Politicised Creativity PAWA254

Kenya's Creative Hub for political and social action through the arts and digital media is mobilising Kenyan youth through different workshops. Amongst their very comprehensive lineup, they included some animation workshops by Allan Mwaniki on 9th August 2014 - title Pencil to Pixels - this is one of a series in collaboration with the Association of Animation Artistes Kenya.

Check out PAWA254!

Mike Scott's animated interjections on music video....

South African animator Mike Scott recently announced the release of this music video for his brother's band... in his words... it's pretty Kiff!

Interview with Jean Michel Kibushi

Winners for BUSTED 2014 - Well Done All!

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. 

Honourable Mention, Police Busted, By Alex Kirui.

and lots more great animations!

A3 Kenya Launch their Animation Competition - 'BUSTED'

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

'Outcasts of Jupiter' by the Coker Cooperative

Coker Coop are launching their kickstarter project the super slick and sexy 'Outcasts of Jupiter' a comic book... check out Kenneth Coker's digital sculpts as well.

AfricandigitalArt does TED Talks

African Digital Art founder Jepchumba gives a great account of the start of the website AfricaDigitalArt at TEDtalks The site includes a collection of members interested in African Digital Art, including a group on African Animation.

animated shorts, social networking, and lots of determination... Kenyan animation by MMuthiga and Fatboy Animation

Micheal Muthiga's animated shorts have been regularly featuring on social media circles garnering an online following sufficient to encourage him to start up his own animation company Fatboy Productions in Nairobi, Kenya. Muthiga worked on the Tinga Tinga Tales series before setting up his company. He has his own Youtube Channel where you can watch his collection of shorts, at mmuthiga. 

Here is an interview with him about his journey on NTV's AMLive 



You can also read the Business Daily story about his company and animations run on Feb 06 2014.

Archiving African Animation - FCAT

Although this archive is not strictly an archive for animation, and includes film. The FCAT film archive includes a healthy selection of African animation. FCAT also runs a yearly African Film Festival in Cordoba. This archive is an important addition to bodies that are preserving and documenting African animation.

You can see the list of all films and animations at FCAT


These include

Animación (69)

• Ma Gaal Dikhan
• 21ème Siècle
• A mãe dos netos
• Agaïssa
• Anomalías eléctricas
• Blad schizophrène
• Bon Voyage Sim
• Carnet noir
• Champion
• Cortos animados egipcios
• Ding Dong
• Down Rising
• El viaje de Saïd
• Famila
• Fleur de pierre
• Forest Chainsaw Massacre
• Fragment de vie
• Give Me Spray
• Guess Who's Coming for Dinner
• HM HM
• Honayn's Shoe
• Humburgun
• J'ai bu du café dans un café
• Ki l'ambouba
• Kinshasa Septembre noir
• Kirikou et la sorcière
• Kirikou et les bêtes sauvages
• Kokoa
• Krash
• L'Ami y'a bon
• L'Arbre aux esprits
• L'Arrêt du bus
• L'enfant Roi
• L'Enfant terrible
• L'Île
• La cita
• La Ruse du lièvre
• Le crapaud chez ses beaux-parents
• Le Guerbag
• Le Quotidien des automates
• Le Voyageur
• Les aventures de Guédé
• Les Deux Souris blanches
• Lie / Les Coulisses de lie
• L’Enfant Roi
• Maalesh
• Madagascar, Carnet de voyage
• Muana Mboka
• Naissance
• One and Five
• Oni Ise Owo
• Prince Loseno
• Rakire
• Revolution
• Ryeh
• Sacou Wala Bouteil
• Salade
• Samba le grand
• Samurai song
• Shiku Song
• Sopo
• Sur les murs de la ville
• Tengers
• The Tale of How
• Tiga au bout du fil
• Tiga guérisseur
• Trip
• Varavarankely
• Warda

2D Animation... All about Kenya: Made in Kenya

Kwame Nyongo's animation for EU and Kenya

Democracy, Internet and Just a Band....

The New York Times recently ran a story about the rise of a new generation of artists in Kenya like the particular band... collective... artists... known as Just a Band who straddle the popular and high art seamlessly moving across different spaces. Their rise in part has been facilitated by the Internet and related technologies and you can view all of their work on Youtube Channel JustABandWidth.
To read the article and watch an interview with Daniel and Bill see: The New York Times

Ezra Wube makes his mark in Time Square

Ethiopian artist and animator has recently shown his work as part of the Time Square Public Art Project - Midnight Moments. In a similar vein to his other work, Ezra looks at journeys from places and through spaces.

Botswana Animation Group BAG

Some time ago I posted a small entry about an animator from Botswana who was blogging. I recently stumbled across another welcome addition to the content on the web. The Botswanaanimationgroup - setup by four animators, Ray Thabang Setlhare, Sudi Mwale, Theetso Xavier Matongo, Onkemetse Lesemela - making their mark. Its just a shame that the last entry was posted in 2012. Here's hoping they keep up the good effort.

Another addition from The Black Heart Gang

The Black Heart Gang moves to stop-motion with this charming addition to their portfolio....
The Dinner Party



You can view more of their work on their site at
 theblackheartgang.com

Moustapha Alassane - Father of Sub-Saharan Animation ... a documentary on his life and work

Maria Silvia Bazzoli is responsible for the seminal text 'African Cartoon' (2003) published in Italian by Castoro Publishers that presents a collection of articles by various historians and filmmakers describing animation on the African continent.

In 2009, she followed her publication with a documentary film made with Christian Lelong, on the works and life of this key filmmaker from Niger. The film is a rare example that documents the earliest examples of post-colonial animation made in the early 1960's by a key figure in the field.

The film can be purchased at Amazon - see:
Moustapha Alassane, cinéaste du possible by cinedocfilms

The Colonial Friend / L'ami y'a bon (2004)

Another great addition to the collection of African animation, this coproduction (between Algeria and France) directed by Rachid Bouchareb tells the story of a 'Senegalese family man Aby enlists in the army, distinguishes himself in battle, and is captured. But when he returns to his country, the French army refuses to pay him for his services. This beautifully animated film records the 1944 incident in which Senegalese veterans were gunned down after demanding payment for their military service.'

kenyan animation blog...

For current information on the animation scene in Kenya and a great contribution to the blogosphere

kenyanimators makes for a welcome addition to online information about anything animation in Kenya...

KENYAN ANIMATORS PAVILION 

Check out the great post dated 29 July 2013, on this years National Film Conference and Exhibition in Nairobi 

Jean Michel Kibushi talks about his journey...

Just a Band : Remembering our musical heroes: Bill Sellanga at TEDxNairobi

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.