Search form

Why is it so hard to pitch a successful Cartoon Series (any tips) (opinionated tips are also accepted)

4 posts / 0 new
Last post
Why is it so hard to pitch a successful Cartoon Series (any tips) (opinionated tips are also accepted)

i'm currently in my 3rd year of university, i'm studying multimedia. but i'm more into the animation side. i don't really want to be an animator for other people, i'm more interested in pursuing my goal which is to create an animation series that can bring to life a new world, into the minds of others. my favorite world would have to be avatar the last air-bender, the characters are as complex as the creators were permitted to make them, their struggles where relatable, and their fuck ups were present, but what interested me the most was the world they struggled in. i’m currently working on my series idea, and i don’t want to shoot my self in the leg by saying it is trash, or say it is great, the story needs alot of work, but i’m not here to ask for help on that. 

i need to understand the animation industry and i need tips on how to survive pitching a series and the steps to keep on trying when rejected. i think the story i loved the most was how rick and morty came to be, the creator really put so much effort into making his dream a reality, and that is really admirable. 

so guys lay it on me, be realistic and honest.

I'm actually giving the idea

I'm actually giving the idea of pitching a cartoon series to a network the middle finger. I have a cartoon that I want to bankroll myself, and it's being done in stages to ensure feasible, and intelligent goals. I care about how the story is told and put together as an animated show and I don't want some broadcasting network telling me what I can and can't write. Financially, it's a harder way to get there, and I may have to market everything myself, but I get to use the wit, humor, character dialogue, and themes I want without a third-party exerting pressure over my career and style of writing, as well as my manner of delivery.

Plus, we have the internet and plenty of online tools and resources. We have Discord, Toon Boom, Audacity, and other software. We don't live in the 20th century anymore where you had to fight your way to get your foot through the door in order to produce an animated series.

I understand when you say you

I understand when you say you don't want a third party deciding certain things for you, but really I think it is smart to at least try your luck pitching  to studios because:

  1. it is safer and you know it is their money and not yours.
  2. you get to learn from so many people, as the studios hires the best and have a lot of experienced animators who have done a shit load of shows. They literally spring forth a multitude of minds that can help not only shape your show but you as a person and your future. which for me is a huge ass win, as I love learning from people.
  3. you get connections, example working in CN gives you connections to people in Adult swim, heck which gives you connections to Fox and that's just a whole 'nother ball game of connections. so think broader, don't be fucked like most people singed with the mind set of my idea, my rules, mine mine mine. because frankly it's not like that. you are still going to have d-bags telling you on YouTube to change your shit it’s too "racist" too "perverted" "not kid friendly" "not godly enough" and that shit goes on forever, so if you are worried about people influencing your show, worry about the oh-so tenacious SJW’s and politically correct d-bags.
  4. I feel like this is common knowledge, but pitch your shows to the right studio that makes shows for your type of audience, no studio for kids would let you crack rick and Morty jokes, and no studio for adults would let you do fucking looney toons shit. so the misconception that studios change your ideas if it doesnt fit their standards isn't wrong or bad on their part, if you take your R rated show to CN expect them to tweak it, if they don’t toss it out entirely. Most people don’t get this and just pitch to every studio they like, it’s not one show fits all studios. and besides I’ve never even heard of a studio doing that to a show that actually follows this common sense logic, if you have examples enlighten me. 
  5. and finally you don't have to pay for shit, did I already mention this... which is great for someone who is broke and looking to make yourself known in the industry (me!!!!), since it allows you make a few cracks here and there, get yourself known, build connections, learn from others then in time make your own show, which honestly is my goal.

I literally asked for advice  but here I am advising you, you seem like a smart lad, and you clearly have the funds to make shit happen, so my advice to you is that you really get some council on the self-funded shows, get some examples where it worked, because right now you’re working with none, and correct me if I’m wrong most people that do that, do it on YouTube and just gather the audience that most animators and creators don't really want (well I don’t at least), and what is the name of your animated series so I can be on the lookout for it, if it’s not already out there. (goodluck)

Again if you do have any advice for "pitching to studios" I am welcome to that, as for self-funding series I’m not really interested currently.

thank you for responding.

 

The name of the series is

The name of the series is called Uniques United, and while I'm currently a long way from seeing it in its final, finished form, I do realize I'm going against the norm and that's okay. That's kind of the whole point, since I have some serious beefs with the industry the way it is right now.