Edward Tsumele

Edward Tsumele

The lucrative animation industry is alive and kicking with the completion of five animation short films which are being shown at cinemas countrywide.

The Backyard Shorts, an exciting new series of short films, has started and will continue to be screened at SterKinekor until mid-February.

Behind this initiative are executive producers Isabelle Rorke and Dumisani Gumbi, the founders of Anamazing and the creators of the Animation Production Training Initiative (APTI).

"APTI is a ground-breaking training and production platform for emerging talent that is kick-starting an innovative era of animation in South Africa. The five animated films, part of a series of 13, are proof of this," says Rorke.

"We need to be ready to participate in the global animation industry's forecasted growth of over US$75 billion in the near future. APTI aims to help grow the local industry so that we can become internationally competitive. The five films show that it is indeed possible to broaden our base of animators and create opportunities for industry growth."

The films, The Culprit, Kwait Ou's Big Hit, Bhovasand Sam, Blunder Hunter and Snail Trail, were produced by a core team that included writing mentors Penelope Middleboe and Martin Lamb from UK company Right Angle, and animation mentor Allan Cameron.

APTI has trained 13 writers into animation scriptwriters, trained eight directors, trained 10 previously disadvantaged animators, one production manager and one IT manager while producing a total of 13 five-minute animated short films.

The films will also soon be broadcast on SABC2 and marketed internationally.