Fanimations: Animation, Technology, and Animated Fanworks Of The Future

Last week bonnie discussed Bad Thai Disney Ripoffs and how technology for animation was putting it in reach of everyone.  She speculated on how animated fanworks could one day be much, much easier to do.  I of course wanted to add my own analysis.

Namely, taking the idea that someday technology could give us reasonable-to-high quality, quickly-done fan and amateur animation.  Laugh as we will at the Thai Faux Disney, the quality of the animation is not horrendous – if it were a fanwork it would be considered pretty decent.  So, building on the idea that technology is making animation easier and easier, what points do we have to reach to get to many people using available tech to jump on the animation bandwagon?  When do fan animations (fanimations?) reach a point where, like music videos and so forth, anyone can at least give them a go?

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