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Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. - Art, Graphics & Video - Nairaland

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Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 6:17pm On Nov 29, 2007
I've initiated this thread to [hopefully] serve as a hub of sorts, from where animation enthusiasts can stay abreast of under-publicized 'afro-centric' animation efforts going on within and without Africa, as well as help us measure the pace of animation development on the continent -- the animation projects/content discussed herein doesn't necessarily have to be produced in Africa, so long as it's got an african theme/story/message to it, it belongs here. smiley It could be news or info on an africa-themed animated feature, short, commercial/advertisement, music-video, educational program, animation festival, or what have you, whether completed or in development. Doesn't matter what style/genre; be it 2d, 3d, claymation, stop-motion, cut-out, e.t.c,  it's welcome. Hopefully this will inspire, educate/englighten, encourage, and motivate us all. Any and everybody can chip in.
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 6:34pm On Nov 29, 2007
Anyone seen or heard about the following commercial?

(See below this post for a collage of the images I made from the pics on the website.)

culled from: http://www.visuals.co.uk/clayanimation.asp


Nigerian Clay Animation Commercial.

Shot on a Sony PD150 and a Sony DSR 570, supplied by Magus Visual South Africa.

The commercial is being screened in Nigeria this Autumn.

South African animation studio 'Realize Animation' www.realize.co.za have just completed two commercials (a 60 seconds and a separate 15 seconds) for 'The Cornerhouse Production Company' using the stop-motion technique of clay animation.

The commercials were shot on a Sony PD150 and a Sony DSR 570, supplied by Magus Visual South Africa, using direct-to-disk digital image recording.

Clay animation is the technique whereby individual photographs are taken of a plasticine subject and then played back at 25 frames a second to create the illusion that the plasticine is moving of its own accord.

The story was conceived by Executive Producer Deborah Corner of 'The Corner House Production Company' www.cornerhouseproductions.co.za for their Lagos based client 'Mouka Foam Limited', manufacturers of foam and spring mattresses. Initially the concept was intended to be shot using live action, but the costs proved prohibitive and an alternative was sought in animation.

The commercial opens on a lion, our hero, who is being kept awake by jungle noises and is distressed still further by the backfiring of a pick-up truck as it drives past his jungle lair. The truck breaks down nearby and he goes off to investigate only to discover that it is carrying a much-to-be-desired 'Mouka' foam mattress. A tug-of-war ensues between the driver and our hero, who comes off victorious and escapes with the mattress. "Clay animation seemed the ideal route because of its wide appeal as an endearing form of expression, but we were initially concerned about the high cost of a traditional stop-frame production" says Deborah, who has had previous experience in producing clay animation for 'Chilile Productions'. "When we were introduced to 'Realize Animation' as an emerging studio that was animating with digital video and thus by-passing the cost and time constraints of film, we were thrilled to be able to work out a budget and production time-line that was realistic for our client."

Director and head animator Stuart Forrest established 'Realize Animation' in 2001 and the company has risen very quickly. In their first year of production they won Best Animation at the Multichoice Vuka! awards, and were consequently employed by 'Triggerfish Animation' to work on two seasons of stop-frame animation for 'Takelani Sesame', South Africa's version of 'Sesame Street'. Stuart welcomed the opportunity to work with 'Corner House' on the 'Mouka' production.

"Deborah gave us a great storyboard with very clear characters," says Stuart. "She also had clear expectations of lighting and set requirements, having worked with clay animation before. This enabled us to commission the character and set design very quickly, and we were able to start shooting an animatic within 3 weeks of our initial meeting."

Most of the animation was shot on a Sony PD150, but some of the more complex shots were captured on the DSR 570. "We used the DSR 570 on scenes where we were going to use chroma keying, because we felt we'd get a cleaner key from this camera," says Stuart. "Magus Visual were very helpful and provided invaluable technical support as well as a reliable camera."

Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 6:47pm On Nov 29, 2007
Anyone of you naija/africa-based nairalanders seen or heard of the 'Magic Cellar' animated series? I learned about it from a website announcing the premiere of a series of shorts to be aired on the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC 2) by that title. You can read the full press-release by clicking on the following link:  http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/3/prweb361327.htm   

(At the bottom of this post is a 3D image model of the characters from the animated series.)


Excerpts:

Magic Cellar, a series of twenty (20) animated shorts is set to have its world premiere on the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC 2) on Saturday, March 25, 2006. A one hour nationally-televised special will launch the series. Over 300 under-privileged children will participate in the national launch. Magic Cellar is Africa’s first 3D animated series. Beautifully produced entirely in Maya software, the series marks the first time Africa’s children will see themselves reflected in an animated series. The series celebrates Africa’s culture and traditions while promoting reading as exciting and adventurous. The series is based on African folktales, partially collected from interviews conducted with elders in villages across South Africa. Each episode is broken up into three sections: a brief introduction and set-up; the African story; and a wrap-up with the lessens learnt. Each episode is a self-contained, animated short.

Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 7:08pm On Nov 29, 2007
The following are excerpts from a very informative article I found online about the South-African animation industry. You can read the full article at: http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=2127

Face of the Industry

Here’s a quick snapshot of a few studios. This is not a comprehensive guide but it gives you a sense of the variety and quality of talent in South Africa.

Wicked Pixels
Wicked Pixels is one of the more popular vfx and 3D animation studios in Cape Town. Founded in 1997, they have produced over 600 TV commercials and are now moving into TV series and film. Internationally, they’ve gained recognition, including a Gold Lion at Cannes for their work with clients like BMW, MTV, Smirnoff, Guinness, VW, Gauloises, Shell and Red Bull.

Most of their projects involve input from storyboarding to final delivery. They ‘re equally skilled at working out a complex visual effect shot as they are at character design. They have a good reputation and are worth considering for your next production.

www.wickedpixels.com/


Triggerfish Animation
Outside the masses of the many 3D production studios is Triggerfish, a talented stop motion and Flash-for-Broadcast animation house, also in Cape Town. Triggerfish Animation was formed in 1996 and has developed a reputation for producing quality animation, with over 150 titles to their credit. They’ve worked with Sesame Workshop since 1999 and over the last seven years, Triggerfish has become an integral part of the local animation industry.
“We produce animation because we love animation and in the end, I think that’s what makes good work,” says director Jacquie Trowell. “We have a personal desire to experiment, collaborate, and create.” That passion is part of everything Triggerfish creates. That’s why clients like Sesame Workshop keep coming back. Talented, enthusiastic, connected — Triggerfish is worth a look.

www.triggerfish.co.za


Astral Studios
In Johannesburg, Astral Studios has a wide variety of production skills for commercials, television productions, multimedia presentations, and websites. Irene Constantinides says, “We have seen the local industry rapidly improve in quality and complexity and we foresee that commercials and international work will continue to allow our creative team to push the leading edge of special effects.” She’s very enthusiastic about the future of the industry in South Africa.

“The new BMW 6 Series commercial On Your Mind is a excellent example of how a project reflects the way the South African creative industry is staking its claim on the world wide stage. Out of a number of top international companies, a South African agency, production company and director were chosen to execute the commercial,” she says. “Successes like these sends a message out there that South Africa is truly a significant player in the international field.”

www.astralstudios.co.za/

The Refinery
If you can’t find what you want in one of the smaller studios, you’re sure to get it at the Refinery. With offices in Johannesburg and in Cape Town, they are one of the largest post-production houses in the country. They offer a wide spectrum of services, including 3D animation and visual effects. They’re another a good example of the burgeoning advertising and film industry.

www.refinery.co.za/


The outside view of Astral Studios. © Astral Studios.


Future of the Industry

A lot of the hard work has already been done. Ad agencies and the film industry have helped develop a talented animation community in South Africa. The opportunities of the future are really for foreign producers to tap into this unique creative pool and the distinct cost-saving advantages.

As Craig Wessels says, “Cape Town is becoming the new Soho/Santa Monica — only more interesting, less expensive and without the attitude.” Indeed, South Africa has more than elephants. From 3D to Flash to stop frame, it’s worth considering for your next commercial, post-production or animated series.

Maybe you’ll even get to expense a trip to beautiful Cape Town, if you’re lucky.
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 7:28pm On Nov 29, 2007
@Grafikdon: Broman, there's no way one can talk about naija animation without mentioning you. Without a doubt, I consider you a pioneer of naija-centric/themed animation -- as far as I know, your 'Chika' movie was the first successful naija attempt at an animated feature, and that right there is a big-deal in my book. Whenever you read this, I go like know if you go fit grant me an audience with you, as I'd love to interview you to share your experience and perspective on animation, as well your impressions on the state of animation in naija and africa as a whole. wink
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 7:43pm On Nov 29, 2007
AFRICA ANIMATED! -- INITIATIVE FOR AFRICAN CARTOON PRODUCTION

Africa Animated!� a UNESCO led initiative to support the production of animated cartoons in Africa. This project has brought together the African artistic community and the audiovisual industry to create audiovisual media products made by Africans with African creativity, imagery, dialogue and music.

UNESCO through Africa Animated! has successfully conducted training workshops since 2004 and is currently launching a permanent Animation Training and Production Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.

Phase I of the project consisted in the development of a ground-breaking intensive five-week training curriculum which has been put in practice to train 40 animators. It has also been used to produce 20 short animation films, some of them award winning in different Animation Festivals throughout the world.

Phase II is intended to strengthen the training component and provide job opportunities for Africa Animated! graduates through the launch of training, production and development activities.

Learn more about this initiative, here: http://www.africa-animated.org/
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 8:00pm On Nov 29, 2007
Putting Africa on the Animation Map: The Story of Pictoon, Senegal

(I created a collage of images from the Pictoon which can viewed at the bottom of this post.)

“Unless we know how to sell our culture, others will sell it for us.” - Pierre Sauvalle, founder and co-director of Pictoon.

Africa’s traditional heritage is rich in storytelling. So it seems altogether fitting that the first animated film series to come out of the continent is about Kabongo the griot, a West African storyteller. Kabango strides through the countries of the world, his singing monkey Golo at his side, searching for a worthy pupil to whom he can pass on his art and skills. In each country he encounters misfortune and adventure, and through his storytelling reveals the magic in the myths and legends of the country’s past.

The 13-part cartoon series, the first to be entirely made in Africa, is the work of a small animation studio, Pictoon, based in Senegal’s capital Dakar. Broadcast on the Canal France International (CFI) satellite service in December, 2003, Kabongo was an instant hit. “It’s a magnificent series, very ambitious, and very African,” CFI’s programming director, Pierre Block de Freiberg, told TIME Europe Magazine.

Kabongo was the brain child of Pierre Sauvalle, who set up Pictoon in 1998 together with his co-director, Senegalese businesswoman Aïda Ndiaye. Mr. Sauvalle had worked for eight years in French production companies after graduating from the renowned animation school, Les Gobelins, in Paris. But he had always nursed the desire to return to Africa in order to start creating genuinely African productions. He engaged both African and French writers to work on the screenplay for Kabongo, but the storyboards, the animation, the colorization and the editing were all done by Pictoon in Dakar. Only post-production work (i.e. sound) was done in France.

With Kabongo, Pictoon has put Africa on the map of the animation industry and proved that Africa can produce seamless, high-quality cartoons. But that is just the start of Pictoon’s ambitions. While the company could earn more than enough by producing local television commercials to keep it in business, its real aim is to attract some of the US$75 billion global animation industry its way.

Home grown talent
Mr. Sauvalle and Mrs. Ndiaye are unfazed by the challenge. So far they have found solutions to every difficulty they have encountered, be it a shortage of qualified artists, the power outages, or the problems of obtaining computer equipment and software appropriate for their use and sturdy enough for their environment.


Young Senegalese artists receive cartoon animation training in Pictoon’s studio.
Unable to find trained cartoon artists, Mr. Sauvalle began training them himself. He set up a two-year drawing and computer-animation apprenticeship for promising young artists whom he talent-scouted locally. As the apprentices gain experience and master the necessary skills, they in turn teach new arrivals. During busy periods, Pictoon now employs up to 120 people, all of them trained on site.

“The art industry is really important to Africa because it creates an image of us.” – Pictoon co-director, Aïda Ndiaye.
Other problems that Pictoon could not resolve, they worked around. “You can put in all the surge protectors you like, but it doesn't change a thing,” says Mrs. Ndiaye, the company’s managing director. “Every year we have to replace the entire computer system.”

Competing globally
The wages paid to the art apprentices in Senegal, which is classified as one of the world’s least developed countries, allow Pictoon to compete on cost grounds with Asian countries, such as South Korea, to whom European and US. animation production firms currently outsource much of their artwork. Combining low costs with high quality – which Mr. Sauvalle notes has impressed animation professionals around the world – Pictoon is shaping up to be a serious competitor in the global marketplace.

But Pictoon does not want business at any cost. Its founders are determined to continue producing their own films in order to remain true to their cultural heritage. They plan to create more African cartoons, inspired from legends and stories that have been passed from father to son for generations. Such stories, they believe, hold a universal appeal. Following the success of Kabongo in France and across francophone Africa, Sauvalle is confident that the soon-to-be released English version will capture the world market.

Registering intellectual property
Pictoon understands the value of its intellectual property and has registered Kabongo with the French collective management society, the Society of Authors and Composers of Dramatic Works. But Mr. Sauvalle is deeply concerned that the costs involved in protecting intellectual property are proportionally so much greater for developing countries. “The cost of registering creations and applying for patents is often simply beyond the means of creators from African countries,” he observes. He would like to see fees waived for the poorest countries like Senegal, so that creators could register their works for free, “just as a father registering the birth of his new child.”

Coming soon…
Soon to hit television screens is Pictoon’s next series, The Invincible Lions of Africa. With, again, a winning combination of good story-telling and wisdom, the series weaves moral messages through the adventures of its football-playing animal stars, while projecting a positive image of Africa. Pictoon fans eagerly await its arrival.

culled from: http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2005/05/article_0004.html

Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by wham(m): 12:12am On Nov 30, 2007
Man!!!!!!!! Lafem

What are u?

An Animation Researcher/Animator/Cartoonist/Producer/Motivator/Everything

You cool man!

I like your drive. You give me morale.

This posts are encouraging. I'm thinking of ideas to work on
a short 5mins 2D clip to address a prevailing ill in Nigeria

I have so much on my hands (other stuff). Its going to take time.

Are u into Animation full time? What do u do?

You've got it man!
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 10:49pm On Nov 30, 2007
wham:

Man!!!!!!!! Lafem

What are u?

An Animation Researcher/Animator/Cartoonist/Producer/Motivator/Everything

You cool man!

I like your drive. You give me morale.

This posts are encouraging. I'm thinking of ideas to work on
a short 5mins 2D clip to address a prevailing ill in Nigeria

I have so much on my hands (other stuff). Its going to take time.

Are u into Animation full time? What do u do?

You've got it man!


My guy, I'm highly gratified to know that you find this thread motivating! That's exactly one of the objectives I was gunning at when I came up with the idea. Am I into animation full-time, you ask? No, not yet. I currently work full-time in a non-related field/industry -- although I've intimated my G.M [I'm a manager myself] of my intention to quit my position in the next 6-8 months to jump-start/pursue my animation career, IN NAIJA! And he's given his blessings smiley -- not that it mattered. As soon as the much-touted direct-flight route from ATL to naija opens in december, I'm going to purchase my one-way ticket back to las-gidi, straightup. I tell you, it's been a loongg time coming. 'Been planning, learning, and saving-up for it for the past 3yrs. And at this point I believe I have all the tools and knowledge [and add a tenacious/stubborn will to that grin) that I need to setup my own outfit [studio], challenge myself, and hit the naija animation scene with a sledgehammer bang! The ideas jus dey flow, ideas I'm keeping under-wraps for now. I figured that, to be maximally productive, I'd definitely have to train people, prolly one at a time, to help out with the work-load, because I'll tell you rite now that ANIMATION IS A LOT OF WORK! If you're lazy, you might as well forget becoming one. I can complete a 5-minute length short in about a month-and-half, BY MYSELF. But imagine what can be achieved with the help of an army of fellow animators, layout, storyboard, and background artists? The sky'll be the limit. By God's grace sha, e go shele as I dey plan.

Animation is such a fantastic medium, and I can't see myself doing anything more exciting and challenging, because there's always something new to look forward to doing, new grounds to break, new styles to experiment, and one can only get better at it, heck! the opportunities abound. As one, I see myself as a CREATOR, of sorts. In the sense that, I can give life to inanimate things, and create a believable illusion of motion, to a height of entertainment. Your imagination is your only limitation when it comes to this craft, and every animator is unique because no two animators can approach a scene or execute an idea the same way, as each person's individuality and style will speak for itself in their work. What a unique craft it is! cool
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by grafikdon: 12:08am On Dec 01, 2007
Lafem sure is a great asset to the Afro/Naija animation industry. This thread is very refreshing and I AM GLAD THERE ARE FOLKS OUT THERE WHO ARE PUSHING OUR STORIES WITH OUR PEOPLE FULLY REPRESENTED. It will only be a matter of time before we become a force to be reckoned with in this industry and if we play our cards right, we are going to have another animation/visual effects outsourcing haven right under our noses. wink
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 1:00am On Dec 01, 2007
I found a clip of the opening sequence of the aforementioned South-African 3D-animated series, Magic Cellar, on youtube, at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADJ0n_DqmO0&feature=related

Doesn't look bad at all!

@Grafikdon: as a 3D person/animator, what's your impression of the animation from the above youtube clip?
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by zPixel(m): 6:22pm On Dec 01, 2007
I really don't understand what this thread is for undecided Can someone explain
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 9:05pm On Dec 01, 2007
zPixel:

I really don't understand what this thread is for undecided Can someone explain

In layman's terms, it's about african animation. A repository, if you will, where animation enthusiasts can come to get information and learn about african strides and contributions to the animation medium. You can come here to access news on latest animation efforts and ongoing projects taking shape on the continent. I hope that helps. undecided
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 9:37pm On Dec 01, 2007
The following article is a classic example of african ingenuity and creativity at its best and finest hour. I found it so inspiring because it underscores the possibilities that can be attained through dogged determination and persistence of vision. It's about Zimbabwean animators who succeeded, in the face of financial hardships and a lack of funding, in making a fantastic animated movie, titled "The Legend of The Sky Kingdom", FROM JUNK! Yes, you heard me, the entire movie was made out of JUNK/TRASH!

The film was animated using stop motion animation. The puppets and all of the sets were built from pieces of junk that the filmmakers found -- a necessity of the low budget as well as an artistic choice inspired by Africa's folk artists, who often turn things that others have thrown away into works of art. The filmmakers call this animation style "junkmation".

The filmmakers also spent two years custom-building a motion camera out of bicycle parts because they did not have the money to buy a professional one from the West.


Read the full article here: http://www.southafrica.info/what_happening/arts_entertainment/junkmation.htm


Turning junk into cinema magic

20 October 2003

South African film producer Anant Singh's company, Videovision Entertainment, has acquired the worldwide distribution rights to The Legend Of The Sky Kingdom that opened the Durban International Film Festival this month.

The Legend Of The Sky Kingdom, produced by Zimbabwe-based Philip and Jacqui Cunningham, is directed by Roger Hawkins.

The characters and sets featured in the film have been made exclusively from junk, giving birth to the world's newest animation style, dubbed "junkmation" by its creators, Sunrise Productions.

"We were thoroughly impressed with the ingenuity of The Legend Of The Sky Kingdom and its distinctive African flavour", said Singh. "The filmmakers have done an amazing job in not only creating a film that is characteristically African, but a film from which a new animation style has been created for the world."

Last month, Videovision presented The Legend Of The Sky Kingdom at prestigious festivals in North America. The film had its world premiere at the Montreal Film Festival, where it opened the African Horizons section.

Junkmation is inspired by the unique works of art created from junk in Africa, where skilled craftsmen transform pieces of junk into useful items, reports SA Film. Junk of any type – wood, metal, wire, tin, plastic, empty containers – find new life as objects of art and decoration and everyday use.

The film's producers tapped into this art form and brought it to life to create a world unlike any other, peopled by characters recreated from junk.

The Legend Of The Sky Kingdom is a magical tale that follows the journey of a group of children on their way to find the mythical sky kingdom.

Enslaved in an underground city, Blockhead, Squidge and Lucky stage a daring escape and begin a journey that sees them pursued by the evil emperor's hyenas as they travel through the Jungle of Despair and the Desert of Desolation.

"We are pleased to have Anant Singh and Videovision Entertainment handle the world distribution of The Legend of the Sky Kingdom, and we are thrilled to have the film selected for the Montreal World Film Festival", the Cunninghams told SA Film.

"As junkmation was our inspiration for the film, we remained true to its art form, we decided to tap into the creative source of the style - the street artists and vendors themselves. In so doing, we combined our technical and creative expertise with the raw talent and craftsmanship of these highly original and gifted artists.

"The approach we used in The Legend of the Sky Kingdom has never been attempted anywhere in the world before, and the results are truly radical."

Director Roger Hawkins told SA Film: "The whole ethos of our production was to 'use what you've got'. I realised that we did not have vast resources or big budgets, but what we did have was the incredible ingenuity of African street artists. This inspired us and made us realise that art can always find a form to express itself.

"The idea of making a movie out of nothing really appealed to me, and I think it fired our creativity and passion in a way that proved you don't need big money and experience - what matters is passion and determination.''

SouthAfrica.info reporter

Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by wham(m): 11:11pm On Dec 01, 2007
@Lafem

I pray u find fulfillment and make success when u come.

I'll like to be an associate even if I'm my hands are full at that time.

Nigeria is about to unleash its potentials in Animation
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 11:29pm On Dec 01, 2007
@Wham: Thank you, bro. smiley I look forward to meeting and holding it down with you, too. That's what it's all about -- doing big things for the 'green white green'. cool
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 11:38pm On Dec 01, 2007
Below's news information on an afrikan CG animated feature in the works.

http://www.sunrisecorporation.net/african_tale.html

An African Tale

'An African Tale' is a CG animated feature scheduled for worldwide theatrical release in the second half of 2009. Pre-production is set to begin in March 2007, production will commence in January 2008, with post production starting in January 2009 for a completion date of April 2009.

The entire production will take place in Cape Town, South Africa with various voice, sound and post production elements being handled internationally. The project will consist of a healthy mix of very experienced, super talented international animators and designers as well as a number of super talented and super eager local South African talent!

Director's Comments
We asked writer/director Brent Dawes "What is 'An African Tale'?"

'Besides being Africa 's first theatrical CG animated feature it is a return and a home coming. A return to the days when story was king. And a home coming in that finally a movie about Africa will be told by those who know and love her most!

"An African Tale" is a story that speaks of the state of the human heart and offers hope even when it seems we are our own worst enemies.

It is an exciting time to be involved in a project like this. We are embarking on it at a time when the technology really can serve the story; it is a wonderful thing to have a vision which can be realistically brought to life in our chosen medium. It seems the industry is in a bit of a state at the moment unsure of what the audience really wants to see. Is it ground-breaking visuals? Is it big name voice artists? Is it quick, flashy, bouncy, stretchy characters? Is it zippy, choppy editing and impossible camera moves? In fact the industry has been in that state since it began, a state of "Who knows?!"

So instead of trying to guess what people want why don't we open our eyes to the fact that we are the people, we are the audience? Let us make a movie that we would want to sit down in a darkened room and give a couple of hours of our lives to watching. A movie that we can watch with our families that makes us laugh, makes us cry, makes us feel and finally makes us believe! And that's where you come in. We'll only pull it off with the super human effort of a group of like-minded individuals with the skill and passion to see it done. We go into this as the underdogs, but we're determined to take hold of it like Pit-bulls and not let go until this movie is all we believe it can be.

Producer's Comments
Phil Cunningham, producer of "An African Tale" adds;

'Our passion is story!! Africa is our birth place- a continent of beauty, tragedy and mystery. It captures your heart, seeps into your blood and inspires the imagination. A land of wide open savannahs, grand, sweeping skies, rich colors, earthy scents, thundering storms, the cry of a fish eagle, the night roar of a lion.

As a young boy I canoed the Zambezi time after time feeling the warm African sun on my back, the scent of rain on the breeze and watching the river banks slide slowly by. Hippos snorted and sprayed, crocodiles slid into the passing current and elephants plucked branches from the flood plain trees. I could feel it then and can feel it now, this is the most wonderful backdrop to tell an epic story.

We want to tell an epic story, a timeless story, yes a fun story but also one that energizes and inspires children and adults to dream big dreams. So Africa is our setting and digital animation is our paint brush. What a zenith! What a medium! It crosses the barriers of age, culture, race and religion more than any other! This project has captivated us, pulled us in, its like surfing, we don't make the waves, we just catch them and feel the thrill of the ride!! 'An African Tale' has started and we are paddling hard to catch the ride of our lives, join us!! , if you like surfing that is.'

Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by hamattan(m): 8:59pm On Dec 02, 2007
i must confess you done some extensive work rite here. sadly for me iam just new in the industry only that i have read a lot about animation that when i talk about it, grin grin you think iam a guru.iwill very much want to learn if you dont mind.iam apainter sha.pleas no forget me when you enter your kingdom o
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by zPixel(m): 11:21am On Dec 03, 2007
@Lafem
Thanks for the explanation. Don't you guys think we need a community for 2d/3d artist in this country before things can really work, even if it's online (a functioning one). Just my opinion. wink
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by iparrot(m): 8:39pm On Dec 03, 2007
@ zpixel you right! we need something of that online. so we can get more freelance job!!!! grin grin
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by hamattan(m): 9:10pm On Dec 06, 2007
Lafem.mybrotheryou are right we need a2d,3d comunity,things hve to work whether online or offline we need it,but how? smiley
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by wham(m): 9:23pm On Dec 06, 2007
True talk
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by zPixel(m): 10:18pm On Dec 06, 2007
Someone should start acting, its needed seriously.
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Lafem(m): 11:56pm On Mar 12, 2008
Combrazor: Bros, let's meet here: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-71864.128.html . Thanx.
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by gabak(m): 9:58am On Apr 16, 2008
what kind of assistance u can render for me pls i want to learn cartoon & animation. send detail to my box gabak123@yahoo.co.uk
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by yemo90(m): 11:51am On Jun 17, 2008
nice on lafem, naija animation is stil up& coming. Are u naija based?
Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Rohitsharma: 1:51pm On Sep 03, 2012
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Re: Nigeria and Africa-centric Animation Efforts. by Rohitsharma: 1:37pm On Oct 04, 2012
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