Locally Made Shorts Set for Cartoon Network Africa

Cartoon Network is teaming up with animation, copywriting, post-production and audio-creation talent in Africa to produce one-minute shorts of the winning work from this year’s Imagination Studios animation competition.

The first-place winners—Maia, Dida, Katlego and Zoë-Jane—will see their animated duos air live on Cartoon Network across Africa in October. Animation company MyChild TV will serve as executive producer, while Punch Money Studios is writing the scripts. Also on board are Mindseye Creative, a 2D animation studio, and Audio Militia, a post-production facility. Local comedians and voiceover artists, including Nina Hastie, Trevor Gumbi, Richelieu Beaunoir and Alex Radnitz, have signed on as voice actors.

A Turner spokesperson commented: “We here at Cartoon Network are so excited about Imagination Studios, so much so that we decided to take it a step further this year, by involving some amazingly talented, locally selected, third-party professionals. This local alliance will simply take what we have already previously perfected, and rejuvenate it by injecting a unique, authentic, African flair which will not only be engaging, but relatable to our audience too.

“We have been extremely impressed by the amazing creative energy present within each of the partners and this energy, together with the imaginative entries received in this year’s Imagination Studios competition, has reinforced our investment into localizing content and our promise to further mentor the African animation industry.”

Nick Wilson from Animation South Africa added: “It is really cool to see that international brands such as Cartoon Network are starting to fully localize their content in order to speak to, and engage with, their audience on a deeper, richer level. We are so honored and excited to have been selected to work on this project, presenting us with many areas of potential and growth for the African animation industry, ensuring that our creative voices as Africans continue to be heard.”