currently researching african animation :
interested in compiling a database of practitioners in various sub-saharan countries :
welcome any postings from practitioners
This year's Digital Lab Africa winners have been announced following online votes for a series of pitches ranging from games to animation from a variety of different African countries this initiative is definitely something to look out for.
Digital Lab Africa: the reference platform for next-gen content
Digital Lab Africa (DLA) is the 1st platform dedicated to creative content (web creation, virtual reality, video game, animation, digital music) linked with innovation in Africa (francophone & anglophone). The very idea of DLA is to incubate emerging creative talent by offering them a springboard to jump-start and accelerate their projects with the support and expertise of DLA partners & ecosystem (studios, event, producers, broadcasters, distributors, experts…)
The winners from the pitch competition were announced today
• ANIMATION Dimbit by Feben Elias (ETHIOPIA) See pitch below: Nwavu, the Blind Manby João Graça (MOZAMBIQUE)
Great news from Jepchumba from AfricanDigitalArt - you can apply for this by clicking here: BritishCouncilConnect.ZA. This is one great project that animators in Africa should be looking out for...
#ColabNowNow is looking for you: the artists, coders, architects, storytellers, bending your artform in the digital now for the NowNow. British Council Connect ZA invites young digital storytellers and artists working in digital, from Southern Africa, East Africa, West Africa and the UK to take part in ColabNowNow. This platform for collaboration will showcase innovative digital work which will be shown during the Fak’ugesi Festival. The artists will partake in a 10 day programme curated by, Jepchumba, the founder and creative director of African Digital Art, and take part in the larger Fak'ugesi Festival programme. Call for Artists10 artists working in the digital realm who will create work independently or collaboratively, to be shown at the Fak’ugesi Block Party. Artists include, but are not limited to: visual/graphic artists, architects, technical artists, programmers, music/sound artists, performers and animators. Call for Digital Storytellers5 Digital Storytellers who will document and engage in the collaborative activities of the artists, telling the story to audiences in their respective countries. They are also encouraged to work with the artists. Digital storytellers include, but are not limited to: writers, photographers, videographers, bloggers and vloggers.
Eligible CountriesSouthern Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Namibia East Africa: Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Rwanda West Africa: Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
CAPE TOWN - After the international success of its first two feature films, Triggerfish Animation Studios is establishing The Triggerfish Story Lab with the support of The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) and The Walt Disney Company.
Triggerfish will be investing up to $3.5m over the next three years in The Story Lab, which aims to give Africa’s most talented storytellers and filmmakers the opportunity to develop their ideas alongside Triggerfish’s international network of mentors. Selected storytellers will potentially have their concepts developed into episodic TV content or an animated feature film for the global market.
Triggerfish is conducting a continent-wide search for storytellers. These storytellers will be carefully selected, based not only on the creative and commercial merits of their concept, but also on their track record.
The entries will be evaluated by a high-profile panel of both local and international experts, including British director and co-founder of Aardman Peter Lord (Chicken Run, The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists), Hollywood writer Jonathan Roberts (The Lion King) and script consultant Karl Iglesias (Writing For Emotional Impact), and a panel of development executives from The Walt Disney Company, as well as South Africanstoryteller Gcina Mhlope, comedian David Kau and Triggerfish’s development team ofAnthony Silverston, Wayne Thornley and Raffaella Delle Donne.
Shortlisted storytellers will take part in workshops with leading Hollywood script consultant Pilar Alessandra, author of The Coffee Break Screenwriter.
The selected Story Lab participants will also receive two weeks of mentoring with key studio and television executives at Disney’s headquarters in Burbank, California.
“We are ready to bring a fresh voice to the world,” says Anthony Silverston, head of development at Triggerfish. “We believe there is extraordinary talent inAfrica and the Story Lab is the perfect way to partner with them.”
“We are excited to be supporting Triggerfish on this innovative project,” says Christine Service, senior vice president and country manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa. “We believe the Story Lab provides a unique opportunity to discover this continent’s next generation of storytellers.”
“The dti is committed to developing a pool of creative talent that can produce international quality animation production scripts,” says Nelly Molokoane from the dti’s Film and TV Incentives Unit, adding that the department is honoured to support projects that will contribute to job creation.
“The Story Lab will be a great catalyst for African creativity on the global stage,” says Triggerfish CEO Stuart Forrest. “We look forward to opening up the Triggerfish production platform and our networks to the continent’s top creative talent."
The development process can take a number of years. For each phase of development, Triggerfish will provide financial support, workspace, and expert guidance by internal and international consultants and mentors, as well as a route to market through top-tier relationships with Hollywood agency William Morris Endeavor.
Animation has proven to be a successful medium for South African films to travel internationally, with Triggerfish’s films Adventures in Zambezia and Khumba being distributed in over 150 countries and dubbed into over 27 languages.
Applications are welcome from all writing and creative disciplines, not just experienced film and TV screenwriters. Applicants must be over 21 and either Africancitizens or permanent residents. Entries must be in English. Entries close 31 August 2015.
Well Done to all those involved in the A3 BUSTED Animation Competition - the entries were great! Here are some pictures of the winners receiving their prize... Congratulations
First place - Rabii Kinyogoli
Second place - AMP
Third place - Addmaya
Honourable Mention, Kiss and Tell by Domestic Disturbance.
The Kenyan Association of Animation Artists (A3) Organisation is launching a great 30 Second Competition under the theme BUSTED. The prizes are great incentive to get on board 100,000 Kenyan Shillings (1200 USD) for the first prize. Anyone can apply and upload their work online... the deadline is coming up soon 25th of May and I am excited to see the entries. For more information you can contact the Association of Animation Artists Kenya on their Facebook page
I research sub-Saharan African animation and completed a PHD for SOAS, University of London in this field - this is an area of interest that I have been looking at since 2003.. I moved to the UK in 2001 from Malta, where I was working in animated graphics at a television station. I then completed a Masters in Computer Animation at the NCCA Bournemouth Uni where I currently lecture as a Senior Academic. I completed a Masters in Anthropology of Media at SOAS, London in 2004 - focusing on discourses of identity in Post-Apartheid South African Animation
