Welcome to Life in the Machine

My name’s Matt. I’ve spent over 20 years directing animation, with credits on shows like Camp Snoopy, Mysticons, Strawberry Shortcake, and Scaredy Squirrel. I started animating on Super 8 film as a kid, and I’ve been around for the rise of CGI, the fall of the Saturday Morning Cartoon, and start of the Streaming Wars.

But now we’re facing something new. The rise of AI has the potential to completely re-shape how we make animated shows and movies. And it’s leaving a lot of us with a lot of questions.

With this newsletter I hope to explore the human side of animation in the age of machines. How artists, writers, and directors are adapting (or being replaced), what tools are emerging, what we stand to lose, and how we might find a path forward as AI continues to transform the field of animation.

It can be a scary time to make cartoons, but I plan to tackle the subject with hope, humor, and an eye to finding the truth through the piles hype and despair.

Thanks for reading. Let’s figure this out together.

Why subscribe?

Because the animation industry is changing fast and we’re all just trying to stay afloat.

Life in the Machine is for animators, artists, writers, producers, and anyone curious about the future of creativity in the age of AI.

Subscribe for:

• Posts on the impact of AI on creative jobs and storytelling

• Reflections on what makes human art matter

• A mix of industry news, personal essays, and big-picture questions

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