South Africa’s Triggerfish Will Open Its First Overseas Studio In Ireland

Triggerfish, the largest animation studio on the African continent, is going global. It has announced the creation of a new international branch in Galway, Ireland.

The Irish studio, whose establishment is supported by the country’s national government, is expected to create 60 new jobs over the next three years. It will be Triggerfish’s first studio outside its base in Cape Town, South Africa. Studio producer Andy Wonnacott will head the branch.

Triggerfish CEO Stuart Forrest explained the genesis of the project in a statement: “To keep up with demand, we started outsourcing work to Irish animators in 2019 and were quickly won over by both the quality of the work and the dedication to the craft. In many ways, the Irish creatives seem very similar to what we always look for in South Africa: a passion for animation, a love of story, and the deeply felt ambition to create award-winning and entertaining work.”

Wonnacott added: “We need more capacity to keep up with our ambitions and Galway ticked all the boxes for our European base. It has a similar time zone to South Africa; is very well connected, with both flights and broadband connectivity; has a thriving creative community; and offers loads of really fantastic business support.”

Founded in 1996, Triggerfish has produced two features to date: Adventures in Zambezia and Khumba. Both are among the five highest-grossing South African feature films of all time, with a combined worldwide theatrical box office of over USD$50 million.

A third feature, Seal Team, is in production. Triggerfish has also made several tv specials, including the Oscar-nominated Roald Dahl adaptation Revolting Rhymes (image at top) and the BAFTA-nominated Stick Man, and is co-producing Netflix’s first African animated original, Mama K’s Team 4.

Triggerfish is also active in developing the animation industry in South Africa and across the continent. Its educational initiatives include its Story Lab, a mentorship scheme for up-and-coming African creators, and its Academy, a free online course.

Ireland’s animation industry is one of the most dynamic in Europe. Last year, half of all production spending in the country went toward animation.

By ALEX DUDOK DE WIT