Independent

‘Animation Is Film’ Announces 2025 Winners
ANIMATION IS FILM (AIF) today announced the winners of its 8th annual festival, with AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN, directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, receiving the festival’s top honor, the Grand Jury Prize.
INTERVIEW: Putting Together “Stitch Head”

INTERVIEW: Putting Together “Stitch Head”

Avatar photoJackson Murphy|
October 20th, 2025
We spoke with Steve Hudson, the director of the new animated feature Stitch Head, which opens in theaters on Wednesday Oct. 29, just in time for Halloween.
INTERVIEW: Presenting “Light Of The World”

INTERVIEW: Presenting “Light Of The World”

Avatar photoJackson Murphy|
August 27th, 2025
John J. Schafer and Tom Bancroft directed the new hand-drawn animated feature Light of the World, which opens in theaters on September 5th (John’s birthday). They hope audiences, especially families, respond well to their portrayal of the story of Christ, successfully made outside the major studio system. (This Animation Scoop Q&A was edited for length and clarity.) […]

Latest in Category: Independent

Charles Solomon Reviews: “Ice Age Collision Course”

Fourteen years ago (!), the original Ice Age premiered. It had clearly been made on a limited budget that forced the artists to use their imaginations. The designs were simplified but appealing; the textures were less elaborately rendered; the backgrounds were often reduced to little more than a white field. But the film felt fresh […]
Avatar photoCharles Solomon|July 21, 2016
Charles Solomon Reviews: “Ice Age Collision Course”

“Despicable Me” Co-Creator Sergio Pablos’ Next Animated Film Finds Funding

LA-based United Media Capital, LLC, (“United Media”) announced today it has formed a joint venture fund with Pigmental Studios, LLC (“Pigmental Studios”) of Hollywood & Washington, D.C., and the Santa Monica, CA-based United Independents Group, LLC (“United Independents Group”) for the purpose of co-financing a slate of upcoming animated and live action films. The first […]
Avatar photoJerry Beck|July 19, 2016
“Despicable Me” Co-Creator Sergio Pablos’ Next Animated Film Finds Funding

Director Jon Binkowski on his animation-inspired indie-feature “CharacterZ”

A movie in which the protagonist’s goal is getting to CalArts is unique, as is one about life as a costumed theme park character. Either makes CharacterZ worth a look. The indie comedy, which premieres this week on various digital platforms, stars former teen star Mitchel Musso as an aspiring animator whose parents’ bankruptcy keeps […]
Avatar photoGreg Ehrbar|July 14, 2016
Director Jon Binkowski on his animation-inspired indie-feature “CharacterZ”

TRAILER: Laika’s “Kubo And The Two Strings”

Laika Studios’ Kubo and the Two Strings is a strong and remarkable stop motion epic, and shaping up to be one of the major contenders in the animation contest of 2016. The film is directed by Travis Knight and will be released via Focus Featuers on August 19th. Today the studio dropped the latest trailer […]
Avatar photoJerry Beck|July 6, 2016
TRAILER: Laika’s “Kubo And The Two Strings”

Felix Massie’s “Rain Or Shine” Is The Latest From ‘Google Spotlight Stories’

Attendees at Annecy this week got a sneak preview of Google Spotlight Stories and Nexus Animation Studios’ collaboration, Rain or Shine, directed by London based animator and children’s book author Felix Massie. Due to launch officially on YouTube and the GSS App later this summer, we have a new trailer that dropped online today to […]
Avatar photoJerry Beck|June 17, 2016
Felix Massie’s “Rain Or Shine” Is The Latest From ‘Google Spotlight Stories’

Sony Pictures Classics Dates “The Red Turtle” for Nov. 18th US Release

Any excuse I can use to post more clips from The Red Turtle – the highly anticipated first feature from animator Michaël Dudok de Wit – I’ll take! Co-produced by Studio Ghibli and screening this week at Annecy, the film was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics at Cannes (where it won a special jury prize) […]
Avatar photoJerry Beck|June 15, 2016
Sony Pictures Classics Dates “The Red Turtle” for Nov. 18th US Release

Directors Q&A: Behind the Oscar-Nominated “Borrowed Time”

Former college buddies and current Pixar animators Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj worked for five years, on nights and weekends, making an animated short that is completely different from anything Pixar or any other major animated studio would ever produce. And their efforts have now garnered them an Oscar nomination. Borrowed Time is a cowboy […]