Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct and Agence Française de Développement (AFD), in partnership with Animation South Africa, have announced the launch of a short film competition aimed at improving the development of animated films, and announced the 2019 Digital Content Hub intern skills development program.
Professional script writers are invited to submit scripts which are no more than five minutes’ duration and authentically African with global appeal, while interested interns are encouraged to submit their CVs for a place in the development program. The winning script will have free visual development and storyboards done by the 2019 skills pipeline.
The selected short film scripts will have concept design and storyboarding developed and directed by art director Lesego Vorster, a former lecturer of The Animation School and Les Gobelins Masters graduate. Vorster will be assisted by Bokang Koatja and Jeani Varty — two industry specialists in concept design and storyboarding who are currently training at Les Gobelins, one of France’s leading Animation Schools. The curriculum for the internship is also being refined by experts from the same institution.
The digital skills development program, called the “Skills Pipeline,” is a seven-month paid internship for 20 candidates. Aimed at unemployed BEE graduates and talented artists in concept design and storyboarding, it offers experiential learning in visual development and storyboarding focused on animation. The internship runs from January to August 30, 2019.
“This is an exciting internship, competition and transformation initiative. It will focus on concept design and Africanisation of imagery in animation and storyboarding. One of the major constraints of developing world-class digital content in South Africa, and elsewhere in Africa, is a shortage of people with specialised skills. This is exasperated by a very competitive and tough job market. We are hoping that this initiative will go a long way to assist both interns and the market in general,” says Isabelle Rorke, Chief Enabling Officer, Animation.
Eligible candidates for the competition are required to submit their complete short film script for animation by December 5, 2018, while CVs and portfolios for the internship must be sent by 5 p.m. on November 25 to Isabelle@tshimologong.joburg. Selected candidates will be contacted directly and sent details about the interview dates and venue.
