Tutu Teaser

The Tutu trailer has just been released on Youtube. The 2D/3D aesthetic combined with a visually rich opening sequence makes for a promising series. The animated chase sequence is beautifully animated with a good mix of action and suspense. Here's hoping that this project goes forward....

Tutu: The Untold Story of a Kingdom

If you are around in Ghana on Friday the 20th December then it may be worth looking out for the screening of Tutu: The Untold Story of a Kingdom, pitched as an animated series, this story tells of

Osei Tutu and the rise of the 17th century Ashanti Kingdom located in what is now modern day Ghana, West Africa. Our main characters Osei Tutu and Okomfo Anokye embark on a journey to unite divided Akan clans.

The animation looks promising as its development was informed by research into local narratives and cultures. With magical characters like Okomfo Onokye and strong female characters like Abena Bensua, sister of the King, this so-called traditional tale has contemporary resonances. AnimaxFYB is the studio based in Ghana that will be developing this project with director Francis Yushau Brown, this animation looks is planned to be an animated series of 13 minutes with 24 minute running time over 3 seasons.
Tutu Concept Event Screening: Date: Friday December 20th, 2019 Where: Alliance Française (Accra, Ghana) Time: 7pm Cost: 20GHC

AAFFIA - ACCRA Animation Festival Announces its Winners

The AAFFIA animation festival has announced its first festival winners from 21 entries and 13 finalists - congratulations to Natasha Nayo & Lizz Johnson, Chekwube Okonkwo and Selorm Dogoe.

Between 27th July and the 2nd August, the festival ran a number of different events and panels

AUG2

Crossing International Borders Fri 15:00 UTC · 47 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

AUG1

Comic Production - Leti Arts Masterclass Thu 15:00 UTC · 45 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL31

Women in African Animation Wed 17:00 UTC · 57 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL31

Foundation in Storytelling Masterclass Wed 15:00 UTC · 30 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL30

Accra Animation Film Festival - Acting for Animation Masterclass Tue 15:00 UTC · 120 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL28

Enter the Vortex Sun 15:00 UTC · 39 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL27

Animation in Music Videos Sat 16:00 UTC · 162 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL27

Panels & Chat Bubbles Sat 15:00 UTC · 16 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL27

Accra Animation Film Festival 27 Jul–2 Aug · 72 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

Ghanian animator Bertil Toby Svanekiaer

Ghanian animator Bertil is making some waves producing short animations and music videos...
As reviewed on SquidMag his animation Chaskele

Chaskele, the animation, however, was more. It was a movement, a call to arms for the nerds who loved the game, for nostalgic old souls and people who loved “cartoons” and animation even more. Chaskele, the film, was a welcome re-imagination of an otherwise straightforward game that added subtle complexities such as some awesome Adinkra symbologies within a very modern context.

 Read more about his work on MESH

FESPACO's 50th Edition and the first ever Rencontres Africanes du Film d'Animation

This year's FESPACO saw the addition of a 5-day animation workshop program that included mentoring, training and pitching as its themes. Amongst the attendees was Mohamed Ghazala, the Egyptian animation and new vice-president of ASIFA, Cilia Sawadogo, the Burkinabe animator based at Concordia, the Senegalese filmmaker Moussa Moise Toure who established the first animation school in Dakar, and enthusiastic animators from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Tunisia and Madagascar.

The winning prize was awarded to Comfort Arthur from Ghana, known for her animation 'Black Barbie' (2016).

Animation in Ghana: CartoonBrew Reviews

CartoonBrew's article on animation in Ghana is a rare glimpse at animation from the continent. Highlighting the studio Parables Animation Studios, the article introduces Ghanian artists, Cycil Jones Abban and Francis Yushau Brown from AnimaxFYB Studios, and asks them about their ambitions for animation in Ghana.

You can read the full article here: CARTOONBREW

More African animation on the Blogosphere...SQUIDMAG

Another great little find, SQUIDMAG is a blog on African animation, comics and games. With some great posts about events happening on the continent - such as screenings for Afro/Animation in Accra, Ghana, or Comics at the Literary Festival in Accra. 

VR in Africa...

Although discussions on VR are not usually thought of as taking place in Africa, in 2015 an exhibition in Johannesburg, NEW DIMENSIONS, sought to curate a collection of different pieces intended to explore new storytelling practices from artists from Kenya, Ghana, South Africa. Supported by Electric South and curated by South African Ingrid Kopp, a Senior Consultant at the Tribeca Film Institute - this exhibition drew attention to the experimentation with new processes including animation and games engines such as Unity to rethink the moving image. Exhibition included artists, such as Ngendo Mukii, Jim Chuchu, Jonathan Dotse and Kabiru Seidu.
You can read more about this exhibition on the i-doc website.

Illustration and Animation from Ghana

Gyimah Gariba's work featured in a recent post on OkayAfrica's article on 10 African Illustrators to know. This short video profiles Gariba's work and process. You can read all about his work on his blog at http://ggariba.blogspot.co.uk/ or see his most recent work at http://ggariba.tumblr.com/ 

Ghana's Children's Animated Series Anokye

The animated series Anokye: The Truth of Destiny presents the story of ' the adventures of the young magician Anokye and his best friend Prince Osei as they battle to free the people from the evil King and save the sacred forest' it is currently in production in Ghana. Producer Akua Ofosuhene has launched a kickstarter project that details the series can can be found here Anokye

Ghana - the animated short inspired by Ghana

The talents of the 19 year old Ghanian Illustrator and Animator Gyimah Gariba currently studying at Sheridan on show in this little short inspired by Ghana....
You can read all about his endeavours on his blog at http://ggariba.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Ghana from Gyimah on Vimeo.

Ghana from Gyimah on Vimeo.