Western Cape animation studio owner awarded Innovator of the Year
Business owner, Stuart Forrest of Triggerfish Animation Studios, has been recognised for his entrepreneurial excellence and innovative business skills by being awarded the 2012 Innovator of the Year award in the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® Competition.
According to Dr Kerrin Myres, a judge of the 2012 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® awards, Triggerfish is the obvious choice for the Innovator of the Year® award. “Stuart has created a world-class animation business at the leading edge of digital arts, and we anticipate that this business will inspire a host of spin-offs in gaming and related areas. This is an entrepreneur who has seized an opportunity to create an industry.”
Triggerfish was started in 1996, and spent the first 10 years producing animation for commercials and Sesame Street. The animation studio has recently completed its first feature film, Adventures in Zambezia, which is being screened across approximately 70 countries and has also received international acclaim by being screened at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Market. Triggerfish are already working on their second feature film titled Khumba, which is scheduled to be completed in 2013, and is expected to surpass the success of Adventures in Zambezia.
According to Stuart, bringing on the right partners and staying committed to the business’s vision despite all the setbacks and challenges is what has made Triggerfish the success that it is today. He says that although the business’s core hasn’t changed at all, it has stayed flexible and kept looking forward at future trends throughout the years, which has ensured that they are still a key player in the vibrant South African animation industry.
He believes that the business’s animation skills are world class and envisions Triggerfish being a major global player in the media and entertainment industry in the next decade by producing original material that has a unique African voice and touch.
For more information on Triggerfish, please visit their website www.triggerfish.co.za