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How AfroVFX is Introducing African Animators to the Rest of the World
Meet AfroVFX, the organization bringing free 3D and VFX education to Africa and introducing the world to a continent of untapped talent.Founded by Ddy Bilamba and Eric M'Boua in 2022, AfroVFX aims to bridge the gap between Africa and the global CGI industry. With support from partners like Chaos, AfroVFX empowers and enables a new generation of African artists and animators. Read on to learn more about AfroVFX, its programs' impact, and how Chaos's sponsorship via the Vivid Voices community program is helping it grow.The Road to Founding AfroVFXGrowing up in the African diaspora, Ddy Bilamba and Eric M'Boua always wanted to find a way to use their Western industry knowledge to give back to the continent. Ddy, currently the Program Director at the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, and Eric, who has extensive experience in radio and television and event production, were uniquely positioned to help make a difference.AfroVFXAfter being asked to speak at the Abidjan Film Summit four years ago, the pair realized there was a significant opportunity to grow VFX expertise in Africa, especially utilizing the network they had in Canada. "Eric and I said, this is exactly what we have to bring back to the continentthat VFX expertise, to make it belong, to make it go to the next level, and help creators share the most amazing African stories to the world."They knew they wouldn't be introducing the concept of visual effects and animation to Africa. ("No, no, they didn't wait for us," says Ddy. They crack any software they can get!" he laughs.) But what the pair would bring was connections to the international market, opportunities to meet mentors, travel, and learnand they would offer it all for free.So, in 2022, Eric and Ddy's vision became a reality with the launch of AfroVFX cohort #1 from its base in Cte d'Ivoire. They started with a cohort of 20 students, including eight women, whittled down from a pool of over 500 applications. Over a four-month intensive course the students were molded by world class online instructors who included Abdou Sako (Rebel Moon, Pacific Rim), Mlanie Pango (Pinocchio, Godzilla vs. Kong), and Stephane Jean-Mary (Jurassic World Dominion, The Mandalorian). These instructors trained the students in industry-standard tools like Maya, Houdini, Nuke, and Unreal Engine to create world-class talent ready to support local and international industries.Chaos Supporting New Talent and AfroVFXAs a supporter of initiatives to grow and diversify the industrys talent pool, Chaos is always looking for new ways to empower the community. After a chance meeting with Ddy and Eric, Chaos quickly partnered with AfroVFX through the Vivid Voices program. This initiative aims to uplift and support artists from underrepresented communities and help them transition from studies to work.AfroVFXThis partnership has enabled AfroVFX students to achieve success. Thanks to funding from Chaos and other supporters, AfroVFX provides students with free training, mentoring, licences, transportation, meals, and a stipend. This wraparound support means students can fully dedicate themselves to the program without financial barriers. While the course is taught via Zoom, AfroVFX also offers a dedicated training space at the Orange Digital Center (the company is another AfroVFX sponsor), ensuring students have reliable equipment and avoid issues like power or internet outages. Being together also allows students to form bonds and networks for their future work.The success of this approach is already evident. Student groups have completed ambitious projects, such as the pilot for the Djossi Heroes short film. This project, which combined live-action documentary with 2D and 3D animation, won the Sony Talent League competition after catching the eye of the judging panel, and led to AfroVFX students traveling to Spain and Japan.In addition, Chaos also provided 20 licenses for V-Ray for Maya, introducing a future cohort of students to a powerful rendering tool used by studios worldwide. This access allows students to further grow their technical skills and better prepare themselves for real-world projects.AfroVFX and Chaos Present: LISOLOOne of the most exciting things to come out of the partnership between AfroVFX and Chaos was LISOLO, AfroVFXs flagship event. LISOLO, which means story in the Lingala language, brought together young African artists, giving them a platform to showcase their work, network, and learn from studios, incubators, experts, and other industry professionals.AfroVFXThe event welcomed guests like Andrew Roberts, VFX supervisor at ILM; Hamid Ibrahim, CEO of Kugali Media; and Nosipho Maketo van de Braght, CEO of Chocolate Tribe. Attendees participated in workshops, listened to panels and presentations, shared their projects, and received actionable feedback.With Chaoss support, the inaugural LISOLO event was a resounding success. AfroVFX is now planning the second edition for 2025, which will include workshops and masterclasses with international guests, a pitch competition for 3D animated film projects, and the Mission to Morocco challenge, combining AI and human creativity and focusing on the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament.AfroVFXs Vision for the FutureLISOLO isnt the only thing AfroVFX has planned for 2025. Applications are about to open for cohort #3, which will be open to participants across Africa. So far, the program has trained 48 students from Cte d'Ivoire, including 16 women thanks to its Animazones initiative. Expanding the program Africa-wide will help foster a sense of community and collaboration among African artists.AfroVFXThis new cohort will work on Akwabee, a three-minute short film mixing live-action and 3D animation. The goal of Akwabee is to teach artists to work in a production pipeline, using tools and methods at an international standard. The final product will debut at LISOLO 2025.Looking AheadAs AfroVFX prepares for its third cohort, the organizations journey is just beginning. With ambitious plans for expansion and continued support from partners like Chaos, AfroVFX is poised to make an even greater impact on the global CGI industry.To learn more about AfroVFXs mission, support their programs, or explore student work, visit their website and follow them on social media. And to discover more about Chaoss community initiatives, check out the Chaos Community Hub.Visit the Chaos community hubJoin us in our journey to make the world a more vibrant place through art and innovation.Learn more
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