Coconut Island.... more from Lagos, Nigeria

Coconut Island is a 2D animation currently being produced by a team of animators/artists from Lagos. It has been reported by SPACEBOY_NIGERIA, that one of the artists on the team has also worked on the Nigerian Comic Book, Canary Seven by Elfworks. The animation is being developed into potentially an animated series of 5 minute shorts. Their work looks promising!

Ezra Wube, Ethiopian artist and animator

On searching for more animation from the continent, I stumbled across the animation
"I came from the Sky" by Ezra Wube, Ethiopia.
Ezra Wube is a fine artist currently based in Brooklyn (US), although originally from Addis Ababa. He left Ethiopia at the age of 18 and has travelled since - travelling being a recurring theme that emerges in Wube's work, as he explains in the article at ABESHA.COM

Wube has posted his animations on Vimeo (I came from the Sky; When we all met; Hutlet/Caution) and you can view all of his animated work here:
WUBE_ON_VIMEO

For a detailed article about his work and background, and his influences and themes this can be found on ABESHA.COM . His own personal website, including a portfolio of work and animations can be found at: EZRAART.NET

Mbulu's Bride (2006)

Justine Puren's animation Mbulu's Bride (2006) is a brilliantly executed sand animation from South Africa's AFDA.
I stumbled across the animation in an article about Post-Apartheid film in the journal Kinema, "Short Filmaking in South Africa after apartheid" by Martin Botha.

The only version I found online - the quality is not very good, but one gets an impression of the animation.

Nigerian Multimedia Company sets up shop in Abuja

EVCL is a new company based in Northern Nigeria - specifically Abuja, that has just been setup and is already creating a stir on the facebook circuit. Including a portfolio of work that includes 3D Computer Animation, video, and multimedia - the website also includes a blog that aims to provide a platform to discuss and disseminate Nigerian multi-media related topics, with the added bonus of online tutorials such as the one below.





The blog includes sections on "thoughts and opinions" and "works and experiments".
To access the blog for more information click
EVCL

State of Emergency? Documentary in progress - South Africa

A link I received courtesy of South African animator Sabelo Dludla. The video investigates filmmaking in South Africa contextualised in its historical political climate.





Also for more information on the South African Film Scene, with entries on animation too! Click here: The CallSheet

The African Film Library

The MNet initiative, is launching an online film library showcasing the best African films. A fantastic resource that I hope will grow to include the animations emerging from the continent...
click here: African Film Library

more on the XYZ....

Digital Planet and Kenya

The BBC podcasts on Digital Planet have recently (see 15th September: Kenya Special) included a focus on Kenya. One of the highlights of the podcast is the interview with the team from Mediae including animator Daniel Muli * from Just a Band. The interview dicusses the current situation of the landscape of animation in Kenya, and the impact of broadband to the industry and the home user. Makes for an interesting listen!

more from Nigeria..... The O Twins

Another contribution to the ever growing and dynamic world of animation on the continent. With a recent launch on facebook/ and their own website, Fusion Media are about to release their very own take on a Nigerian family's view of the world around them... The O Twins is a 3D animated comedy by Micheal Tokunbo Akindelem with charming character designs, and a palette that is vibrant, it looks promising.
The reviews on their own Youtube channel are largely positive and encouraging, with everyone looking forward to the next installment!

Nigeria's LIFESPAN

Nigeria's first feature length Computer Animated Film - LIFESPAN - has hit the radar. With a youtube channel of their own, promoting the film, and collaborative events hosted on Facebook, the team have mobilised creatives in the field with their "Create a LIFESPAN character" competition, with open submissions from online facebook members.
Stanlee Ohikhuare and Mighty Jot Animation Studios - have put together a visually exciting film of high production value. In production since 2006, due to be released in 2009, this film is another piece of evidence that animation on the African continent is rapidly gaining popularity, with the artistic and technical skills to match.

You can view to promo, and concept development work on the LifeSpan2009 youtube channel.

who is Tunis 2050 ?

One recent find on the animation front, is this exciting animated series TUNIS 2050. Information on the website is limited and can be accessed here
TUNIS2050. Although the series can also be viewed in Facebook / search for TUNIS 2050.
Currently with 2050 Fans on Facebook, this online animated series seems to be rapidly gaining popularity... and one can see why!
BUT who are the people behind this North African Animated Series???

Kenyan Animation: A3 Genesis, the dawn of a new era?

The recent event at the British Council, organised by the Association of Animation Artistes Kenya (A3) was a resounding success with a full house attendance. The speakers including Dumi, from Anamazing Workshop, South Africa, Claudia Lloyd from Tiger Aspect Studios, UK/Kenya and the Know Zone Team, all provided a great flavour of current commercial and non-profit productions that are running in Kenya, and South Africa. The event was even attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication, Dr. Bitange Ndemo, a key player in mobilising and creating an environment conducive to helping the industry emerge.

The morning program of talks provided a space for Q&As with the attendees, which was at times "animated" - each speaker spoke of the commercial/ financial difficulties of launching animated series for an African audience, or as in the case of Tinga Tinga Tales, an international one. Amongst the topics of discussion were the role of a producer in securing funds. How funding/ investment is divided up amongst different contenders, distributors, merchandising, screening rights etc. The South African guest, spoke about the current incentives that exist in SA that provide a space to begin to look at an emergent industry. This proved to be an ideal spring board to look at the role of government bodies in facilitating and encouraging this sector to grow. Other speakers included the software company, ToonBoom representative, who presented in interesting overview of the possibilities of tapping into the global market. He also spoke of economic incentives in licensing of this software, to encourage use of legal copies, rather than pirated software - these included an encouraging 50 to 60% discount on the retail price, with room to negotiate.

The public were largely very receptive to all speakers. Some of the issues raised included: the importance of the dissemination of information from official bodies to the general public in a transparent and effective manner, the importance for educational institutions to recognise the merits of this field and to provide suitable in depth training, the artistic and technical skills that are required, what are the benefits of joining the association, the need for critical mass and collaboration.

The afternoon session included different workshops in Adobe After Effects, a master class by a Digital Matte Painter from Animal Logic/ Weta Digital, and a collection of screenings from local and other African animators, in the main foyer.

The event was bubbling with excitement and seemed largely positive, with current news of broadband reaching the general public, in the next couple of months, the possibilities seem endless... of course this enthusiasm could not help but be eclipsed but the fact that today, in Nairobi, like most days in the week, there is no power.
The power rationing is naturally having a detrimental effect on peoples ability to work and is debilitating....

For more info: you can go to Kenyan Animation
or the Official webpage for the association at www.animationkenya.com- this link has since gone dead and will redirect to a page that is archived on the Webarchive Association of Animation Artistes

south africa tasters

"Masizakhe: Building Each Other" from Scott Macklin on Vimeo.

INKFLY animation reel '09 from inkfly on Vimeo.

Animation SA Showreel 2007 from Animation SA on Vimeo.

The XYZ Show hits the BBC

The Kenyan production "The XYZ Show", which includes both puppets and animation, has been airing their political satirical program on local television from early this year. The good news is the program has been looked at by the BBC, giving it exposure on an international scale. Well Done All!!
To read more about this click on
BBC

alternatively you can read all about it on the XYZ BLOG

ANIWA Ghana

ghana animation

An animation made with found objects from Ghana -
Information about the animators is limited, although it would seem that the animators were NOT ghanian. More information will follow once I verify.

Notwithstanding the found objects present interesting features such as the use of an image which is also to be found in Congolese in popular painting, as well as Northern Nigeria.

The image of the man climbing the tree with a snake, lion and crocodile surrounding him at the bottom. The very same painting that Congolese filmmaker JM Kibushi refers to in his animated film "Muana Mboka".



See video at 1:05 - 1:14 mins for the referred painting.

African Animation Festival - ANIMAFRIK

ANIMAFRIK is African Animation Festival that will be running in October in Ghana. There is a current call out for submissions to the festival, one can send
DVD submissions to:

Address: Courier: Animafrik Festival, No.5. Anowa Link, Tesano, Accra, Ghana

or mail P.O.Box KN 150, Kaneshie, Accra, Ghana

The festival will close submission on July 31 2009.

For more information on the festival read the Africancolours post

or alternatively

AWN's article on the festival.

On Kuwaiti Comic Strip "THE 99"

An enlightening article by the BBC World News on the creation of Islamic Superheros in the Kuwaiti comic strip called "THE 99"

African Animation Scholarship Programme

News update from my contacts:

SAE presents the African Animation Scholarship Programme

Calling all aspiring African animators! From pixels to puppets, cutouts to claymation, the world of animation is becoming an increasingly popular area of study.
For those looking to join SAE to expand their animated horizons, SAE is proud to announce the availability of 15 coveted part-scholarships.

SAE Cape Town will be offering 10 scholarships for Sub-Saharan African students and 5 South African students, allowing prospective students the opportunity to pursue their dream career in animation.

To secure your head-start in this exciting field, simply log www.saescholarships.com

a great link on contemporary african culture : African Digital Art

The African Digital Art website is a real find for anyone interested in contemporary african digital art culture. I highly recommend this link for some great finds related to not only African animation but digital art at large.
see:
African Digital Art