South Africa’s Triggerfish Opens U.K. Studio, Recruiting Artists For TV Special

South Africa’s Triggerfish has opened a new U.K. studio, expanding its European footprint in a push to grow its feature, series, and specials output. The studio is already recruiting multiple positions for a TV special and looking to appoint a Head of U.K. to spearhead projects from the new location.

Triggerfish has been pushing into Europe for several years now, and previously opened a studio in Ireland. According to a company release, the U.K. office will bring the company “closer to key clients and creative partners while tapping into the UK’s world-class talent, tax incentives, and creative ecosystem to provide premium animation services.”

Launched in 1996, Triggerfish has been Africa’s best-known animation studio for some time now, while also cementing itself as a truly world-class organization. The studio has made a major impact on the global scene, working on high-profile titles for Disney (Star Wars: Visions episode “Aau’s Song,” Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire), Netflix (Supa Team 4), and animation services on projects for Magic Light Pictures (Stick Man, The Snail and the Whale).

Stuart Forrest, CEO of Triggerfish, said in a release:

The UK has always been central to our story – many of our most talented collaborators are based here. The animation studio of the future is global by design, built to work with the best talent on the best productions, wherever they are. Expanding our presence in the U.K. is a natural next step in growing our European business.

Tomorrow’s animation studios will be widely distributed, scalable, and connected by technology, with local hubs for training and community. By opening in the UK, we can create new opportunities for talent where they live while offering creative spaces where teams can come together. As Triggerfish looks to the future, it remains committed to delivering world-class animated storytelling, and we look forward to building new relationships with UK clients and co-production partners. This is an exciting chapter for Triggerfish and for the UK animation industry.

While the new studio launch emphasizes the importance Triggerfish places on having a physical presence in a marketplace, the company has long proved itself to be a remote work-friendly company, too. On Kizazi Moto, the studio organized a team of 1,500 artists working in nine studios across three continents. The studio has developed a CG pipeline built around USD integration, which Triggerfish used to produce the standout Star Wars: Visions episode “Aau’s Song.”