Rondebosch man wins animation award

A Rondebosch man has won an award in an animation competition.

Tolonambinina Rakotoarivony, 30, won the award, as well as a camera and accessories, for the "best use of animation principles" in the inaugural #AnimateCT challenge, which was held in the run-up to the Cape Town International Animation Festival at the Cape Town International Convention Centre at the end of April.

Other award categories were "public favourite", "jury favourite" and "best use of Cape Town backdrops".

The contestants had to make short videos mixing animation with live backgrounds of Cape Town's tourist hot spots.

Mr Rakotoarivony’s one-minute submission, A Quick Dip, showed animated characters in beach costumes going for a swim at the Camps Bay tidal pool.

Mr Rakatoarivony, who is from Antananarivo, Madagascar, and is here as a dependent on his wife’s study visa, said he started learning animation by using free software and YouTube tutorials.

"I became interested in this medium out of passion. I draw a lot and love watching cartoons. I am self-taught because it is not easy to find animation or drawing courses in my home country of Madagascar."

Mr Rakatoarivony said he had watched The Prince of Egypt, Sinbad, The Road to El Dorado and other Disney animated films growing up and had also been inspired by Japanese animation such as Akira and Dragon Ball.

Daisy Ions, founder of the competition, said the goal was to grow an audience for local animators.

“There is so much talent out there, but we very rarely get to see it,” she said.

Mr Rakatoarivony said he hoped to join an animation studio and expand his network among fellow enthusiasts in the genre.