SA Industry | Triggerfish Animation Studios

Apr 11 2013

‘Adventures in Zambezia’ now on DVD and Blu-Ray

Categories: Animation, Feature Film, SA industry, zambezia | Posted by: Triggerfish

Following on from a successful theatrical release world-wide, ‘Adventures in Zambezia’ will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray in South African stores as of today. It has already been released by Sony in the U.S. and U.K. in an exclusive deal with Wal-Mart.

Set in a bustling bird city on the edge of the majestic Victoria Falls, ‘Adventures in Zambezia’ tells the story of Kai, a naive, but high-spirited young falcon who travels to the bird city of Zambezia where he discovers the truth about his origins and, in defending the city, learns how to be part of a community. The film won best SA Feature at the Durban International Film Festival, a SAFTA for Best Animated Film and was nominated for two Annie Awards. So get your copy today – it’s ama-zing!

Mar 18 2013

Adventures in Zambezia wins SAFTA

Categories: Animation, Feature Film, Festival, SA industry, zambezia | Posted by: Triggerfish

The winners of the 2013 South African Film and Television Awards were announced on Saturday during a gala event at Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg. Triggerfish’s first animated feature “Adventures in Zambezia” was nominated for Best Music, Direction and Animation and won the award for Best Animation. A prize was sponsored by the DTI and NFVF. “The film has broken records overseas, often passing animated features from the major studios,” says Triggerfish CEO Stuart Forrest, “And it’s a huge honour for our achievements to be recognized on local soil by members of the South African Film Industry.”

Samuel L. Jackson, voice of Tendai in Adventures in Zambezia, made a special appearance at the award ceremony to present the trophies for Best Actor and Actress.

This weekend also saw Zambezia being nominated for an Africa Movie Academy Award. The film released in SA theaters in December and won Best SA Feature Film at Durban International Film Festival last year. It was also nominated for 2 Annie Awards. The DVD will be available for rental from April 5th and will be available to buy at all major retail outlets in SA April 12th.

Feb 27 2013

Triggerfish Goes to Stanford Business School

Categories: Animation, International Industry, presentation, SA industry, studio | Posted by: Triggerfish

Triggerfish CEO, Stuart Forrest is heading off to California after being invited to speak at the Stanford Graduate School of Business’ Africa Forum on Saturday, 2nd March 2013. He will be showcasing the best in African creativity and technical excellence.

Stuart will be speaking on the media and entertainment panel alongside Daniel Ogbonna, Founder & CEO of PanaTV, Michael Ugwu, CEO of Iroking, and Michelle Atagana, Editor of memeburn.com.

Triggerfish is very excited to be bringing its story to Silicon Valley and Stanford University.

More details here: http://saf.stanford.edu/

Feb 08 2013

Spier Films Invests in Khumba

Categories: Animation, Feature Film, khumba, SA industry | Posted by: Triggerfish

Award-winning production and finance company, Spier Films, has put its weight behind Triggerfish Animation Studios’ animated feature film, Khumba.

Starting with U-Carmen eKhayelitsha in 2004, Spier has funded a slate of successful films including Master Harold and the Boys, Son of Man and Black Butterflies. This is the first time the company has invested in an animated feature film. Managing Director of Spier Films, Michael Auret says:

“We are very proud to be involved with Khumba because of the amazing achievement that was Zambezia which is still entertaining audiences globally. We believe that animation is an area where South Africa can compete in the international market and we want to do everything to support these kinds of projects. There is a great creative team behind Triggerfish and we trust them to produce something even better with this film.”

Slated for release later this year, Khumba tells the story of a half-striped zebra who is blamed for the drought by his superstitious herd and leaves his home in search of the magic waterhole where legend has it, the first zebras got their stripes. Teaming up with an overprotective, sassy wildebeest and a self-obsessed ostrich, this plucky young zebra meets an array of wacky characters in an unforgettable adventure through the Great Karoo desert to earn his stripes.

The original story was penned by Triggerfish writers Raffaella Delle Donne and Anthony Silverston in consultation with Jonathan Roberts (The Lion King) and has been picked up by Millennium Entertainment for North American distribution. Following on from the success of their first widely released animated feature Adventures in Zambezia, Triggerfish CEO Stuart Forrest is thrilled to have Spier on board, making Khumba a 100% locally funded film.

“Having a financial partner like Spier, along with our other South African investors the IDC, DTI and the NFVF, is such a great affirmation that we are producing a world-class product that does our country proud. Zambezia is the first African animation film to be nominated for two Annie Awards and has become Africa’s most successful film export since The Gods Must Be Crazy, released over thirty years ago. We expect Khumba to break this longstanding record.”

Jan 22 2013

Triggerfish visits Ntuzuma Township

Categories: Animation, SA industry, workshop | Posted by: Triggerfish

Over the festive season, Triggerfish had been presented with an exciting opportunity to work together with the Durban Art Gallery in a Digital Art Outreach programme.

Mdu, Tessa, Tom and Tumi, our Triggerfish team, were eager to enlighten the passionate learners of the Ntuzuma Township with an introductory course to Animation. The course provided the learners with the opportunity to participate in Texturing, Modelling, Sculpting and Animation – some of the combined specialities that a Studio like ours needs to bring about an animated feature production.

The excitement, passion and commitment shown by the learners had shown us just how eager they were to learn. The ability to share our knowledge with the Ntuzuma Township learners was a truly rewarding experience.

A very special thank you to Mdu for organizing this outreach and to Musa and Titus from the Durban Art Gallery for all their support, as well as the Ntuzuma Township, for giving our Triggerfish family, Tessa Comrie, Tumelo Selamolela, Tom Kleinenberg and Mdu Cwele this fantastic opportunity to spread the gift of knowledge.