Editing Independent animation (section)

== [[United States]] ==
In America, working independent 
animators included [[Mary Ellen Bute]],<ref name="enchanteddrawings">[https://books.google.com/books?id=FSdQAAAAMAAJ Enchanted Drawings - Google Books (pgs.286-293)]</ref> [[John Whitney (animator)|John Whitney]],<ref name="enchanteddrawings"/> [[Harry Everett Smith]]<ref>[https://www.skwigly.co.uk/100-greatest-animated-shorts-film-3-interwoven-harry-smith/ 100 Greatest Animated Shorts/Film #3: Interwoven / Harry Smith - Skwigly Animation Magazine]</ref><ref name="rambler">[https://www.artandtrash.ca/episodes/rambler Rambler: Spoofing the Avant-Garde in Jane Conger Belson's Odds & Ends - Art & Trash]</ref> and [[Oskar Fischinger]]<ref name="enchanteddrawings"/> alongside earlier efforts of what would later become [[United Productions of America|UPA]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.10/2.10pages/2.10cohen.html|title=The Unnatural History of Independent Animated Films on 16mm.|website=www.awn.com}}</ref><ref>[https://calaborfed.org/california-history/animated-cartoon-sponsored-by-union-played-role-in-reelecting-roosevelt/ Animated cartoon sponsored by union played role in reelecting Roosevelt - California Labor Federation]</ref>

In 1959, The [[Academy Awards]] witnessed the first independent animated film to win an Oscar with [[John Hubley]]'s ''[[Moonbird]]'' which was also produced by wife and collaborator [[Faith Hubley]] using [[limited animation]] to tell their own personal stories.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2012/12/25/an-auteurist-history-of-film-independent-animation-1947-60/|title=MoMA &#124; An Auteurist History of Film: Independent Animation, 1947–60|website=www.moma.org}}</ref><ref name="indieanimationsfirstoscar">[https://animationobsessive.substack.com/p/when-indie-animation-won-its-first When Indie Animation Won Its First Oscar|Animation Obsessive]</ref>

[[Jordan Belson]],<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="rambler"/> [[Robert Breer]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/webpages4/filmnotes/fnf99n1.html|title=Film Notes -Independent Short Films|website=www.albany.edu}}</ref> and [[Stan Vanderbeek]]<ref name="enchanteddrawings"/> made groundbreaking [[experimental animation]] during this time.<ref name="auto2"/>

[[Avant-garde film|Avant-garde animator]] [[Carmen D'Avino]]'s Oscar-nominated ''Pianissimo'' (1963)<ref>[https://www.moma.org/momaorg/shared/pdfs/docs/press_archives/4784/releases/MOMA_1972_0013_11.pdf FILMS FOR CHILDREN (1972 program) on MoMA.org]</ref><ref>[https://www.cartoonbrew.com/animators/the-films-of-carmen-davino-1698.html The Films of Carmen D'Avino - Cartoon Brew]</ref><ref name="restoredanimatedrarities">[https://www.animationforadults.com/2017/11/the-academy-presents-restored-animated.html THE ACADEMY PRESENTS 'RESTORED ANIMATED RARITIES'|AFA: Animation for Adults]</ref> was distributed by none other than [[Amos Vogel]]'s legendary [[Cinema 16]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/cartoons-considered-for-the-academy-award-1963/|title=Cartoons Considered For the Academy Award – 1963 -|website=cartoonresearch.com}}</ref>

Other independent animators during this time included [[Charles Braverman]],<ref name="auto1"/> [[Gene Deitch]],<ref name="auto1"/>
[[Fred Mogubgub]],<ref>[https://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/this-is-how-film-fundraising-worked-before-kickstarter-69054.html This Is How Film Fundraising Worked Before Kickstarter|Cartoon Brew]</ref> [[Fred Wolf (animator)|Fred Wolf]]<ref>[https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2022/03/03/50-years-of-harry-nilssons-the-point/ 50 Years Of Harry Nilsson's The Point - Aquarium Drunkard]</ref> and [[Will Vinton]].<ref>[https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2018/10/will_vinton_oscar_winner_and_p.html Will Vinton, Oscar winner and pioneering Portland animator, dies at 70 - oregonlive.com]</ref><ref>[https://www.zippyframes.com/shorts/closed-mondays-vinton-gardiner 'Closed Mondays' by Bob Gardiner & Will Vinton (Classic Animation Frames)|Zippy Frames]</ref> The latter two would go on to win Academy Awards for [[Best Animated Short Film]] along with the works of the Hubleys and [[Ernest Pintoff]] starting in the late 1950s-early 1960s.<ref>[https://animationobsessive.substack.com/p/animation-at-its-most-pretentious 'The Critic': Animation at Its Most Pretentious - Animation Obsessive]</ref>

[[File:RalphBakshiJan09.jpg|thumb|Ralph Bakshi tried and succeeded to establish an alternative to mainstream animation through independent<ref>[https://www.vice.com/en/article/ralph-bakshi-8-minute-video-animation-legend/ 8-Minute Video Boils Down the Essence of Animation Legend Ralph Bakshi - VICE]</ref> and adult-oriented productions in the 1970s.]]
In the late 1960s, animator [[Ralph Bakshi]] and producer [[Steve Krantz]] founded Bakshi Productions,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gibson |first1=Jon M. |last2=McDonnell |first2=Chris |title=Unfiltered: The Complete Ralph Bakshi |year=2008 |publisher=Universe Publishing |isbn=978-0-7893-1684-4 |pages=54 |chapter=First Gigs }}</ref> establishing the studio as an alternative to mainstream animation by producing animation his own way and accelerating the advancement of female and minority animators.  He also paid his employees a higher salary than any other studio at that time.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sito |first1=Tom |title=Drawing the Line: The Untold Story of the Animation Unions from Bosko to Bart Simpson |url=https://archive.org/details/drawinglineuntol00sito |url-access=limited |year=2006 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |isbn=0-8131-2407-7 |page=[https://archive.org/details/drawinglineuntol00sito/page/n64 50] |chapter=Suits }}</ref> In 1969, Ralph's Spot was founded as a division of Bakshi Productions to produce commercials for [[Coca-Cola]] and ''[[Max, the 2000-Year-Old Mouse]]'', a series of educational shorts paid for by [[Encyclopædia Britannica]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Television/radio Age |year=1969 |publisher=Television Editorial Corp |page=13 }}</ref><ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-58">{{cite book |last1=Gibson |first1=Jon M. |last2=McDonnell |first2=Chris |title=Unfiltered: The Complete Ralph Bakshi |year=2008 |publisher=Universe Publishing |isbn=978-0-7893-1684-4 |pages=58; 62–63; 80–81 |chapter=''Fritz the Cat'' }}</ref> However, Bakshi was uninterested in the kind of animation he was producing, and wanted to produce something personal. Bakshi soon developed ''[[Heavy Traffic]]'', a tale of inner-city street life. However, Krantz told Bakshi that studio executives would be unwilling to fund the film because of its content and Bakshi's lack of film experience.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-58"/> While browsing the East Side Book Store on [[St. Mark's Place (Manhattan)|St. Mark's Place]], Bakshi came across a copy of [[Robert Crumb|R. Crumb]]'s ''[[Fritz the Cat]]''. Impressed by Crumb's sharp satire, Bakshi purchased the book and suggested to Krantz that it would work as a film.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-58"/>

''[[Fritz the Cat (film)|Fritz the Cat]]'' (1972) was the first animated film to receive an [[X-rated|X rating]] from the MPAA, and the highest grossing independent animated film of all time.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-58"/> Bakshi then simultaneously directed a number of animated films, starting with ''Heavy Traffic'' a year later. Ralph Bakshi became the first person in the animation industry since [[Walt Disney]] to have two financially successful films released back-to-back.<ref>{{cite book |last=Solomon |first=Charles |title=Enchanted Drawings: The History of Animation |url=https://archive.org/details/enchanteddrawing0000solo |url-access=limited |date=1989 |publisher=[[Alfred A. Knopf]] |location=New York City |isbn=0-394-54684-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/enchanteddrawing0000solo/page/275 275] }}</ref>

Alongside Bakshi came other independent animated features of the 70s and 80s (some made by former Disney animators) such as [[John David Wilson]]'s ''[[Shinbone Alley (film)|Shinbone Alley]]'' (1971), [[Don Bluth]]'s ''[[The Secret of NIMH]]'' (1982), Vinton's ''[[The Adventures of Mark Twain]]'' (1985) and [[Jerry Rees]]'s [[cult classic]] ''[[The Brave Little Toaster]]'' (1987).<ref name="couldbeatdisney">[https://nerdist.com/article/secret-of-nimh-don-bluth-retrospective-1982/ HOW THE SECRET OF NIMH PROVED DON BLUTH COULD BEAT DISNEY - Nerdist]</ref><ref>[https://www.zippyframes.com/index.php/news/the-adventures-of-mark-twain 3 Reasons Why: The Adventures of Mark Twain (1985)|Zippy Frames]</ref><ref>[https://www.awn.com/blog/brave-little-toaster-1987 THE BRAVE LITTLE TOASTER (1987) (***)|Animation World Network]</ref><ref name="donbluthindie">[https://www.awn.com/mag/issue1.3/articles/beck1.3.html Don Bluth Goes Independent - AWN.com]</ref>

Notable award-winning films also from the 70s and 80s included [[Dale Case]] and Bob Mitchell's ''[[The Further Adventures of Uncle Sam]]'' (1970),<ref name="cartoonresearch.com15">{{cite web|url=http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/cartoons-considered-for-an-academy-award-1970/|title=Cartoons Considered For An Academy Award – 1970 -|website=cartoonresearch.com}}</ref> Ted Petok's ''[[The Crunch Bird]]'' (1971),<ref>[http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/the-dog-days-of-summer-detroit-and-the-crunch-bird-1971/ The Dog Days of Summer, Detroit – and “The Crunch Bird” (1971)|Cartoon Research]</ref> [[Frank Mouris]]'s ''[[Frank Film]]'' (1973)<ref>[https://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/webpages4/archives/mouris.html New York State Writers Institute - Frank Film and Frankly Caroline]</ref> and Jimmy Picker's ''[[Sundae in New York]]'' (1983).<ref>[https://www.oscars.org/events/real-indies-visions-of-new-york The Real Indies: A Close Look at Orphan Films|Oscars.org (title: "Visions of New York")]</ref>

Animation historians [[John Canemaker]]<ref>[https://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.2/3.2pages/3.2chimovitznyc.html Declaration Of Independents Independent Animation is Alive and Well in New York by Melissa Chimovitz - AWN.com]</ref> and [[Michael Sporn]]<ref>[https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-xpm-2014-01-20-sns-201401201753reedbusivarietyn1201065674-20140120-story.html Animator Michael Sporn, an Oscar Nominee, Dies at 67 – Chicago Tribune]</ref> also made independent animation in New York, both earning Oscar nods for their work (only Canemaker won in 2005).

Other animators like [[Buzzco Associates|Candy Kugel]],<ref>[http://www.buzzzco.com/Studio/CKugel-Bio.htm Buzzco - Candy Kugel]</ref> [[Jeff Scher]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hyperallergic.com/424965/independent-frames-american-animation-quad-cinema/|title=The Creativity of Pre-Digital Animation in the 1970s and '80s|date=February 2, 2018|website=Hyperallergic}}</ref> [[Joanna Priestley]], Kathy Rose, [[Suzan Pitt]], [[Robert Swarthe]], Vince Collins, [[Barrie Nelson]], [[Eli Noyes]], Sky David (aka Dennis Pies),<ref name="restoredanimatedrarities"/> [[Steve Segal]], [[Mike Jittlov]],<ref>[https://www.artandtrash.ca/episodes/wizards Wizards: Labour, Magic and The Wizard of Speed and Time – Art & Trash]</ref>
[[Paul Fierlinger]],<ref>[https://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.6/2.6pages/2.6robinsonshorts.html CTW and MTV: Shorts of Influence - Animated World Network]</ref> [[Adam Beckett]], [[Lillian Schwartz]], [[Larry Cuba]] and [[George Griffin (animator)|George Griffin]] also made experimental and personal animation during the mid- to late 1970s through the early- to mid-1980s.<ref name="auto1"/><ref>[https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/independent-frames-american-experimental-animation-1970s-1980s Independent Frames: American Experimental Animation in the 1970s-1980s - Tate]</ref><ref name="restoredanimatedrarities"/><ref name="help-i-love-watching-animated-shorts"/>

In the 1970s, independent animator [[Sally Cruikshank]] (known for the 1975 cult short ''[[Quasi at the Quackadero]]'' alongside animated segments for ''[[Sesame Street]]''<ref>[https://animationobsessive.substack.com/p/what-sesame-street-did-for-animation What 'Sesame Street' Did for Animation|Animation Obsessive]</ref>) continued to explore independent and [[D.I.Y.]] distribution options, but were still largely met with rejection even though her work is now considered ground breaking.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.artofthetitle.com/feature/sally-cruikshank-a-career-retrospective-part-one/|title=Sally Cruikshank: A Career Retrospective, Part 1|first1= Lola|last1=Landekic|editor= Will Perkins|date=May 20, 2015|website=www.artofthetitle.com}}</ref>

Collections of independent films have been gathered for theatrical viewing, and video release, under such titles as the [[International Tournee of Animation]] (which existed between about 1965<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/animationworld/milestones-animation-industry-20th-century|title=Milestones Of The Animation Industry In The 20th Century|website=Animation World Network}}</ref> and ended in the late 1990s), Spike and Mike's ''Classic Festival of Animation'' (1977 to 1990) and [[Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation]] since 1990. Contemporary independent animators, including [[Steven Subotnick]],<ref>[https://lightcone.org/en/filmmaker-314-steven-subotnick Light Cone - Steven SUBOTNICK]</ref> [[Bill Plympton]],<ref name="skwigly.co.uk">[https://www.skwigly.co.uk/podcasts/independent-animation-4/ Independent Animation episode 4 - Indie Animated Features]</ref><ref>[https://www.oscars.org/events/icons-animation-art-illustration ICONS OF ANIMATION - THE ART OF ILLUSTRATION|Oscars.org]</ref> [[Don Hertzfeldt]],<ref name="secondeditionindieanimation">[https://www.skwigly.co.uk/independent-animation-second-edition/ Second Edition of the Skwigly book ‘Independent Animation’ out now - Skwigly Animation Magazine]</ref> [[Nina Paley]]<ref name="skwigly.co.uk"/> and [[PES (director)|PES]]<ref name="secondeditionindieanimation"/> have also made work outside of the studio system.

=== Later independent animation ===
[[File:Sita Sings the Blues.webm|thumb|''[[Sita Sings the Blues]]'', a notable American independent animated film by [[Nina Paley]]]]
The rise of the [[Internet]] in the 1990s and 2000s saw an exponential increase in the production of independent animation which included personal independent works by Timothy Hittle,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/65589/a_rare_treat_bay_area_animation|title=A Rare Treat: Bay Area Animation|date=August 23, 2011|website=KQED}}</ref> [[Janie Geiser]],<ref>[https://www.awn.com/animationworld/keep-it-motion-classic-animation-revisited-red-book Keep it in Motion - Classic Animation Revisited: 'The Red Book'|Animation World Network]</ref> [[John R. Dilworth]], [[Lewis Klahr]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.redcat.org/event/re-animation-evening-lewis-klahr|title=Re-Animation: An Evening with Lewis Klahr|date=September 2, 2009|website=Redcat|access-date=November 24, 2018|archive-date=November 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124221241/https://www.redcat.org/event/re-animation-evening-lewis-klahr|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[https://hyperallergic.com/663455/experimental-animation-gems-by-suzan-pitt-walerian-borowczyk/ Experimental Animation Gems by Suzan Pitt, Walerian Borowczyk, and More - Hyperallergic]</ref> and John Schnall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/animationworld/death-laughs-among-us-films-john-schnall|title=Death Laughs Among Us: The Films of John Schnall|website=Animation World Network}}</ref><ref>[https://www.awn.com/animationworld/vague-rumor-independence-new-york-animation The Vague Rumor of Independence in New York Animation|Animation World Network]</ref> [[Personal computer]] power increased to the point where it was possible for a single person to produce an animated cartoon on a home computer, using software such as [[Adobe Flash|Flash]], and distribute these short films over the [[World Wide Web]]. Independently produced Internet cartoons flourished as the popularity of the Web grew, and a number of strange, often hilarious short cartoons were produced for the Web.

In the late 1990s, an independent animated short film called ''[[The Spirit of Christmas (short film)|The Spirit of Christmas]]'' was produced for under $2,000 by two artists, [[Matt Stone]] and [[Trey Parker]].  This film was widely distributed on the Internet as a pirated cartoon, and its phenomenal popularity gave rise to the popular television [[animated series]] ''[[South Park]].''<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|title = Popular YouTube Series Annoying Orange Moves to TV|url = http://mashable.com/2011/04/15/annoying-orange-tv/|website = Mashable|access-date = 2016-01-02|first = Brenna|last = Ehrlich|date = April 15, 2011}}</ref> Limited 1990s bandwidth made streaming difficult, if not impossible. While some animators like [[Spümcø]]'s [[John Kricfalusi|John K]]. opted to use [[Adobe Flash|Flash]], it still required a plug-in making it unviewable in many early [[web browsers]]. Other early online animators like [[Wartella|M. Wartella]] opted to use the [[GIF|Animated GIF]] to overcome these limitations and create early web-based animation viewable through all browsers.<ref name="nytimes">{{Cite web|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/03/cyber/artsatlarge/19artsatlarge.html|title=Animator Pursues a Minimal Approach to His Art|website=archive.nytimes.com}}</ref>

Independent animation in the 2000s included animated features such as Paley's ''[[Sita Sings the Blues]]'', [[Christiane Cegavske]]'s ''[[Blood Tea and Red String]]'',<ref>[https://filmthreat.com/uncategorized/blood-tea-and-red-string-2/ BLOOD TEA AND STRING - Film Threat]</ref> the CGI-animated features ''[[Hoodwinked!]]'' and ''[[Barnyard (film)|Barnyard]]''<ref name="indieanimationking">[https://www.animationmagazine.net/2006/09/indie-animation-king-bill-plympton/ Indie Animation King Bill Plympton|Animation Magazine]</ref> and [[List of American independent films|Indiewood]] director [[Wes Anderson]]'s first foray into animation territory: his 2009 stop motion adaptation of [[Roland Dahl]]'s ''[[Fantastic Mr. Fox (film)|Fantastic Mr. Fox]]''.<ref name="checkouttheseanimatedindies">[https://www.themarysue.com/check-out-these-must-see-indie-animated-movies/ Check out These Must-See Indie Animated Movies|The Mary Sue]</ref>

By the mid-to-late 2000s [[YouTube]] and the [[Internet]] and like-minded online video distribution, in addition to independent broadcasting sites that followed, proved to be a dominant form of independently distributed, broadcast, edited, and produced animation TV shows, anime, feature films, music videos, retro animation, commercials, trailers, original online animation content, and web exclusives<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ribes|first=Xavier|date=2020-12-16|title=Is the YouTube Animation Algorithm-Friendly? How YouTube's Algorithm Influences the Evolution of Animation Production on the Internet|url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1746847720969990|journal=Animation|volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=229–245 |language=en|doi=10.1177/1746847720969990|s2cid=229305003 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> (which would otherwise not stand a chance of seeing airtime on more normal and expensive forms of mainstream broadcasting on most television networks, which still continue to function on a more traditional distribution matrix). ''[[Annoying Orange]]'', which started off as a series of viral quasi-CGI animated comedy shorts on [[YouTube]], quickly gained a cult following and an excess of 100 million views online. It is an example of an animated web series to transition between Internet and television distribution successfully, as an animated series on [[Cartoon Network]].<ref name="auto"/>

Recent independent animations released on YouTube include the [[adult animated]] [[web series]] ''[[Helluva Boss]]'', and [[Television pilots|pilots]] for ''[[Hazbin Hotel]]'', ''[[Long Gone Gulch]]'', ''[[Murder Drones]]'', ''[[Lackadaisy (film)|Lackadaisy]]'', ''[[The Amazing Digital Circus]]'' and ''[[The Gaslight District]]''. <ref>[https://thetacomaledger.com/2023/04/24/review-a-purrfect-storm-of-chaos-in-new-indie-animation-lackadaisy/ Review: A purrfect storm of chaos in new indie animation ‘Lackadaisy’ - The Tacoma Ledger]</ref> While ''Helluva Boss'' and ''Hazbin Hotel'' are made by independent animator [[Vivienne Medrano]],<ref name="go">{{cite web | last1=Field |first1=Matthew |url=https://www.goexpress.co.za/2019/12/05/hazbin-Hotel-marks-a-turning-point-for-indie-animation/ | title='Hazbin Hotel' a bold step in indie animation | date=December 5, 2019 | website=Go! & Express | access-date=February 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200512162723/https://www.goexpress.co.za/2019/12/05/hazbin-hotel-marks-a-turning-point-for-indie-animation/|archive-date=May 12, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Troup">{{cite web|last1=Troup|first1=Margaret|url=https://www.iowastatedaily.com/limelight/hazbin-hotel-creator-releases-new-episode-of-spin-off-series-helluva-boss-vivienne-medrano-youtube-animated-series-a24-angel-dust-charlie-moxxie-millie-blitzo-brandon-rogers-richard-steven-horvits-iowa-state-daily-ames-iowa/article_f905a1ea-1d33-11eb-afb6-3b962bc22e27.html|title='Hazbin Hotel' creator releases new episode of spinoff series 'Helluva Boss'|date=November 2, 2020|access-date=November 3, 2020|website=[[Iowa State Daily]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201103153029/https://www.iowastatedaily.com/limelight/hazbin-hotel-creator-releases-new-episode-of-spin-off-series-helluva-boss-vivienne-medrano-youtube-animated-series-a24-angel-dust-charlie-moxxie-millie-blitzo-brandon-rogers-richard-steven-horvits-iowa-state-daily-ames-iowa/article_f905a1ea-1d33-11eb-afb6-3b962bc22e27.html|archive-date=November 3, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Long Gone Gulch'' was written and produced by Tara Billinger and Zach Bellissimo, who had worked on animations for [[Cartoon Network]], [[Adult Swim]], and [[Disney+]].<ref name="Perkins">{{cite web |last=Perkins |first=Christ |url=https://www.animationforadults.com/2016/08/kickstart-this-long-gone-gulch.html |title= KickStart This: 'Long Gone Gulch' |date=August 11, 2016 |website=Animation for Adults |access-date=January 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926155442/https://www.animationforadults.com/2016/08/kickstart-this-long-gone-gulch.html |archive-date=September 26, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> At the same time, the all-ages web series, ''[[Sherwood (Web series)|Sherwood]]'', also released all 12 episodes on [[YouTube Premium|YouTube Originals]], made freely available in April 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last=Franks |first=Nico |title=YouTube brings down paywall |url=https://www.c21media.net/youtube-brings-down-paywall/ |website=C21Media |accessdate=October 15, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413043839/https://www.c21media.net/youtube-brings-down-paywall/ |archivedate=April 13, 2020 |date=April 10, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> 

[[Alternative comics]] artist turned animator [[Dash Shaw]]'s ''[[Cryptozoo]]'' enjoyed critical success at the [[Sundance Film Festival]] to the point of winning the NEXT Innovator Award while it was also nominated for the [[John Cassavetes Award]] at the [[Independent Spirit Awards]] a year afterwards.<ref>[https://www.indiewire.com/2021/07/cryptozoo-trailer-dash-shaw-1234650476/ Cryptozoo Trailer: Dash Shaw's Animated Sundance Winner for Adults|IndieWire]</ref><ref>[https://mubi.com/films/cryptozoo  Cryptozoo (2021)|MUBI]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/indie-spirit-awards-2022-nominations-full-list-1235132931/ |title=Indie Spirit Awards 2022: Full List of Nominations |first1=Brent |first2=Jazz |last1=Long |last2=Tangcay |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=December 14, 2021 |access-date=December 14, 2021}}</ref>

[[One Small Step (film)|Oscar-nominated animator]] [[Andrew Chesworth]]  formerly worked at [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Disney]] (being animator on ''[[Wreck It Ralph]]'', ''[[Frozen (2013 film)|Frozen]]'', ''[[Get a Horse!]]'', ''[[Big Hero 6 (film)|Big Hero 6]]'', ''[[Feast (2014 film)|Feast]]'', ''[[Zootopia]]'' and ''[[Moana (2016 film)|Moana]]'')<ref>[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/12879735%7C0/Andrew-Chesworth#overview Andrew Chesworth - Turner Classic Movies]</ref><ref>[http://www.animationinsider.com/2015/05/andrew-chesworth/ Andrew Chesworth - Animation Insider]</ref> and [[Netflix Animation|Netflix]] (on the 2019 [[Annie Award for Best Animated Feature]] winner ''[[Klaus (film)|Klaus]]'')<ref>[https://www.insider.com/netflix-klaus-director-sergio-pablos-interview-2019-11 How it took almost a decade and Netflix to bring 'Klaus' — one of the year's best animated movies — to life - Insider]</ref> while working independently on his passion projects including his 2023 Oscar-qualifying<ref>[https://www.cartoonbrew.com/shorts/oscars-short-film-contenders-the-brave-locomotive-232356.html 2024 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘The Brave Locomotive’ Director Andrew Chesworth|Cartoon Brew]</ref><ref>[https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/10/oscar-watch-2024-your-guide-to-this-years-qualifying-animated-shorts/ Oscar Watch 2024: Your Guide to This Year’s Qualifying Animated Shorts|Animation Magazine]</ref> ''[[The Brave Locomotive]]'', a love letter to the [[Andrews Sisters]] and [[Golden Age of American animation|1940s animation]]. First conceived in 2008, he released online in 2015 the opening sequence that was in progress before shelving it after being hired by Disney in 2011.<ref name="openingsequence">[https://vimeo.com/125219477 The Brave Locomotive - Opening Sequence Work In Progress on Andrew Chesworth's official Vimeo channel]</ref> 

Other notable animated indie efforts of the 2020s include ''[[Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021 film)|Marcel the Shell with Shoes On]]'',<ref>[https://deadline.com/2022/07/a24-marcel-the-shell-with-shoes-on-specialty-box-office-2-1235061104/ A24 Has Another Indie Hit, As 'Marcel The Shell' Slides Into Top 10 – Specialty Box Office - Deadline]</ref><ref>[https://www.thewrap.com/marcel-the-shell-with-shoes-on-dean-fleischer-camp-interview/ 'Marcel the Shell With Shoes On' Director Explains What It Took to Pull Off One of the Year's Most Charming Movies|The Wrap]</ref><ref>[https://www.hollywoodinsider.com/50th-annie-awards-2023/ Guillermo del Toro's 'Pinocchio' and 'Turning Red' Lead the Nominations for the 50th Annie Awards 2023 - Hollywood Insider]</ref><ref>[https://www.avclub.com/a-brief-history-of-adult-animation-1850067524 A brief, and somewhat shocking, history of adult animation|The A.V. Club]</ref> ''[[Ninety-Five Senses]]'',<ref>[https://www.slugmag.com/arts/film-arts/you-cant-really-plan-for-getting-an-oscar-a-chat-with-hubbel-palmer/ "You Can't Really Plan for Getting an Oscar": A Chat with Hubbel Palmer - SLUG Magazine]</ref> ''[[Mad God]]'',<ref>[https://www.zippyframes.com/feature-animation/mad-god-phil-tippett-review Mad God by Phil Tippett|Film Review|Zippy Frames]</ref> ''[[War Is Over!]]''<ref name="timelymessage">[https://www.indiewire.com/features/animation/war-is-over-animated-short-lennon-yoko-ono-1234941594/ "War is Over": Animated Short Short Creates Timely Message of Humanity - IndieWire]</ref> and ''[[My Year of Dicks]]''.<ref>[https://www.awn.com/blog/look-my-year-dicks A Look at ‘My Year of Dicks’|Animation World Network]</ref>

The [[analog horror]] webseries ''Angel Hare'', inspired by [[List of Christian animations|Christian animated cartoons]], was made independently by twin sisters Hannah and Rachel Mangan under their studio East Patch.<ref>[https://buttondown.com/magencubed/archive/let-it-be-unnamed/ Let It Be Unnamed · Buttondown]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 17, 2024 |title="Angel Hare" Isn't What I Expected – The Geekiary |url=https://thegeekiary.com/angel-hare-isnt-what-i-expected/123465 |access-date=March 14, 2025 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=17 Best Analog Horror Series on YouTube |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |date=October 24, 2022 |url=https://collider.com/best-analog-horror-series-youtube-channels |access-date=December 24, 2024}}</ref>