Through Frames in Sketch and Story

What Do African Stories Offer the World? African storytelling has always been more than just a way to entertain, it’s a mode of living, remembering, and connecting.  As African animation begins to find its unique voice on the global stage, it’s essential to ask.  What do African stories offer the world that no one else can? Storytelling as Community and Connection One of the core distinctions of many African narratives is their emphasis on community over the individual. - Stories often center around collective experiences, shared histories, and interwoven destinies rather than individual triumphs. - Characters are frequently defined by their relationships to family, tribe, and nature. - Conflict resolution leans towards reconciliation, harmony, and cyclical renewal rather than binary good vs. evil battles. This communal approach shifts the narrative focus from solitary heroes to webs of relationships , inviting global audiences to experience stor...

  Characters are the heart of every story. They carry us through worlds, invite us into experiences, and help us understand ourselves and others. Through them, we can see aspect of ourselves, relate and even be accustomed to their traits through the story. However, when it comes to African animation, what are some of the ways our African realities from society, are reflected through our characters?  Who are the characters that define African animation? How do African archetypes and ancestral influences shape the stories we tell, and how do they differ from global templates? African Archetypes: More Than Heroes To begin with, African stories often feature archetypes that resonate deeply with cultural values and communal memory. These include: -  The Wise Elder: Keeper of knowledge, moral compass, spiritual guide. Often a connection to ancestors and tradition. -  The Trickster: A cunning, playful figure who challenges norms and reveals hidden truths....

When people think of animation, their minds often gravitate to the dominant giants of the medium, mostly Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks, Studio Ghibli, or even Japanese anime.  These industries have shaped what global audiences expect from animated storytelling, in terms of specific visual styles, character arcs, humor, music, and even pacing. But as animation continues to grow and develop through the years, lots of regions have yet to speak fully, with their visual styles and aesthetics. In every animated world, visual design is storytelling . From the sweeping skies of The Lion King to the neon Tokyo of Akira , the way a world looks often tells the audience more than the script ever could. For African animation, that visual language is still being defined. The question isn’t just what we want to show, but how we want to be seen. So what does Africa look like in animation? As more animation continues to burst onto the screens from Africa, where does that leave African anim...

Image source:  https://www.animationmagazine.net/2024/07/eyes-of-wakanda-will-be-cg-animated-with-strong-mcu-ties/   When Stan Lee and Jack Kirby first introduced Black Panther in 1966’s Fantastic Four #52 , they may not have anticipated the full cultural and historical significance the character would come to hold.  T’Challa wasn’t just another superhero, but he was the first Black superhero in mainstream American comics, and crucially, the king of Wakanda , a fictional African nation untouched by colonialism. But beyond his heroic feats and high-tech gadgets, Black Panther resonated with something deeper, and something profoundly African. While many discussions focus on Black Panther ’s futuristic aesthetics, there’s another layer that deserves more attention, which involves how the character and his world  reflect precolonial African civilization. This stretches from its monarchies, spirituality, gender roles, and cultural systems. This rich cultural mirror...

When most people hear the word superhero, their minds go straight to Marvel’s cinematic universe or DC’s iconic pantheon. The capes, cities under siege, secret identities, and epic battles of good versus evil. They all have been part of part of the animation world, and have survived their relevance from the comic books in 1930s/1940s to the screens and games in todays digital world Therefore, given this strong relevance of their place in storytelling in the animation world, as African animation begins to carve out its own space on the global stage, the question arises. Do we need superheroes in African animation, and if so, what do they look like? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. It’s more complex, cultural, and full of exciting possibilities. Superheroes as a Global Language Superheroes are more than just blockbuster characters, they’re a modern mythos. As a genre they channel our desires for justice, our fear of chaos, and our yearning for transformation.  As such, sup...

As African animation begins to reach wider audiences, ranging from YouTube, in film festivals, and on major platforms like Netflix and Disney+, a powerful question looms in the background. Can African stories be globally successful without sacrificing their cultural voice? In a world where content is increasingly cross-border, many African animators are navigating the tightrope between authenticity and accessibility .  It's a delicate dance, that makes an animator or animation studio ask, how do you create stories that resonate with international audiences without diluting the cultural depth that makes them special? But first, let us understand what a voice actually means. A voice is a unique way in which the art of an individual is represented. It can almost be a kin to what a brand  is to a company. Now imagine if Nike all over sudden flipped what you knew it as. Odd, right? Now let us get into what it means to lose that voice What Does It Mean to “Lose Your Voice”? W...