U.S. independents have suffered through the heavy vertical integration of the 1990s. However, with large corporations deciding that perhaps in these tight times budgets could be better served by cutting big studio overheads, it seems like a bright new day could be on the horizon for the U.S.' brave independents. As competition looms from other animation nations, those with tax relief and government subsidies, it looks like the future will include diversity, co-productions and lots of ingenuity and innovation. Here three leading U.S. indie studios sound off on their prospects for the future.

Bill Schultz
Creative Director
Mike Young Productions, Woodland Hills, California

It is an exciting time for independent animation studios. In 1989 Fox commissioned Bobby's World from us at Film Roman. They offered to buy up all the rights by paying us a fee that was equal to what would have been, on any other network a license fee. Thus the beginning of vertical integration into the kids business. Next came the buildup of animation studios at Disney, Saban/Fox, Warner Bros. and soon after Nickelodeon. All of this squeezed the independents into a recession, where not only could they not own the shows they produced and created, but they were limited in terms of the work for hire business, as more and more owners had their own facilities.

Well flash forward to 2002, the apex of the vertical integration craze and the future is looking better for independents and animation in general. There's 2D, 3D, Flash, stop-motion... There are more channels with more specific programming niches -- action, cartoony, adult, very adult, gay, straight, sci-fi, comedy...or a mixture of all of the above!!! All the majors want to talk "co-production" or "acquisition." That Wall Street investment capital is being replaced by the sweat equity of creative, lean mean animation machines. Everything is cyclical, but better the second time around.

The year ahead will point to more change and in ways we never imagined. But that's why you better enjoy the ride, 'cause you never know if you'll get there....where ever that is. I have learned to accept radical changes in the landscape and look forward to what the future brings.