In anticipation of the Made in New York: Best of NYC Animation showcase and panel at Metrograph this Saturday (9/13/25, 5pm), I had the opportunity to speak with Signe Baumane and Debra Solomon about the screening, making it in NYC, and 417 Hz YouTube videos.

Just as New York has long been the capital of America’s artistically ambitious “Second Cinema,” a scrappy foil to the Los Angelino industry of streamlined entertainment, it is also home to a counter-tradition of independent animation that has nothing to do with what happens out there in Burbank at the House of the Mouse. Two abundantly talented stalwarts of the NYC animation scene, Bill Plympton and Signe Baumane, have teamed to assemble a program of some of the finest (and most outrageous) work to emerge from artists living and working in the Big Apple, and will be coming to Metrograph to introduce a one-of-a-kind evening of stubbornly individualistic toons, with a number of the participating filmmakers also present. Not the sort of stuff you’re likely to catch on Saturday morning, kids!

“What makes NYC indie animators so special? Sense of timing. As we scurry from place to place trying to avoid gawking tourists, hungry rats and drag racing vehicles we internalize the sense of adventure and fast pacing, and we bring it to our work. This program showcases just a sliver of the best NYC indie animation: some of the films are Oscar winners, others are made by animation newcomers, but they all share the sense of wonder, adventure and perfect NYC timing to make you laugh, cry and be entertained.” —Signe Baumane

Post-screening panel discussion with Chris Wedge, Bill Plympton, Chris Conforti, Lisa LaBracio, Anna Samo, Patrick Smith, Peter Ahern, Alex Budovsky, Candy Kugel, Marilyn Kraemer, Signe Baumane, Debra Solomon, and Morgan Miller on Saturday, September 13th.

Links to points of discussion:

• Made in New York: Best of NYC Animation showcase and panel on Saturday, September 13th at 5pm
• Metrograph
• Signe Baumane's website
• Karmic Knot
• Debra Solomon's website
• Debra Solomon's Facebook
• Lisa LaBracio on The Animator's Friend
• Andy London's website
• Arthur Metcalf's website
• The Animator's Favorites
• Kristian Sensini's website
• Angelika Film Center
• The Animator's Friend on Instagram
• The Animator's Animations

The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation.

Credits:

• Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello
• Booking assistance from Kaila Hier
• Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu
• Music by Cloutmeyer
• Design by Sawyer Rippon
• Microphones provided by SVA MFA Computer arts
• Special thanks to Kaila, Michael Dondero, Kristie Kish, Darren Santa Maria, and my mom and dad.