Animation has become one of the most powerful forces in entertainment, a $400 billion global industry growing faster than nearly any other media sector, fueled by audiences who consume everything from experimental indie projects to multigenerational franchises. Streaming platforms and studios are scrambling for fresh stories, original IP and new voices.
This year’s SCAD AnimationFest made a bold case that Georgia is uniquely positioned to lead that future.
The festival celebrated icons like “Phineas and Ferb” creators Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, who received the Legends in Animation Award.
Their session reminded audiences of the power of animated storytelling. When the opening chords of the “Phineas and Ferb” theme song rang out, a hall full of students and professionals sang every word in unison. It was a striking moment that underscored animation’s ability to cross generations and remain timeless.
But the festival wasn’t just about nostalgia. It was about what’s next.
From Walt Disney Animation Studios exploring cinematic visual storytelling to “Predator: Killer of Killers” breaking ground with hybrid workflows, the message was clear: Animation is expanding beyond cartoons into bold, cinematic, boundary-pushing spaces.
With premieres, panels and screenings from Disney+, Netflix, DC, Crunchyroll and standout SCAD student animators, the festival proved the future of animation is already in motion.
Perhaps most telling was the panel on “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” a new project that blends Korean pop culture with supernatural action. The buzz around it highlighted the appetite for fresh IP that feels global, youthful and genre-bending: exactly the kind of content audiences are hungry for.
One of the most significant shifts in animation right now is that the barrier to entry is collapsing.
New real-time tools like Unreal Engine are dismantling the traditional studio workflow, where production moved through segmented departmental stages. While there was some overlap, the handoffs between concept, modeling, look development, rigging and animation created constant slowdowns and revisions. As Dustin Warnock from The Third Floor explained, today’s tools are “empowering young and new creators by changing the whole production pipeline.”
Now all of these stages can happen simultaneously in real time, eliminating the costly back-and-forth that once stretched timelines by months or years. The results speak for themselves. “Predator: Killer of Killers” was produced in just 18 months, a stunning achievement for a feature that would have historically taken at least four years under traditional structures.
For students, indie animators and emerging creators, this shift is revolutionary. They don’t need a hundred-person studio or years of lead time to make something professional. As someone currently directing an independent animated film using these tools and workflows, I’ve seen firsthand how this opens doors that were previously locked to all but the major studios.
That’s why projects like “FLOW,” a dialogue-free film from an independent team working entirely outside the major studio system, are now winning Academy Awards. It’s proof that the next big animated phenomenon could just as easily come from a small creative collective as from a Hollywood powerhouse.
That’s where Georgia stands out. SCAD’s programs, student showcases and alumni network are amplifying voices that would otherwise struggle to break through. Unlike Los Angeles or New York, where the industry is dominated by the majors, Georgia has become home to original content creators charting their own paths.
Combined with state incentives, local infrastructure and a festival that puts them side by side with Disney legends and blockbuster franchises, Georgia is quickly becoming a breeding ground for the next generation of animation.
What AnimationFest revealed is that animation is no longer niche. It’s a medium that transcends borders, fuels global fandoms, thrives in remote workflows and increasingly defines pop culture itself. Whether it’s beloved classics like “Phineas and Ferb,” experimental student shorts or K-pop demon slayers, animation today is bigger, broader and more vital than ever.
And Georgia is poised to be where the future is made.
Lauren Spaulding is senior operations director for Georgia Entertainment and co-founder and chief creative officer of RBL Entertainment. She is the writer-director of “Ollie,” an independent animated film. Her work explores how emerging technologies like VR and real-time animation are opening new pathways for independent IP development and audience engagement.
