Places to go for animated series feedback?

[jayorten]

Hey guys, Jamison here. I'm thinking of writing my own animated series, and I've been trying to find a place online where I could post my ideas and receive professional criticism. I guess I could post it here, but I want feedback from more than one source. It would also be nice to find a place where I can post all of my writing in one thread, and collaborate and exchange ideas with other writers to improve my work. I was wondering if you guys might happen to know some websites that would best serve my needs. Thanks.

[joannekwan]

Hmm, unless you know some professionals working in the industry personally, I think it would be hard to get a hold of one for critiques. There are portfolio days and cons where you can talk with people and there could be like AMA's on Reddit or something but I'm not sure how many of them would offer to give a critique on the spot. I don't know of any specific sites per se.

I think the Tap forums would be a fine starting point because at the root of it, animation is sequential art, just like comics. I'm sure many people here envision their stories animated or acted out anyway.

[Marvin]

What kind of background do you have in animation ? Also, is it something you're planning to present professionnally to some animation studios or TV channels ? Because it wouldn't be the best idea to share your script on a forum then...

What country are you from ? I don't know how it works there but in mine (France) once you have a concept and some financial help, you begin with just a pilot that the producers you're working with will try to sell to TV channels. So technically the first thing someone do to create an animated serie is to work on a concept, find a producer interested (in an animation studio), then they work on it together, find someone to do the graphic researches, find financial help to develop a pilot with some professionnal animators, THEN try to sell the pilot. And if it works, then they work on the rest of the serie.

Hope that helps =)

[jayorten]

I don't have any background in animation specifically, so I'm probably going to find someone who can do the animation for me, and then I take care of the writing. Also, I'm probably going to make it a web series instead of pitch it to a network since I have more creative freedom that way. Networks have a tendency of changing and censoring an artists work to serve their needs, and that's something I want to try and avoid. Also there's a chance that it will go viral as an online series. If worst comes to worst, I'll just make it into a webcomic since I already have experience in that area.

I have none of the resources or time to make this an actual series at the moment, so don't expect this to become a thing anytime soon. Right now, I'm just focusing on creating the concept and developing ideas, in hopes that I can make something of it in the near future.

[Marvin]

You'd still have to pay the animator wouldn't you ?
And it's still "dangerous" to share your ideas on a forum, especially about a concept good enough to go viral imo...
Also a lot of webseries still have producers and financial means. And need a lot of advertisment just to be seen. But it's true that you'd be more free with your creation =)

Sorry if I sound harsh or negative, I'm just making sure you're aware of this !

[jayorten]

In terms of finances, I'll have to wait until I can earn enough money (still a senior in high school, and I don't have a penny to my name :P) to do anything with my ideas. I might start it off as a Kickstarter, that way I can pay whoever is helping me with the project. I'm aware that any type of animated series requires money and time, and right now I have neither. Until then, all I can do is build the concept itself.

I guess my biggest concern is getting the feedback I need to improve my work, since it's hard for an artist to look at his work and judge it objectively. I can see why sharing ideas online would be risky, because then I run the risk of my ideas being stolen. Nevertheless, I need a way that I can get constructive criticism from others.

[Marvin]

Yeah, a kickstarter is a good idea ! Good luck then ! =)