Mo' Moans

@Annaklava No, I was referring to animators that do the opposite, stop making content of any kind for youtube, or upload once every 9 months or longer. like the sleepycabin guys

SexuaLobster

Are you referencing animators who turned to Let's playing? I know Egoraptor did that, I think it's great what they are doing, but I'm also happy that people like you didn't give up on animating for a cash-cow either.

Annaklava

Cheers. The trick would be figuring out reward tiers, a problem for me is that if i shipped rewards myself (posters books dvds shirts whatever) it would be really expensive to the majority of backers since i'm in Australia. But digital perks might not be enough to entice people to back a project. Unlike a game or a point of sale type of kickstarter where the point is to make a product of some type, a film is expected to be given away.

SexuaLobster

I will gladly contribute to a kickstarter. Big fan of Goosondo and Fernaman's adventures

@jago751 And what we've seen as a result is a lot of animators turning their backs on YT. No doubt a lot of other live action content creators who would rather make shorter denser things have moved on as well. That said, I understand youtube doesn't actually run at a profit, which surprised me.

SexuaLobster

It's pretty sad to see youtube turning its back on the people who work hardest :/ I guess they never really helped animators out from the get go though.

Potato

Newgrounds was a fantastic incubator, my experience there gave me the encouragement I needed when I was a beginner. I think I'd find it harder now. I didn't start getting traction on youtube until late 2011, and 2013 was my first properly decent year. As for what does well on youtube, I do find it bemusing sometimes, particularly the gaming channels. I think my choice to put decent hours into my cartoons and release them less frequently rather than play the youtube game and pump stuff out is the right one though. Youtube rewards minutes so I can't possibly compete with gamers, tech people, chefs, vloggers etc.

SexuaLobster

I think you're right and my train of thought was in the wrong place when I posted that yesterday. The episode is a newer one (I think even from February this year). But it's basically stamper and Oney talking about how they got big on newgrounds, and what they've done with it. The consensus I got from both of them was that they could not stay alive by just doing their cartoons like they have (you've even talked about that in one of your pointless shows). That's why Stamper moved to do more voice acting, and Oney and Psychic Pebbles are working overtime to either get hellbenders off the ground, or find alternatives to make money. Like I said, I'm just annoyed that despite you having a long track record of creating high class, original cartoons, you haven't become as popular as some of the youtubers who've been around for 4 years or less. As far as the Australia thing goes. I think you'll be fine. You've got a long track record of actually doing your work. Shouldn't be too hard for the creator of the world's greatest manwhore.

NICrosis

Oh there'll be competition. I recently missed out on a script writing training weekend for youtubers sponsored by Screen Australia for long form projects. I see that weekend as a precursor to this grant so whoever was involved has an advantage. As for your second paragraph, I'm not sure I understand how being early to a party is bad if you stay at the party, to use your metaphor. I think one of the reasons this patreon has been successful is that I've been doing this for a long time, and many viewers have been watching for years and have formed a connection of some kind. If at any point in the last 10 years I'd come up with a new show concept that had mega-potential like adventure time for example, or even just a huge parody hit like one of Oney's, it would succeed or fail on its own merits, I just haven't come up with anything like that. Do you remember which sleepycast episode and where in the episode those guys talk about it? I'd be interested in hearing their opinion.

SexuaLobster

I don't imagine you have too much aussie competition against you, so best of luck getting a 30 minute grant. I believe in you. Unfortunately, you started on newgrounds years ago, before there was money to be made through this medium. You, egoraptor's original animations, the juggernaut animations, and a lot of newgrounds original cast pretty much got crapped on when kids came on the scene and started subscribing to crap like smosh. A lot of the guys from the sleepycast even talk about that. Guys like you who are awesome entertainers that were too early for the party.

NICrosis

@RavenSucks When I was putting the patreon together I knew I wanted to take a holiday at the end of the year. Also there's the possibility that a really really cool job (or grant, like described above) will come around, and I will want to do that for a while. Taking money and not working on a project does not sit right with me. But thanks for saying that!

SexuaLobster

One of the reasons that small countries like Australia subsidise and support the arts is to try to maintain our own cultural identity in the face of a vast amount of cheap content from the states. Over here a lot of young people talk with American accents and use American words for things. Australians don't consume very much Australian content on the whole. Having said that, the grant was half from Google, a nominally US company. But yeh it was cool. I was incredibly lucky but like I said, probably won't happen a second time. If it does, I'll need to demonstrate that the project is a significant step up and has potential for further commercialisation.

SexuaLobster

He only makes a video every few months. You actually save money the way he does it.

FooldiverDX

Man it is really cool that your country pays you to animate squid hunting manwhores singing about vaginas. I wish America was like that. : /

FooldiverDX

Dude! Do a monthly payment instead of per cartoon! I'll stay on! :P

It's what comes of making my primary activity animating inaccessible cartoons with no brand potential! My plan when I got into this was to make one thing per month but to date I've only managed that once (Meth Orcs). Moancore looks like it's going to blow out a bit, too.

SexuaLobster

Sorry to hear your income has been low—if only there were a way to get mad bullion...

Henry