by African Animation Network | Jun 2, 2022 | Animation News
Akissi: A Funny Little Brother – Tag along for a funny African adventure!
The half-hour Boomerang special following a fearless little girl in her day-to-day escapades in a modern African City airs on Thursday, 16 June at 08:45 CAT.
This heartfelt Boomerang half-hour special follows a fearless little girl, Akissi, and her monkey friend, Boubou, as they set out on hilarious adventures in their contemporary African city. The show is based on the best-selling comic book series by critically acclaimed Ivorian writer Marguerite Abouet and French author/illustrator Mathieu Sapin.
Akissi: A Funny Little Brother uses humour, energy and a universal style to tell the stories of this small but fierce little girl and her best friend, her monkey. It also paints a portrait of a lively, vibrant and expressive Africa, far from the usual clichés, which will become as familiar to the viewers as it is to Akissi and her friends.
With sales of more than 115 000 copies and translated into 9 languages, the Akissi book series, like the animated special, is inspired by Marguerite Abouet’s childhood in Abidjan. “Akissi invites children to go off into a warm and chaotic unknown world, an uninhibited and relaxed roam through an Africa that is so near and yet so far away,” says the writer. “It’s like an open-air theatre where these young characters and their sense of hospitality unceremoniously grab your attention. Even though they have some flaws, they are always happy and active, and children from all over Africa will be able to identify with them.”
Akissi: A Funny Little Brother has been produced by Ellipsanime and was co-financed by France Télévisions for France and Warner Bros. Discovery for Africa. The English-speaking version was dubbed using local South African talents through The African Animation Network. Many of the young voice artists reign from the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg, including 16-year-old Phophi Muleya in the titular role. Other African creative talents include Central African-born French singer and musician Bibi Tanga, who composed Akissi’s jazz, funk and afrobeat-influenced music, and Ivorian line producer Angelin Paul from French studio GHWA Productions.
“We are delighted to present the world of Marguerite Abouet to our sub-Saharan African audiences. Akissi is a free, curious, mischievous and caring heroine in contemporary Africa’s energetic and vibrant environment. Through this special, we are increasing our animation offering aimed at young African audiences and working towards a diversity of characters in unique stories,” said Ariane Suveg, VP Head of Kids Channels, Warner Bros. Discovery, France, Africa & Israel.
Tune in to Boomerang Africa on Thursday, 16 June at 08:45 CAT and relish the laugh-out-loud misadventures of this fearless little girl in her day-to-day escapades in a modern African City!
ABOUT BOOMERANG AFRICA
Home to your favourite cartoon characters, Boomerang Africa gives kids aged 4-7 years old and their families more to laugh about in a safe space. The fun and surprises never stop on Boomerang, inspiring kids and families to tune in to the latest shows. Reaching over 12 million people every month in South Africa alone, the channel is the #2 most popular kids’ channel in South Africa.
Boomerang’s programming includes some of its most iconic characters: the famous cat and mouse frenemies, Tom and Jerry, the hilarious Mr Bean, and the beloved Masha and the Bear, all voted ‘Coolest Cartoon Shows’ in 2021 by South African youth. Fan-favourite TV shows such as Zig & Sharko and Looney Tunes Cartoons shine alongside our new Boomerang originals, like Grizzy and the Lemmings and Taffy. Boomerang also showcases local African productions and initiatives such as Boomerang Tunes and My African Stories.
Boomerang is a Warner Bros. Discovery brand.
Boomerang is available on DStv (CH302), GOtv (CH68) (CH155 in Ghana & CH357 in Uganda), AzamTV (CH227) and Canal+ Ethiopia (CH127).
Website: www.Boomerangafrica.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/Boomerang Africa
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BoomerangAfrica/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/boomerangafricatv
The African Animation Network is a pro-profit, talent-driven social enterprise and open network with a core mandate to empower African animation professionals and build a sustainable African animation industry.
by African Animation Network | Oct 29, 2021 | Animation News
BABOON ANIMATION AFRICA Launches in Partnership with AFRICAN ANIMATION NETWORK!
Forging the path to a socially responsible animation industry in Africa, Baboon Animation has created a new branch, Baboon Animation Africa (BAA), partnering with the well-established African Animation Network (AAN) to build a new animation business paradigm based in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“We are building on the success of our new WarnerMedia show, Garbage Boy and Trash Can. Real ownership by African creators is our goal, and we have the relationships to do it. AAN pioneered this approach through their social impact goals, and together we are expanding. We have five more game-changing initiatives to announce in the next six months,” says Mike de Seve, president of Baboon Animation, a multiple-Emmy-winning company. “We are developing raw talent and shows in an equitable and responsible way that keeps creators in the driver’s seat.”
Baboon’s leadership in African markets began in 2018. Nick Wilson, founder and head of projects & content at AAN, invited de Seve to join in a Pan-African talent development partnership with Annecy International Animation Festival/MIFA. This platform identified Ridwan Moshood, who created Garbage Boy and Trash Can, as one of Africa’s leading talents.
“Baboon is a perfect creative partner for this enterprise.” says Wilson, who developed and produced Africa’s first half-hour adult animated comedy in 2015, and formed AAN in 2016. “We have relationships with the biggest comedy stars and animation talent in Africa. The word is out that we are the go-to people if you have a show. We are the first ones producing African shows in Africa for a global media company.”
Baboon and AAN expect to attract top talent through various channels, including AAN’s upcoming competition, The Great Big African Animation Pitch (TGBAAP), slated for early 2022. This AAN-Baboon alliance will help underrepresented series creators take their seats at the table in the fast-growing African animation industry.
“We are changing the way animation development is done, and we challenge everyone to do the same,” says de Seve. “This is what real partnership looks like.”
Baboon Animation Africa is dedicated to animation developed locally to reach audiences globally!
African Animation Network is a pro-profit, talent-driven social enterprise which endeavours to build a sustainable African animation industry.
The African Animation Network is a pro-profit, talent-driven social enterprise and open network with a core mandate to empower African animation professionals and build a sustainable African animation industry.
by African Animation Network | Jun 14, 2021 | Animation News
“TAKE THAT BULLIES!” – GARBAGE BOY & TRASH CAN – CARTOON NETWORK’S 1st AFRICAN SUPERHERO SERIES!
“TAKE THAT BULLIES!” – GARBAGE BOY & TRASH CAN – CARTOON NETWORK’S 1st AFRICAN SUPERHERO SERIES!
Cartoon Network greenlights full series for CN Creative Lab winner Garbage Boy & Trash Can!
Leading network in the kids’ entertainment industry, Cartoon Network is excited to announce that Cartoon Network Africa’s Creative Lab winning short, Garbage Boy & Trash Can, will be made into a series of 10 animated-short episodes, taking African animation to new, exciting heights!
Self-taught 2D Nigerian animator, Ridwan Moshood, is the creator of Garbage Boy & Trash Can – a project which amazed the Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab selection panel with its graphic style, absurdity, unique and extremely funny characters. The story follows Garbage Boy, a self-proclaimed superhero who believes he has real superpowers, and his sidekick, Trash Can, on their mission to fight for justice.
Moshood says, “When I was a kid growing up in Nigeria, I used to be bullied by the other kids, so I created a superhero cartoon to help other kids deal with this problem. I then taught myself to animate watching Cartoon Network classics on TV and doing tutorials on YouTube. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that my show would eventually be produced. Take that bullies!“
Click HERE for KidScreen’s EXCLUSIVE with RIDWAN MOSHOOD!
Click HERE for KidScreen’s EXCLUSIVE with RIDWAN MOSHOOD!
Garbage Boy & Trash Can is the first Cartoon Network superhero animated comedy series to be produced in Africa. It will be made in collaboration with the newly-formed animation production company, Pure Garbage, a South African company specially created to produce the new series. The studio is a partnership between Moshood, Mike de Seve, head of US award-winning studio Baboon Animation, and Nick Wilson, founder of African Animation Network (AAN), a for-profit social enterprise that’s instigating and coordinating the development of animation capacity across the continent. This global collaboration marks the first innovative model in animation between talents from Nigeria, South Africa, Europe, and the US under the umbrella of Cartoon Network’s creative production process.
Click HERE for Forbes’ FEATURE on PURE GARBAGE!
Click HERE for Forbes’ FEATURE on PURE GARBAGE!
John Fountain, a talented veteran animation Director, having working on some of the most successful global animation series like The Fairly OddParents, will be Garbage Boy & Trash Can’s Supervising Director as well.
“Garbage Boy really popped for us as a character. He comes from the heart of a brilliant young African – the amazingly talented Ridwan Moshood. But any kid, anywhere in the world, will connect with this hilarious, endearing character and laugh at his antics,” says Mike de Seve, Baboon Animation’s president and Executive Producer at Pure Garbage.
Nick Wilson, founder and head of projects & content for AAN, played a key role from conception of the Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab venture, to co-creating the production company, Pure Garbage. Garbage Boy & Trash Can is also the first local series to be used as a training program for new African cartoon writers and animators. “This international collaboration aims to contribute to skills sharing and production upliftment in the animation industry across Africa,” adds Wilson.
Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab began its journey in June 2018 as an initiative designed to bring innovative, local short-form content to the channel, and its digital platforms, while reinforcing the local relevance of the brand. “Ridwan has so much talent, and his series is a perfect fit for Cartoon Network’s diverse and original content,” comments Ariane Suveg, Kids Content Director for WarnerMedia Africa, France and Israel. “We are proud to build an innovative collaboration process empowering local animators and we are excited to produce and bring on air a pure African story featuring a fantastic Nigerian comedy hero in Garbage Boy & Trash Can! This global partnership is a response to our audience expectations wanting local, and inclusive, content.”
Garbage Boy & Trash Can will premiere on Cartoon Network Africa in 2022.
Ridwan Moshood
Ridwan Moshood is a self-taught 2D animator from Nigeria who drew inspiration from classic Cartoon Network shows and learning from YouTube videos. His passion for animation goes way back to his childhood; as a kid, he was always intrigued about how animation is made; he sees animation as creating life. He loves telling stories that excite people, and what better way to do that if not through animation. Moshood started his professional career as a 2D animator six years ago and currently works as a freelancer. In the past 3 years he has won numerous accolades at animation festivals and pitch competitions in Africa, establishing himself as one of the leading talents on the continent.
Mike de Seve
Mike de Seve is an Emmy-nominated animation writer and director working in both feature films and television. He is the founder of Baboon Animation, a collective of some of the most accomplished animation writers in the US, with 28 Emmys and clients including Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Warner Bros. and Disney. He has worked on Madagascar, Shrek 2 and Monsters vs. Aliens, among other films. He was also a director and sequence writer on the feature film Beavis & Butt-Head Do America.
Nick Wilson
Nick Wilson is the founder of the African Animation Network (AAN), based in Johannesburg, South Africa. His career began when he took a leap of faith by studying to become an animator in South Africa before the industry was sustainable. Wilson launched his animation studio My Child TV, where he cultivates IP development through animation. The pilot of My Child: Teenage Mutant Azanians, the studio’s self-financed flagship adult animated comedy series, was debuted at the Comedy Central International Comedy Festival and was broadcast on Comedy Central Africa in late 2015, representing the 1st half-hour of adult animated comedy to be produced for, and broadcast to, an African audience. His studio later executive produced the four animated shorts for Cartoon Network’s Imagination Studios campaign – their first foray into 100% African animation production.
John Fountain
John Fountain was the Supervising Director for Nickelodeon’s The Fairly Oddparents. He has held nearly every key creative position in the field of animation including Producer, Writer, Director, Storyboard Artist, Art Director, Development Artist and Character Designer. He has worked at Netflix, Disney, Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers, MTV, Cartoon Network, and numerous studios globally, and on hits such as Invader Zim, Dora the Explorer, Wild Thornberrys, Rick and Morty and South Park.
ABOUT WARNERMEDIA
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others.
ABOUT CARTOON NETWORK AFRICA
Cartoon Network Africa is the fun and irreverent multi-platform entertainment brand that offers kids, 7-12 years old, unexpected and imaginative experiences with high quality, multi-layered comedy and adventure shows. Cartoon Network is Africa’s favourite kids’ channel, leading the pay-TV market in South Africa. Reaching 12 million viewers every month, the channel has been voted ‘Coolest Kids TV Channel’ by South African youth. In addition to Emmy-winning original programming such as The PowerPuff Girls and Ben 10, and fresh new Cartoon Network originals like Craig of the Creek, Apple & Onion and Summer Camp Island, Cartoon Network embraces local productions such as Pop Up Party and Mike and Rob. With Cartoon Network, you can expect the unexpected and laugh out loud! Cartoon Network is a brand owned by WarnerMedia.
Cartoon Network Africa is available on DStv, channel 301, and GOtv, channel 67 (Ghana 158 and Uganda 356).
Website: www.CartoonnetworkAfrica.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CNAfrica/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/cartoonnetworkafrica
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cnafricaofficial/
The African Animation Network is a pro-profit, talent-driven social enterprise and open network with a core mandate to empower African animation professionals and build a sustainable African animation industry.
by African Animation Network | Nov 10, 2020 | Animation News
EXCLUSIVE: WE BARE BEARS FILM PREVIEW + Q&A WITH DANIEL CHONG
EXCLUSIVE: WE BARE BEARS FILM PREVIEW + Q&A WITH DANIEL CHONG. WATCH HERE.
Animation lovers and aspiring creatives across Africa are reminded to tune in to an exclusive 15min preview of the We Bare Bears feature film and Q&A session with the award-winning creator, Daniel Chong, from 7 to 13 November.
The Q&A session, part of the 2020 virtual NAICCON (Nairobi Comic Convention), is hosted by Nick Wilson, Founder & Head of Projects & Content at African Animation Network (AAN), who is joined by Pan-Africa panelists, including;
- Thomas Imboywa, NAICCON Director & Head of Gaming and eSport at AAN
- Comfort Arthur, FUPiTOONS FESiTVAL Director at AAN & award-winning animation director
- Mounia Aram, President of Mounia Aram Company & Head of Acquisitions and Channel Distribution at AAN
- Raymond Malinga, Founder of Animation Uganda & CEO of Creatures Animation
- Mbuotidem Johnson, Founder of Animation Nigeria & CEO of Basement Animation
- Les Allen, ICON Comics and Games Convention Director & Head of Business Development at AAN
The panelists talk to Daniel Chong about his career, the future of We Bare Bears, advice for African animators, and Chong’s upcoming projects. Watch this exclusive HERE.
The African Animation Network is a pro-profit, talent-driven social enterprise and open network with a core mandate to empower African animation professionals and build a sustainable African animation industry.
by African Animation Network | Nov 6, 2020 | Animation News
CARTOON NETWORK’S BELOVED BEARS STACK UP FOR THEIR GREATEST ADVENTURE WITH FIRST-EVER MOVIE
We Bare Bears: The Movie Premieres across Africa 29th November
Click here to check out the trailer for We Bare Bears: The Movie
Cartoon Network’s beloved bears return big with their first TV movie, We Bare Bears: The Movie, launching on Sunday, 29 November at 16:05 CAT only on Cartoon Network Africa. Created by Annie Award-winner Daniel Chong, and produced by Cartoon Network Studios, the movie follows Grizz, Panda, and Ice Bear on their greatest adventure yet.
In We Bare Bears: The Movie, when the bears’ love of food trucks and viral videos gets out of hand, it catches the attention of the menacing Agent Trout from the National Wildlife Control, who pledges to restore the ‘natural order’ by separating them forever. Chased from their home, Grizz decides there’s only one thing they can do to find refuge – move to Canada!
The Bears embark on an epic road trip filled with new friends, dangerous obstacles, and massive parties. But most importantly, the perilous journey will force the bears to face how they first met and became brothers in order to keep their family bond from splitting apart.
Since its debut in 2015, the Emmy-nominated We Bare Bears has earned numerous awards, including a BAFTA Children’s Award, a Jury Award for Best TV Series at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, and several Annie Awards.
Ahead of the movie premiere, the channel will unpack a fun road trip stunt starting on Saturday, 14 November at 16:05 CAT, bringing out themes present in the movie: 10 selected episodes which feature the Bears in different locations such as foreign countries, camping and more outdoor adventures!
Animation lovers and aspiring creatives across Africa can tune in to an exclusive interview with the award-winning creator of We Bare Bears, Daniel Chong, on Saturday, 7 November at 16:00 CAT. The interview is part of the 2020 virtual Nairobi Comic Convention (NAICCON), where Nick Wilson, Head of Projects & Content at African Animation Network, and other African animation professionals will be talking to Chong about his career, the future of We Bare Bears, advice for African animators, and Chong’s upcoming projects. Watch this exclusive interview here from Saturday, 7 November up until Friday, 13 November.
Catch We Bare Bears: The Movie on Sunday, 29 November @ 16:05 CAT where Grizz, Panda, and Ice Bear attract the Department of Wildlife Control’s attention and their world turns upside down as they stack up for their biggest adventure ever on Cartoon Network Africa, DStv channel 301, and GOtv channel 67 (Ghana 158 and Uganda 356)!
The African Animation Network is a pro-profit, talent-driven social enterprise and open network with a core mandate to empower African animation professionals and build a sustainable African animation industry.
by African Animation Network | Sep 11, 2020 | Animation News
AFRICAN SOLUTION TO GLOBAL PANDEMIC: UBONGO
Not only have primary and high schools been disrupted by the COVD-19 pandemic, nursery schools have been impacted as well. The Gauteng Film Commision (GFC) & the African Animation Network (AAN) recently teamed up to respond to the crisis with a series of “mini-workshops”, called FUPiVERSiTY, targeted at high school learners. They have now turned their attention to early childhood development (ECD) through a partnership with an ECD-specialist Pan-African social enterprise and edutainment creators, Ubongo.
Said Desmond Mthembu, Senior Manager, Industry Support Development at the GFC: “we have a tendency in Africa to look outside of Africa for solutions in times of crisis, when there are a plethora of African companies and organisations responding to the many challenges on the continent already. Partnering with AAN and, by extension Ubongo, enables us to find an African solution to a global pandemic”.
Nick Wilson, Head of Projects & Content at AAN, continued; “Ubongo and AAN, both social enterprises, have aligned goals. We’ve been exploring opportunities to collaborate for some time- COVID-19 accelerated those discussions with Ubongo quick to respond to the pandemic by making their content freely available online as educational aids for parents and teachers working from home in English, Kiswahili (an African lingua franca spoken by more than 140 million people), French, Hausa, and Kinyarwanda.”
Nthabeleng Phora, Skills Training and Audience Development & Industry Support and Development at the GFC, continued: “Our solution is two-fold; create teaching aids for ECD practitioners in local South African languages (isiZulu and Sesotho), and ensure that the content is representative of that viewing audience. Our partnership with AAN and Ubongo ticked both those checkboxes.”
As Africa’s leading edutainment company, Ubongo has had a significant impact in East Africa with independent research (Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology & International Journal of Early Childhood) concluding that children who consume their content are at a significant advantage.
“Children who watch our content perform 24% better in counting and numeracy” Nisha Long, Co-founder & CEO of Ubongo, extrapolated. “Furthermore, children who watch and remember characters from the series show 19% gains in health knowledge and healthy behaviors. In Tanzania, 92% of parents who’ve watched our health content say that it helped them learn how to stay safe and healthy.”
The Ubongo ECD teaching aids will be live on the Ubongo’s SA YouTube channel in isiZulu (see HERE) and Sesotho (see HERE) from 12 September. There are 39 songs covering numeracy, self-awareness and hygiene in both languages.
AAN used the opportunity to blood some very promising interns in post-production; with Monicca Rampine and Laurnelle Beukes as assistant video editors and Ndzwakazi Ntikinca-Biyana as a translator. AAN also enlisted the talents of veteran voice artists, Nozizwe Zulu and Boitumela Maretele, both of whom have voiced characters for the South African adaptation of Sesame Workshop– Takalani Sesame.
About:
Gauteng Film Commission:
The Gauteng Film Commission (GFC) develops, promotes and coordinates the film and television production industry in South Africa‘s wealthiest province. An agency of the Gauteng Provincial Government, we are tasked with positioning the province as a world-class destination for film-making as well as attracting local and international investments in the film and television industry.
Our core business is to facilitate and enhance the contribution of the industry to the economic growth of the province. The GFC markets Gauteng, with its world-class industry infrastructure, recognised expertise and wide range of locations, as a destination of choice. We also act as a centralised industry intelligence hub and ensure that people across Gauteng can experience the magic of cinema.
We work with industry, government agencies and other key stakeholders, advising on the development and growth of a sustainable audiovisual industry. We support the transformation of this sector into a world-class industry and our vision is to cultivate an environment that allows it to play a meaningful role in the socioeconomic development of Gauteng. (Read more HERE)
Ubongo:
As Africa’s leading edutainment company, we create fun, localised and multi-platform educational media that reaches millions of families through accessible technologies. Our programs significantly improve school readiness and learning outcomes for kids, and also promote social and behavioural change for kids, caregivers and educators. (Read more HERE)
The African Animation Network is a pro-profit, talent-driven social enterprise and open network with a core mandate to empower African animation professionals and build a sustainable African animation industry.
