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Meet Triggerfish: The Cape Town Studio Netflix Chose For Its 1st African Cartoon Series

Meet Triggerfish: The Cape Town Studio Netflix Chose For Its 1st African Cartoon Series

Triggerfish Studios
Image in Public Domain

Anticipation is high for Netflix’s first African animated series, “Mama K’s Team 4.” To make it happen, the streaming giant commissioned South African award-winning animation company Triggerfish.

Make no mistake, however, telling the story of four girls living in a futuristic Zambia tasked with saving the world isn’t the studio’s first foray into animated greatness.

Located on a suburban farm 20 minutes from Cape Town, Triggerfish has been producing hit cartoons for almost a decade, reported CNN. Whether telling the story of the half-striped Zebra “Khumba” (one of the top five highest grossing South African films to date) or Zog, the accident-prone dragon, Triggerfish has made its mark in the industry.

On a mission to inspire African youth, the studio makes it a point to give credence to projects that allow young Africans to see themselves on screen. They look heavily at the demographic for future talent.

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“I think in South Africa and probably in a lot of African countries, the arts are not really encouraged at school level,” Triggerfish CEO Stuart Forrest told CNN. “So we have some online platforms and we go into schools with outreach and we try and encourage kids to consider it as a career.”

It even has its own academy where people can take free courses, learn from pros and figure out if a career in animation is for them. After all, people’s ideas are their greatest resources, according to Forrest.

“The biggest resources are in people’s heads … There’s a billion people on this continent who could all potentially be telling stories,” Forrest said.

In addition to Netflix, Triggerfish has partnerships with Disney and boasts over 100 employees. They are also currently hiring for assistance with upcoming projects.

To apply, click here.