Rwanda’s animation pioneers leading the charge in 3D artistry

While films like ‘Toy Story’, ‘Kung Fu Panda’, ‘Finding Nemo’ and others are well-known worldwide, Rwanda and the region have not yet gained recognition for 3D animation. Guez Show, an animation and production company, is making waves by pioneering 3D animation in a region where such work is still a rarity. The company, founded by Mufuth Nkurunziza, is not just breaking new ground but is also on track to produce the first-ever full-length 3D animated film in East Africa. ALSO READ: Exploring the rise of animation in Rwanda “Mostly in Rwanda, we do not do 3D animated work. I jumped on the decision to venture into 3D animation because I would see great animated films but did not know how they were done.” “Once you see these animated videos or pictures, you would think they are real, the technology behind them, compared to traditional animation, is what intrigued me—the curiosity to understand how it’s done,” Nkurunziza told The New Times. The company has a diverse portfolio, including commercials, visualizations, 3D game assets for different games, and short films. Nkurunziza said they are working on a 1-hour-and-30-minute animated feature film, which will be the first of its kind in the region. “It will be the first in East Africa and, in Africa, there’s only one similar production in South Africa, called Triggerfish. There’s also one production in Nigeria, but it’s a co-production and is not fully done in Africa,” he explained. The company focused on work-for-hire projects, including building 3D assets for a metaverse game developed by Meta11, an Australian company. ALSO READ: Ze Match: Rwanda’s superhero in new 3D animation movie They also contributed scenes for the film The 600: The Soldiers' Story and produced several short films that have been featured on prominent global platforms like ‘The Cliff’ and ‘Covid-19’. However, Nkurunziza emphasises that their focus is now on their in-house film, a project that will take about two years to complete due to the complexity and resource-intensive nature of 3D animation. “There are few people doing this because it’s very expensive as it requires a considerable skilled workforce as well as advanced computing systems and a lot of time. We are positioning ourselves to attract partnerships to make big films, and today, we are in discussions with potential co-producers,” he added. Deogratias Kazintwali, the Chief Operating Officer at Guez Show, noted the importance of promoting African animation. “We have really been trying to push African animation out there. One of the key things that has been missing in all the previous animations that have come out on the continent is the content done by local talent,” he said. He said they are committed to nurturing and utilising the talent available in Rwanda to tell unique stories through animation. Kazintwali pointed out that the lack of educational institutions specialising in animation in Rwanda means that only a few individuals pursue this field. He draws inspiration from industry giants like Pixar, who have set the standard in animation. “What we aimed for, when starting our company, is to tell stories and Pixar has created their own style and pipeline, breaking a lot of ground, it gives us so much leverage not to start over but to build on what they’ve already brought to the table, adding our own unique touch. Maybe in five to 10 years, someone will say, ‘This is the work that was done in Rwanda, from Africa,’” he said. He emphasised that they not only aim for commercial success but also to capture and promote Rwandan culture through the powerful medium of animation. “3D cinema can really contribute greatly to cinema, It’s a no-brainer, especially because it’s viable. It’s just a matter of training people and investment, plus we are the only company doing it in Rwanda. We can even compete with other studios on the continent,” Nkurunziza said.

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Rwanda’s animation pioneers leading the charge in 3D artistry