Making an animated film anywhere is no small feat. But in Africa, especially West Africa, the journey comes with its own unique set of challenges. At Magic Carpet Studio, as we craft our 2D animated feature, The Passport of Mallam Ilia, we’ve faced these head-on and come up with innovative solutions that we’re proud to share.
1. Talent Shortage: Building Our Own Creative Family
One of the earliest and most persistent challenges was finding skilled animation talent in Nigeria. For the quality of film we envisioned, the local talent pool was limited. Hiring international experts was simply out of our budget. So, instead of waiting for talent to come to us, we built it ourselves.
We went to institutions like Yabatech then to recruit students with art experience and gave them intensive training tailored to our project needs. This birthed Magic Lab Academy, our training school where we train animation talents to a professional level.
Right now, over 80% of the animators and artists working on our projects today came through our Academy. To extend opportunities further, we created GigAfrica, a platform where our trained animators can connect with studios across Africa needing skilled talent.
By investing in homegrown talent, we’re not just solving our problem, we’re growing the African animation ecosystem.
2. Funding: The Long, Patient Hustle for Investment
Funding animated films in Africa is notoriously difficult. Investors often seek quicker returns than animation projects typically offer, which can take years to complete. When we started The Passport of Mallam Ilia, we relied on support from family and friends and a lot of grit.
We worked hard; attending global festivals like Annecy International Animation Festival, networking, and seeking connections. It was at Annecy that we discovered Wefunder, a crowdfunding platform where we now raise funds from a growing community of supporters. Releasing our First Look was a game-changer because showing a portion of our vision made it easier to get investor interest.
Our CEO, Ferdy Adimefe, leveraged his extensive network to connect with potential backers. We also strategically pushed our First Look across social media, building buzz and opening doors for new investment.
3. Infrastructure: Creating a Studio Fit for Quality Animation
Unlike established animation hubs worldwide, Africa’s creative infrastructure is still developing. Reliable internet, powerful computers, software licenses, and production management tools aren’t always easy to access or affordable.
At Magic Carpet Studio, we invested in a robust tech stack including Clustta, Kitsu, and Mattermost to streamline production. We embraced a lean but growing team structure which includes background artists, animators, colorists, editors, sound engineers; all collaborating remotely and on-site (when necessary).
This infrastructure enables us to deliver the kind of quality we want from the heart of West Africa, proving that quality doesn’t have to be confined to traditional centers.
4. Distribution: Getting African Stories on Global Screens
Making the film is just half the battle. Distributing African animated films globally is a challenge due to limited networks and platforms focused on African content.
Our strategy has been multi-pronged: we aim to position The Passport of Mallam Ilia not only as an artistic achievement but as a marketable product. By building an engaged audience via social media and crowdfunding, we are creating demand. We are also actively networking with distributors and film festivals worldwide to showcase our story, hoping to secure cinema releases and streaming deals.
5. The Magic Carpet Solution: Persistence, Passion, and Partnership
Our journey shows that despite the challenges of talent scarcity, funding hurdles, infrastructure gaps, and distribution barriers, African animation can thrive. It requires persistence, passion, and partnership: qualities that define Magic Carpet Studio’s spirit.
We’re proud to be part of the movement putting African animation on the global map, one frame at a time.
If you’re an investor, a fan, or an aspiring animator, join us.
Together, we’re building an industry that’s unstoppable.