The panel discussion during second Sharjah Animation Conference stresses the need for championing diverse content by creating creative opportunities for talent across Africa.
At the second Sharjah Animation Conference (SAC), three luminaries of African animation — Raymond Malinga, CEO of Creatures Animation; Hamid Ibrahim, CEO and Co-founder of Kugali Media; and Vanessa Sinden, Senior Producer at Triggerfish Animation — shared invaluable insights into the burgeoning animation landscape across the continent.
During a discussion on Saturday, May 4, attendees gained insights into the rapidly expanding animation industry in Africa. Triggerfish Animation, a trailblazer celebrating 28 years in the industry with studios in South Africa and Ireland, has been instrumental in championing African narratives and fostering diverse talent. Vanessa Sinden, a senior producer at the studio, highlighted Triggerfish’s multifaceted efforts in nurturing the animation ecosystem in Africa, including initiatives like their online academy and accelerator programmes.
“Our studio has had to shape an industry, and we’ve done that through initiatives like our online academy, offering free courses from primary school to professional level, as well as bursaries and accelerator programmes to help talent find their feet in the industry,” Sinden explained.
With projects like the Netflix featured Supa Team 4, an animated series featuring an all-female writers team, and Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, a sci-fi anthology series on Disney+ showcasing Afrofuturistic stories from the continent, Triggerfish is redefining the global perception of African animation and paving the way for a new era of storytelling that champions diverse voices and resonates with audiences worldwide.
“Why not us?” was the question that guided Malinga’s entry into the industry. Raymond, who started small with his brother and leads a successful animation studio today, encouraged his audience to: “Have the audacity to dream”.
“The animation industry was almost non-existent when we started, but we dared to pursue our vision and open the doors for the next generation. Africa is now!” he further noted.
The animated short A Kalabanda Ate My Homework, which highlights the richness of the continent’s storytelling traditions, put his studio Creatures Animation on the map, serving as a springboard for its recognition and success. Herder Boy, part of Disney’s Kizazi Moto anthology series, is another feather in the studio’s hat.
UK-based Ugandan, Hamid Ibrahim, the visionary behind Kugali Media, which started as a comic book publisher, shared the inspiring story of his company’s collaboration with Walt Disney Studios to co-produce the sci-fi animated series Iwájú.
Ibrahim spoke about the need for African talents as well as stories to rise to prominence globally. “Over a billion people on the continent, and tell me two African stories in film or animation that most people can recognise,” he challenged. “I want to see African stories rising to the top in the world, and we have so much talent to share. If you do something slightly different, you will get there. The next big companies are getting formed today, and if you try to imitate what is out there already, you will not get noticed. It’s important to be original and set your own trends.”
