Cape Town goes global in Hybrid Animation Fest, Triggerfish partners with E4D to grow African talent

Cape Town goes global in Hybrid Animation Fest, Triggerfish partners with E4D to grow African talent

The event, the hybrid Cape Town International Animation Festival (CTIAF) was a resounding success. Presented by Animation SA, the ninth edition of the Festival took place from 1 to 3 October online and in person at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock. In addition to a crowd of COVID-compliant leaders, nearly 350 online delegates from countries such as Uganda, Italy, Cote d'Ivoire, Jamaica, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States attended.

“It's wonderful to have been able to come together COVID compliant again to share ideas, meet our peers and celebrate our amazing animators and creatives,” said Dianne Makings, CTIAF Festival Director. “The level of engagement on our online platforms, from both streaming events and online lounges, has been phenomenal. Although this aspect of the program was introduced by the need to find ways to engage during a global pandemic, the avenues this opened for further exposure and connection have been far-reaching and we will certainly try to keep this part of the program for future events. .

"Likewise, moving our screenings to GoDrivein added another dimension to watching the best animated films in the world that South Africans usually wouldn't be able to watch."

The South African animation industry has received a big boost thanks to a new partnership between Triggerfish, the leading animation studio in Africa, and the German-funded E4D (Employment for Skills and Development in Africa) program, a technical assistance project of the German government. The announcement was made on Friday evening at the Festival. The ambitious three-year partnership aims to expose 10.000 graduates to the animation industry; empower 6.000 creatives with advanced portfolios and market access; and create another 200 jobs.

At CTIAF, the partnership launched a free online course on animation editing. This is now available on Triggerfish Academy, a free digital learning platform that is opening up access to experts in the African animation industry. The course is presented by Kerrin Kokot, animatic editor for a DNEG / ReDefine animation series, who also worked in the editorial department of the upcoming Triggerfish feature. seal team and the short film nominated for an Oscar  Revolting Rhymes (Revolting rhymes).

Kokot also presented an animation editing workshop at CTIAF, along with Clea Mallinson, who recently edited Sunrise Productions.'Jungle Beat - The movie. This was one of four workshops that the Triggerfish / E4D partnership helped bring to CTIAF: Triggerfish producer Kaya Kuhn was part of a production panel, moderated by Pixar student Esther Pearl; Kay Carmichael presented the making of Troll Girl, his debut short film, produced by his production company Giantslayer Studios and Triggerfish (watch it here); and Colin Payne, CEO of Triggerfish Academy, presented a workshop on remote working best practices, reflecting on how Triggerfish turned into a remote working studio during the pandemic.

Troll girl

The partnership also announced a 10-second animation contest for 18- to 35-year-olds. Prizes include a Wacom One graphics tablet and a 30-minute one-on-one session with Mike Buckland, Head of Production at Triggerfish. The deadline for registration is midnight on November 14, 2021. (Learn more here.)

“While so many companies have been under stress during the pandemic, the animation industry in Africa has exploded,” said Triggerfish Foundation director Carina Lücke. Among other recent breakthroughs for the African animation industry, Disney has ordered Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, Kiya, Iwájú e Kiff; Netflix is ​​in production on Mama K's team 4; Cartoon Network goes on the air My Cartoon Friend and has greenlit Garbage Boy and Trash Can and YouTube has renewed itself Super Sema for a second season. So, despite everything, there has never been a better time to be an animator in Africa ”.

Gavin Watson, E4D's team leader, noted that he identified animation as an attractive and fast-growing industry sector for young people. He added that the opportunities for animation extend beyond the traditional film industry, in fields such as advertising, apps and web design, architecture, engineering, gaming, industrial design, medicine and the automotive industry, not to mention sectors in growth such as augmented reality and virtual reality. .

Kizazi Moto: Fire Generation

In another exciting development, CTIAF will now feature initiatives throughout the year, including its student awards program, online sessions and networking events. Makings said she was inspired by the implementation of CTIAF's Women Transforming Animation program, which presented a series of sessions at the Festival. “The WTA program hosted some in-depth discussions and was a stepping stone to creating valuable support networks and connections,” noted the festival director. "Thanks to Esther Pearl, Mary Glasser and Yasaman Ford for leading this program."

In partnership with Reel Stories / BAVC Media, WTA provides training and refresher resources throughout the Festival and throughout the year with lectures, discussions, master classes and networking events, all aimed at helping women connect and network with veterans and industry leader. WTA shines a spotlight on women who are changing the landscape of the animation industry.

CTIAF is the largest festival dedicated to African animation on the continent. With a combination of conferences, workshops, screenings, producer meetings, business-to-business sessions and more, CTIAF offers the opportunity to interact with global industry leaders, turn the spotlight on African talent and create a platform for connections and knowledge sharing between local animators and their international counterparts. The Festival also offers South Africans the chance to watch the best animated films in the world that otherwise would not be shown locally.

CTIAF is presented by Animation SA and made possible with the support of sponsors: Department of Arts and Culture, City of Cape Town, Film Cape Town, Netflix, French Institute of South Africa, Gauteng Film Commission, Wesgro, Lenovo, Modena Media and Entertainment , Autodesk and The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH.

www.ctiaf.com

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