SA animators’ Disney dreams sparked

Cape Town 15715. Siphiwe Nkosi , Script writer and film maker said he would like to submit his work that consist of Proudly South African Theme. The Triggerfish Animation studios is establishing the Triggerfish story lab with the support of the Department of trade and Industry and the Walt Disney Company. Picture Cindy waxa.Reporter Gadeeja/Argus

Cape Town 15715. Siphiwe Nkosi , Script writer and film maker said he would like to submit his work that consist of Proudly South African Theme. The Triggerfish Animation studios is establishing the Triggerfish story lab with the support of the Department of trade and Industry and the Walt Disney Company. Picture Cindy waxa.Reporter Gadeeja/Argus

Published Jul 16, 2015

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South Africa will soon have its own animated movie showing on the world’s silver screens. That is if an initiative in which Disney will partner with the Department of Trade and Industry and local company Triggerfish Animation Studios achieves its goals.

The studio announced a R44 million investment over three years into its Story Lab, with the department contributing R26m over the same period.

The Story Lab project aims to provide a platform for talented film-makers to develop their ideas.

Storytellers selected to be a part of the initiative could have their concepts developed into TV series or animated feature films in a way that would be suitable for the global market.

Triggerfish chief executive Stuart Forrest said: “We know it’s an ambitious goal, but we also know there is talent throughout this continent that is world class.

“There haven’t been the same opportunities in the past, but we hope to change that.”

The shortlisted storytellers – selected by a high-profile panel of local and international experts – will take part in two weeks of workshops with leading Hollywood scriptwriters Karl Iglesias and Pilar Alessandra.

They will also receive two weeks of mentoring with key studio and TV executives at Disney’s headquarters in California.

The head of Disney in Africa, Christine Service, encouraged film-makers, screenwriters and directors to take advantage of this opportunity.

“This is really open to everybody. At least half the projects that will be focused on need to come from people who were not offered an opportunity before,” she said.

The Department of Trade and Industry’s Nelly Molokoane, manager of the film and TV incentive scheme, said the department wants to create more than 135 jobs by investing in the film production industry.

She explained what it hoped to achieve in terms of talented black women being afforded the opportunity to reach new heights.

“We are looking at objectives, we want to nurture them and create more opportunities for them. We want to increase their skill base going forward,” she said.

 

• For details on how to apply to become part of the Triggerfish Story Lab, visit www.triggerfishstudios.com Entries close on August 31.

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