Said to be Africa’s Pixar Studio’s Cape Town-based Triggerfish Animation has secured funding to develop its two films Here be Monsters and Seal Team.
Here Be Monsters tells the story of a boy and a sea monster and will be the company’s first foray into animating human characters.It was was selected for the Creative Focus pitch at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival earlier this year is the next original story from writer RaffaellaDelle Donne who worked on both of Triggerfish’s previous films.
The second one that received funidng is is Seal Team. Seal Team is an action-comedy that sees a group of Cape fur seals pitted against their natural enemies: the great white sharks of South Africa. The script is currently being written by Brian and Jason Cleveland of CMG who handled world sales on Triggerfish’s previous films.
According to Triggerfish CFO Jean-Michel Koenig who secured the deal,“We are very pleased with the confidence Business Partners has placed in us as we look to invest further into our development slate.”
Anthony Silverston, head of development said Triggerfish Animation will use the cash to develop Here be Monsters and Seal Team even though it has a number of new exciting properties.
“We had a good working relationship with the Clevelands on Zambezia and were impressed by their passion for the medium and for great stories,” says Triggerfish Producer Stuart Forrest. “So it was great when they came with this concept that is so close to home for us. Our first reaction was – why didn’t we think of that?!”
Triggerfish aims to release one film a year starting in 2016 and although the stories so far have been set in Africa, the company has a global vision to create animated films with universal messages for all ages.
The development funding was secured from Business Partners’ Venture Fund – a specialist risk finance company for formal small to medium enterprises in South Africa and select African countries.
The funds will be used to develop their slate of 5 animated feature films and to expand the studio’s digital department building on existing properties and exploring new ideas with apps and games.
Khumba is currently on circuit in South Africa, holding the number 1 spot for two weeks and will be rolling out throughout the rest of the world into 2014. Adventures in Zambezia (Sony International Acquisitions) was another of its successful film.