We are very proud of Raymond Malinga, one of the CreaTech Animation incubator participants from Uganda. Raymond was one of the talented animators whose project, Roho (formerly Super Subi) was shortlisted from almost 40 submissions to join the incubator program. Over 3 months, Kwame Nyongo and Tracey-Lee Dearhorn mentored the participants. They are both experienced industry professionals from Kenya and South Africa. Kwame is an award-winning writer, illustrator and animator, who is passionate about telling uplifting African stories. They had one on one sessions with each participant, equipping them with skills in character development and storylines. Through the incubator, they were able to refine their pitch and prepare for competitions and presentations before investors, for example.
Raymond submitted his project to the Animation du Monde pitching competition at Annecy International Animation Film Market (Mifa), and was chosen as a finalist in the 2021 Mifa season! He was also, in June 2021, selected as one of ten directors to direct a short animated film for Disney+. We’ll be continuing the incubator in 2022 with 20 more participants. The sessions will be more group-oriented to maximise value and promote networking. Further, we’ll also encourage the participants to submit their projects in global competitions and initiatives that expose their talent to international audiences and markets.