

Dwayne Williams 2

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2 people like this
- Ashley Renee Smith
- Maurice Vaughan
4 weeks ago

Much Needed! Thanks Kevin Jackson.

2
2 people like this
- Ashley Renee Smith
- Maurice Vaughan
3 weeks ago

Kevin Jackson Thanks for sharing. I like to hold onto articles like this for my team for when we are in that specific stage of production they can go back and refresh and hopefully take away some new...

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2 people like this
- Ashley Renee Smith
- Leonardo Ramirez 2
1 month ago

Thanks for sharing the article, Kevin Jackson. I'm getting ready to write vertical scripts. I watched Stage 32’s "Understanding Vertical Storytelling "Verticals" 101" webinar last week. I plan on watc...

3
3 people like this
1 month ago

I wrote a vertical drama from a producer as well, but he suddenly seems to be dragging his feet. I am going to nudge him again, but I as well will be writing vertical animation. I want to test out the platforms.

Interesting Kevin Jackson - let us know how that goes. I would think a serialized vertical animation would do well since there aren't many at all....

Kevin Jackson I knew vertical content exist however this is my first time hearing and reading about Vertical Dramas. Honestly fascinated with the idea and I can see how it is a big thing....

Patrik Gyltefors

You should definitely get compensated for your time making test samples. And for paid work, adapt to what the client wants in regards to art style. Ideally, the client would have contacted you because...

It is a common (BAD) practice in the industry. Even though you have a portfolio, studios have been burned in the past hiring people that have talent but just cannot match up to their style of animatio...

Cyrus Sales it's unfortunately a standard in the industry. I would say limit the test to one character and a 10 second test. Anything more than that is a lot of work.

The other option is to find the r...

Patrik Gyltefors thank you for your insight. I do feel like the time to sample can be a waste.. most times. Our first animation client did secure us for their project based off the animation we sent h...

Kevin Jackson beautifully said and maybe somewhere in there I was looking for some sort of glance that I'm headed in the right direct. I feel like at this point standing firm on, we can do a sample ho...

George Ray Rigney

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1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
1 month ago

There was a TV show from 1965 to 1971 called "Green Acres" where a wealthy couple from New York City move to the country. Lots of great comedy lines and gags. Your story could be on Earth in the futur...

Alex Olguin

This is such a cool concept. It has si much potential on crazy things. You've gotta do a killer tomatoe from space episode or something haha!

Neal Jamison

I use Green Acres as a comp when I pitch it. Futurama meets Green Acres on Mars. Thanks for the comments!

Anette Alvik

4 weeks ago

it’s a nice pilot. I hear a lot of animators are turning to web3 because the animation industry is a bit tricky these days. in my country it might be easier, if you’d be interested to have it on Norwegian television

Cyrus Sales

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1 person likes this

Maurice Vaughan

3 weeks ago

Neal Jamison absolutely love the line work done on this animation, the overall art style is great. I would agree with George Ray Rigney, there's no problem or conflict. I would also add and something...
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Neal Jamison absolutely love the line work done on this animation, the overall art style is great. I would agree with George Ray Rigney, there's no problem or conflict. I would also add and something that's over looked is audio. I feel like there could have been more sound design, who do you have doing your post production audio?

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
4 weeks ago

Thank you for this share. You keep finding these amazing articles Ashley Renee Smith

Very cool stuff Ashley Renee Smith. Some of the snippets from the Hungarian sample reel have such a classic feel to them. I'll have to hop on Hunimation.com and check that out!...

Debbie Elicksen

Wow, this is awesome Ashley Renee Smith. I love how this community is getting exposed to international markets.

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1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
3 weeks ago

Ashley Renee Smith - to be candid, I honestly had no idea Hungary had this much involvement in the animation industry, let alone 111 years. I personally haven't worked with any Hungarian studios but I...

2
2 people like this
- Leonardo Ramirez 2
- Maurice Vaughan
1 month ago

James Lagrimas Thanks for sharing!

Elle Bolan

2
2 people like this
- Leonardo Ramirez 2
- Maurice Vaughan
4 weeks ago

Oh now, I'm very, very interested in some of these. I know quite a few amazing artists I could refer to this too.

Thanks for sharing, James!

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1 person likes this
- Leonardo Ramirez 2
4 weeks ago

Hey, James Lagrimas. I'd like to see Stop-motion Education.

I'd love to see something along the lines of bringing together a team of independent animators, writers, producers, etc. to build your own studio James Lagrimas....

This is really exciting news! and a huge step for digital storytelling. I’m looking forward to seeing how these stories evolve with such a strong creative partnership and reach audiences worldwide.

2
2 people like this
- Cyrus Sales
- Maurice Vaughan
4 weeks ago

It really is huge. A great pipeline.

Geoff Hall

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1 person likes this
- Dwayne Williams 2
1 month ago

Mike Boas I love it Mike, when people talk about helping creatives, but really don’t know what it is to be…creative!

Geoff Hall -I stand strong on keeping AI out of this space . Like Maurice Vaughan said early on. Film is a craft. A beautiful craft, the entire process is amazing to watch unfold. The good moments, "j...

Linda Bradshaw-Rogers

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2 people like this
- Dwayne Williams 2
- Maurice Vaughan
1 month ago

Sounds like robbed creativity, Cyrus, if left up to AI. I've written my first animated script and currently looking for assistance/critique. Home grown...no AI.

My stance on AI in the creative industry is simple that it is very useful, and you have to decide how you want to use it, but I caution you to use it as a tool and not let it do the creative output it...

Ways to use AI:1. Help you to ideate for writing, character designs, world design etc.

2. Help you to structure or reword things you might be challenged with.

3. Help you with supporting documents, like a treatment or logline etc.

4. VFX enhancement (See James Cameron's statements on the use of AI)

5. Organizing footage

6. Basic feedback

Ways NOT to use AI1. To write you script for you. Writing is a skill you develop, to convey your unique voice in telling a story. There is nothing new under the sun, but your unique voice brings unique flavor to an old story. When you give that up, eventually AI stories are all going to feel the same even if they are different. Similar to how the over adoption of script writing formulas now make everything on streaming platforms feel the same despite dramatically different genres.

2. To design characters for you. You can use it to develop references, maybe initial ideation, but the final character design must be your full-fledged design, which you craft with your mind and hands, that is not a direct copy of anyone's or anything's generated images. You are developing a skill that again, brings your unique flavor.

3. To rewrite your script. Even if you write and initial draft and then run it through AI, while the AI maintains most of your voice, it is going to alter it significantly. It will no longer be your voice and may lose its authenticity.

4. To edit videos for you. Editing is story telling. The editor is the final writer/director of a film and again, the unique voice/flavor is at stake if you let AI take over control.

5. To do your VFX from start to finish. Again, we don't want to eradicate human skill. James Cameron himself said he would never let AI write his stories, but he definitely sees use for it in VFX. I can too. There are some mundane tasks that I would rather my VFX team not waste their time one unless they are junior staff. I want my lead VFX artists to focus on the heavy stuff that requires very unique imagination, but some basic compositing or explosion enhancement, I would perhaps consider AI to assist. I am big on not replacing people, even if I hire them to use the AI in their work, I would never want to replace a human being with an AI tool itself. It must just be there to ensure my VFX artists can get their work done and go home at a reasonable hour to spend time with their family and get rest.

6. Full feedback on a script. While I find AI feedback very useful, it does not replace a human being. I have heard people say "AI gives very basic feedback or unusable feedback. I have not seen that to be the case. I have seen it give just as good if not better feedback than feedback I have received from Coverfly, Stage32 and elsewhere. That's because it's not under pressure like a lot of screenplay reviewers are under to read hundreds of scripts a month and give feedback. HOWEVER, the AI can sometimes be too pandering if you ask it for feedback the wrong way, and it can sometimes be too harsh if you ask it to be harsh and sometimes it can be never ending. AI also is always going to be a bit behind on the trends and also behind on the instinct of predicting what will sell. Only someone close to the industry, who is behind those closed doors in the executive meeting know that "Slasher Romance" is going to be the big hit this summer and hence your scrip will sell faster if you focus on that. They know that while "Old Man Action" is hot right now, if your script is going to take 2 years to right, it's going to be a dead trend by then.

Right now, for example, I have been studying vertical micro series and the writing is very soapy and, in my opinion, very amateur. I believe AI and even many reviewers would probably mark you harshly for writing like that, however, if you specifically have your script reviewed by a person who specializes in that format will tell you that what seems to grab the audience are "Unassuming Heroes" or "Under Dog stories" with a lot of inner monologue and overly harsh antagonists. This is not to say traditional writing will not work in that space. I have seen a few with proper scripts, dialogue and actors, but I notice more often than not, they are capturing you with the audacity of the story and the characters. That trend may change, and it may become more traditional over time, but only a human can keep you abreast with those shifts in real time and may have inner insight of what those platforms will be looking for next. The AI is going to pretty much give advice based on what it knows has worked in the past.

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2 people like this
- Cyrus Sales
- Dwayne Williams 2
1 month ago

Cyrus Sales I love this, Cyrus!

“Where's the passion? The love? The late nights learning and practicing. Sure it helps with workflow and process however the process is to learn and master your craft.” Expand comment

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