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INTERVIEW: The Amazing World of Gumball creator speaks on finding animation talents in Africa and more

Cartoon Network recently announced the launch of the Imagination Studios Awards competition in Nigeria. It is an initiative that encourages primary school students in the country to explore their artistic talents while also having lots of fun! This year’s theme being humour and comedy, children from Nigeria and the rest of the continent will be […]

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Cartoon Network recently announced the launch of the Imagination Studios Awards competition in Nigeria. It is an initiative that encourages primary school students in the country to explore their artistic talents while also having lots of fun!

This year’s theme being humour and comedy, children from Nigeria and the rest of the continent will be asked to create the next CN prankster in order to make their favourite characters laugh! Participants can consult the platform during the competition to receive tips and guidance into making their own character, animate and tell stories. The channel’s own artists and creators, such as Ben Bocquelet, creator of The Amazing World of Gumball and many more will accompany them on their journey through the site which offers a wide range of activities including drawing, colouring, storyboarding, music, special effects, voiceover, movement and animation, leaving children well-equipped to begin working on their very own character creations.

I joined some journalists from around Africa in a Q&A with Ben Bocquelet, where  I wanted to find out Cartoon Network’s plans for discovering and developing animators or animations from Africa, since Ghanaian-American Hollywood teen star, Kwesi Boakye is the voice of Darwin on ‘The Amazing World of Gumball’.

What was the inspiration behind the Cartoon Network Imagination Studios initiative? 

Imagination Studios is actually inspired by an African campaign called Animation Generation which ran for 10 years in South Africa and ended in 2015. The exciting, nationwide initiative aimed to harness the passion for creativity of all Cartoon Network enthusiasts in schools across South Africa and was the company’s way of giving something back to the local communities in which Cartoon Network operates.

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What exactly do you intend to achieve with the campaign, especially for the African market?

What’s new and exciting about Imaginations Studios is that it’s dedicated website and competition is for all of English speaking Africa, not just South Africa.

Imagination Studios comes in the form of a specially-created online destination which provide a sneak-peek behind the scenes of the “real” Cartoon Network Studios, giving kids a unique insight into the making of their favourite cartoons and encouraging them to let their imaginations run wild. Just like Animation Generation Imagination Studios promotes kids exploring their artistic talents while also having lots of fun!

MultiChoice and Cartoon Network reacts to viral lewd photo

The local touch will come not from the website but from the kids’ submissions. This year, the theme for the competition is “Invent the Next CN Prankster and Make Your Favourite Heroes Laugh!” This theme is specific to the African territory and we are very curious to see how this will turn out when processed through a kid’s mind. Last year for instance with Animation Generation, one of the winner created “Captain Africa”, a super hero with laser eyes and the ability to control thunder. The winners’ artwork will be animated and broadcast on Cartoon Network for the whole continent to see!

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Talk us through the Imagination Studios online platform and its benefit for the audience.

Cartoon Network’s own artists and creators, myself included as well as Rebecca Sugar (Creator of Steven Universe) and many more, will accompany kids on their journey through the site, with tips and guidance on how to create their own characters, animate and tell stories. Kids will then be able to enjoy a wide range of activities featured on the site, including drawing, colouring, storyboarding, music, special effects, voiceover, movement and animation – leaving them best-equipped to begin working on their very own creations.

The content is refreshed and there are always new surprises to discover. And of course through this website, they can enter the competition.

Imagination Studios is a project that hopes to inspire young kids and ignite the “animators” in them. Is there any advice you would like to give those that would like to take part in this initiative? Especially in the life and times of technology that we live in?

A lot of people ask me how they can get a show made and really the answer is you just have to do it. What’s most important is to have something finished, so you just have to get on and do it. Do as many things as possible, finish them and take the time to look at what you’ve achieved – and then grow from there. Also have fun. The process is hard so you have to invest in ideas that you really believe in.

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Kids entering Imagination Studios should remember there are three categories in which to participate: drawing, stories and films. So there are a wide range of possibilities for kids to express themselves!

Why is it important for children to learn to tell their own stories and get a feel for ‘design’ from an early age?

I’m sure kids are being exposed to lots of different mediums, as I was when I was a kid. It’s not just about looking at cartoons but all sorts of stuff, listening to music you’ve never heard and so on. You should for inspiration in places you wouldn’t normally find it. It’s important because that’s the soil that will nurture your inspiration. It’s all the food that your brain needs.

What inspired the creation of The Amazing World of Gumball?

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It was a mish-mash of influences. I’ve basically been stealing everything I like – it’s important to steal not copy! Because then you digest it and do it in your own style.

The idea for the characters came from the time when I was working in advertising – very unsuccessfully – and I ended up with a whole bunch of characters from pitches that had been rejected by clients. They all ended up in my drawer. They are also inspired by my family. My dad is called Richard, my mum Nicole, my sister Anais… so I definitely used my experiences of my family to develop the Wattersons too.

What has been your audience’s perception / reaction generally about the creation of Gumball?

I find it quite beautiful that it’s connected with people in such a way that I’m now able to talk to African journalists about it. It went way further than my expectations and I’m very happy about that. 

Do you see any opportunities for new animated content in Africa? How do you think this can be easily tapped into?

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It’s through the internet for sure. The first thing you want is to get noticed – find a place to exist on the internet. That’s where people should put their content. If I were starting out I’d be putting everything on YouTube. As a creator driven channel, Cartoon Network also attends a lot of the animation festivals, such as Annecy, Kid Screen, Cartoon Forum and so on, to find new talent.

Since Cartoon Network is in many homes in Africa, is there the chance of you or the network developing African characters and stories that reflect this audience?

That’s interesting – I’ll think about it!

What can fans of Ben Bocquelet expect soon? Hint? Any timelines? 

We have more Gumball coming – we’re currently working on season five. In Africa, new episodes will be launching in June, Monday to Friday at 14:35 CET. I’ve also often said I’d like to work on a video game. Videogames is such an interesting medium in terms of storytelling and visuals. I think everyone should be thinking about this too.

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What have you done to ensure the show is unique and different from other cartoons and what is the secret of the huge success you have attained so far?

I’m not entirely sure why it’s successful to be frank! All I can say is, in every episode, every story we – and it’s a collective effort not just me – put a little bit of heart into and this is what rings true and connects with people. We use things that most people would be ashamed of or wouldn’t want to admit. The fact that it’s tarnished that way rings true and is part of the reason people like it. It’s not a lie, you know.

If you got chance to come to Kenya (that is if you have not been here yet?) –what would like to explore and why? If you have been to Kenya, what are some of your fond memories?

I’ve never had the chance but I have always wanted to! It’s definitely on my list of places to go. Mostly I would love to see the people, the land and the animals – it sounds amazing. It would also help me to lose some weight to be chased by a lion for a bit

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Ameyaw Meets

Oprah Winfrey & Blitz Bazawule answer my questions about ‘The Color Purple’

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Oprah Winfrey & Blitz Bazawule answer my questions about ‘The Color Purple’

In April, I had the opportunity to join a Zoom Q&A session with Oprah Winfrey and Blitz Bazawule, courtesy FilmOne Distribution. The conversation was around the bold remake of ‘The Color Purple’ scheduled for release this Christmas!   (more…)

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Ameyaw Meets

Asari Music highlights new single ‘Like Dat’, balancing college with music and more

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Asari Music

Week-in week-out I get to interview one of the many faces in showbiz and this week on Ameyaw Meets, Asari Music is the one. She’s a young, upcoming and very talented Ghanaian-American singer – who in case you haven’t heard, is out with the hottest song you might hear all week. (more…)

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People & Lifestyle

I single-handedly popularized Shea Butter in the United States – Margaret Andega

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According to Margaret Andega, a Kenyan entrepreneur in Atlanta, she was the driving force behind the commercialization of Shea Butter in the US during the late 90s. (more…)

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People & Lifestyle

He went from cooking on Instagram to owning a food truck in Atlanta and more… the story of Quabena’s Kitchen

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story of Quabena’s Kitchen

The COVID-19 pandemic birthed many opportunities for people all over the globe. For one Ghanaian living in the US, the pandemic reconnected him with his passion which has now become a full-time job.

Quabena’s Kitchen shared with me his story about how he went from cooking for family and friends, to sharing content of his cooking on Instagram page at the height of the pandemic, which has now transformed into a thriving catering business in Atlanta, Georgia.

Quabena’s Kitchen services now include a food truck providing Ghanaian and West African delicacies to Africans and non-Africans alike, with ambitions of a restaurant on the cards!

Watch this exciting story on Ameyaw TV below:

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Read Also: The chef behind Fufu Pizza is about to open Afro-Fusion Cafe in Atlanta

 

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Ameyaw Meets

The chef behind Fufu Pizza is about to open Afro-Fusion Cafe in Atlanta

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US-based Liberian professional chef, Chauncy Yarngo caught the attention of the world with his amazing creations such as fufu pizza, fufu taco, plantain burgers and more. (more…)

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Fashion

Why Ghanaian-American Jeffrey Ampratwum is the menswear expert to watch in fashion!

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At the start of the Victoria era, early 19th century – the English began to tone down the royal style dressing of the French army, namely those adorned in prestigious regalia and heavy embroidery. It was a sign of English nationalism and sparked a new wave of appearance in men. A few decades later, the suit was born and heavily influenced those in Italy and America. The British and the Americans have a rich revolutionary history, of course, and coincidentally the British colonized the African country – Gold Coast – until 1957 when they declared their independence and changed their name to Ghana. 

 

As part of an independent Ghana, a host of individuals began to exercise new freedoms and venture out of the country into new territories. Many Ghanaians set their eyes on American travel and a wave of trail blazers left the country and settled in the infamous New York City. For most, it was an opportunity to plant new seeds in the hopes that their children would be afforded even more opportunities for a prosperous life.

 

One of these children of the diaspora is Bronx-born Jeffrey Ampratwum. The only child to Kate Bampoe and Eugene Asante-Ampratwum Mpere, who met in the Bronx after immigrating from Ghana. The dynamics of having African parents and being raised in a heavily eclectic environment gave rise to Jeffreys style and prose. More importantly, we can honestly say that there are only a handful of Ghanaian-Americans living in the states that can exhibit a special presentation that reflects both their African heritage married with the esthetic of their nationality. We recently caught up with Jeffrey to discuss how his early influences provided him with a framework to now become such a strong force in the menswear industry in fashion.

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Jeffrey. 

AD: Jeffrey, Ɛte sɛn?

 

Jeff: Haha, Eye.

 

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AD: I had to test your Twi really quick! You know most Ghanaians who are born in the states dont have a clue about the language unless its spoken fiercely in the home.

 

Jeff: You are 100% correct with that. Ha. But for me, I was lucky in that my mother took me to Ghana before I even knew how to use words. So, in actuality, Twi was the first language and vocabulary I learned, and in essence, English is my second language. So, Im really decent when it comes to using Twi. Im a cheat code! But keep that quiet. Ha.

  

AD: How much of the remnants of the Ghanaian culture factored into your approach to your style and presentation?

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Jeff: When I was younger and in school, particularly in the Bronx – it wasnt always your proudest moment to be from Africa or to say your family was African. Part of the silly embarrassment was perhaps from the narratives that were spinning on television. Americans were being indoctrinated with visuals of feed the children” which only highlighted the extreme poverty in a few Africans countries. The images and broadcasts were all the same, for decades. So called philanthropist and humanitarians took camera crews into ravaged areas and televised starving children for us to see here in the states. I believe that had a profound effect on young boys and girls born from African parents.

Jeffrey

However, as for me – I always looked at being dark skinned and being deeply rooted into my African culture as a super power. I liked the idea of being different, even though all the kids in all my classes were also children of immigrants. They just couldnt grasp the concept of it at that time. So, from there, it was showtime. My Uncle, Joseph Ken Mintah – was the pioneer as the first in the family to travel to the states – he had extreme style. My mother also is very detailed with her sense of jewelry and fragrances. I adsorbed it all. 

 

AD: Did you start dressing in traditional African attire? What do you mean exactly?

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Jeff: Not exactly! But, being an only child really allowed for me to sit deep in thought for long periods of time. Being left-handed allowed for me to be extremely dexterous and detailed. And being raised solely by my mother further allowed me to pay attention to the importance of clothing and accessories – as she dressed herself each morning. It was the ultimate cocktail and I was already drunk with creativity. I started customizing all the clothes I had. By no means were we wealthy, so I had to manage just a few outfits for school.

 

My styling began when I would turn 5 outfits into 15 – so essentially, a 5-day school week became New York Fashion Week for me. I would airbrush my sneakers, turn Old Navy sweaters inside out for a fleece appeal, and cuff my jeans in 4 different ways depending on my footwear. This soon became a bad habit and made me late for school many mornings.

 

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AD: You see, if you are late to school in Ghana back then – you might as well have sat by the road to hide from both your mother and headmaster! What was college like for you then?

 

Jeff: Right! Ha. It grew legs during my undergrad. Now all the pretty girls were around, I had more freedom to come and go, and more importantly – I had a stage to showcase my style. I joined a student club in the SEEK Program, and soon became the President and started hosting a string of events based around fashion. 4 years and a bachelors degree later, there were 6 fashion shows and 3 beauty pageants under my belt. Huge successes. I started to doubt my real educational reason for attending college, which was to become a dentist. Fashion was dancing on one shoulder and dentistry on the other. But somehow, I figured out how to still involve the two. My best buddy, Kenny – whom I met at the college on the road to become dentists – made it through. So, I live vicariously through him. And now, coincidentally – together we’ve developed a brand – a service of bespoke mens luxury shoes and women’s handbags, and ready to wear womenswear shoes as well. Named, Kenjeffreys. It is serendipitous because all of the products are sourced and handcrafted in Haiti and infused with Ghanaian culture. As Kenny is from Haiti, we properly employ artisans within the community and focus heavily on our social impact.

Following undergrad, I then began at FIT as student, really just trying to test my styling hand – and to learn more about the industry. While there, I came across extremely talented and knowledgeable fashion professionals that have really guided me. Namely, Sadia Seymour and Joseph DeAcetis. Both wildly experienced, patient and embedded with a wealth of information. Respectfully in womenswear and menswear. You cannot beat that, and I am grateful for it.

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AD: That is strangely unique and admirable. Talk to us about how all those experiences and inspirations give rise to the Jeffrey or Che we see today and ultimately, where that places you in your field of fashion and menswear.

 

Jeff: Sure. Great point. I have been indoctrinated by the basic principles of creativity as an adolescent – with respect to clothing. That is extremely hard to shake. Innately, styling was my ultimate form of communication, seeing that I was a shy introvert. So now, I still revert back to those same feelings…. the feeling of home, warmth, memories, great food and innocent fun. My approach now is exactly the same in the sense that when I am dressing, styling or designing for someone – I am taking into account their entire repertoire and holding a mirror in front of them which reflects the items that they love most. It is a skill that perhaps only empaths are only able to exhibit.

 

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Having the ability to read into thoughts and connecting with the motivating spirits that drives people – is a gift. I ran the New York City marathon three times, and the 2nd time I ran it in a tuxedo! It was my ultimate homage and pledging of allegiance to fashion. Ha.

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I also believe my extensive traveling experience has aided to the arsenal. Recent trips to Ghana always resets a creative instinct with me, as I look around and arrive back to a place of self-awareness. It feels right. My cousin Harry knows where to be to capture the real essence of the land. And, coincidentally enough, I am often back and forth to the UK as well. Savile row in London, England -as you know – is a menswear connoisseurs Disney Land. It is the traditional hub for the world’s best tailored-bespoke suits. Naples and Florence are a close second. However, sartorially, the British have etched their names in the fine-art making of the suit. I do though spend most of my time in Brighton, UK. Its where my love is and also like a second home for me. The culture there is infused with various styles and the community is inviting. The Duchess of Brighton-Hove, Lady Donna and her amazing friends will assure that you have a great time! 

 

AB: Finally, talk to us about your styling approach with respect to specific talent that you work with.

 

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Jeff: Definitely. This is perhaps an area you cannot teach. It is learned with years of experience and even reading the room wrong most times. I tell my fashion students often that they have to continue shooting airballs at the basket. Get out the miss shots, now – and properly learn your subjects. For example, if I am styling a celebrity for the red carpet – several nuances are to be considered before arriving at a dress or a tuxedo. Such as, what stages in life is your talent currently in, how body conscious are they and what are they most nostalgic about. These (and some of my other secrets that I cannot give away) are the pillars to nailing great style, image and presentation.

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If I am shooting for a magazine in a studio – its party time. If you are not dancing as a model or grooving as a photographer, you are are in the wrong business, per say! Haha. With me, you are very liable to hear everyone from Bob Marley, James Brown, MJ, and Jay-Z to Queen, Lady Gaga, Biggie, Nas and Beyonce all on the same playlist. I say that to say: I enjoy what I do in fashion, and I will always represent the joys of that. I believe that is what makes me an enigma in this industry. Always professional however, but make it subjective and inject areas of your creativity wherever you can. Particularly in menswear – I keep a very intimate and close pulse on traditional, casual and street styles of these sub genres – and study them gravely like the science they are. That all still comes from sitting deep in thought as I did
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