Cartoon Network Africa has launched a new initiative, Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab, designed to bring innovative, local short form content to the channel and its digital platforms.
Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab was conceived to address the gap in locally relevant content and offer a viewing experience that resonates with its African audience. The initiative will encourage African talents, creators, writers, graphic artists, animation students and lovers of kids’ content to explore their creative, animation and production skills and stand the chance to produce a short-form animated comedy.
Entries for the Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab will be open from June 7 until August 31. Applicants must be not be younger than 18. African-based companies can submit their one-minute to three-minute creative short project, which must be in the genre of comedy and fit with Cartoon Network’s values of funny, random, irreverent, smart and contemporary humour.
Ten projects will be short-listed in September and the local creators will get the opportunity to pitch their work to Cartoon Network Africa’s content programming team. The winner and two runners-up will be revealed at DISCOP Johannesburg at the end of the year.
The winner and runners-up will be given the opportunity to get their project produced as a pilot with Cartoon Network Africa, which will then premiere on Cartoon Network Africa and its digital platforms in 2019.
“We look forward to seeing the entries and hope to see the winners flourish in their career as content creators, following the footsteps of some of Cartoon Network’s greatest talents,” said Ariane Suveg, Head of programming and acquisition Turner Kids Africa.
“There is a need to invest in local content and our commitment to further mentoring talent in the African animation industry.”