“Zambezia” trailer

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Samuel L. Jackson leads a team of flying heroes in… no, not The Avengers… in South Africa’s first 3D animated feature Zambezia. Produced by Capetown-based Triggerfish Animation Studios, the film is scheduled for release this winter in Africa – and next year by Sony (according to this report in The Hollywood Reporter). The cast also includes Jeff Goldblum, Abagail Breslin and Leonard Nimoy. Here’s what it looks like:

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  • sasha

    first animated feature? wow! looks a bit cheesy but the animation looks pretty good! a lot better than what i was expecting. i love seeing these new animation companies coming out all over the world!

  • MissConception

    The lip sync is very distracting. And the colors are very washed out. Not enough contrast in the lighting.

  • Bird is the word

    Oh South Africa, why you gotta make all the rookie mistakes?

    Talking Animals.

    Overblowing your budjet on A+ Hollywood Actors as your VOICE ACTORS [for no apparent reason].

    A shakey strung together story that’s apparently still getting revisions.

    And the production values only look a cut or two above Australian TV series Animalia.

    Lotta nice people involved on this, & Cape Town is a beautiful place. I really do hope this turns out better than expected for e’m.

    • http://danielsnaddon.com Daniel Snaddon

      Just in response to the voice actors comment: US distribution companies require indy animated movies to have celebrity voices becuase it gives them a known factor with which to market an unknown propperty from an unknown studio.

      Also, Hollywood A-listers don’t actually charge as much as you may expect for voice work, it’s quick for them to do, and not a big career risk =)

  • wever

    … Oh hai Tress MacNeille.

    … Oh hai Jim Cummings.

    I was fearing the worst, but to tell you the truth, the animation is okay! At least you can’t see the CG angles. The story will be boring though.

  • felix sputnik

    Kill me now!

    • http://909pop.com Mike Scott

      I see what you did there.

  • Sarah J

    Doesn’t look like anything special. I do love me some Leonard Nimoy, though.

  • http://midnightheist.deviantart.com/ Scott

    That “3D” text is not in 3D!
    :o

    Not much character in those character designs imo. :(

  • http://joshuamarmstrong.blogspot.com/ Joshua Armstrong

    Looks heavily inspired by “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole”

  • bird brained

    quotes from the trailer:

    “i know good talent..when I see it.”

    “you know how long we’ve been working on this?”

  • Toonio

    With all things being fair you have to go back to first toy story or bugs to realize that any company first animation feature has a big learning curve.

    Good for these guys and their very nice start.

    Wish them the best.

  • Mister Twister

    There aren’t enough good animated films starring humans only.

    This is the phrase people in animation companies need to say at least 10 times a day.

    Looks good though.

    • http://www.infurnation.com Rodso64

      That’s because human characters are BORING, frankly. And even when they’re well done they can fall head-long into the Uncanny Valley.

      Hmm, I find myself wondering how a film made in South Africa can look so much like a film that was made in Spain — The Missing Lynx.

      • Mister Twister

        You can avoid the valley of uncanny if the movie is made by talented people. Look at Cowboy Bebop, look at Titan A.E.; both have good looking human protagonists. You really should see more movies from around the world.

      • SKent.

        no he’s right… humans are boring.

        If they’d done a story focused on human protagonists, it’d probably end up looking more ‘Everyone’s Hero’ than Brad Bird.

  • http://www.flayrah.com/ Laurence ‘GreenReaper’ Parry

    I don’t think this is the first feature film produced in South Africa – what about ‘The Lion of Judah’?
    http://www.awn.com/articles/production/animation-africa-going-beyond-low-cost-option

  • felipe

    Rio + Legend of the guardians