The Triggerfish Story Lab received 1378 entries from storytellers and filmmakers
from 30 countries across Africa and its diaspora, all eager to write the continent’s
next animated blockbuster or hit TV series.
“When I told people I expected over 1000 submissions from across Africa, everyone
laughed at me. Ha! Now who’s laughing? Oh wait, I have to read all of these…’ says
Anthony Silverston, head of Development at Triggerfish Animation Studios.
After the international success of its first two feature films, Triggerfish established
The Triggerfish Story Lab with the support of The Department of Trade and Industry
(the dti) and The Walt Disney Company.
The 1174 feature submissions and 204 TV series submissions will be evaluated by
industry experts. These experts include Peter Lord, the British director of
international blockbusters like Chicken Run and The Pirates! In
an Adventure with Scientists; Hollywood writer Jonathan Roberts (The
Lion King); script consultant Karl Iglesias (Writing For Emotional
Impact); a panel of development executives from The Walt Disney
Company; South African storyteller Gcina Mhlope; comedian David Kau; and
Triggerfish’s development team made up of Silverston, Wayne Thornley and
Raffaella Delle Donne.
“I’m honoured and delighted to be a small part of the Triggerfish Story Lab,’ says
Peter Lord, who co-founded Aardman Animations, the four-time Oscar-winning
studio behind the likes of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the
Sheep. “I believe that it’s vitally important for every country and culture to
tell its own stories. Much as we may enjoy Hollywood storytelling, it is not the only
way; there are so many different stories to be told, and so many voices demanding
to be heard. I look forward very much to immersing myself in authentic African
storytelling.”
The Triggerfish Story Lab specifically called for uplifting, family-friendly stories.
Comedian David Kau says, “I’m looking forward to helping unearth new African
talent in animation, and telling stories from Africa that will show the world that
there’s an Africa beyond the genocide, Aids, corruption and dictatorship that’s the
daily gospel of most news outlets.”
Triggerfish will be investing up to R44 million over the next three years in The Story
Lab, which aims to give Africa’s most talented storytellers and filmmakers the
opportunity to develop their ideas alongside Triggerfish’s international network of
mentors. Selected storytellers will potentially have their concepts developed into
episodic TV content or an animated feature film for the global market.
The selected Story Lab participants will receive two weeks of mentoring with key
studio and television executives at Disney’s headquarters in Burbank, California, as
well as workshops in Cape Town with leading Hollywood script consultant Pilar
Alessandra, author of The Coffee Break Screenwriter.
The development process can take a number of years. For each phase of
development, Triggerfish will provide financial support, workspace, and expert
guidance by internal and international consultants and mentors, as well as a route
to market through top-tier relationships with Hollywood agency William Morris
Endeavor.
Animation has proven to be a successful medium for South African films to travel
internationally, with Triggerfish’s films Adventures in Zambezia and
Khumba being distributed in over 150 countries and dubbed into over
27 languages.
“The overwhelming response we’ve received shows the depth of storytelling talent
in Africa,’ says Anthony. “We’ll be announcing a shortlist of about 20 storytellers in
October 2015.’
Shortlisted storytellers will take part in workshops in November 2015 before
making their final pitches, after which Triggerfish will announce the final Story Lab
participants in December 2015.
For more information, visit Trigger Fish’s
website.
