The Imagination Studios initiative was created to inspire, motivate, and celebrate the imaginations of children, allowing them to conceptualise and create their own Cartoon Network character duo. The first place competition winners, from each of the four categories, will now be able to see their animated creations live on TV on Cartoon Network across Africa.

The EMEA multi-platform initiative will be a local first for Cartoon Network’s Imagination Studios, resulting in Cartoon Network contracting alliances with locally selected partners for the first locally produced animated shorts.

Cartoon Network has contracted with the pan-African animation company MyChild TV, who will act as the executive producer coordinating all parties involved in the completion of the Imagination Studios shorts.

To write the script for the shorts, Cartoon Network has partnered with Cape Town-based Punch Money Studios who won the Turner Kids Animation Pitching competition at DISCOP in 2016 for their Cloud Life project.

Cartoon Network has also partnered with Mindseye Creative, a 2D animation studio based in South Africa and Audio Militia, an award-winning post-production facility specialising in the composition of music, sound design, and a final mix for a variety of media (TV, radio, film, and games).

Local comedians and voice over artists, including Nina Hastie, Trevor Gumbi, Richelieu Beaunoir and Alex Radnitz, will also be lending their local voices to the project. Together, the creative team will bring the winning drawings to life through motion, style, and sound.

Nick Wilson from Animation South Africa (ASA) says, "It is really cool to see that international brands such as Cartoon Network are starting to fully localise their content in order to speak to, and engage with, their audience on a deeper, richer level. We are so honoured and excited to have been selected to work on this project, presenting us with many areas of potential and growth for the African animation industry, ensuring that our creative voices as Africans continue to be heard."

The winner’s animated duos will be aired on Cartoon Network across Africa in October. To view the winning artwork, visit the Cartoon Network Imagination Studios website.

For more information, visit www.imaginationstudios.cartoonnetworkhq.com. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook.