Triggerfish, an animation studio based in Cape Town is inviting entries for a pan-African Story Artist Lab sponsored by Netflix. The Story Artist Lab builds on the success of their Mama K’s Team which saw nine African women placed in the writing room for the first animated Netflix series from Africa.
Shortlisted applicants will have 3 months of paid skills development with international industry experts. Nathan Stanton, a story artist on Oscar-winning features like Brave, Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc, will lead the training program.
Commenting on the launch of the Story Artist Lab, Tendayi Nyeke, Development Executive of Triggerfish said, “Story artists translate screenplays into animatics, the loose first version of the movie that then shapes every step of animation that follows. Having skilled story artists from the continent in control of how their stories are told is a gamechanger, not only in grooming the next African directors but also in giving pre-production artists the opportunity to establish their own voice as they bring African stories to life.”
African citizens with a concept of art and or storyboarding portfolios can apply until Friday, 23rd July, 2021 on the Triggerfish Story Lab website. All applicants must also be available full-time for 3 months from August 2021. Remote working is encouraged.
Triggerfish was recently featured at Annecy International Animation Film Festival. The company won the 2021 Mifa Animation Industry Award for the pioneering role that the company has played in animation in South Africa, and Africa most widely.
Recent initiatives to develop the African animation industry include the Triggerfish Story Lab, Mama K’s Team 4 for Netflix and Kiya for eOne, Disney Junior and Disney+, and the free Triggerfish Academy online training course.
Mama K’s Team 4 in production with Netflix have created productions like Kizazi Moto, Kiya, Iwájú and Kiff at Disney, Garbage Boy and Trash Can with Cartoon Brew, and Triggerfish’s third feature film Seal Team coming soon.